LEDBlinky - Arcade LED Control software and Animation Editor - v8.2

[drventure]

Not sure if this will help but I captured a screen shot showing all the relevant bits.

You can see how I've got my folders configed.

The REG.DAT file is in the LEDBLINKY folder, but the animation editor (run from the same dir) still shows TRIAL VERSION.

Strange.

I've got full rights (admin user) so that can't be the prob.

[drventure]

Hmm, more weirdness

I turned on LEDBLinky's debug verbose mode, and I'm getting confirmation of the registration in the log file


[10/23/2010 08:49:27]
[10/23/2010 08:49:27] LEDBlinky v4.0.0.3
[10/23/2010 08:49:27] Registered To: {My Name from the REG.DAT file}
[10/23/2010 08:49:40] Event: FEQuit
[10/23/2010 08:50:00]
[10/23/2010 08:50:00] LEDBlinky v4.0.0.3
[10/23/2010 08:50:00] Registered To: {My Name from the REG.DAT file}

So at least LEDBlinky itself appears to be working right, now.

The Animation editor is from 4.21/2010. I'm gonna see if maybe that's an older version.

[arzoo]

Hmm, more weirdness

I turned on LEDBLinky's debug verbose mode, and I'm getting confirmation of the registration in the log file


[10/23/2010 08:49:27]
[10/23/2010 08:49:27] LEDBlinky v4.0.0.3
[10/23/2010 08:49:27] Registered To: {My Name from the REG.DAT file}
[10/23/2010 08:49:40] Event: FEQuit
[10/23/2010 08:50:00]
[10/23/2010 08:50:00] LEDBlinky v4.0.0.3
[10/23/2010 08:50:00] Registered To: {My Name from the REG.DAT file}

So at least LEDBlinky itself appears to be working right, now.

The Animation editor is from 4.21/2010. I'm gonna see if maybe that's an older version.

Couple of things you could try; First, see if there's a LBAE_Errors.log file in the LEDBlinky folder - if so, what's it say? Try temporarily renaming the LEDBlinkyAnimationEditor.ini file and then run the editor (it should create a new copy of the ini file) - does that resolve the problem? If not, download the animation editor from here and unzip into an empty folder. Put a copy of your reg.dat file in the same folder and see how the editor runs. Let me know the results.

[drventure]

Hey Arzoo

Thanks for getting back to me.

Well, there's no LOG file in the LEDBlinky folder.
I renamed the INI and ran the editor, When it first came up, there was no TRIAL wording in the title bar so I though I was good.

But, as soon as I loaded my layout, I get the trial wording and a message box saying it'll only save 20 frames.

So I downloaded the copy from the link you posted, extracted to a new empty folder.
Copied the REG.dat over and ran the ani editor.

Exactly the same behavior.

I tried the same steps on a completely different machine as well, with the same results.

[arzoo]

Hey Arzoo

Thanks for getting back to me.

Well, there's no LOG file in the LEDBlinky folder.
I renamed the INI and ran the editor, When it first came up, there was no TRIAL wording in the title bar so I though I was good.

But, as soon as I loaded my layout, I get the trial wording and a message box saying it'll only save 20 frames.

So I downloaded the copy from the link you posted, extracted to a new empty folder.
Copied the REG.dat over and ran the ani editor.

Exactly the same behavior.

I tried the same steps on a completely different machine as well, with the same results.

Can you email me your layout file? Also email me the animation file that first loads and the debug.zip file created by blinky. Thanks.

[markronz]

I apologize, I just read your support page on your LEDBLinky website, else I would have posted onto this thread.   I started a new post for my issue, here is the link:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=107848.0

Thanks!

[orchidius]

Hey guys,

My CP is now nearing completion. All I have to do is get LEDblinky configured, which proves to be a big PITA...

I have everything configured for HS as the guide on the site told me (set everything to "random" for testing purposes), but when I launch HS, nothing happens. At all... During configuration however, all LEDs worked fine.

I have no idea where to start looking for the cause, so could you kindly point me in the right direction?

Many thanks!

