Navigation keys issue

[stuntpuppy]

Got a bit of an odd problem with gameEx. I have it installed on a laptop, where it runs fine to start with, but after a short time the navigation keys stop working. The cursor keys which i had used to move about gameex no longer function. I can only use 'escape' to quit gameex. The mouse functions fine. The keyboard funtions fine outside of gameEx too. I'm really puzzled by this. Any ideas ?

[bkenobi]

Do you have a log file you can post when this happens?

[stuntpuppy]

hi, i'm at work so don't have the laptop to hand, but i will post a log file shortly.

Not sure why GameEx would forget what the arrow keys do .. I don't have much in the way of emulators installed on there so i may just do a fresh install and see if the problem occurs with default settings.

[Tom Speirs]

I cant think of a reason either, although there were some new custom keyboard input features recently. Post the log though. It may well be an emulator conflict of some sort. Does it happen if if you dont launch anything?

[chriss]

this could be similar to the problem we discussed recently over here:

http://www.gameex.info/forums/index.php?showtopic=7153

[stuntpuppy]

ok this is the logfile from a couple of days ago.

Not sure theres any kind of emulator conflict, as I only have one setup so far.

12:20:49.5 01/04/2009: GameEx: Version 9.94: Starting Log

12:20:49.5 01/04/2009: Operating System Platform: Win32NT

12:20:49.5 01/04/2009: Operating System Name: Windows Vista

12:20:49.5 01/04/2009: Operating System Version: 6.0.6001

12:20:49.5 01/04/2009: Vista Aero running

12:20:49.5 01/04/2009: Initializing Vista volume control

12:20:49.5 01/04/2009: Checking for versions of .net Framework installed

12:20:49.5 01/04/2009: .net Framework 2.0 Installed

12:20:49.5 01/04/2009: Intel® Core2 Duo CPU P8400 @ 2.26GHz, 3068MB

12:20:49.5 01/04/2009: 2.26Ghz - 2 Cores or CPU's

12:20:49.5 01/04/2009: Running Randomize()

12:20:49.5 01/04/2009: Loading PlugIns

12:20:49.5 01/04/2009: Checking for applications to Launch On Startup

12:20:49.5 01/04/2009: Running Misc startup tasks

12:20:49.5 01/04/2009: Setting Menu types

12:20:49.5 01/04/2009: Opening Configuration File

12:20:49.5 01/04/2009: Getting Configuration Values

12:20:49.6 01/04/2009: Using Theme: Default - MCE Glossy V3

12:20:49.6 01/04/2009: Checking for alternate Image Directory for Theme: Default - MCE Glossy V3

12:20:49.6 01/04/2009: Using Images from theme: Default - MCE Glossy\MEDIA\

12:20:49.6 01/04/2009: Initialising Video/MNG DLL's

12:20:49.6 01/04/2009: GameEx will check for media insertion (may affect performance)

12:20:49.6 01/04/2009: Is Media Center running?

12:20:49.6 01/04/2009: Checking/Creating LCD Registry values

12:20:49.6 01/04/2009: Check Media Center Exit/Start Mode

12:20:49.6 01/04/2009: Media Center Mode 2

12:20:49.6 01/04/2009: Video previews on. Warning: Only recommended on modern systems

12:20:49.6 01/04/2009: Snap Delay set to: 2

12:20:49.6 01/04/2009: Get other settings

12:20:49.6 01/04/2009: Mouse Input is disabled

12:20:49.6 01/04/2009: Desktop set to Hide ICONS and set Background to Black

12:20:49.6 01/04/2009: Set: Find emulator artwork on best match basis

12:20:49.6 01/04/2009: Using DirectInput for keyboard input

12:20:49.6 01/04/2009: Start work for Form

12:20:49.6 01/04/2009: Getting Original Screen Size

12:20:49.6 01/04/2009: Opening Database Connection

12:20:49.7 01/04/2009: Initializing Component

12:20:49.7 01/04/2009: Retrieving resolution setting

12:20:49.8 01/04/2009: Initialising Windows Media Player Component

12:20:49.8 01/04/2009: MAME Path is: C:\Emulators\Mame32

12:20:49.8 01/04/2009: Cannot Find MAME Path: MAME Disabled

12:20:49.8 01/04/2009: Loading Controls.ini map file

12:20:49.8 01/04/2009: Loading Custom Emulators

12:20:49.8 01/04/2009: Loading Emulator 12: Commodore 64 Games

12:20:50.0 01/04/2009: Using Version 3 Themes Animations

12:20:50.0 01/04/2009: Using General Font: Trebuchet MS

12:20:50.0 01/04/2009: Using Title Font: Trebuchet MS

12:20:50.0 01/04/2009: Initialising DirectDraw

12:20:50.0 01/04/2009: Applying GameEx is Loading Image

12:20:50.1 01/04/2009: Creating DirectDraw Device

12:20:50.1 01/04/2009: Using Device: NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT

12:20:50.5 01/04/2009: 1771mb video memory available

12:20:50.5 01/04/2009: Creating DirectDraw Surfaces

12:20:50.5 01/04/2009: Creating Primary Surface - Windowed Mode

12:20:50.5 01/04/2009: Creating Back Buffer

12:20:50.5 01/04/2009: Loading graphic Surfaces

12:20:50.5 01/04/2009: Display is running at: 1920x1080 32bit color, 60hz

12:20:50.5 01/04/2009: Creating Surfaces Flags

12:20:50.5 01/04/2009: Creating Surfaces Misc and Dialogs

12:20:50.6 01/04/2009: Creating Surfaces Volume

12:20:50.6 01/04/2009: Creating Surfaces Arrows

12:20:50.6 01/04/2009: Creating Surfaces GameEXlogo Text

12:20:50.6 01/04/2009: Creating Surfaces Toolbar

12:20:50.6 01/04/2009: Creating Surfaces Backgrounds

12:20:50.8 01/04/2009: Creating Surfaces Toolbar Controls

12:20:50.8 01/04/2009: Creating Surfaces GameEx Logo

12:20:50.8 01/04/2009: Creating Surface Unselected

12:20:50.8 01/04/2009: Creating Surfaces Home & Exit

12:20:50.8 01/04/2009: Creating Surfaces Snaps

12:20:50.8 01/04/2009: Creating Surfaces Menu and List Bars

12:20:50.8 01/04/2009: Creating Fonts

12:20:50.8 01/04/2009: Creating Game Font

12:20:50.9 01/04/2009: Creating Game Font Faded

12:20:51.0 01/04/2009: Creating Title Font

12:20:51.0 01/04/2009: Restoring Title Font From Cache

12:20:51.1 01/04/2009: Creating Font Black

12:20:51.2 01/04/2009: Creating Font Black Small

12:20:51.3 01/04/2009: Fonts Created Succesfully

12:20:51.3 01/04/2009: 1708mb video memory left available

12:20:51.3 01/04/2009: Creating instance of global keyboard hook

12:20:51.3 01/04/2009: Text/Language: English

12:20:51.3 01/04/2009: Applying Language/Text

12:20:51.4 01/04/2009: Initialising Bass Audio Library

12:20:51.4 01/04/2009: MAME CMD options: -nowindow -joy -skip_gameinfo

12:20:51.4 01/04/2009: Loading last used Game List

12:20:51.5 01/04/2009: Setting Music Volume

12:20:51.5 01/04/2009: Creating DirectSound Device

12:20:51.5 01/04/2009: Trying: Primary Sound Driver

12:20:51.5 01/04/2009: Loading Sound Files

12:20:51.5 01/04/2009: DirectSound Device Created Successfully

12:20:51.5 01/04/2009: Gamepad/Joystick disabled

12:20:51.5 01/04/2009: Initialising DirectInput for Keyboard support

12:20:51.6 01/04/2009: Initializing MCE Remote

12:20:51.6 01/04/2009: Playing intro sound file

12:20:51.7 01/04/2009: Initialization OK! Starting GameEx!

12:20:51.7 01/04/2009: Testing Main Loop Once: Processing Frame

12:20:52.0 01/04/2009: Testing Main Loop Once: Main Loop ran successfully

12:25:21.6 01/04/2009: Starting Attract Mode

12:25:21.6 01/04/2009: Reading MAME hall of fame

13:01:53.2 01/04/2009: Exiting GameEx!

13:01:53.2 01/04/2009: Saving Settings

13:01:53.4 01/04/2009: Disposing Plugins

13:01:53.4 01/04/2009: Closing database connection

13:01:53.4 01/04/2009: Checking for applications to Launch On Exit

13:01:53.4 01/04/2009: Media Center was not open when starting GameEx, so not launching

[bkenobi]

Could this be related to a network connection timing out? It looks like the last thing GameEx did before you shut it down was read the MAME hall of fame which is downloaded. Tom, if the network connection times out, do you trap for that? I would assume you do, but I don't see anything else in this file...

[Tom Speirs]

Actually its not downloaded in this case. I cant see anything, but I would try turning off Direct Input/Custom keyboard controls.

[stuntpuppy]

Actually its not downloaded in this case. I cant see anything, but I would try turning off Direct Input/Custom keyboard controls.

I have already tried the 'directinput keyboard' setting set to no.

I had only just set it to yes so i know its not that.

Not sure about any custom keyboard controls .. i will try that when i get chance over the weekend.

[stuntpuppy]

Just to add that i have custom keyboard controls off (never had them on anyway)

I also tried it with windows screensaver enabled and disabled. and also with all power saving settings disabled.

Same thing happens

Not sure what else to try except reinstall and hope for the best !

[stuntpuppy]

Well after changing all kinds of settings i think i may have sorted it.

I turned the attract mode timer off and it has'nt locked up like it it was doing so before.

I have'nt delved into how to go about setting up attract mode yet so maybe it needs videos or something to play.

Anyway now working here !

[bkenobi]

Attract mode by default only works for MAME. You can turn on other things in the screen saver to get more content displayed (videos, other emulators, apps, etc). Perhaps you could try disabling everything and turning them back on one at a time. If it's the screen saver, you should see an entry in the log saying what it's displaying and then a huge amount of time before you kill GameEx (if that's even in the log). I realized just the other day that the reason my attract mode/screen saver would randomly kick off and return to the GameEx display was that some of the roms that I was asking it to display weren't working. It would try to load, crash, and return to GameEx. On the up side, whenever this happens I can just look at the log to see what game was the problem and fix/delete it from the list.