MaLa Plugin - LEDBlinky Version 2.5

[lettuce]

Ok heres a zip file of the cfg and debug files for tmnt, basically all 4 player games have the same problem

[arzoo]

Since you're not lighting up any of your joysticks, try removing the keycode values for all the joysticks (P1/P2/P3/P4) in the control-input_mame.ini file. For example, here's what the P1 joystick entries should look like;

P1_JOYSTICK_UP=
P1_JOYSTICK_DOWN=
P1_JOYSTICK_LEFT=
P1_JOYSTICK_RIGHT=
P1_JOYSTICKRIGHT_UP=
P1_JOYSTICKRIGHT_DOWN=
P1_JOYSTICKRIGHT_LEFT=
P1_JOYSTICKRIGHT_RIGHT=
P1_JOYSTICKLEFT_UP=
P1_JOYSTICKLEFT_DOWN=
P1_JOYSTICKLEFT_LEFT=
P1_JOYSTICKLEFT_RIGHT=

If that doesn't work (but it really should), turn on the "Verbose" logging option and post the log again.

[lettuce]

Nah still no joy, ive attached the "Verbose" debug file and also my changed control-input_mame.ini too

[arzoo]

Nah still no joy, ive attached the "Verbose" debug file and also my changed control-input_mame.ini too

Ah, now I see what's going on. First, from the config app, remove the entry for the 'Controller File'. That field need only be set when you're using a controller file like for the SlikStik. Second, check the default.cfg file (in the mame cfg folder) and see if it has any entries for the P3 joystick (I'm guessing it does). The default.cfg file is set by mame when you make global (all games) mapping changes. If you delete the entries for the P3 joystick (from mame or manually), both mame and the LEDBlinky should revert to using default values. Let me know how it goes.

[lettuce]

Guess what?......it still doesnt work! Have removed the line in the controller file, and removed all joystick controls to do with p3 in the default.cfg file within my mame folder and also in the general controls for player 3 in the tab menu when in the game! The only way i can stop it from giving the controls is if i actuall remove P3 joystick control for the actual game within the tab menu, but then obviously you cant control the P3 character as there are no keys mapped anymore

[arzoo]

Guess what?......it still doesnt work! Have removed the line in the controller file, and removed all joystick controls to do with p3 in the default.cfg file within my mame folder and also in the general controls for player 3 in the tab menu when in the game! The only way i can stop it from giving the controls is if i actuall remove P3 joystick control for the actual game within the tab menu, but then obviously you cant control the P3 character as there are no keys mapped anymore

Arg!
Could you send me the debug log again. And also the default.cfg file.

[lettuce]

Ok ive attached the files, after editing the default.cfg file the first time around and it not working, i deleted the file, so it created a new one next time mame was started, this though didnt change a thing, and now there is bugger all in the default.cfg file.

[arzoo]

Ok ive attached the files, after editing the default.cfg file the first time around and it not working, i deleted the file, so it created a new one next time mame was started, this though didnt change a thing, and now there is bugger all in the default.cfg file.

I'm thinking there may be a bug in my code.  If so, I'll try to post a fix tonight (EST).

Edit: I've checked the code over and I don't see any problems. I've pm'd you with a test version to try and determine which config file is causing the problem.

[lettuce]

Ok ive download your revised file, i take i you just overwrite the other LEDBlinky.mplugin found within the plugins folder in Mala with this new one??

[arzoo]

Ok ive download your revised file, i take i you just overwrite the other LEDBlinky.mplugin found within the plugins folder in Mala with this new one??

Yes

[lettuce]

well ive uploaded the debug file in my post above

[arzoo]

well ive uploaded the debug file in my post above

Here's the relevant data from the log:
[09/07/2007 18:54:50] P3_JOYSTICK_RIGHT (TMNT.cfg): |KEYCODE_L
[09/07/2007 18:54:50] P3_JOYSTICK_LEFT (TMNT.cfg): |KEYCODE_J
[09/07/2007 18:54:50] P3_JOYSTICK_DOWN (TMNT.cfg): |KEYCODE_K
[09/07/2007 18:54:50] P3_JOYSTICK_UP (TMNT.cfg): |KEYCODE_I

Back about 8 posts ago, you included the rom config file, but you grabbed tmht.cfg, not tmnt.cfg. So check out the tmnt.cfg file and remove the joystick keycode mapping. Keeping my fingers crossed this solves the problem!

[lettuce]

Ah so i did sorry, so if this does work, ill have to edit all the .cfg files for all the roms that have this problem?? But surely if i do this then it will remove the joystick controls for player 3 and i wont be able to move the character??

[arzoo]

Ah so i did sorry, so if this does work, ill have to edit all the .cfg files for all the roms that have this problem?? But surely if i do this then it will remove the joystick controls for player 3 and i wont be able to move the character??

See that's the thing I don't understand - unless you remapped the P3 Joystick controls from mame for each game, then there shouldn't be any entries for the joystick input codes in each cfg file. If you remapped for 'all games', then the default.cfg would have the input codes - but you cleared that out. Without any entries in the .cfg files, mame will use it's default keycodes which should be L/J/K/I - so you should be fine.

