Future pinball - Star trek ultimate pro crashes with no error screen

[Cnells2000]

4 minutes ago, Headrush69 said:

Did you try those video changes? Those are both demanding tables. 

i put on minimum and default. both games still load like this

[Headrush69]

You said both these tables work correctly if loaded directly in FP?

[JoeViking245]

That last video's not even 'loading' the tables to launch.

[Headrush69]

4 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

That last video's not even 'loading' the tables to launch.

Yup, very strange. That's why I thought maybe it was the loading image bug originally. I'm out of ideas, if you have any.

[JoeViking245]

For Start Trek Ultimate, what I just did (literally JUST did as I haven't played FP in quite a while)...

1. Downloaded ST Ultimate and placed the ftp and xml files in the "Tables" folder  [D:\Pinball\Future Pinball\Tables\...]
2. Downloaded the latest FP [from their site] and installed it over my existing copy.  v1.9.1.20101231
3. Downloaded the most recent version of BAM and installed on top of my existing install.  (It asks for the "Future Pinball" folder during install.) version: v.1.5-322
4. Downloaded DOFLinx V7.24.  I DID NOT install it.  (my setup ain't that special. lol)  Extracted "DOFLinx.vbs" from the .zip file and placed into D:\Pinball\Future Pinball\Script\   folder.

I use a compiled AutoHotkey script to open/run my tables, but I don't remember what's in it.  @Headrush69 can hopefully remind me.   I think it run BAM's "FPLoader.exe" and puts in some command lines as well.    Maybe something like    /play /exit /open

I had problems opening the table until I put the vbs file in as noted in step #4.  After that, it ran perfect.

[Cnells2000]

1 hour ago, Headrush69 said:

You said both these tables work correctly if loaded directly in FP?

yes full screen and everything

[Headrush69]

I’m pretty sure the BAM all in one installer installs a Future Pinball.exe.

Needing that DOFLinx vbs script is odd since that’s for providing force feedback. I don’t and have never used or downloaded that and table works fine for me. 

If I remember correctly, using the AHK was needed before because of a elevated permission situation. It’s hard to remember because there used to be another FPLoader.exe application as well. I’ll do some more testing tomorrow with a completely clean install and see what I can find.

[Cnells2000]

24 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

For Start Trek Ultimate, what I just did (literally JUST did as I haven't played FP in quite a while)...

1. Downloaded ST Ultimate and placed the ftp and xml files in the "Tables" folder  [D:\Pinball\Future Pinball\Tables\...]
2. Downloaded the latest FP [from their site] and installed it over my existing copy.  v1.9.1.20101231
3. Downloaded the most recent version of BAM and installed on top of my existing install.  (It asks for the "Future Pinball" folder during install.) version: v.1.5-322
4. Downloaded DOFLinx V7.24.  I DID NOT install it.  (my setup ain't that special. lol)  Extracted "DOFLinx.vbs" from the .zip file and placed into D:\Pinball\Future Pinball\Script\   folder.

I use a compiled AutoHotkey script to open/run my tables, but I don't remember what's in it.  @Headrush69 can hopefully remind me.   I think it run BAM's "FPLoader.exe" and puts in some command lines as well.    Maybe something like    /play /exit /open

I had problems opening the table until I put the vbs file in as noted in step #4.  After that, it ran perfect.

That command did'nt work for me. i pasted it in the custom line parameters. was i wrong?

[Cnells2000]

6 minutes ago, Headrush69 said:

I’m pretty sure the BAM all in one installer installs a Future Pinball.exe.

Needing that DOFLinx vbs script is odd since that’s for providing force feedback. I don’t and have never used or downloaded that and table works fine for me. 

If I remember correctly, using the AHK was needed before because of a elevated permission situation. It’s hard to remember because there used to be another FPLoader.exe application as well. I’ll do some more testing tomorrow with a completely clean install and see what I can find.

appreciate your help

[JoeViking245]

50 minutes ago, Cnells2000 said:

That command did'nt work for me.

Ya, didn't think it would. Sorry about that.  This one (for me) does.  [recently tested and JoeViking approved ]  Setup your emulator like so... 

Pointing the the ../BAM/FPLoader.exe  and then the Default Command-Line Parameters:

/open %romfile% /play /exit

Then of course, for the "rom" file, point to the tables' .ftp file.  And NO Custom Command Line Parameter for the game(s) itself.  Just the one for the emulator (shown above).  So for your Edit Game, uncheck the Use Custom Command Line Parameters in Emulation. 

Regarding DOFLinx, maybe I found a different version of ST Ultimate. ?  The one I found uses it, but also says it'll work on desktops.  That's when I needed to add the .vbs file.