[arzoo]

Hey guys,

My CP is now nearing completion. All I have to do is get LEDblinky configured, which proves to be a big PITA...

I have everything configured for HS as the guide on the site told me (set everything to "random" for testing purposes), but when I launch HS, nothing happens. At all... During configuration however, all LEDs worked fine.

I have no idea where to start looking for the cause, so could you kindly point me in the right direction?

Many thanks!

Check the Hyperspin log.txt file to confirm that LEDBlinky is getting launched correctly. Confirm that the path to the LEDBlinky folder in the Hyperspin setup ends in a backslash; ..\LEDBlinky\

[Bender]

Hey Arzoo,

got a question for ya
I made a new light up joystick and I'd like it to flash when the rest of the controls are flashed and spoken at game start up, but it appears that the only way to get it to work is to uncheck primary control, but obviously I don't want to do that for every rom

So in short is there a way to get LEDBlinky to flash the primary controls too?

Thanks,

Bender

[arzoo]

Hey Arzoo,

got a question for ya
I made a new light up joystick and I'd like it to flash when the rest of the controls are flashed and spoken at game start up, but it appears that the only way to get it to work is to uncheck primary control, but obviously I don't want to do that for every rom

So in short is there a way to get LEDBlinky to flash the primary controls too?

Thanks,

Bender

I'm not sure why un-checking the primary control would then cause it to blink and speak its function - so that confuses me (not hard to do    ). You should be able to assign the primary control code or keycode to the LED port and then it should blink and speak like any other control. This support link has more details.

http://www.dndw.com/ledblinky/Support.htm#LightTBJoy

But if it's not working as you expect, maybe email me your debug.zip file and I'll see what's going on.

[arzoo]

You know - I did some testing and you're right - you can't get the primary control to speak and blink (it's name). You can only get it to speak and blink the functions (up, down, left, right, etc.).

I'm not sure what my thinking was way back when I programmed this - but it's a very easy code fix. I'll let you know when I've got a patch ready to test.

[markronz]

Hey Arzoo-
    I am running into an error when importing an Unknown Game.    I have gridwars.exe installed on my machine.   I made a shortcut to the gridwars.exe file.    I put the shortcut in my C:\emulators\Shortcuts directory.    Within my front end, Mala, I made a new 'Emulator' named "Other", that points to the Shortcuts folder.   So it looks for lnk files as "roms".    I launched GridWars through Mala and it worked fine as I have it set up.  Now I wanted to create a lighting profile for GridWars.   I went to import GridWars into the Controls Editor.   I've attached a screenshot of it being imported below.   When I click OK to import it, I get an error message.  I've attached the error message below.

Do you have any idea why I would be getting an error message when importing this? 

Let me know if you need any more details!

[markronz]

I did just notice that in the import window, it has the real directory listed (where the exe is).  It does not have the shorcuts directory where the lnk is.  Not sure if this matters, but it seems a little weird to me that it would not list the location of the file I actually launched through the front end.  Do I need to make a batch file to launch Grid Wars maybe? Instead of trying to use a shortcut file (lnk)?

[arzoo]

Hey Arzoo-
    I am running into an error when importing an Unknown Game.    I have gridwars.exe installed on my machine.   I made a shortcut to the gridwars.exe file.    I put the shortcut in my C:\emulators\Shortcuts directory.    Within my front end, Mala, I made a new 'Emulator' named "Other", that points to the Shortcuts folder.   So it looks for lnk files as "roms".    I launched GridWars through Mala and it worked fine as I have it set up.  Now I wanted to create a lighting profile for GridWars.   I went to import GridWars into the Controls Editor.   I've attached a screenshot of it being imported below.   When I click OK to import it, I get an error message.  I've attached the error message below.

Do you have any idea why I would be getting an error message when importing this? 

Let me know if you need any more details!

I'll do some testing and get back to you on this one.

[markronz]

Ok cool, thanks!

