LEDBlinky V2 Support

[squirrellydw]

Here are 3 log files for you.  Hope you can fix it.

[arzoo]

Here are 3 log files for you.  Hope you can fix it.

Does if fail for all games or just some? I'm thinking that the speech engine is causing the problem. I'm away for the weekend, so I won't be able to look at the code until Monday. I'm sure we can fix this!

[squirrellydw]

1. Yes all the buttons for each game are lit correctly.
2. Yes, it speaks the action of the first button than nothing.  I don't even see it blinking but I will double check that.
3. It always fails after the first button for all games

[arzoo]

Wow, you're fast. I was just re-editing my prior post and you've already responded. 

[squirrellydw]

OK, the first button does blink but than stops.  Here are two videos that I uploaded of it.

[squirrellydw]

Still does not work with "anykey" but it does work with the "esc" key.  I did not try the esc key on the original version.  This is good enough for me but I will be glad to test any version out if you want me to.  The two log files are attached,  I launched 1942 and MK both twice on each one.

[arzoo]

Still does not work with "anykey" but it does work with the "esc" key.  I did not try the esc key on the original version.  This is good enough for me but I will be glad to test any version out if you want me to.  The two log files are attached,  I launched 1942 and MK both twice on each one.

That's what I expected. The "any key" works differently than the ESC - basically I store the entire keyboard state prior to the speech and then compare it to the current keyboard state after each button. For some reason, one of the keys is changing on your cp even though you're not pressing anything. I'll get you a patch for testing soon. Thanks!

[Green Giant]

I found that the any key doesn't work perfectly, but it still works.  I just mash down on two or three buttons once or twice and it skips the speech. 

[arzoo]

Still does not work with "anykey" but it does work with the "esc" key.  I did not try the esc key on the original version.  This is good enough for me but I will be glad to test any version out if you want me to.  The two log files are attached,  I launched 1942 and MK both twice on each one.

It seems that keycode 49 is the problem. 49 maps to the one (1) key which I assume you're using to start a game from the MaLa UI, correct? Is there anything special about how you map the 1 key? What type of keyboard encoder do you use in your cp?

[squirrellydw]

nothing special, using an ipac4 and you are correct.  I have to go to work now.

[squirrellydw]

Still at work but I thought of something.  Is it just me with this problem, if so maybe its a bad switch if not maybe adding some sort of delay to it??  I have no clue really

[arzoo]

Still at work but I thought of something.  Is it just me with this problem, if so maybe its a bad switch if not maybe adding some sort of delay to it??  I have no clue really

It seems unlikely that you have a bad switch - if you did I would expect other weird things to be happening, like games starting on their own . As far as I know, nobody else is having this problem. I do recall reading something about when Windows processes the keyboard messages - I'll do some more research.

[squirrellydw]

OK no biggy, I like the ESC key better anyhow but I am sure you want to get this fixed.

[squirrellydw]

It's fixed, your good.  Now any chance you can work on lighting player 2 buttons when in cocktail mode 

If yo can do this it will be perfect for me

[arzoo]

It's fixed, your good.  Now any chance you can work on lighting player 2 buttons when in cocktail mode 

If yo can do this it will be perfect for me

No problem, that's an easy fix.

Hey DNA... any chance you could rename the title of this thread to something like LEDBlinky V2 Support?

[dna disturber]

Arzoo,

I changed the header.
Was on vacation for 2 weeks......It seems I'm gonna be doing some reading....



 

[arzoo]

Arzoo,

I changed the header.
Was on vacation for 2 weeks......It seems I'm gonna be doing some reading....

Thanks! Hope you vaca went well.

By the way, LEDBlinky v2.5 is all finished - just doing a bit of beta testing. It rolls up all the bug fixes and enhancements from this thread, plus some new stuff. I'm hoping to release the update later this week.

[squirrellydw]

Did you get anyone to test the cocktail mode?  Wish I could but I couldn't bring my cocktail table to the beach

[arzoo]

Did you get anyone to test the cocktail mode?  Wish I could but I couldn't bring my cocktail table to the beach

I think it should work fine, but we'll have to wait until your return to confirm. Dam I wish I were at the beach right now! 

[Green Giant]

So what kind of features are we looking at on 2.5?   

[arzoo]

So what kind of features are we looking at on 2.5?   

Nothing earth shattering, mostly just speech and animation stuff. You can now blink the LEDs in sync with the speech - so they turn on and off based on the phonetics of the text.  My favorite new feature is the "Berzerk" mode for the screen saver... "I detect coin in pocket" 

[GlennEdwards]

Hi Arzoo,

Here is the log I promised from the test regarding LEDBlinky not lighting the controls for the initial selected game when the Mala UI loads.  

Glenn

[GlennEdwards]

Hi arzoo,

Attached is the debug log created during the screensaver / random text test that I performed.

Glenn

[GlennEdwards]

And another log from the screen saver test.. Verbose logging on 

Glenn

[squirrellydw]

Just to confirm,  Ijust install this over the old version and over write any files correct?  Shouldn't mess up what I already have correct?

[arzoo]

Just to confirm,  Ijust install this over the old version and over write any files correct?  Shouldn't mess up what I already have correct?

Correct, overwrite the existing files. You will need to run the config app and reset your options, but that's it.

[squirrellydw]

cool, thanks.  I will do this on Sunday when I am back from the beach.

