Attract Mode/Screen Saver is dead?!

**bkenobi** · April 16, 2009

Starting a new topic to avoid cluttering up an established one.

Since upgrading to 10.0x I've noticed that the screen saver doesn't work anymore. I don't know if it's a custom menu problem or what, but I haven't changed anything related to controls in quite a while. The only thing I know that I've done recently that is even related to the screen saver is adding the screen saver start menu item to GameEx (it's always been off before now).

I checked the log yesterday when playing around and noticed that when I launch the screen saver it tries to run and immediately quits. The log (which I don't have ATM) say starting screen saver...user input detected so quitting attract mode. These both have the same time stamp. GameEx doesn't even try to start the screen saver anymore...

Here's a log file. I manually attempted to start the screen saver 3 times and each time it stopped within a couple seconds of starting. Not sure what's going on.

http://www.gameex.info/forums/index.php?ac...ost&id=4781

http://www.gameex.info/forums/index.php?ac...ost&id=4782

http://www.gameex.info/forums/index.php?ac...ost&id=4783

**bkenobi** · April 16, 2009

Just an update. The log file I posted before was for 10.04. This one is for 10.05. Same results though...

log.txt

**Krakerman** · April 16, 2009

Hmmm mine is working and I'm on 10.05

**bkenobi** · April 16, 2009

If I have some time, I'm going to go through and disable everything to see what the problem is. I'm using XPadder, but that shouldn't be an issue since I've been using that for a couple years now. Odd that it just started. I figured Tom might have been playing with the attract mode, so he might know what to check right off the bat.

**bkenobi** · April 16, 2009

Ok, so I'm pretty sure this is custom menu related. I disabled the custom menus and restarted the computer. When it came back up, I was able to run the screen saver/attract mode without problem.

log.txt

**Krakerman** · April 16, 2009

could very well be as I'm not using cutom menus so that is why I didn't notice it at all.

**bkenobi** · April 16, 2009

I don't know... I just reenabled the custom menu with the screen saver component disabled and it seems to work. Then, I changed the custom menu to only have 2 items (screen saver and shut down). Everything seems to work. I then changed the menu back to the original one and still working. So, I'm not sure what the problem was at this point. I suppose the only thing that makes sense is that something might have fallen on the wireless keyboard and was pushing an unused button. Weird problem anyway... :unsure:

I did learn something I wasn't expecting with this testing though. Apparently, GameEx reads the custom menu file more than just at load time. So, if you change the file while GameEx is running, the interface will update on the fly. I think that's a good thing, but either way it's a known thing.

**Tempest** · April 16, 2009

I did learn something I wasn't expecting with this testing though. Apparently, GameEx reads the custom menu file more than just at load time. So, if you change the file while GameEx is running, the interface will update on the fly. I think that's a good thing, but either way it's a known thing.

I find this to be interesting. Do you think that this would allow a user to have different options available base on keypresses (Via a script) ? IOW, password protection for features in GameEx?

I haven't udated since 9.89, so I haven't checked out all of the new features, sorry if I am way off base.

**bkenobi** · April 16, 2009

You know, that's a definite possibility! I'm not sure how that would be implemented, but it could be done I suppose. What I was doing was editing the CustomMenu.ini file on my main system and then going back to the cab and hitting back. It would reload to the top of the menu automatically. If you had a script that was set up as an application, you could have a dialog show that took CP inputs and gave you a pass/fail indication. If it passed, you could copy a different file to CustomMenu.ini. When the app exits, GameEx should reload the new one. A definite possibility!!!

You've already been playing with this type of stuff anyway with Cfg Magician, so maybe you can throw something together to give it a try?

**Tempest** · April 16, 2009

It sounds relatively simple. Let's see if I'm following you correctly.

Write a script that would be accessible in GameEx as an application.

The script would open a dialog, asking for a password.

If the password matches stored password1, Replace CustomMenu.ini with CustomMenu1.ini

If the password matches stored password2, Replace CustomMenu.ini with CustomMenu2.ini

Is that it, or am I missing something? I could put together a demo, that you could modify if necessary. As I said, I haven't updated, so if you want me to post something for you to test, and make minor modifications to, I will. It can get more complicated later, if it actually works.

Sorry for hi-jacking your thread...

**bkenobi** · April 16, 2009

The thread is dead for my purposes (I must have had a key held down). As for the script, that would be cool. Only problem is that I'm not likely to get a chance to test it now. I'm on vacation for the next couple weeks and probably won't have time to do much before I leave. If you do put something together, go ahead and post it. I'll try it out if I get a chance. If not, perhaps someone else will read the thread and give it a try.

**Tempest** · April 17, 2009

Using the quick and dirty method, this is what I came up with:

 
#SingleInstance Force
Loop:
InputBox, Password, GameEx Password Protection, Enter Your Password, HIDE, 250, 120
IniRead, FileName, PW.ini, %Password%, FileName
If Filename = Error
 {
  Msgbox, Please Try Again!
  Goto, Loop; Or exitapp, or whatever
 }

msgbox, You have chosen to use %FileName%
;FileCopy, %FileName%, c:\program files\gameex\config\custommenu.ini
Goto Loop   ;Delete this for use in GameEx
ExitApp
^Q::Exitapp

PW.ini

[abcd]
FileName=c:\program files\gameex\config\custommenu_1.ini
[ijkl]
FileName=c:\program files\gameex\config\custommenu_2.ini

So this could be pretty simple, just a few entries in an ini file, (one of the files should be a copy of your CustomMenu.ini so you can return to it) and it should work. I know I don't have the correct paths in the script, but since I haven't updated, I don't know what the paths are. Feel free to modify this if something needs to be different. Once it has been confirmed to work, I can "pretty it up"!

Edit: Just in case... Regarding the ini file:

abcd is the password, and C:\Program Files\GameEx\CustomMenu_1.ini is the file that loads with that password.

**bkenobi** · April 17, 2009

I'm going to give this a try. Btw, the path is c:\program files\gameex\config\custommenu.ini.

**bkenobi** · May 3, 2009

Sorry, I didn't intend to leave this for so long, but I ran out of time before leaving town. I tested this for a few hours but didn't get a chance to post the results at the time. For whatever reason, the menus aren't updating the way they initially were when I accidentally/manually updated things. I don't have a clue why, but it's probably better for GameEx not to allow this accidental feature.

I appreciate the help with the quick script Tempest! It worked great and did exactly what it was supposed to

**Tempest** · May 3, 2009

That's too bad, I was really hoping it would work.

Welcome Back!

Attract Mode/Screen Saver is dead?!

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