Also, I started a different thread for a question about LEDBlinky yesterday.  I apologize, I should have probably posted it here instead.  But here is the link to the other thread:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=108693.0
Just a how to question.   Hopefully its just something simply I dont have set up right.   Thanks!!!

[markronz]

Attached is my debug.zip file as requested.   I enabled verbose logging and I launched Grid Wars, and then also NBA jab through MAME.   Let me know what you think!

[markronz]

Also, for what it's worth, I tried creating a batch file as well, to launch Grid Wars, and I launched it from my Mala menu.   The BAT file also gets me the same error as the shortcut when I try to import it into the controls editor for some reason.

[arzoo]

Also, for what it's worth, I tried creating a batch file as well, to launch Grid Wars, and I launched it from my Mala menu.   The BAT file also gets me the same error as the shortcut when I try to import it into the controls editor for some reason.

Is MaLa executing the batch file directly or using a shortcut?

[markronz]

The batch directly.

So initially when I first posted, I was trying to use a shortcut that pointed to the exe.
Just now, when I posted, I was stating that I tried using a batch file which executes the exe file, no shortcut.

[arzoo]

The batch directly.

So initially when I first posted, I was trying to use a shortcut that pointed to the exe.
Just now, when I posted, I was stating that I tried using a batch file which executes the exe file, no shortcut.

Can you email or post the debug.zip after running with the batch file configured.

Also, when exactly does the error occur in the controls editor? I tried importing the same values and I don't get any error.

[markronz]

In case anyone reads my problem and is interested, Arzoo figured it out. The main issue was that my 'Other Emulator' in Mala was named "Other" which is a keyword.  So I changed this to "OtherGames" instead and my shortcut worked fine then!  Thanks again Arzoo!

[Bender]

You know - I did some testing and you're right - you can't get the primary control to speak and blink (it's name). You can only get it to speak and blink the functions (up, down, left, right, etc.).

I'm not sure what my thinking was way back when I programmed this - but it's a very easy code fix. I'll let you know when I've got a patch ready to test.

Thanks Buddy, you da man!

[Fat-Johnny]

I had posted this in the Mala forum, but have got no response.  Since it is more of a LEDBlinky problem, I figured I would post it here in the LEDBlinky thread.  Hope you guys can help me!

I am using three LED Wiz's to control 30 RGB modules (all from GGG).  I have everything working properly in MAME and in Mala.  I have taken great care, and written down all my mappings:  which CP button goes to which input on IPAC64, which output goes to which three LED's, etc..

It is all working in Mala, the FE controls are lighting like they should.
Its all working well in MAME, Mala is lighting and speaking all the controls like it should.

When I switch to FCEU, Mala is "previewing" only P1_BUTTON2 for some reason.  When I launch a game, I wish to light:
P1_BUTTON1
P1_BUTTON2
P1_START
P4_LEFT  (its a misc button on my CP, but that's what it is mapped to on my IPAC, so that's what it is called)

Similar setup for Player 2.  When I launch a FCEU game, it lights B1, B2, and START for both sides, but not the other misc button (P4_left and P4_UP).  I used the Mala Controls Editor to try to create what I need to make it happen, including speaking buttons, but it only speaks B1 and B2 for both players.  Does not speak coin and does not speak OR light the misc other button.

Can someone take a look at the attached debug file, and give me some guidance?  I am tearing my hair out!!
Thanks for looking,
FJ

[arzoo]

I had posted this in the Mala forum, but have got no response.  Since it is more of a LEDBlinky problem, I figured I would post it here in the LEDBlinky thread.  Hope you guys can help me!

I am using three LED Wiz's to control 30 RGB modules (all from GGG).  I have everything working properly in MAME and in Mala.  I have taken great care, and written down all my mappings:  which CP button goes to which input on IPAC64, which output goes to which three LED's, etc..

It is all working in Mala, the FE controls are lighting like they should.
Its all working well in MAME, Mala is lighting and speaking all the controls like it should.

