Need help with a script to close a persistent program

[kritvichu]

I have a problem to close a Taito Type X game called "Gundam-Spirit of Zion". The game must run in a Windows98/ME comparability mode to bypass the cutscene/loading glitch. The game is executed via ‘game.exe’, but it can't close by pressing Escape or Alt+F4. The only way to close is to hit Windows tap and force close the program manually. 

I created an ahk script, which worked on other Taito and TeknoParrot games. Unfortunately, the script not work for this particular game;

Run, “D:\Taito\GSOZ\game.exe”

Escape::

  process, close, game.exe

  ExitApp

Return

Can anyone help me out how to create a script to forcefully close 'game.exe' ? 

[Kiinkyfoxx]

1 hour ago, kritvichu said:

I have a problem to close a Taito Type X game called "Gundam-Spirit of Zion". The game must run in a Windows98/ME comparability mode to bypass the cutscene/loading glitch. The game is executed via ‘game.exe’, but it can't close by pressing Escape or Alt+F4. The only way to close is to hit Windows tap and force close the program manually. 

I created an ahk script, which worked on other Taito and TeknoParrot games. Unfortunately, the script not work for this particular game;

Run, “D:\Taito\GSOZ\game.exe”

Escape::

  process, close, game.exe

  ExitApp

Return

Can anyone help me out how to create a script to forcefully close 'game.exe' ? 

Hi

I had the same issue, I use the same exit for all Taito Type X (normally Alt&F4) and found that with this is left the game in a window and didn't close it, so if I then did the process close routine after it seemed to force close the window. I have put my version below but I have cleaned some other bits out of it that are specific to my system. I have just tested my one and it does work still.

Plus I do have to run the ahk as an admin, but I think that is because I use the same one for all Taito games and Gaia Attack 4 wouldn't close without admin level

However I don't appear to be running the game in a compatability mode, and it loads here (Windows 10), I haven't played it much though. Where/what is the glitch issue?

Try the below and see if it works for you

Cheers

Esc::
{
    Send, !{F4}
}

{
    Process, Close, game.exe
    exitapp
    return
}

[kritvichu]

11 hours ago, Kiinkyfoxx said:

Hi

I had the same issue, I use the same exit for all Taito Type X (normally Alt&F4) and found that with this is left the game in a window and didn't close it, so if I then did the process close routine after it seemed to force close the window. I have put my version below but I have cleaned some other bits out of it that are specific to my system. I have just tested my one and it does work still.

Plus I do have to run the ahk as an admin, but I think that is because I use the same one for all Taito games and Gaia Attack 4 wouldn't close without admin level

However I don't appear to be running the game in a compatability mode, and it loads here (Windows 10), I haven't played it much though. Where/what is the glitch issue?

Try the below and see if it works for you

Cheers

Esc::
{
    Send, !{F4}
}

{
    Process, Close, game.exe
    exitapp
    return
}

Thanks a lot for your suggestion. I tried your script but still couldn't close the game. I spent half of my day today doing research and applied varieties of scripts. None of them worked. 

Then, I realized one important thing that I completely overlooked. The game ran in Windows 98/ME on game.exe but I forgot to apply the same comparability mode on the script. Once I did it, the game could close perfectly.

[kritvichu]

Oh, about the graphic glitch. It happens randomly if it runs on Win 10/7/Vista. It occurs when the game switches from a cut scene to gameplay or vice versa. I experienced this issue many times. I read on one post and one guy said he used Win 98 to avoid this. I tried and it didn't show any glitch yet.

[Kiinkyfoxx]

4 minutes ago, kritvichu said:

Oh, about the graphic glitch. It happens randomly if it runs on Win 10/7/Vista. It occurs when the game switches from a cut scene to gameplay or vice versa. I experienced this issue many times. I read on one post and one guy said he used Win 98 to avoid this. I tried and it didn't show any glitch yet.

Thanks for this info. I will keep an eye out when I play it and now know how to fix it and also how to get it to close if I do change compatibility mode. 

Glad you got it sorted and sorry my method wasn't any use to you. 

[kritvichu]

5 minutes ago, Kiinkyfoxx said:

Thanks for this info. I will keep an eye out when I play it and now know how to fix it and also how to get it to close if I do change compatibility mode. 

Glad you got it sorted and sorry my method wasn't any use to you. 

No need to sorry. I'm the one who needs to thank you. You're the only one here coming to help. Working or not or does not matter, but intention to help is the most matter. I am appreciated for that.

For a reference, I use this below  script;

Run,"D:\ARCADE CABINET\ROMs\ARCADE\Taito Type X\Gundam -Spirits of Zion\game.exe"

Escape::
    Process, Close, game.exe
    exitApp
return

I use DemulShooter on a rail shooting games. I cover all supported lists on TeknoParrot and working to make all Taito shootings work. I have one last game left is Elevator Action Death Parade. Hopefully, it works out like the others.
 

