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[RESOLVED] Controller problems


funkydmunky

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Having some issues. Popped up about 3-4 months ago. Everything worked perfectly for a long time. Then suddenly while arcade had been in demo/attract? mode the control's wouldn't react or their mapping would be off, essentially performing random functions that are not programed. I have experimented with reboots, unplugging and re-plugging USB's with mixed results.

Bottom line is if I leave the cabinet running it seems to scramble the controls or cause them to become non responsive. I am using XArcade which has never been a issue in these regards, even in the non paid vr.. Now I leave it in demo for a bit and the controls are screwed. Often a reboot isn't able to fix it. I have to un-plug and re-plug the USB. As well I used to be able to remotely log in and access TASKMANAGER and could end GameEX but now it goes in a loop. Select TASKMANGER goes to a window that quickly disappears before GameEx can be selected to shut-down. This again is a new behavior as I used to always shut down GameEx every-time I needed. Not anymore.

Any help to my current situation would be appreciated. If needed let me know what file you need me to upload.

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FWIW I am running the latest version of AE on the latest Windows 10 update with an X-Arcade Tankstick connected. I have allowed my PC to run all weekend with attract mode engaging and have not experienced any issues regarding. I am hopeful your gameex.in and log.txt files show something to get you back up and running.

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A little bit of an update. When things go wonky every joystick move and every button = select/enter. Same function regardless of what I move or press. So if I am on GameEx launch screen any movement or button selects the first catagory, then the first game, then enters that game. At which point I am stuck and have to task-manager/end program.

Exiting GameEx, rebooting will make no change. I have to exit GameEx then physically unplug the usb XArcade, then relaunch GameEx. Then it will work. For a while.

I was thinking of a reinstall of Win7, but the PC is only used for GameEx exclusively so I am not sure how it would have gotten corrupted. I'll see if anyone has a solution before I go ahead with that.

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Are you using PS/2 connectors for your Tankstick or USB? If the latter, try plugging them into different USB ports on the PC. Unfortunately, OS, software, driver or hardware corruption issues will creep into the best and most isolated PCs. 

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Hi Draco1962.

Yes I use usb. It does have the PS/2 as well, so maybe I'll give it a go. I never thought of that.

The only way to make it work when it gimps is to unplug then re-plug the usb. I tried different ports once and thought I had fixed it, but it came back.

I wonder about deleting then re-installing usb in DiviceManager?

I did the unplug-plug yesterday. So it has been 24hrs of working correctly.

Edited by funkydmunky
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You can try seeing if your motherboard manufacturer has updated USB device drivers that work with your OS.

If you have PS/2 connections, that may prove to be a more stable option. 

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I gave PS/2 a quick go and got no response. Not sure why and I haven't had time to trouble shoot yet (maybe disabled in BIOS and I don't want to jump to conclusions). Is there anything special to using PS/2 with X-Arcade? I remember using PS/2 at one point but it has been quite a few years ago and don't recall if it required certain settings.

On a side note if I do a Windows re-install is there a link to a FAQ or some such that walks you through on what to keep for a GameEx reinstall so I can make it quick and not loose my settings?

Thanks for any help.

 

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Not knowing what motherboard and BIOS you are using, it may be a matter of an OS/BIOS conflict for the PS/2 connectors. The X-Arcade site has a utility to test your Tankstick and this is where I would start to ensure you are getting feeback from both the USB and PS/2 connectors.

I have had to move my installation for GameEx and GameEx Arcade to a different hard drive recently. I copied the complete gameex (or gameex arcade edition) folder and contents to the other drive, then downloaded and reinstalled GameEx and GameEx Arcade over the top of the moved folder. That's it. 

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Thanks for the link Draco1962.

I thought I had it figured out as I found a JoyStick-to-Mouse app in my startup folder and thought that might be interfering so I got rid of that. Seemed to be working so I also did all my Win7 updates for the machine loaded GameEx and nope. A freshly rebooted machine and the controls are gimped.

Re-plugging the USB is the only solution. Works instantly. When it goes into gimp mode every button/joystick movement = "ENTER", with the exception of the One Player button="2", and the very bottom left button for player 1 and 2 = "Z"

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I have determined that it is triggered by GameEx. Using an online keyboard tester from a link at XArcade all the keys register correctly. The second I bootup GameEx the keyboard mapping switches to what I wrote above.

I have to Ctrl-Alt-Delete shutdown GameEx, replug the USB, then run GameEx for it to work correctly.

I am good with computers but this has me so baffled.

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That I have not. Usually the case is some undetermined amount of time in attract mode for the controls to "gimp".

It just happened that I was testing the keyboard and then loaded GameEx and boom. I will see what I can find in the event viewer.

 

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I have not determined a solution as of yet. I'm going to try a USB add on card. I still haven't been able to get the XArcade to work via PS/2. 

Currently I am using a USB extension cable that I hang at the back of the cabinet for a quick unplug-plug.

I will report here as soon as I find a solution for posterity.

 

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Okay I think I have found a solution for those interested. Although I don't know who would be at this point LOL.

I have removed a USB keyboard from the system, one that had been there from day one in which there were no issues. Now the glitch hasn't repeated in what would normally be the time frame in which it would.

My "theory" is that something went glitchy in the removed keyboard and something in GameEx either upon launch (rare) or after a time in the attract mode, polled the XArcade controller which is a USB keyboard itself and the other keyboard interfered. Just a guess on my part.

I left Pinball FX3 running for days which uses the same cabinet and never had the XArcade controller "glitch", but then again it doesn't have an attract mode or a similar mode that might interfere with the bad USB keyboard. Again I am only assuming the keyboard is bad as it seems to work fine in function, but seems to be the culprit in interfering with GameEx.

So anyways thanks for the ideas and suggestions to help find a solution. It was a weird one.

As a side note when using the XArcade in PS/2 plug mode, one must plug it into the PS/2 keyboard port on the PC, BUT also plug a PS/2 keyboard into the XArcade itself. Failure to do so will prevent it from functioning. It had been years and I had been forgotten to me. Hope any of this helps someone in the future.

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  • 4 months later...

Okay folks hope all is well.

As a hopeful final update to this curious case, I think I have an answer. After a series of baffling connecting evidences, I am sure I figured out what was going wrong. 

For starters the demo (attract mode) always worked well initially. It was only when it no longer did I asked for answers.

This is where it got confusing. I would unplug a USB device and re-plug and it would work. But only temporarily. I would unplug a IDE drive and it would work, but only temporarily. I would seemingly fix the problem only for it to reappear.

Then I got (finally) thinking. Why did it work before? Why all the changes with only temp results?

I went to USB under Device Manager and turned off Auto Power Save. Boom!

I guess some update screwed things up, but that is the fix. I scrolled up though the above replies to be sure I hadn't missed any advice.  Why was my keyboard and mouse still working fine though? Why did this affect my X-Arcade so randomly and nothing else?

Anyway, thanks for your time. Hope this helps somebody in the future :)

GameEX Arcade is awesome and still the only one. Add a few more "Fav's" though. WTH were you thinking? Eight trillion menu's with one "fav" category! WTF!

Embarrassing ya.

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Thanks for sharing your findings! Nothing to be embarrassed about.

Connected device settings can cause some odd issues. Keyboards and mice are given priority over other USB devices by the OS so are always active to allow input. All others are treated as ancillary and not critical. 

Check your power settings as well as there may be USB booglins hiding there.

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  • 2 weeks later...
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