When I switch to FCEU, Mala is "previewing" only P1_BUTTON2 for some reason.  When I launch a game, I wish to light:
P1_BUTTON1
P1_BUTTON2
P1_START
P4_LEFT  (its a misc button on my CP, but that's what it is mapped to on my IPAC, so that's what it is called)

Similar setup for Player 2.  When I launch a FCEU game, it lights B1, B2, and START for both sides, but not the other misc button (P4_left and P4_UP).  I used the Mala Controls Editor to try to create what I need to make it happen, including speaking buttons, but it only speaks B1 and B2 for both players.  Does not speak coin and does not speak OR light the misc other button.

Can someone take a look at the attached debug file, and give me some guidance?  I am tearing my hair out!!
Thanks for looking,
FJ

ok - here's what you can try;

Using the LEDBlinky controls editor, select the FCEU emulator and edit the default controls group. For each of the following controls, you need to uncheck the Always Active option:
P1_BUTTON1
P2_BUTTON1
P2_BUTTON2
Always Active buttons are not previewed - that's why those 3 are not lighting with the MaLa demo/preview.

To get your P4_LEFT (KEYCODE_V) and P4_UP (KEYCODE_Y) buttons to light up, you can add two additional buttons - it doesn't matter which you use - try P1_BUTTON9 and P1_BUTTON10. For each make sure you assign the correct keycode (KEYCODE_V and KEYCODE_Y) and specify the button name you want spoken.

As for coin and start- blinky doesn't normally speak those buttons. There may be a configuration work-around but I'd have to do some testing.

[Fat-Johnny]

Using the LEDBlinky controls editor, select the FCEU emulator and edit the default controls group. For each of the following controls, you need to uncheck the Always Active option:
P1_BUTTON1
P2_BUTTON1
P2_BUTTON2
Always Active buttons are not previewed - that's why those 3 are not lighting with the MaLa demo/preview.

To get your P4_LEFT (KEYCODE_V) and P4_UP (KEYCODE_Y) buttons to light up, you can add two additional buttons - it doesn't matter which you use - try P1_BUTTON9 and P1_BUTTON10. For each make sure you assign the correct keycode (KEYCODE_V and KEYCODE_Y) and specify the button name you want spoken.

As for coin and start- blinky doesn't normally speak those buttons. There may be a configuration work-around but I'd have to do some testing.

Thanks for the clue, Arzoo.  I did exactly what you said, and it worked like a charm.
1) All the buttons I had I identified as "always active", I unchecked that box
2) I did add the additional buttons (P1_BUTTON9  and P2_BUTTON9), and made sure that the keystroke associated with them was correct.  They now light up and speak properly.
3) Thinking how well that worked (and how easy it was), I erased P1_START and P2_START, and added P1_BUTTON10 and P2_BUTTON10.  I bound those to keystrokes "1" and "2", respectively.  I told it to speak "Player 1 start" and "Player 2 start", and now it speaks those correctly.

So, my mapping and my "speech" NOW looks like:
P1_BUTTON1  "Player 1 button A"
P1_BUTTON2  "Player 1 button B"
P1_BUTTON9  "Player 1 Select"
P1_BUTTON10 "Player 1 start"

(same setup for Player2)

And LEDBlinky blinks them properly, and speaks them all properly!!!   Wahooo!!!!  

Thanks for the help!  
FJ

[Eraser_arcade]

Hi, first off I would like to say LEDBlinky is a amazing program. But right now I am having a small issue with it & mame. In some games (I believe it just games that has analog controls) my control panel will light up the pause button (G key) and clam it to be right, and my P2B5 (F key) claiming it to be down. I went to the mame control inputs and made sure the G key was set only as the pause function, and the F key only as player 2 button 5. But it didn't solve the problem. Any suggestions would be grateful.

[arzoo]

Hi, first off I would like to say LEDBlinky is a amazing program. But right now I am having a small issue with it & mame. In some games (I believe it just games that has analog controls) my control panel will light up the pause button (G key) and clam it to be right, and my P2B5 (F key) claiming it to be down. I went to the mame control inputs and made sure the G key was set only as the pause function, and the F key only as player 2 button 5. But it didn't solve the problem. Any suggestions would be grateful.

mame uses G and F as default values for right and down and a bunch of other analog controls. The easiest way to solve this for blinky is to manually edit the LEDBlinkyControls.xml file (using notepad) and remove all the references to KEYCODE_G and KEYCODE_F under the <controlDefaults groupName="MAME"> node.