[GlennEdwards]

Hi Arzoo,

Just to let you know that the latest beta test of 2.5 was successfull. The screensaver random text crash, is now working fine, as is Bezerk mode  The only issue left if that the LED's aren't lit for the initial selected game when the Mala UI first loads?

I've got a request for a new feature if you can fit it into the 2.5 release? In Mala you can set the screensaver to send the screensaver start / end events to the plugins only, and not actually start the Mala screensaver.

You might ask what the point is in that? Well I don't really want to use the Mala screensaver, as I've got a better one. A Mame windows screensaver http://home.comcast.net/~tacobirds/, that actually load up and plays mame games for a specified amount of time e.g. 2 mins. If you like the look of the game, you can just press space and start playing, or esc to exit.

My request is, can you put in a feature into LEDBLinky that upon, receiving the screensaver start event, you can start an external program e.g. a .scr file i.e. the screensaver that I'd like to use. That way LEDBlinky can start my screen saver for me 

Glenn

[arzoo]

Hi Arzoo,

Just to let you know that the latest beta test of 2.5 was successfull. The screensaver random text crash, is now working fine, as is Bezerk mode  The only issue left if that the LED's aren't lit for the initial selected game when the Mala UI first loads?

LEDBlinky works that way by design - the initially selected game does not activate the control demo. I didn't want the game controls to light up for a few seconds when starting MaLa or switching lists, emulators, etc. How do you have the demo mode configured - do you keep the controls lit for a long time?

I've got a request for a new feature if you can fit it into the 2.5 release? In Mala you can set the screensaver to send the screensaver start / end events to the plugins only, and not actually start the Mala screensaver.

You might ask what the point is in that? Well I don't really want to use the Mala screensaver, as I've got a better one. A Mame windows screensaver http://home.comcast.net/~tacobirds/, that actually load up and plays mame games for a specified amount of time e.g. 2 mins. If you like the look of the game, you can just press space and start playing, or esc to exit.

If the screen saver starts the mame game, Blinky and MaLa are out of the picture and none of the controls will light up.

My request is, can you put in a feature into LEDBLinky that upon, receiving the screensaver start event, you can start an external program e.g. a .scr file i.e. the screensaver that I'd like to use. That way LEDBlinky can start my screen saver for me 

Glenn

This feature doesn't really fit in with the purpose of LEDBlinky - it would make more sense to create a separate plugin for launching an external app on MaLa events like when the screen saver starts. Not sure when I would have time for this, but it seems like Loadman can pump out these plugins in his sleep!    He may be monitoring this thread, or you could send him a pm.

[loadman]

My request is, can you put in a feature into LEDBLinky that upon, receiving the screensaver start event, you can start an external program e.g. a .scr file i.e. the screensaver that I'd like to use. That way LEDBlinky can start my screen saver for me 
Glenn

This feature doesn't really fit in with the purpose of LEDBlinky - it would make more sense to create a separate plugin for launching an external app on MaLa events like when the screen saver starts. Not sure when I would have time for this, but it seems like Loadman can pump out these plugins in his sleep!    He may be monitoring this thread, or you could send him a pm.

he he ... 

[squirrellydw]

cocktail mode works, woohoo 

[squirrellydw]

I think I found a bug.  The lights and speech work fine unless I have the screen saver activated then no lights or speech.  If the screen saver is checked it works but the lights and speech don't work and vise versa.

[arzoo]

I think I found a bug.  The lights and speech work fine unless I have the screen saver activated then no lights or speech.  If the screen saver is checked it works but the lights and speech don't work and vise versa.

I've fixed a bunch of little bugs with v2.5. Can you tell me which version you're running. Or better yet, post or pm me the log file (turn on verbose mode and run through the problem scenarios). Thanks.

[squirrellydw]

i will post the results in about an hour.  Not sure what version, I used the one you PM'd me.

[squirrellydw]

Here are some log files, sorry for the long file names, I renamed them so I would know what was what.  Here is what I found.  If I have the cocktail option selected it works fine. 

If I select animate during MaLa or screen saver or both it does not work.  The screen saver part works but the buttons do not light up when I scroll though the game list, they all just keep flashing, almost like it's not getting the code to turn off. 
Also when I launch the game all the buttons go off and no sound. 
Finally when the animate during MaLa and the screen saver are checked I get an error when exiting MaLa.  I attached that file also.  Hope you know what I mean.

[arzoo]

Here are some log files, sorry for the long file names, I renamed them so I would know what was what.  Here is what I found.  If I have the cocktail option selected it works fine. 

If I select animate during MaLa or screen saver or both it does not work.  The screen saver part works but the buttons do not light up when I scroll though the game list, they all just keep flashing, almost like it's not getting the code to turn off. 
Also when I launch the game all the buttons go off and no sound. 
Finally when the animate during MaLa and the screen saver are checked I get an error when exiting MaLa.  I attached that file also.  Hope you know what I mean.

Ok, I see what's going on - you've configured the "Cabinet LEDs". That feature is for animating a separate set of LEDs which should be blinking at all times (separate from the control LEDs). Uncheck the "Animate During MaLa" and "Animate During Screensaver". Instead, use the "MaLa Events" options for the screen saver. But you may have uncovered a bug with the Cab LEDs - I'll have to look into that.

Don't forget to turn off the debug.log if things are working as expected. 

[squirrellydw]

OK, thanks

[Green Giant]

Can you post up the v2.5 link again.  I left it at my office and can't get it till next week.

Thanks,