Requesting help from you programmery folks

[johnnysmitch]

Hey all - I'm getting very very close to finished [yeah right, like these things are ever really finished...] on my machine [ http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=10;action=display;threadid=21886;start=80 ], and I've been brainstorming a feature that I'd LOVE to implement if I could get some help on it - I have some side pinball buttons (currently black) that I'd like to switch out with white ones and light up, like my player start buttons.  The catch is, I wanna make them only light up when I'm playing VisualPinmame... and I'm not quite sure how I'd go about this... any help w/this would be awesome

[screaming]

Hey all - I'm getting very very close to finished [yeah right, like these things are ever really finished...] on my machine [ http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=10;action=display;threadid=21886;start=80 ], and I've been brainstorming a feature that I'd LOVE to implement if I could get some help on it - I have some side pinball buttons (currently black) that I'd like to switch out with white ones and light up, like my player start buttons.  The catch is, I wanna make them only light up when I'm playing VisualPinmame... and I'm not quite sure how I'd go about this... any help w/this would be awesome

  Didn't you just post something about this in the Project Announcements forum?  I assume you technically know how to hook up the lights, at least with the help of the links posted there.

  You have an IPAC, so wouldn't it be a matter of sending the NUMLOCK sequence when you start up VisualPinmame, maybe from a batch file?

-Steve

[johnnysmitch]

Yes, you are indeed perceptive    - I've got buttons lit up already (simple to do when you're not stuck at work making it more complex in your head than it really is] I just wanted to try to figure out how to make buttons light up conditionally like this.  I've already thought about doing it with the NUMLOCK signal thru the ipac - just wanted to know if that was the BEST way [I wouldn't really mind if they responded to some of the classics that light up the numlock lights as well - mainly just want them to light for pinmame tho].  Also, I have minimum experience with any kind of programming, so I need help on how to write said batch file and how to set it up with the wrapper/pinmame...

[Minwah]

This is the kindof thing which would be ideal for Druins serial-hardware project.  A FE could easily launch Druins program accordingly to do this.

So I would say this is arguably the best way, but almost certainly not the easiest.

[johnnysmitch]

This is the kindof thing which would be ideal for Druins serial-hardware project.  A FE could easily launch Druins program accordingly to do this.

So I would say this is arguably the best way, but almost certainly not the easiest.

not familiar with this project - I have a feeling it's something of an overkill for what I wanna do, but I'd be interested in checking it out none the less... any links?

[Minwah]

not familiar with this project - I have a feeling it's something of an overkill for what I wanna do, but I'd be interested in checking it out none the less... any links?

Do a search in this Software forum for 'druin serial hardware' or something...sorry I don't have a link.

It probably would be overkill, but would allow for plenty more interesting projects

[screaming]

not familiar with this project - I have a feeling it's something of an overkill for what I wanna do, but I'd be interested in checking it out none the less... any links?

  Yeah, it's pretty much overkill for what you want to do but it will work!

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=3;action=display;threadid=24824

  This numlock utility will help you turn on and off your numlock status from a batch file and is probably the easiest to set up.  Isn't there a mame config parameter to control whether or not the MAME games play with the keyboard lights?

-Steve

Edit: Dang it, this BBS software doesn't like FTP URLs.  Here is the webpage I got the link off of.

[johnnysmitch]

ah yes, Druins project looks like it would be a big overkill for this, but the possiblilities available with such a device would be pretty hot - just in lighting alone, it would be sweet to have only the appropriate controls for a game light up when you launch it...

Oh, and thanks for the numlock utility link Screaming - I'll check it out when i get home from work

[Howard_Casto]

I have an in-between solution that might be more acceptable.  

The parallel port has 8 (optionally 10, but let's not complicate things)  i/o lines that can be easily controlled in vb with the help of a dll.  I've experimented with these ports and have easily wired some leds up.  The best part is the voltage these pins put out is the near exact voltage that standard leds use.  No complex wiring, no nothing!  Straight wire an led to one of the pins and a common ground pin and you are good to go.  

Of course if you need a higher voltage light you would have to instead hook these pins up to a relay which would do the switching, but that would be true for any of these methods.  

It's one of my side projects on the back-burner, but if you'd rather use this method pm me and I can give you the info you need.  I might even be able to whip up a quick command line app to switch the lights.  

[Howard_Casto]

For anyone that's interested:

http://www.epanorama.net/circuits/parallel_output.html

For the record.... although this site and many technical docs say that the average voltage output for the i/o lines is 5 volts, I've found when all 8 are used in a full load it's something closer to 3.5-4 volts.  So my advice is to try the resistors and if the leds are too dull remove them.  

And contrary to popular belief the parallel port is fully controllable in xp, the only catch is during the bootup all the pins are stuck in the "on" position.  So obvioulsy it's not going to work well for a knocker, but other than that... all is well.  

[rockhopper]

during the bootup all the pins are stuck in the "on" position.  So obvioulsy it's not going to work well for a knocker

in terms of burning out the solenoid you mean?

using some electronic trickery, a circuit could easily be designed to send a short pulse to the knocker when it detects a rising edge. This would solve the problem, but cause a 'knock' every time the machine is booted up. of course you could have a delay so the circuit is disabled for however long to circumvent this further.

in fact, since you would need some form of knocker controller (however simple it may be), the inclusion of these minor features shouldnt add to much effort.

[Howard_Casto]

While I'll agree with that, the whole point of using this method is eliminating complicated electronic circuits.  There are methods to use a knocker via the parallel port that are xp friendly, but they are just as complicated as druins interface, in which case you might as well build it as it has more functionality.