Visual Pinball/Pinmame question

[arcadecab]

After sometime, I have finally gotten the visual pinball and pinmame running together to the point where I have the table setup and the pinmame display running.  The only thing that doesnt occur is that I can't get the ball to appear to start play or the flippers to move.  The plunger works and the tilt works--I believe that the flippers are supposed to be defaulted to the right/left shift keys, but it doesnt work.  I also thought that F5 was supposed to be the insert coin/start game key, but that also doesnt work.  So everything appears on screen and seems to be working, but can't start the game and/or move the flippers.  These should be defaults and I did not change any keyfunctions.  Any ideas of what to check or how to activate the proper keys?  I am using the most current versions of Visual Pinball and Pinmame.
Thanks for any help--cant wait to actual start playing some pinball.  Looks cool right now--but cant play.

[Sandman]

Happens to me all the time...I usually just have to hit F7 and within a moment or two it starts working properly.   Some tables use the 'S" key start as well.

[papaschtroumpf]

Hey congrats at getting it working! I'm still fighting with it.
I'm not really set on getting original pinball tables to run, I'd just like to get (at least a few) pinball tables in a cabinet friendly software.
Are there any (windows) alternatives to run the full cisual pinball/pinMAME package?

[RecycledPast]

I may have misread your question but have you tried clicking on the playfield?  I know when I start it up, the LCD window is on top so any key presses affect it(like opening the coin door, etc..). Once I click on the playfield I can add coins, plunger works, etc...

--J--