New User - Couple of Questions..*All Solved* :)

[Knievel]

Finally upgrading the PC in my machine and decided to see what all the hype was about.

Got everything working nearly 100% and it looks great. I love how easy it is to set things up.
Couple of quick questions for those that might know though..

1. When I switch through my various layouts I briefly see different text in all my text box areas.
It's the text that is in the boxes when viewing the layout in the layout editor. Is this supposed to happen?

2. Tried a bunch of things but I can't get Visual Pinball to fire up in Mala, using Howard's wrapper. I get a Run time error '52'. Works great by itself but not through Mala.

3. Under the screenshot in my Mame layout I'm using object 'Text 3' set to display the current game name. Instead of the full name it is displaying the Rom name. Is there a setting for that?

Thanks for any assistance.  Been awhile since I've done anything software related on my machine. I'm a little rusty.


I will upload my layouts to the Mala page when they are all working.

[SGT]

-When I switch through my various layouts I briefly see different text in all my text box areas.
It's the text that is in the boxes when viewing the layout in the layout editor. Is this supposed to happen?

I get this also.  I'm not sure if Loadman has this on his bug list or not.  He'll probably respond this evening.

-Under the screenshot in my Mame layout I'm using object 'Text 3' set to display the current game name. Instead of the full name it is displaying the Rom name. Is there a setting for that?

While in the layout editor, double-click the on-screen dotted box for Text 3 to get to the properties.  Set the pattern name to ~g_description.  It is probably currently set to ~g_name.

[Knievel]

Thanks that fixed issue #3. Thought I had tried all the options there but obviously not.

Good to hear I'm not alone on #1. Has to be something we can do for that.


I found a thread where you talk about the closemul idea for running Vpinball in Mala.
Can you provide any more info on that..do I just download it and place it into my Vpinball folder?

Howard's wrapper just doesn't seem to work. It was great for Mamewah.

[SGT]

Yeah, even HC said it was broken for later versions of VP or VPinMame.  Regarding Closemul:

1)  Put closemul.exe in the VPinball folder.  No configuring is necessary to closemul.ini.  If there is no closemul.ini, one will be created after the first run through.

2) In Mala set the emulator's executable to something similiar to:

Code: [Select]

E:\emulators\Visual Pinball\Closemul.exe
3) In Mala set the emulator's command line to:

Code: [Select]

vpinball.exe -play -"%path%\%rom%.%ext%"
4) Of course as you already know, the rom path to your tables must be set in Mala along with the rom extension of vpt.

As you have probably already concluded, this just allows ESC to close Vpinball.  It does not suppress any of that popups the Vpinball and Vpinmame throws up.

Good luck!

[Knievel]

Well it ain't pretty but it works, thanks once again.

Not sure if Mala is a step forward for me though. I liked how Mamewah handled Vpinball with Howard's wrapper.
I'll wait and see if Loadman has a fix for issue #1 I guess.

[SGT]

Knievel,

Just out of curiosity, what version of Vpinball is HK's wrapper working with.  Also what is the version # of HC's wrapper?  If it works in mamewah, I don't see why it shouldn't in Mala.  Are you also using VpinMame?  I know I wasn't able to get HC's wrapper to work outside of a front end.  That's been some time ago.

[Knievel]

The combo I was running with Mamewah was:

Vpinball version 1.0.0.3
vp-launch4 version 1.0.0.0

[SGT]

Ok, I was using vp-launch5 along with Vpinball 1.0.0.3.  If vp-launch4 works with Mamewah, it should work with Mala.  I'll give this a try once I track down vp-launch4. 

I wouldn't give up on Mala just yet.  Loadman has been getting a lot done lately.  I don't think anyone has pointed out the flash of text field variable names when switching layouts.  He has just knocked out another issue in beta that occurred only during the transition of layouts.  Personally I had forgotten about the one you mentioned.   We must not underestimate the power of the wombat!   