[lettuce]

Yeah i think im might have added the joystick inputs for P3 for in the General list under the tab menu. I just delete all files in the CFG folder i guess

[lettuce]

Well i deleted the tmnt.cfg file and i was still getting the joystick commands, i noticed that i had a few clone cfg files for tmnt as i had tried a number of version to to see if they all gave the same problem. So what i did next was to delete all cfg files to do with tmnt so there were no clone cfg files left, i then fired up the game and i got now more joystick commands  . Strange thing was that i had to delete all clone cfg files to do with tmnt and not just the cfg file that related to the game i was loading. So i thinking that LEDBlinky must read all cfg files to do with the game loaded (master and clone) and not just read the 1 cfg file specificto  the actual game you are loading??, otherwise when i deleted the tmnt.cfg file and ran the tmnt.rom file it would of not gave me joystick commands, instead i had to delete all clone cfg files aswell

[arzoo]

Well i deleted the tmnt.cfg file and i was still getting the joystick commands, i noticed that i had a few clone cfg files for tmnt as i had tried a number of version to to see if they all gave the same problem. So what i did next was to delete all cfg files to do with tmnt so there were no clone cfg files left, i then fired up the game and i got now more joystick commands  . Strange thing was that i had to delete all clone cfg files to do with tmnt and not just the cfg file that related to the game i was loading. So i thinking that LEDBlinky must read all cfg files to do with the game loaded (master and clone) and not just read the 1 cfg file specificto  the actual game you are loading??, otherwise when i deleted the tmnt.cfg file and ran the tmnt.rom file it would of not gave me joystick commands, instead i had to delete all clone cfg files aswell

What were the names of the clone cfg files? If you loaded the tmnt rom, then only the tmnt.cfg file would be checked.

[lettuce]

Yeah well that what i thought, but had to delete all of em to get it to work correctly. Cant remember what the cfg files were called for the clone games, something like tmnt2, tmntu tmnt4 etc

[arzoo]

I've updated LEDBlinky to version 2.5.1. This minor release includes the Animation Editor and updates for the new LWAX animation format.

If you're installing the plugin for the first time, download the complete package using the link at the start of this thread. If you just want to upgrade from 2.5.0.x to 2.5.1, use this link:

Download LEDBlinky v2.5.1 Updated Files Only

[pod]

I've been trying to get my led-wiz buttons to light under visual pinball and I'm a little confused, hopefully someone could help me out? I wanted them to light to some default level and stay lit in the background when I start visual pinball from Mala, not necessarily light to the mapped buttons though that would be cool too. I've done the "Generate other emulator profile" in the LEDBlinky config and I've setup all my controls that are configured in the DevicePort-Input.ini to always on, but this doesn't light them when I start visual pinball from Mala (nor do any mapped buttons light). I tried unchecking and checking the "Use MAME Default Control Mapping for Other Emulators" option with no change. Do I need to add an entry into my Controls_emu.ini for visual pinball? (I assumed from the comment that anything that didn't have an entry would default to the "default" entry). Thanks for any help.

[arzoo]

I've been trying to get my led-wiz buttons to light under visual pinball and I'm a little confused, hopefully someone could help me out? I wanted them to light to some default level and stay lit in the background when I start visual pinball from Mala, not necessarily light to the mapped buttons though that would be cool too. I've done the "Generate other emulator profile" in the LEDBlinky config and I've setup all my controls that are configured in the DevicePort-Input.ini to always on, but this doesn't light them when I start visual pinball from Mala (nor do any mapped buttons light). I tried unchecking and checking the "Use MAME Default Control Mapping for Other Emulators" option with no change. Do I need to add an entry into my Controls_emu.ini for visual pinball? (I assumed from the comment that anything that didn't have an entry would default to the "default" entry). Thanks for any help.

Sounds like everything you've done is correct (although there's no need to set the 'Always On' flag in the profile) and you are correct, the default section in Controls_emu.ini should cover any emulator not otherwise defined. So I'm not sure why it's not working. Could you turn on the 'Debug Log' and 'Verbose' options, run one of the vpin games, then zip up debug.log and all your .ini files and email or post it here. Then I should be able to figure out what's going on.

[pod]

Attached are the debug log and the ini's Arzoo. I ran it once with and once without the "Use MAME Default Control Mapping for Other Emulators" option, but the log looked the same...

[09/16/2007 10:04:21] Emulator: [VPINBALL] Visual Pinball
[09/16/2007 10:04:21] Controls.dat INI file Version=0.111.2, Time=2007-01-21 16:50:56, Generated by=SirPoonga
[09/16/2007 10:04:21] 1068 games loaded from controls.ini
[09/16/2007 10:04:24] 2567 games loaded from Mame.xml
[09/16/2007 10:04:29] No controls found for [BLACK KNIGHT 2000]

[arzoo]

Attached are the debug log and the ini's Arzoo. I ran it once with and once without the "Use MAME Default Control Mapping for Other Emulators" option, but the log looked the same...