For example, change this line:
<control name="P2_JOYSTICK_DOWN" inputCodes="|KEYCODE_F|JOYCODE_2_DOWN" allowConfigPlayerNum="2"/>
to this:
<control name="P2_JOYSTICK_DOWN" inputCodes="|JOYCODE_2_DOWN" allowConfigPlayerNum="2"/>

Another way to solve the problem is to play a mame game and from the "All Games" config menu (Tab key), assign the correct input values for the controls (like P2_JOYSTICK_DOWN) as are used by your control panel. In other words, explicitly set mame to use the correct input codes for the analog controls.

And a third option is to remap your keyboard encoder so that those two buttons use keyboard inputs other than G and F

[Eraser_arcade]

mame uses G and F as default values for right and down and a bunch of other analog controls. The easiest way to solve this for blinky is to manually edit the LEDBlinkyControls.xml file (using notepad) and remove all the references to KEYCODE_G and KEYCODE_F under the <controlDefaults groupName="MAME"> node.

For example, change this line:
<control name="P2_JOYSTICK_DOWN" inputCodes="|KEYCODE_F|JOYCODE_2_DOWN" allowConfigPlayerNum="2"/>
to this:
<control name="P2_JOYSTICK_DOWN" inputCodes="|JOYCODE_2_DOWN" allowConfigPlayerNum="2"/>

Thank you! That did the trick.

I was worried for a bit that I might had to remap my keyboard encoder, since I already have other games and emulators programed for it. But now I don't have to worry about it. So, thank you again.

[BigDaddyE]

Using Hyperspin as FE.

Using LEDBlinky for mapping U360's and speaking.

Did a quick check on net for error code, but couldn't find anything.

Get this error at Hyperspin start up:

Access violation of address 013013Fa in module 'PacDrive.dll'. Read of address 01326F90.

Let me know what else I need to let everyone know to diagnose issues.

Thanks.

Eric

[arzoo]

Using Hyperspin as FE.

Using LEDBlinky for mapping U360's and speaking.

Did a quick check on net for error code, but couldn't find anything.

Get this error at Hyperspin start up:

Access violation of address 013013Fa in module 'PacDrive.dll'. Read of address 01326F90.

Let me know what else I need to let everyone know to diagnose issues.

Thanks.

Eric

Sounds like you are using LEDBlinky v5.0 - which has a bug when used for u360's but no LEDs. You can download the latest update from the LEDBlinky.net site or here's a link for just the fixed exe v5.0.0.1

[BigDaddyE]

Thanks Arzoo.

I'll try it tomorrow!

Eric

[chernandez]

Quick question I'm running pacled64 with hyperspin and my buttons blink a couple times when hyperspin loads and then only 5 ramdom buttons light up and stay lit then all buttons blink when a button is push or joystick moved. When I exit it out I will get a error saying "error parsing mame cfg file. And ledblinky.exe is not runnig in taskbar.
Any help will be appreciated
Thanks
Chris

[arzoo]

Quick question I'm running pacled64 with hyperspin and my buttons blink a couple times when hyperspin loads and then only 5 ramdom buttons light up and stay lit then all buttons blink when a button is push or joystick moved. When I exit it out I will get a error saying "error parsing mame cfg file. And ledblinky.exe is not runnig in taskbar.
Any help will be appreciated
Thanks
Chris

Hey Chris,
Depending on how you've configured the options - the 5 lit buttons are most likely the controls used by HS. There is also an option to blink the buttons whenever any are pressed. As for the mame cfg error, I'll need you to turn on the debug.log and verbose options (on the Misc options tab), then run HS and a game or two, then email me the debug.zip file (in the LEDBlinky folder). I'll take a look.

