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[RESOLVED] Pinball Arcade - Disable the keypresses provided by the integrated support


paulohotline

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I could post my PBA loading solution here if desired.

PBA is started (together with FreeCamMod) in a custom emulator slot using a AHK loading script, where you can set all parameters (delays, keypresses..) in an INI file.

Will this also allow for selecting tables? If not that is OK but just curious.

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Will this also allow for selecting tables? If not that is OK but just curious.

Yes, my loader accepts the tablename as a parameter and selects it automatically after starting PBA. Since it calculates table position from the alphabetical order of the entries in the PinballX XML file, it is not necessary to enter gridposition in the game manager.
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I've got PBA running on my Pinball-X based cab over the past few days, with the addition of bloodydrake's excellent videos (link in the media part of the forum), however I think the key-presses are being confused by what appears to be an inconsistent start-up on the latest version of PBA.

Sometimes I get a screen advertising the latest table release, which requires a click-through. I don't seem to see this every time I startup. Often this means the sequence of key-presses in the latest version of Pinball-X that navigates to 'My Tables', has an additional 'continue' button to navigate through. I only own seasons 1-3 of PBA, and sometimes the auto-key pressing takes me through to trying to buy 'The Addams Family' table, a different route through the menus entirely!

I've run and played about six tables this evening, four times it navigated correctly, and a couple it didn't and got confused by the advert. Otherwise I can report that it rotates my monitor fine, before navigating to the right table, (with the software we also don't mention picking up too), and exits nicely too. Fantastic integration, it's nearly there....

Could this be worked out with a config file so the keypresses can be adjusted (to try to create a workaround for the appearance of the advert)?

Just an idea.

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Are you loading DX9 or DX11? I noticed that the path to the DX11 tables differs, at least on my setup, if I rename Pinball Arcade11.exe to Pinball Arcade.exe to try to force use of the DX11 executible using the default integrated settings.

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Hi Guys,

attached you can find the PBA starter (incl. table rotation using display.exe) like promised above.

HowTo:

  • Unpack attached ZIP file
  • Edit Settings.ini (please note comments in the upper part of the file)
  • Create Windows shortcuts for PinballArcade11.exe (and PBAFreeCamMod.exe if in use, if not please set "ModStart" to "no") in the same folders as the executables. In the attached ini they are named StartPA11 and Start_PBAFreeCamMod. Note: Renaming of PBA executable is no longer necessary !
  • Set PBA as a custom emulator in PinballX (see attached image) and disable PinballX onboard PBA emulation in the page before !
  • For table rotation please unpack display in a desired folder (see http://www.gameex.info/forums/topic/17239-pinball-arcade-disable-the-keypresses-provided-by-the-integrated-support/#entry152109)

AHK Sourcecode is included, feel free to modify !

BTW, if PBA is started with the parameter "skipwhatsnew" (without quotes), it skips the news screen !

You can add this parameter to the PBA shortcut and edit Settings.ini in PbaFreeCamMod directory (if MOD is in use):

; Path to the game executable.
;GamePath=C:\Spiele\Steam\steamapps\common\PinballArcade\PinballArcade11.exe
GamePath=C:\Spiele\Steam\steamapps\common\PinballArcade\StartPA11

Sounds a bit difficult, actually it is quite easy.

Have much fun !

PBA_Starter.zip

post-27900-0-76974800-1451908103_thumb.p

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A question for you regarding the Display entries in the settins.ini file. Can this entry be removed if you are not using the display app to rotate the screen? PBA already loads in the correct orientation for my pin cab without having to be rotated. Can you provide an AHK script that does not require loading of the Display app? Thanks!

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Hey thanks Ginsonic, adding "skipwhatsnew" without quotes to my Steam Launch options for Pinball Arcade fixed the issue with the auto selecting messing up! It works great now. Thanks for the tip!

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A question for you regarding the Display entries in the settins.ini file. Can this entry be removed if you are not using the display app to rotate the screen? PBA already loads in the correct orientation for my pin cab without having to be rotated. Can you provide an AHK script that does not require loading of the Display app? Thanks!

Yes, no problem at all. Attached you can find a new version with the parameter useRotation. Set to no, if you do not need rotation, you even do not have to install display.exe then.

PBA_Starter_1.1.zip

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  • 2 weeks later...