[09/16/2007 10:04:21] Emulator: [VPINBALL] Visual Pinball
[09/16/2007 10:04:21] Controls.dat INI file Version=0.111.2, Time=2007-01-21 16:50:56, Generated by=SirPoonga
[09/16/2007 10:04:21] 1068 games loaded from controls.ini
[09/16/2007 10:04:24] 2567 games loaded from Mame.xml
[09/16/2007 10:04:29] No controls found for [BLACK KNIGHT 2000]

pod,
I was looking over the LEDBlinky code to see if I could figure out why it wasn't working for you (this is before you posted your log and files) and I came across an obscure bug - which I then fixed. Now that I've seen your files, I'm sure that it is that bug which is causing your problem - I'm guess you have visual pinball installed in a folder under your mame folder.

I'll send you a pm with a link to a patched version. Let me know if it solves your problem.

[dna disturber]

Arzoo,

I may have ran into a little bug with ledblinky.

I''m using 4 admin buttons with code 129 and set as always active (in the mame-profile).
When I start a game the buttons for the game are lit and blinking when the function is spoken.

What happens once in a while is that after the last button blinks it won't stay lit.
I think it has something to do with the admin buttons which are ramping.
Some sort of syncing problem with the admin buttons. The admin buttons pulse also a bit faster when this happens (normal speed would be 7).

If you want I can send you the configfiles.

TIA,

Dna Disturber

P.S. Have already made some wonderful animations with the animation-editor (works like a charm for me) 

[arzoo]

Arzoo,

I may have ran into a little bug with ledblinky.

I''m using 4 admin buttons with code 129 and set as always active (in the mame-profile).
When I start a game the buttons for the game are lit and blinking when the function is spoken.

What happens once in a while is that after the last button blinks it won't stay lit.
I think it has something to do with the admin buttons which are ramping.
Some sort of syncing problem with the admin buttons. The admin buttons pulse also a bit faster when this happens (normal speed would be 7).

If you want I can send you the configfiles.

TIA,

Dna Disturber

P.S. Have already made some wonderful animations with the animation-editor (works like a charm for me) 

So it's the game button (like player 1 button 1) that doesn't stay lit, not the admin buttons, correct? Is the problem intermittent or does if happen always? Or is it game specific?

Can you turn on the debug log (with verbose) and try to catch this problem, then zip the log along with all your .ini files.

[dna disturber]

Arzoo,

It's the gamebutton (always the last one) that no longer lights up after the blinking (button function spoken) , when this happens the adminbuttons are also not responding as should be , the pulse is a lot quicker than normal.

It's intermittent and not game related.

The problem occured with game matmania (gamename shows up in debug).
I have attached the debug and ini's

Thanks again for looking into this problem,

Dna Disturber

[arzoo]

Arzoo,

It's the gamebutton (always the last one) that no longer lights up after the blinking (button function spoken) , when this happens the adminbuttons are also not responding as should be , the pulse is a lot quicker than normal.

It's intermittent and not game related.

The problem occured with game matmania (gamename shows up in debug).
I have attached the debug and ini's

Thanks again for looking into this problem,

Dna Disturber

Can you also get me the colors.ini file you are using (D:\mame\ctrlr\colors.ini). I don't know if that has anything to do with the problem, but I want to replicate your setup exactly.

[arzoo]

DNA, in the log you posted, did the problem occur? Because everything looks fine.

[dna disturber]

Arzoo,

It occured in the log.
Here is the colors.ini

I use it in a different way somewhat , you helped with that with a little update of ledblinky. You'll see what I mean.
Maybe it's a good idea to mention this function to the description of ledblinky.

Hope you can recreate the problem.......

[arzoo]

Arzoo,

It occured in the log.
Here is the colors.ini

I use it in a different way somewhat , you helped with that with a little update of ledblinky. You'll see what I mean.
Maybe it's a good idea to mention this function to the description of ledblinky.

Hope you can recreate the problem.......

dna - I pm'd you a patch to try. Let me know how it goes.

[dna disturber]

  As always Arzoo fixed it 

[arzoo]

LEDBlinky v3 is just about complete! If anyone is interested in doing a bit of testing before I release the update, please send me a pm.

Here's a quick summary of the new features;

• Blink and speak controls when pausing a game and/or play a LED animation. This is a MAME only feature.
• Flash start buttons when credits are available - this is a MAME only game dependent feature.
• Full support for other MAME Outputs - light LEDs based on any output. Outputs can be linked to controls (P1_Button1, P2_Button2, etc.) or directly linked to a Device/Port.
• The LEDBlinky now supports the Ultimarc PAC-Drive. You can use multiple PAC-Drives, multiple LED-Wizs, or a combination of both.
• Option to play a LED animation while the MaLa UI is active (rather than lighting specific controls).
• Configuration app has been updated to allow animation testing.

[headkaze]

Great stuff arzoo

Part of the reason why I was hoping to make the LWAX format a bit more generic was so we can put Id's in for PacDrives or other LED controllers for the future. Perhaps we should get that sorted for our next plugin release?