[RESOLVED] GameEX issue: PC Games

[GeorgeT]

Well, this just started today. When I boot GameEX the first program I try works fine (emulator/mame/pc game/weather/config etc) but when I exit that program and return to GameEX, the next thing I try to launch hangs at a black screen. If I hit 'ESC' to exit back to GameEX, it exits to the desktop and GameEX isn't running in Task Manager. I looked at runitgame.bat and it becomes locked and "in use" so I cannot edit it or delete it.

Could the fact that it becomes locked cause GameEX not to be able to launch any programs after the first one?

Restarting GameEX results in nothing starting...just stuck on a black screen. I have to reboot my cabinet to get GameEX to work correctly and then the entire process repeats.

Update: did a little more testing...it seems I can launch a MAME game, exit, launch a different MAME game no problem, exit, launch Visual Pinball no problem, exit, launch a stand-alone game like 'Bejeweled' plays fine, exit...then the next thing I try to launch be it MAME, VP, or anything..GameEX locks up to the black screen.

Here is my runitgame.bat after it locks up:

C:

CD "C:\Program Files\Bejeweled 3"

Bejeweled3.exe

attached my log file as well.

Thanks

log.txt

[Draco1962]

Can you provide a copy of the gameex.ini file? Have you tried deleting the cached files in the \DATA directory then restarting GameEx to see if this will resolve the issue?

[GeorgeT]

Can you provide a copy of the gameex.ini file? Have you tried deleting the cached files in the \DATA directory then restarting GameEx to see if this will resolve the issue?

attached my GameEX ini file. Which cache files would I need to delete?

PS: Thanks for your help

GameEx.ini.txt

[Draco1962]

You are safe to delete any of the files that contain the word cache within the filename. These files will rebuild themselves as you use the program again.

[GeorgeT]

You are safe to delete any of the files that contain the word cache within the filename. These files will rebuild themselves as you use the program again.

OK, deleted all the cache files and rebooted the arcade cab.

Played mame game #1 fine, played mame game #2 fine, played visual pinball fine, played stand-alone pc game fine, tried to launch mame game #1 after, GameEX locked up on a black screen

EDIT: rebooted and tried this in order:

snes emulator fine, playstation emulator fine, mame asteroids fine, peggle pc game fine, mame asteroids black screen no launch >

[GeorgeT]

Updated to 11.52 and tried these steps out again...

1. Asteroids - fine

2. Visual pinball 9 - fine

3. Asteroids - fine

4. Playstation emulator - fine

5. Peggle - fine

6. Asteroids - black screen hang

It always hangs after I launch a PC game. I have to completely reboot my cabinet because GameEX will not launch anything after.

**It appears anything that has 'Treat as one PC game' set to "yes" crashes GameEX after exit

[Draco1962]

Let's try not selecting "Treat as one PC Game" for any of the PC or other games. That option is if you have an emulator with multiple games in a list and you are wanting to isolate one game from the list. IF you are launching standalone PC games you need not use that option.

[GeorgeT]

Let's try not selecting "Treat as one PC Game" for any of the PC or other games. That option is if you have an emulator with multiple games in a list and you are wanting to isolate one game from the list. IF you are launching standalone PC games you need not use that option.

I tried that with Angry Birds. turned off trast as one pc game, that makes GameEX list all the files in the directory...

selected the angry birds exe and launched it, played fine, then after I quit back to the GameEX menu I was unable to launch anything else. runitgame.bat always becomes 'locked' after I run a PC game..I am unable to rename or delete it. Could that have something to do with it? like not allowing GameEX to overwrite the file so it refuses to launch anything?

Appreciate the help!

[Draco1962]

Not sure if you can answer this or not, but many newer PC games have their own loader files that initiate when the games launch and will cause the PC to lose focus from GameEx to that loader. I believe that Bejeweled also has a preloader involved.

[Adultery]

It shouldn't. I run all sorts of Bejeweled games via Windows .lnk files. Two (twist and the newest one) I installed from the actual disc, the original Bejeweled I bought from I think iWin.com and none of them that I know of lose focus when they start up.

My thought is that you should make shortcuts to these games and add .lnk to the ROM filter and run your games that way because it totally works 100% for me this way.

For games that need the disc I just have a seperate emu set up and use DaemonTools mount it up and combine the two emulators into one group.

[GeorgeT]

Adultery, can you give me the steps on how to accomplish that? I've never tried .lnk before. Thank you.

[Draco1962]

It depends on how the games are obtained. Some (such as Angry Birds) are Flash ports and require a loader. I know that someone had a similar issue with some of the Steam games because o f the loader causing GameEx to lose focus after finishing the game.

I recently posted in another thread regarding a program called GameLauncher (found here) that I have been able to run as an external application so that I do not have a large menu of games loaded as an emulator. It seems to perform very well for me, taking up very little memory and going back to GameEx after the game is over. I am not sure if it will help you with your immediate issue, GT, but worth a try. Might help to consolidate some of your games and, along with Adultery's suggestion might work pretty nice.

A .lnk file is simply the Windows shortcut for the program it represents. It contains the executible's path, compatibility mode settings (if applicable), Icon assigned etc.

[Adultery]

Sure it's pretty simple actually.

Right click the exe you use to launch the game and select 'create shortcut'. Rename that file whatever you like. Cut that shortcut and place it in a folder somewhere (one folder for all your shortcuts you create).

Then go into GameEx Advanced Config. Select an empty config and import the '[PC] Microsoft Windows' pre-configured ini and click the import button to the right of the dropdown menu.