Tried it. Here are my results using your instructions

1. I can run PBA_Starter directly. Goes very slow and eventually my screen rotates and I see the steam loading window and TPA starts in a little window in the middle of the screen. I can then mouse click around to start a table in the window

2. When I try to run from PinballX, it aborts immediately after the LOADING screen, back to my wheel

3. How do you add a parameter to "the PBA shortcut" for skipwhatsnew?

Any thoughts? Thanks for this process

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Hey Dr. Evil. You may want to check out pbx 2.12 released yesterday. I improved the integrated support to pretty much do what the topic starter asked for.

In terms of skipping whats news. I found out that this is not possible with the camera mod as far as I can see. However once you play a table and get any kind of barable score in the game it will go away until you change the directx 11 settingsd again,

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In terms of skipping whats news. I found out that this is not possible with the camera mod as far as I can see. However once you play a table and get any kind of barable score in the game it will go away until you change the directx 11 settingsd again,

Actually, it is possible ;)

I suggest to create a shortcut to PinballArcade11.exe in the same directory, rename it e.g. to Start_PBA (no extension necessary) and add skipwhatsnew as parameter within the shortcut.

In the PbaCamMod settings file change the program call of PinballArcade11.exe to Start_PBA and everything should work like a charm.

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Excellent.... I also use the camera mod, and was having the "whats new" issues as well. Glad to see I can disable this. An option to disable the automatic key presses would be nice though in case we don't want to use it. Pinball X did a great job of getting most of the table database setup already for me.

I have a full arcade control panel in my cab, so navigating is no problem for me.

Also I have to not only just rotate my screen each time PBA runs, but I also also have to switch my backglass monitor to be the primary screen whenever I launch PC games or MAME horizontal games, and then switch this all back when returning to Pinball X. I also need to have my 3rd screen in a different kind of setup in order to use my "extended" custom backglass for FP. I've used "display" and other programs which "mostly work, but they have very inconsistent results.

To do the above very easily I use "multimonitortool", which is excellent because you can just arrange you monitors any way you want, and just save the arrangement to a cfg file. I have 3 layouts for 3 cfg files (Pinball, PBA, PC) setup. Then you can just use multi monitor tool in a command line (or shortcut) to load your cfg, and it works perfectly "every time" in and out of Pinball X. Highly recommended, for any kind of setup.

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Actually, it is possible ;)

I suggest to create a shortcut to PinballArcade11.exe in the same directory, rename it e.g. to Start_PBA (no extension necessary) and add skipwhatsnew as parameter within the shortcut.

In the PbaCamMod settings file change the program call of PinballArcade11.exe to Start_PBA and everything should work like a charm.

OK, but exactly where is the paramater entered within the shortcut.

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Hey Dr. Evil. You may want to check out pbx 2.12 released yesterday. I improved the integrated support to pretty much do what the topic starter asked for.

In terms of skipping whats news. I found out that this is not possible with the camera mod as far as I can see. However once you play a table and get any kind of barable score in the game it will go away until you change the directx 11 settingsd again,

Is there a current guide or FAQ that gives instructions for the new version of PinballX with regard to TPA. The last version of the setup guide that I can find is dated March 15

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If you want to use the in built support if I did my job right there should be no need for a guide but its a new feature and there is still some room for improvment and new features for it. The guide is before I tried to make support integrated which is only this last few weeks.

You know though, you should not ask, you should do :)

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OK thanks for the explanation and the new version! I really do appreciate that such software is even available. Virtual Pinball is definitely a DIY hobby and I have almost 40 years experience using computers, but not everyone has the time or ability to learn scripting; and, when something simple like the method of adding a parameter to an executable changes between windows version its simpler to just ask the stupid question rather than spends hours on pointless experimentation.