[Retro808]

Just want to make a recommendation. Using "Process, Close" is not a good way to close games / emulators out. It forces close the window and the issue with that is for any emulators that might save a game's save state on exit it will not save correctly when being forced close. Even though it may not affect what you are using it for I would still recommend changing it. The better option is to use WinClose. I would change the Process, Close, game.exe part of the script to read as below:

WinClose, ahk_exe game.exe

[kritvichu]

On 7/21/2020 at 3:49 AM, Retro808 said:

Just want to make a recommendation. Using "Process, Close" is not a good way to close games / emulators out. It forces close the window and the issue with that is for any emulators that might save a game's save state on exit it will not save correctly when being forced close. Even though it may not affect what you are using it for I would still recommend changing it. The better option is to use WinClose. I would change the Process, Close, game.exe part of the script to read as below:

WinClose, ahk_exe game.exe

Hi Retro808,

I thought no one posted here and I didn’t check. Thank you for suggesting me to use WinClose. I have many emulators closing command with either

Send !{F4} , or Process, Close, {{{StartupEXE}}} , or  Process, Close, <program name>.exe. All the commands came from what people posted on many websites. I don’t know if those commands may cause unexpected problem later on.

I would absolutely prefer using an appropriate command to close the program while the content is saved properly like you suggested. I currently have different commands to close different emulators. I would be appreciated if you could advise me on these;

 

1. What are suggested close commands for Demul and Sega M2 emulators ?

Currently, I use these closing commands parameter below per emulator configuration in LaunchBox;

______

Demul

———

$Esc::

{

        Run, D:\games\nomousy.exe

        Send !{F4}

}

______

Sega M2

———

$Esc::

{

                Process, Close, {{{StartupEXE}}}

}

 

2. Many Taito games use DemulShooter and close the program using Alt+F4 as shown;

Escape::

                Send !{F4}

                Process, Close, Demulshooter.exe

                 ExitApp

Return

               

Should I change it to be like this below?

 

Escape::

                WinClose, ahk_exe game.exe

                WinClose, ahk_exe Demulshooter.exe

                 ExitApp

Return

 

3.

All TeknoParrot games use this closing command;

Escape::

                Run, D:\games\nomousy.exe

                Process, Close, BudgieLoader.exe

                Process, Close, TeknoParrotUi.exe

                Process, Close, Demulshooter.exe

                ExitApp

Return

If I understand correctly, all should be changed to be like this below, correct ?

Escape::

                Run, D:\games\nomousy.exe

                WinClose, ahk_exe , BudgieLoader.exe

                WinClose, ahk_exe , TeknoParrotUi.exe

                WinClose, ahk_exe , Demulshooter.exe

                ExitApp

Return

Edited July 22, 2020 by kritvichu
Use phone to reply but the text and arrangement is so weird

[Retro808]

Pretty much the changes you made is what I would recommend. Anywhere you see   Process, Close,    Change to  WinClose, ahk_exe   and leave the rest of the AHK.

1: Demul and Sega Model 2 I use:

$Esc::
{
    WinClose, ahk_exe {{{emulator_multicpu.exe}}}
}

2: The Send !{F4} is fine. That is a normal close function of many emulators. But what you changed to would be better than the script with Process Close.

3: What you changed to in this section is good as well.

I am no expert, but I do know that Process, Close is just not a good way to exit an emulator or game So even though it works and may not affect a game or emulator I do not use and recommend others not as well. By not using it, it will ensure you do not accidentally copy that script into an emulator or game it might have an affect on. Like Higan or Cemu.

 

[kritvichu]

Thank you very much for the suggestion changes. I will change them all. Just one question, so I should read Demul close command like the way it is right?

$Esc::

{

        Run, D:\games\nomousy.exe

                Send !{F4}

}

[Kiinkyfoxx]

Completely agree with Retro808 about not using Process, Close and that is the only one I use it on, as it was being a pain and not closing for some reason, but I should have put a warning on my post about it.

1) With Demul closing with Alt&F4 any changes you make to key bindings or such won't get saved, I use the one below - BUT I DON'T load straight into Demul, mine goes via a long winded bat file to do some other bits and bobs in the background before demul starts, depending on game/platform etc, so there may be a better way

WinClose, gpuDX11hw

2 & 3) You shouldn't need to be closing Demulshooter, it auto closes once the game closes, the only time it doesn't is if you are running in debug mode (with -v in the parameters) so you could do away with all the Demulshooter parts,

3) If you direct load into the game, rather than through the TP UI, you in theory can just use escape to close (I believe it is the built in button for TP)  as there will be no UI to close and BudgieLoader etc should all shutdown when you close the game, from memory Mario Kart was the only one that had an issue with this as just added a WinClose for that left over window to the process. So the below should work for you.

$Esc::
{

Run, D:\games\nomousy.exe
Send, {Esc}

ExitApp

}