[dskansas]

I am loving this software but have one issue that hopefully someone can help out with. I am using LedBlinky with Hyperspin, Ledwiz, & RGB LED's and it's working great in Hyperspin. The issue that I am having is that in MAME it lights the correct buttons but it won't speak the action. The only way I have found to fix this is to go into LEDBlinky Contorls Editor and import each rom and assign an Action (Voice) to each button. I am assuming the issue is with the controls.ini file that I am using but I have the latest one from the controls.dat project. I'm sure this is something obvious that I am just overlooking.

Thanks

[arzoo]

I am loving this software but have one issue that hopefully someone can help out with. I am using LedBlinky with Hyperspin, Ledwiz, & RGB LED's and it's working great in Hyperspin. The issue that I am having is that in MAME it lights the correct buttons but it won't speak the action. The only way I have found to fix this is to go into LEDBlinky Contorls Editor and import each rom and assign an Action (Voice) to each button. I am assuming the issue is with the controls.ini file that I am using but I have the latest one from the controls.dat project. I'm sure this is something obvious that I am just overlooking.

Thanks

You are correct - the controls.ini file provides the data to speak the button actions. Are you sure the config is pointing to the correct file (controls.ini)? If you turn on the debug and verbose options, run HS and some games, then email me the debug.zip file, I'll take a look. Maybe also email me the controls.ini file you are using.

[dskansas]

I am loving this software but have one issue that hopefully someone can help out with. I am using LedBlinky with Hyperspin, Ledwiz, & RGB LED's and it's working great in Hyperspin. The issue that I am having is that in MAME it lights the correct buttons but it won't speak the action. The only way I have found to fix this is to go into LEDBlinky Contorls Editor and import each rom and assign an Action (Voice) to each button. I am assuming the issue is with the controls.ini file that I am using but I have the latest one from the controls.dat project. I'm sure this is something obvious that I am just overlooking.

Thanks

You are correct - the controls.ini file provides the data to speak the button actions. Are you sure the config is pointing to the correct file (controls.ini)? If you turn on the debug and verbose options, run HS and some games, then email me the debug.zip file, I'll take a look. Maybe also email me the controls.ini file you are using.

Not a problem arzoo. I'll get that information gathered up this evening and get it to you by tomorrow.

Thanks

[dskansas]

Well it's working now. I downloaded a different version of controls.ini and pointed ledblinky to it. It still wouldn't work right so I pointed it back to the original one and walla, it works. The only game I noticed right off the bat that wasn't lighting correctly was Asteroids. For some reason it only lights and announces the hyperspace button even though the fire and thrust are both listed in the colors.ini and controls.ini. Thanks again for offering to look into my issue.

[Peskoe]

Quote from the Install and Config.pdf

"Note: Assigning an input code to each port is not required if you are only creating LED animations for use with applications other than LEDBlinky."

and

Also, the 3rd value is the input code and that's only required for my LEDBlinky app.

Does this mean I cannot run LEDBlinky through commandline without assigning input codes to the device ports? I am using gamepads, so if I have LEDs, none of them will have input codes to assign.

Regards,
Peskoe

[arzoo]

Does this mean I cannot run LEDBlinky through commandline without assigning input codes to the device ports? I am using gamepads, so if I have LEDs, none of them will have input codes to assign.

You don't need to assign input codes, but those ports (without input codes) will only light when running an animation.

I'm assuming you have a cp or cab with LEDs that are not under any buttons - yes? If you only want them to light up (without any animation), then you can create an animation with a single frame and run it from commandline or when the FE starts.

[Peskoe]

I'm assuming you have a cp or cab with LEDs that are not under any buttons - yes?

Correct. But I do have lighted buttons in use for the jukebox portion, originally this was just a jukebox, the arcade section was added later. I am still undecided if I will rewire these up to the LED controller or not. I want to use LEDBlinky to run animations on a homemade LED matrix. An arcade system without some eye-candy just doesn't feel right.

One more thing, is there any limitations on animation length? Max number of frames or total time?

BTW nice set of apps. If everything pans out, expect a purchase!

Regards,
Peskoe