CPWizard Troubles...

[XyloSesame]

I've found a couple old posts that seem to describe my issue, but they don't have solutions...

My installation of CPWizard hangs quite often when used as a replacement for the Info Window in MaLa. I'm using MaLa 1.045 with MAME 0106, and just updated CPWizard to 1.86 hoping that would correct the issue. CPWizard is running in resident mode (via registry key) using the following arguments within MaLa: -mode mainmenu -game %rom% -show

When in MaLa, I call the Info Window to view the CP. After a longer-than-usual delay, the screen blanks and stays blank for an undetermined time; I have left it for ~5 minutes to see if the application would resolve/respond. Each time, I can neither exit CPWizard, nor return to MaLa or windows. Alt-Tab shows the Application Switch dialogue for a brief flash, but will not allow me to switch to MaLa or "Preview," the other listed running app. Ctl-Alt-Del will allow me to begin Task Manager, but again "Preview" takes focus and will not allow for application switching to end tasks. The only way I can exit is to manually power off.

This seems to happens with specific ROMS; I can recreate the problem by attempting to launch the Info Window for an offending ROM. Since I have to hard-boot, the CPWizard log is not complete and I can only see the process state prior to the app freezing. However, each time I have recreated the problem, the log file ends at the same point, "Starting Mame Interop."

Any ideas?






<--- Begin CPWizard.log:

9/5/2008 10:52:26 AM: CPWizard v1.86
9/5/2008 10:52:27 AM: Initializing InterComm Manager
9/5/2008 10:52:27 AM: Initializing Cmd Line Watcher
9/5/2008 10:52:27 AM: Starting InterComm Manager
9/5/2008 10:52:28 AM: Initializing Display Manager
9/5/2008 10:52:28 AM: Initializing Program Manager
9/5/2008 10:52:28 AM: Reading Config
9/5/2008 10:52:28 AM: Initializing Main Menu
9/5/2008 10:52:28 AM: Initializing Layout Manager
9/5/2008 10:52:28 AM: Initializing Game Info
9/5/2008 10:52:28 AM: Initializing History Dat
9/5/2008 10:52:28 AM: Initializing MameInfo Dat
9/5/2008 10:52:28 AM: Initializing Command Dat
9/5/2008 10:52:31 AM: Initializing Story Dat
9/5/2008 10:52:31 AM: Initializing Artwork Manager
9/5/2008 10:52:31 AM: Initializing Mame Manuals
9/5/2008 10:52:31 AM: Initializing Emulator Manuals
9/5/2008 10:52:31 AM: Initializing Emulator OpCard
9/5/2008 10:52:31 AM: Initializing NFO Viewer
9/5/2008 10:52:31 AM: Initializing IRC
9/5/2008 10:52:31 AM: Initializing SendKeys
9/5/2008 10:52:31 AM: Initializing Mame Interop
9/5/2008 10:52:31 AM: Initializing Mame Manager
9/5/2008 10:52:31 AM: Initializing Emulator Manager
9/5/2008 10:52:31 AM: Initializing Keyboard Hook
9/5/2008 10:52:31 AM: Initializing Direct Input
9/5/2008 10:52:32 AM: Initializing MCE Remote
9/5/2008 10:52:32 AM: Initializing Input Manager
9/5/2008 10:52:32 AM: Initializing Profiles
9/5/2008 10:52:32 AM: Initializing Bezel
9/5/2008 10:52:32 AM: Reading Mame Data
9/5/2008 10:52:32 AM: Mame Version 0.106
9/5/2008 10:52:32 AM: Initializing Mini Info Xml
9/5/2008 10:52:32 AM: Initializing Mame Ini
9/5/2008 10:52:32 AM: Reading Mame Ini
9/5/2008 10:52:32 AM: Initializing Mame Cfg
9/5/2008 10:52:32 AM: Initializing Mame Command Line
9/5/2008 10:52:32 AM: Reading History Dat
9/5/2008 10:52:33 AM: Reading MameInfo Dat
9/5/2008 10:52:34 AM: Reading Command Dat
9/5/2008 10:52:34 AM: Reading Story Dat
9/5/2008 10:52:34 AM: Reading Mini Info Xml
9/5/2008 10:52:35 AM: Reading All Mame Cfg's
9/5/2008 10:52:36 AM: Creating MainBitmap
9/5/2008 10:52:36 AM: Starting Mame Interop

<--- End CPWizard.log

<--- Begin CPWizard.ini:

[General]
VerboseLogging=True
RunOnStartup=True
VolumeControlEnable=False
DynamicDataLoading=False
GhostScriptExe=C:\Program Files\gs\gs\bin\gswin32c.exe
[HideDesktop]
Enable=False
HideDesktopOnStartup=False
HideMouseCursor=False
HideDesktopUsingForms=False
SetWallpaperBlack=False
HideDesktopIcons=False
HideTaskbar=False
MoveMouseOffscreen=False
[Mame]
Version=0.106
Exe=D:\MAME\mame.exe
Layout=MameJ
LayoutOverride=Mame
UseMameOutputSystem=True
Screenshot=True
SendPauseKey=True
SkipDisclaimer=True
UseOverlay=True
[MameFolders]
Cabinets=D:\MAME\cabinets
Cfg=D:\MAME\cfg
CPanel=D:\MAME\cpanel
Ctrlr=D:\MAME\ctrlr
Flyers=D:\MAME\flyers
Icons=D:\MAME\icons
Ini=D:\MAME\ini
Marquees=D:\MAME\marquees
Previews=D:\_VIDEO_ARCADE
Snap=D:\MAME\snap
Titles=D:\MAME\titles
Manuals=
PCB=
Select=
[Layout]
LayoutName=MameJ
[Display]
Rotate=0
Screen=\\.\DISPLAY1
ShowDelay=0
AllowOverlays=False
ForceColorKey=False
LabelArrowShow=True
LabelArrowSize=4
LabelArrowColor=-16777077
LabelSpotShow=False
LabelSpotSize=8
LabelSpotColor=-16777077
AlphaFade=False
AlphaFadeValue=25
[Data]
ShowCPOnly=False
ShowMiniInfo=False
ExitToMenu=False
MameCP=True
GameInfo=False
GameHistory=True
MameInfo=True
ControlInfo=True
HighScore=True
MameArtwork=True
MameManual=False
MameIRC=False
EmulatorCP=True
EmulatorArtwork=True
EmulatorManual=False
OperationCard=True
NFO=True
EmulatorIRC=False
[Export]
ExportFolder=
[Input]
EnableExitKey=False
BackKeyExitMenu=True
ShowKey=KEYCODE_L
SelectKey=KEYCODE_LCONTROL
BackKey=KEYCODE_ESC
ExitKey=KEYCODE_P
MenuUp=KEYCODE_UP
MenuDown=KEYCODE_DOWN
MenuLeft=KEYCODE_LEFT
MenuRight=KEYCODE_RIGHT
VolumeDown=KEYCODE_MINUS
VolumeUp=KEYCODE_EQUALS
ShowDesktop=KEYCODE_HOME
HideDesktop=KEYCODE_END
[IRC]
Server=irc.scifi-fans.net
Port=7000
Channel=#byoac
NickName=Administrator
UserName=ARCADE
RealName=CPWizard
IsInvisible=True
[LastWriteTime]
ControlsDat=1/5/2008 12:38:54 AM
ColorsIni=11/12/2007 4:14:28 AM
CatVer=6/28/2008 7:09:00 AM
NPlayers=5/6/2008 1:56:00 PM
Mame=5/13/2006 12:45:52 PM
HallOfFame=7/3/2008 2:27:26 PM
[DataFiles]
ControlsDat=D:\CPWizard\Data\controls.xml
ColorsIni=D:\CPWizard\Data\colors.ini
CatVer=D:\CPWizard\Data\catver.ini
NPlayers=D:\CPWizard\Data\nplayers.ini
ListInfo=D:\CPWizard\Data\ListInfo.xml
MiniInfo=D:\CPWizard\Data\MiniInfo.xml
CommandDat=D:\CPWizard\Data\Command.dat
HistoryDat=D:\CPWizard\Data\History.dat
MameInfoDat=D:\CPWizard\Data\MameInfo.dat
HallOfFame=D:\CPWizard\Data\HallOfFame.xml
StoryDat=D:\CPWizard\Data\Story.dat
StdIni=D:\CPWizard\Data\Std.ini
[Preview]
LastRomSelected=

<--- End CPWizard.ini:

[XyloSesame]

Slight update.

Thinking this might be a problem with my MAME config, I've tested CPWizard with fresh installs of 0104-0111 and 0127, all producing the same issue. It doesn't appear to be MAME-dependent. Additionally, I uninstalled and reinstalled CPWizard and used the standard config for testing.

I love this app, but can't commit to using it if it freezes my system with random ROMS... any help would be greatly appreciated.

[headkaze]

Mame's output system was introduced in Mame 108 so you shouldn't be using that for Mame 106. So turn off UseMameOutputSystem and you could try turning of Screenshot/SendPauseKey/SkipDisclaimer and UseOverlay to see if one of those options is causing the crash. There seems to be issues on some setups and I haven't been able to track down the bug yet. I tested it on 4 different PC's here and can't get it to crash so it's been a tricky one to track down and only a handful of people seem to be having the problem. If you still can't get it working try turning on Verbose Logging and run it again until it crashes and post the log here.

[Dan]

I posted this last night on the main CPWizard thread before noticing this thread.  I'm having the exact same problem.  I first saw it when trying to run Blazing Lazers (blazlaz).  Every time I try to access CPWizard for that game (either in standalone, resident, or preview mode) the screen goes blank.  There is a way to get out of it without rebooting (in fact like I mentioned in the other thread, CPWizard is still running in resident mode after following these steps).

1. Alt-tab to frmLoading and press alt-f4 to close.
2. Alt-tab to Preview and press alt-f4 to close.
3. Alt-tab to game and press your escape sequence to close.

These steps should bring you back to your front-end (I'm using MAMEWah).

I tried disabling all of the MAME options suggested, but it still happens.  For troubleshooting purposes, the safest way to test which games this happens with is to use Preview mode.  In this mode, you'll just get a black window that can easily be closed.

Anyway, here is the verbose log that shows the error from a resident mode run.  When duplicating this issue in Preview mode, the error is the same except it says frmPreview instead of ProgramManager.  Hope this helps in figuring out the cause.

9/6/2008 2:49:31 AM: Starting Mame Interop
9/6/2008 2:49:46 AM: ERROR @ Show (ProgramManager)
9/6/2008 2:49:46 AM: Value cannot be null.
Parameter name: key
9/6/2008 2:49:46 AM:    at System.ThrowHelper.ThrowArgumentNullException(ExceptionArgument argument)
   at System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary`2.FindEntry(TKey key)
   at i.a()
   at l.a(s A_0)
   at ae.b(Boolean A_0)
   at ae.m()

[headkaze]

There was definately a bug introduced in the previous release, please try 1.87

[Dan]

There was definately a bug introduced in the previous release, please try 1.87

Excellent.  1.87 is working flawlessly.

Peace \/
Dan