Gamelauncher dont start in Batch

[Wally]

Hi,

I'm using GAMELAUNCHER as my Arcade front end. I use the pure DOS Version and my problem is that gamelauncher dont start if I want to launch it in a .bat File eg autoexec.bat . My Mame Machine will freeze when I do so.

If I'm booting to command line and then launch gamelauncher the normal way by typing glaunch <enter> everything is working fine (except playing mp3's - but thats not so urgent yet)

Whats wrong or who can help me ?

BAT File:

c:
cd glaunch
glaunch

[rampy]

That's weird wally,

Where's the rest of your autoexec.bat.

I've had *hard* freezes in DOS with Glaunch when I was using a PCI sound card and the DOS emulation drivers stunk up things (or weren't loaded).

I've also had a problem where my ancient video card didn't support the type of display allegro (graphic/sound library used by gl) auto detected.  I had to make/use and allegro.cfg to manually specify and all was spiffy after that.

I'm rambling a bit, but let me assure you, you can get it to boot into gamelauncher via autoexec.bat.

Maybe post your entire autoexec.bat and your gamelauncher log(s) after a lockup.  You'll find clues in those logs in the /log(s) directory as to what cause GL to bork.

*shrug*  good luck

rampy

[Dave Dribin]

Wally, like Rampy said, it *should* work.  My cab boots from DOS straight into GL.  If you can type it in from the command line, I cannot think of any reason why it would not work from a batch file.  Again, like Rampy said, post the whole batch file and look at the game launcher logs.  You may also want to join the mailing list as I keep a more active eye on it, than this site.

-Dave

[Wally]

Hi,

thanks for the replies so far.

Here is my complete autoexec.bat:

path=c:\DOS;C:\ADVCAB;C:\ARCADEOS;c:\glaunch;c:\mame2
LOADHIGH MSCDEX /D:MSCD001 /M:8 /L:D
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330  T6
SET CTSYN=C:\SBLIVE
C:\sblive\SBEINIT.COM
SMARTDRV.EXE /x
c:
cd glaunch
glaunch


When Gamelauncher starts up first the screen fade out and then nothing more...PC will freeze
When I start GL from the command line everything is ok. Logs dont say anything special.

[Wally]

Hi,

again  

tried to call a other special glaunch.bat in my autoexec.bat but that brings the same error. glaunch.bat will start and then when glaunch.exe wants to start everything is over.

[rampy]

Hi,

thanks for the replies so far.

Here is my complete autoexec.bat:

path=c:\DOS;C:\ADVCAB;C:\ARCADEOS;c:\glaunch;c:\mame2
LOADHIGH MSCDEX /D:MSCD001 /M:8 /L:D
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330  T6
SET CTSYN=C:\SBLIVE
C:\sblive\SBEINIT.COM
SMARTDRV.EXE /x
c:
cd glaunch
glaunch


When Gamelauncher starts up first the screen fade out and then nothing more...PC will freeze
When I start GL from the command line everything is ok. Logs dont say anything special.

Hmmm...  Please post the glaunch/logs too!

I see you have SB Live running the sb16 emu/DOS TSR's... i'm 90% sure you won't get much love with that in GameLauncher.  (although MAME doesn't seem to mind it)  I think only 1 guy EVER got Gamelauncher and a PCI based soundcard to work in DOS (correct me if I'm wrong Dave).

I ended up shlopping an ISA old school card when I was in the DOS world.  but first things first... post the logs!

Rampy

[Wally]

Hi,

I tried a little bit around and when I insert my normal VGA card into the system (with a VGA Monitor installed) it works. GL will start from the bat file.
When I change the card into the ARCADEVGA Card from Ultimarc and connect the system to a Arcade Monitor it will dont work. In this case the GL Log File contains no data.

Here is the latest GL Log File (from a normal start)