[loadman]

1. When I switch through my various layouts I briefly see different text in all my text box areas.
It's the text that is in the boxes when viewing the layout in the layout editor. Is this supposed to happen?

I think I have fixed this one.

Anyone can PM me with a e-mail if they want to beta test 

[Knievel]

Done. 

[SGT]

Knievel,

In Mala, is your commandline for Visual Pinball:

Code: [Select]

%path%\%rom%.%ext%
I notice I only get that runtime error 52 when vp-launch cannot find the VP tables.  I am assuming your rompath in Mala is set to the folder where the tables are and that the rom extension is vpt?

[Knievel]

Hmm. I will check that shortly, I've got that PC apart at the moment.

[XyloSesame]

I'm having the same problem with Error 52. It seems like MaLa is not passing the cmd arguments correctly to vp-launch5.

For me, vp-launch5 works beautifully via command prompt with the full-path of ROM specified. Example: vp-launch5.exe D:\_rom_pin\orig\trigon\trigon.vpt

However, when in MaLa, %path%\%rom%.%ext% results in Error 52.

--Edit --

Both vpinball.exe and closemul work perfectly via MaLa, so I've been assuming it's neither the location nor cfg of the ROMs

[SGT]

Have you tried refreshing the main game list?  I can duplicate the error by changing either the rom path or the command line to something incorrect.

You can go the the game list editor and look at what rom path Mala is passing for a specific game.  If it is blank then the main game list for this emulator must be refreshed.

[XyloSesame]

Have you tried refreshing the main game list?  I can duplicate the error by changing either the rom path or the command line to something incorrect.

You can go the the game list editor and look at what rom path Mala is passing for a specific game.  If it is blank then the main game list for this emulator must be refreshed.

That's what makes me think this is a problem with vplaunch5.1.

The path is correct in all gamelists. Vpinball.exe works from MaLa without a wrapper with the argument -play -"%path\%rom.%ext%"

closemul/Vpinball.exe works with that same argument passed in Param After File.

vp-launch5.exe works from a command prompt, but not from MaLa, if the full path is specified. It will run tables from one folder only, but won't parse the %path% command to read directories recursively... I think...

[SGT]

I know Mala sometimes gets a glitch even if the rom path for the emulator is correct.  Users with this problem will go to the game list editor and look at a specfic game and it will be blank (see screenshot).

If you've double-checked this, then your problem must be something else.  I'm using vplaunch5.1 and I do not get the error.  I wonder if it could be a "space in the table name" problem.

Have you tried putting quotes around the command line like:

Code: [Select]

"%path%\%rom%.%ext%"
If I put quotes around this, I get the 52 error.

It will run tables from one folder only, but won't parse the %path% command to read directories recursively... I think...

I'm not following what you mean here.

[XyloSesame]

Have you tried putting quotes around the command line like:

Code: [Select]

"%path%\%rom%.%ext%"If I put quotes around this, I get the 52 error.

Same here

It will run tables from one folder only, but won't parse the %path% command to read directories recursively... I think...

I'm not following what you mean here.

By recursive, I mean searching subfolders and files... but that got me thinking that I've never un-checked Search in subfolders option in MaLa when I've been testing. All of my tables are in their own folder in a root ROM directory, so I want MaLa to search all subs. But with vp-launch5, this option renders the Error 52.

No quotes on the ROM path (whether there are spaces in the full path or not), and no "Search in subfolders" (whether the tables are in subfolders or not) and voila. She works. Sort of.

Dagblasted splash screens are still there, but the exit is one-key...

[Knievel]

Well my paths are all correct. But I think you guys have already ruled that out.

Still hoping for that beta, to rid me of the other issue..

[loadman]

Well my paths are all correct. But I think you guys have already ruled that out.

Still hoping for that beta, to rid me of the other issue..

Sorry I though I sent it last night.

I just sent it again anyway.

Please let me know if any change with this beta .. I like details 

[Knievel]

Well no change with the beta that I can see. The text issue remains.