Now just make a few changes: make the working path and the ROM path the shortcut folder you created earlier. Make sure the emulator is enabled. If your games start in full screen like all mine do, you can also change 'show desktop' to 'no'. The game should now load when you select it from the GameEx list.

If you need more help I got you.

I use this method for flash games too and it hasn't let me down yet by the way!

[GeorgeT]

Adultery: Awesome, that worked! Tried: Asteroids -> Bejeweled 3 -> Asteroids -> Bejeweled 3 -> Visual Pinball -> Bejeweled 3 -> Asteroids no problems

(also after I quit GameEX i checked runitgame.bat and it was no longer locked, I could rename or delete at will.

Draco1962 I appreciate your help too. It's people like you guys who make this forum and this program so great. Thank you!

George

[Adultery]

Awesome! Glad to hear you got it working!

[Draco1962]

GeorgeT: Not a problem - glad you got it resolved!

Adultery: I will have to try that trick - thanks!

[GeorgeT]

It still locks up if I choose 'Configuration' from the GameEX screen, but at least the PC games are working using the .lnk method

[Adultery]

What do you mean by that? Are you trying to configure games within GameEx?

[GeorgeT]

Yeah Adultery. If I choose the configuration option from within GameEX, when I return to the main menu, nothing will start up (ie mame, emulators, or even configuration again), I have to reboot the cabinet and restart GameEX.

[Draco1962]

Sounds like focus may be lost. Can you make it happen again and then post a copy of your log file?

[Adultery]

Also try leaving show desktop to 'on' in case you're getting a popup window of some sort.

[GeorgeT]

Sounds like focus may be lost. Can you make it happen again and then post a copy of your log file?

Draco, here's what I did tonight.

Updated to GameEX 11.54

ran GameEX, chose 'configuration', exited that back to GameEX, tried to play Asteroids on MAME and GameEX went to a black screen like it was trying to launch MAME but nothing happened. I could right-mouse click and GameEX would return to the main menu, but if I tried to launch anything else it would again not do anything except black screen. Even if I quit GameEX and re-start it, nothing will launch. I checked runitgame.bat and it is locked by the operating system, can't rename or delete it. I have to reboot my cabinet to get GameEX to work again.

Slightly annoyed...

oops almost forgot my logfile

log.zip

[GeorgeT]

tried it out again today, updated to GameEX v11.55, went to configuration and upon exiting that i got this error from GamEX and it quit.

13:20:53.9 2/13/2011: GameEx: Version 11.55: Starting Log

13:20:53.9 2/13/2011: Operating System Platform: Win32NT

13:20:53.9 2/13/2011: Operating System Name: Windows XP

13:20:53.9 2/13/2011: Operating System Version: 5.1.2600

13:20:53.9 2/13/2011: Checking for versions of .net Framework installed

13:20:53.9 2/13/2011: .net Framework 1.1 Installed

13:20:53.9 2/13/2011: .net Framework 2.0 Installed

13:20:53.9 2/13/2011: .net Framework 3.0 Installed

13:20:53.9 2/13/2011: .net Framework 3.5 Installed

13:20:53.9 2/13/2011: Intel® Pentium® 4 CPU 2.60GHz, 2047MB

13:20:53.9 2/13/2011: 2.59Ghz - 2 Cores or CPU's

13:20:53.9 2/13/2011: Running Randomize()

13:20:53.9 2/13/2011: Loading PlugIns

13:20:54.0 2/13/2011: --**--

13:20:54.0 2/13/2011: Error: Bad Data.

13:20:54.2 2/13/2011: at System.Security.Cryptography.CryptographicException.ThrowCryptogaphicException(Int32 hr)

13:20:54.2 2/13/2011: at System.Security.Cryptography.Utils._DecryptData(SafeKeyHandle hKey, Byte[] data, Int32 ib, Int32 cb, Byte[]& outputBuffer, Int32 outputOffset, PaddingMode PaddingMode, Boolean fDone)

13:20:54.2 2/13/2011: at System.Security.Cryptography.CryptoAPITransform.TransformFinalBlock(Byte[] inputBuffer, Int32 inputOffset, Int32 inputCount)

13:20:54.2 2/13/2011: at System.Security.Cryptography.CryptoStream.Read(Byte[] buffer, Int32 offset, Int32 count)

13:20:54.2 2/13/2011: at System.IO.StreamReader.ReadBuffer()

13:20:54.2 2/13/2011: at System.IO.StreamReader.ReadToEnd()

13:20:54.2 2/13/2011: at bj.a(String A_0, String A_1)

13:20:54.2 2/13/2011: at ag.a(Boolean A_0, String A_1, Boolean A_2)

13:20:54.2 2/13/2011: at ag..ctor()

13:20:54.2 2/13/2011: Disposing Plugins

13:20:54.2 2/13/2011: GameEx is exiting with errors

13:20:54.2 2/13/2011: Deleting search cache

13:20:54.3 2/13/2011: ERRORS DETECTED: EXITING

[Draco1962]

Based upon the bad data error, looks like it icould possibly be a user rights (permissions) issue with a file or folder, but don't hold me to that. Let's try deleting from the gameex\data folder all files with cache in the filename or file extension. Also, download version 1.55 and install it over your existing GameEx install. You may want to backup your GameEx install first.

[GeorgeT]

Ok, updated to GameEX 11.57, deleted all cache files from data folder. ran GameEX, chose configuration, exited config back to GameEX, tried to run Asteroids, black screen.

I might try rolling back to an earlier version and see if it still happens, it seems like this issue popped up around 11.53 or so