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I Have installed 2.12. When I try to run TOTAN in PinballX I get a blank screen for 30-45 seconds then it exits to the wheel. Here is my log. Regarding the help system in the setup wizard, for Pinball Arcade in the Parameters setting the help tip says basically "enter parameters". My parameter is -applaunch 238260 [TABLEFILEWOEXT]

PinballX Support File Data
18:01:15.6 1/15/2016: Load Game List
18:01:15.6 1/15/2016: Loading Database: Pinball FX2
18:01:15.7 1/15/2016: Loading Database: Pinball Arcade
18:01:15.7 1/15/2016: Loading Database: Future Pinball
18:01:15.7 1/15/2016: Loading Database: Visual Pinball
18:01:15.7 1/15/2016: Loading Database: VP PhysMod
18:01:15.7 1/15/2016: Loading Database: VPX
18:01:15.7 1/15/2016: Loading Custom Database: Pinball FX2 Only
18:01:15.7 1/15/2016: Loading Custom Database: Pinball Arcade - TOTAN only
18:01:15.7 1/15/2016: Loading Custom Database: Pinball Arcade Only
18:01:15.7 1/15/2016: Loading Custom Database: Future Pinball Only
18:01:15.7 1/15/2016: Loading Custom Database: Visual Pinball Only
18:01:15.7 1/15/2016: Loading Custom Database: VPX Only
18:01:15.7 1/15/2016: Finding and matching artwork and videos
18:01:19.2 1/15/2016: Loading Game Statistics and Scores
18:01:19.6 1/15/2016: Loading Surfaces
18:01:19.8 1/15/2016: Finished Loading Surfaces
18:01:19.8 1/15/2016: Initialize Audio
18:01:19.8 1/15/2016: Set Keyboard Controls
18:01:19.8 1/15/2016: Initialize Joystick
18:01:19.9 1/15/2016: 1 Joystick Attached
18:01:19.9 1/15/2016: Started
18:01:22.4 1/15/2016: Launch System
18:01:22.4 1/15/2016: Waiting for threads
18:01:22.4 1/15/2016: Disposing display
18:01:23.6 1/15/2016: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steam.exe -applaunch 238260 Tales of the Arabian Nights
18:01:44.1 1/15/2016: Found Pinball Arcade Process
18:02:04.0 1/15/2016: Created DirectX BackGlass Window
18:02:04.3 1/15/2016: Created DirectX DMD Window
18:02:09.6 1/15/2016: Launch System
18:02:09.6 1/15/2016: Waiting for threads
18:02:09.6 1/15/2016: Disposing display
18:02:10.7 1/15/2016: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steam.exe -applaunch 238260 Tales of the Arabian Nights
18:03:15.0 1/15/2016: Exit System Control Pressed
18:03:17.4 1/15/2016: Created DirectX BackGlass Window
18:03:17.7 1/15/2016: Created DirectX DMD Window
18:03:20.9 1/15/2016: Exiting
18:03:21.0 1/15/2016: Showing Taskbar
18:03:21.0 1/15/2016: Unhiding Mouse Cursor
18:03:21.0 1/15/2016: Disposing Plugins
18:03:21.0 1/15/2016: Saving Settings
18:03:21.0 1/15/2016: Waiting for Online Thread
18:03:24.0 1/15/2016: Bye
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Hi DrEvil - I am not using the TPA Camera Mod at this time. I have Pinball Arcade running the DX11 tables by renaming Pinball Arcade11.exe to Pinball Arcade.exe at present with the following settings in PinballX:

[PinballArcade]
Enabled=True
WorkingPath=C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam
Executable=steam.exe
Parameters=-applaunch 238260 skipwhatsnew
WaitFor=15
Process=PinballArcade.exe
This setup is actually working out well other than not having control over the DMD or the camera itself just retaining the top down view (it will zoom top table occasionally) but is simpler than trying to run different scripts.
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Are you using Camera Mod setup as another system? Or the integrated support without Camera Mod?

What you are reporting is not consistent. We might need to see updated pinballx.ini and log.txt files.

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Actually, it is possible ;)

I suggest to create a shortcut to PinballArcade11.exe in the same directory, rename it e.g. to Start_PBA (no extension necessary) and add skipwhatsnew as parameter within the shortcut.

In the PbaCamMod settings file change the program call of PinballArcade11.exe to Start_PBA and everything should work like a charm.

This, and the CameraMod combined with the built-in Pinball Arcade support in Pinball X works perfect for me! No more news, and its been working every time.... I just gotta update my grid positions!

Thanks Gin and Tom!

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This, and the CameraMod combined with the built-in Pinball Arcade support in Pinball X works perfect for me! No more news, and its been working every time.... I just gotta update my grid positions!

Thanks Gin and Tom!

You're welcome :cheers: !

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