Something I forgot to mention intitially is that the Game List isn't affected.
All the other text areas are though.

[loadman]

Well no change with the beta that I can see. The text issue remains.

Something I forgot to mention intitially is that the Game List isn't affected.
All the other text areas are though.

OK More details please.

What are you swicthing between when it happens?
-same emu differnt custom list?
-differnt emu

What layout are you using?

Is the text change happening before the layout change or after? or both?

It sounds like the fix I did in the beta was for something different. I have not seen this issue. 

[SGT]

Loadman, I think he is referring to the individual field's variable names.   I will see, for example, test3:~l_name  flash up for a second on a layout change.

[loadman]

Loadman, I think he is referring to the individual field's variable names such as ~g_name.  They flash up for some reason upon a layout change.

Hmm I have not seem this. But the test set-up my lists are quite small so the lag with larger lists may highlight this problem I guess.

There is a lot of code in MaLa so it would be nice to know what section to start testing on so does the flash happen before the game list changes or after? Any details would be good.

[SGT]

Yeah its after the game list is populated as proven by the two screenshots below which show a before and after. I see that the snap change has not taken place so I'll try to figure out if the code is before or after the snap is populated.

[loadman]

Hmm On the other issue I don't suppose you had a chance to try the beat version. The beat has an attempted fix to stop this list changing before the background does.

[SGT]

The field names change to the field values almost at the exact same time that the snap is updated.  Its too quick to determine which comes first.  I'll keep trying.

Edit:  No I don't have the beta.  Is it available for download?

[loadman]

The field names change to the field values almost at the exact same time that the snap is updated.  Its too quick to determine which comes first.  I'll keep trying.

Edit:  No I don't have the beta.  Is it available for download?

Sorry James Bond I though I e-mailed it to you. Can you PM me your E-mail as I am at work (Don't tell my boss)

[SGT]

-When I switch through my various layouts I briefly see different text in all my text box areas.
It's the text that is in the boxes when viewing the layout in the layout editor. Is this supposed to happen?

I found a solution to this that works, at least, for me.  First let me say that the beta (by itself) did not resolve this issue. However I noticed that if you turn on the Display delay for only 10ms and set the text as an exception, the problem goes away.  Knievel, can you give this a shot?  Below is a screenshot of the options in question:

Edited

[Knievel]

Thanks for the tip but it didn't work for me, did it exactly as shown. 

Wait..was that the beta you tried that on? I didn't.

[SGT]

Yep, the beta.

[Knievel]

Off I go..

[Knievel]

No luck. Can't believe it works on yours and not mine.

Attempted to make some game lists tonight and I'm getting errors. Just can't win. 

[SGT]

Arrrghhh.  Perhaps I have changed other settings over time that also affect this problem.  Perhaps if you get time, you can email me your mala.ini file at jeff_s@bellsouth.net so I can use it to see if the problem returns on my system.  If it the problem occurs for me using your mala.ini then I will be able to determine which setting is causing your problem.

Regarding your other errors, let's hear them so we can help ( a new thread might be best?).

[Knievel]

Ok will do that tomorrow, thanks.

I'll try and find the answer to my other problem before bugging you again.

[loadman]

Yeah this problem must be fixable it's just a matter of controlling the order and timing that mala does things in diffrerent circumstances.

It can be fustrating when I and other users can't replicate it.

But we will get there   

[loadman]

Hmmm

See if this helps

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=85003.0

[Knievel]

Nope, didn't help me. Thanks for trying again.

[loadman]

Nope, didn't help me. Thanks for trying again.

I assume to did not help you with the issue of flashing text other than the game list?

I won't give up. Check the other thread for updates

[loadman]

Nope, didn't help me. Thanks for trying again.

I assume to did not help you with the issue of flashing text other than the game list?

I won't give up. Check the other thread for updates

I just re-created it it   ,  Now to fix it 

[loadman]

Nope, didn't help me. Thanks for trying again.

I think I got it 

See other post