23 May 2003 16:53:31.910 [Info] Game Launcher v0.9.8
23 May 2003 16:53:31.910 [Info] Allegro 4.0.1, djgpp
23 May 2003 16:53:32.350 [Info] Using screen resolution of 800x600
23 May 2003 16:53:32.350 [Info] OS type: Unknown, or regular MSDOS
23 May 2003 16:53:32.350 [Info] Platform: djgpp
23 May 2003 16:53:32.350 [Info] Installing joystick
23 May 2003 16:53:32.570 [Warn] Error initializing mouse
23 May 2003 16:53:32.570 [Warn] Joystick not detected
23 May 2003 16:53:32.570 [Info] Sound card type: SB16 (16 bit stereo)
23 May 2003 16:53:32.680 [Info] Graphics driver: VESA 3.0
23 May 2003 16:53:32.680 [Info] Description: VESA 3.0 (NVidia), linear
23 May 2003 16:53:32.680 [Info] Using page flipping
23 May 2003 16:53:32.790 [Info] MP3 playlist contains 1 files
23 May 2003 16:53:32.790 [Info] Loading font: slicker.ttf
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] Font loaded
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for screen shot
23 May 2003 16:53:33.170 [Info] Starting engine loop
23 May 2003 16:53:46.460 [Info] Quit selected
23 May 2003 16:53:46.740 [Info] Average FPS: 57.2143
23 May 2003 16:53:47.180 [Info] Exitting
23 May 2003 16:53:47.180 [Info] Cleaning up Launcher_Controller
23 May 2003 16:53:47.400 [Info] Cleaning up Launcher_Controller: Done

I have no problems with my SB Live Sound Card. Under MAME everything is fine. But I cant hear any MP3 under GL.

[rampy]

Hi,

I tried a little bit around and when I insert my normal VGA card into the system (with a VGA Monitor installed) it works. GL will start from the bat file.
When I change the card into the ARCADEVGA Card from Ultimarc and connect the system to a Arcade Monitor it will dont work. In this case the GL Log File contains no data.

Here is the latest GL Log File (from a normal start)


23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap
23 May 2003 16:53:33.010 [Info] No HW blit: memory bitmap for movable bitmap

I have no problems with my SB Live Sound Card. Under MAME everything is fine. But I cant hear any MP3 under GL.

I wouldn't say you have "no problems with your SB LIVE Soundcard" -> you aren't hearing the mp3's in gamelauncher, nor the little ticks when you scroll, nor zap in and zap out of games sound fx. =P

Ahhh... That explains it.   Arcade monitor... hmph... there was recently a flurry of discussion on the mailing list dave was referring to (sign up there)

I don't remember what the conclusion was but I believe gamelauncher hasn't been to happy with arcade monitors in the past (dave doesn't have one to test it on) but there has been some success stories if I recall correctly...

does it work when NOT called from a batch file, BUT still on the arcade monitor? I'd be interested in knowing that.

good luck sorry couldn't be of more immediate assistance in troubleshooting.

rampy

[Wally]

Hi Rampy,

ok I have a little problem with the sound but in MAME is everything ok and that is ok for me.

Yes when I will launch GL with a Arcade Monitor FROM THE COMMAND LINE it works.

I maybe know where the problem is. When the machine starts a startlogo is displayed. I think GL has problems with this to start up when a diffrent screen resolution is displayed. When I start it from the command line no startlogo is there. And it works. My problem is to delete the logo. The MAME logo was the logo.sys file in the root dir. I delete this but now it comes a WIN 98 Startlogo instead. In I dont know where i can find it or where it been told to start. (Searches msdos.sys,config.sys but nothing)
I am using pure DOS 7.0. I figgured out that this is a pure Windows 98 MSDOS System.

So my only prblem is to delete or switch off the startlogo.

[Dave Dribin]

I maybe know where the problem is. When the machine starts a startlogo is displayed. I think GL has problems with this to start up when a diffrent screen resolution is displayed. When I start it from the command line no startlogo is there. And it works. My problem is to delete the logo. The MAME logo was the logo.sys file in the root dir. I delete this but now it comes a WIN 98 Startlogo instead. In I dont know where i can find it or where it been told to start. (Searches msdos.sys,config.sys but nothing)
I am using pure DOS 7.0. I figgured out that this is a pure Windows 98 MSDOS System.

So my only prblem is to delete or switch off the startlogo.

Hmm... I would suggest disabling the Win98 logo, if you're in pure DOS.  Instead, use this program called blackout.  Let's see if I can find that url, ah, yes, this looks like what I remember:

http://www.opus.co.tt/dave/download/blackout.zip

Which I found at this Interesting DOS programs site.

-Dave

[Wally]

Hi @ all,

thanks Dave. But I have now resolved the problem on my own.  

It was the Startlogo. Togehter with the ArcadeVGA Card and the Start of GL the System crashes.
Now I have rewritten the msdos.sys and now the System will boot up without a logo. And the gamelauncher starts  and works fine. (OK no sounds at all under GL but I think thats the PCI Soundcard like rampy says)

Thanks to all for your help.