Edited January 13, 2021 by JoeViking245

[Your Friendly A.I Overlord]

Aside from having Pinball FX3 on steam, this is my first foray into pinball emulation. After reading this thread I decided to start with Future Pinball and this Star Trek table. I got it working thanks to the comments of JoeViking245, Headrush69 and sundogak. In Future Pinball and in LaunchBox. Thanks! I did however, run into a problem with startup screens terminating early due to LaunchBox seeing the BAM launcher as the emulator. After reading some comments in this thread about compiling an AutoHotKey script to exe I came up with mine. The AHK script can be compiled with Ahk2Exe.exe and must be placed in the BAM folder (where FPLoader.exe is). Then point LaunchBox to the exe.

Run, FPLoader.exe /open "%1%" /play /exit
Process, Wait, Future Pinball.exe
Process, WaitClose, Future Pinball.exe
ExitApp

BTW, I read in another thread that the command line parameters:  /open %romfile% /play /exit    must be put in the Manage Emulator > Future Pinball > Associated Platforms tab, under "Default Command-Line Parameters". That worked for me.

 

Edited January 13, 2021 by Koroth

[JoeViking245]

3 hours ago, Koroth said:

BTW, I read in another thread that the command line parameters:  /open %romfile% /play /exit    must be put in the Manage Emulator > Future Pinball > Associated Platforms tab, under "Default Command-Line Parameters".

I suppose you could place that under the Associated Platforms tab/section.  My thought was that since (at least for me) FPLoader.exe is only used for Future Pinball [Platform], it's just as well placed on the Details tab for the emulator. (same effect)

4 hours ago, Koroth said:

a problem with startup screens terminating early due to LaunchBox seeing the BAM launcher as the emulator.

Excellent point!  Which makes having the compiled AHK script a good idea.

[Your Friendly A.I Overlord]

41 minutes ago, JoeViking245 said:

My thought was that since (at least for me) FPLoader.exe is only used for Future Pinball [Platform], it's just as well placed on the Details tab for the emulator. (same effect)

You're right. Sometimes when you are new to a platform or emulator and read something in a thread and it works, you don't think twice about it. What I suggested only works if you have a platform with just Future Pinball. Then putting /open %romfile% /play /exit in the Emulator Details tab of Future Pinball is a way better solution.

[Headrush69]

19 hours ago, JoeViking245 said:

Regarding DOFLinx, maybe I found a different version of ST Ultimate. ?  The one I found uses it, but also says it'll work on desktops.  That's when I needed to add the .vbs file.

I grabbed the version directly from SlamT1LT's web page. Sometimes those pinball sites have so many versions it can be confusing. (VPUniverse, VPinball, PinSimDB)

12 hours ago, Koroth said:

 After reading some comments in this thread about compiling an AutoHotKey script to exe I came up with mine.

I always got a quick blimp of the LaunchBox screen after the start up screen and before FP started even when using a compiled AHK start up method. I use Rocketlauncher for 2 systems and Future Pinball is one of them. Since it actively waits for the FP game window, it was the cleanest option.

Cnells2000, I did a complete clean install with just the BAM all in one installer and a clean download of the Star Trek table and added to LB with the options we listed above and it worked fine. In testing various things, like hidden characters in filenames, wrong passed parameters to FPLoader, the only way I could reproduce the results you had is when the /open parameter was wrong. (A bad file name produces an error and extra parameters seem to be  ignored.) This makes things even weirder since if you are using those parameters as default arguments and it works for most tables, why these 2 don't? The only I could image is somehow there are custom config settings for those games that aren't properly being displayed by LB. Only suggestion I have left is go into your Launchbox -> Data -> Platforms folder and rename Future Pinball.xml. Start LB again, and you should have a Future Pinball platform. reimport those 2 games and post if the problem still exists. If it doesn;t change anything, you can delete the Future Pinball.xml and rename your previous once back.

 

[Your Friendly A.I Overlord]

30 minutes ago, Headrush69 said:

always got a quick blimp of the LaunchBox screen after the start up screen and before FP started even when using a compiled AHK start up method.

Yes, that's the transition from FPLoader to Future Pinball. If you have configured LaunchBox with FPLoader as the emulator, as far as LaunchBox is concerned the emulator has exited. The startup screen is aborted and no shutdown screen. If you make and compile a script that only stops after Future Pinball has  exited and set that as your emulator then LaunchBox keeps seeing that script as a running emulator. I got perfect startup and shutdown screens for Future Pinball that way. 

30 minutes ago, Headrush69 said:

I use Rocketlauncher for 2 systems and Future Pinball is one of them. Since it actively waits for the FP game window, it was the cleanest option.

IMO, that's one of the best features of RocketLauncher. I stopped using RocketLauncher when most of it's major features where implemented in LaunchBox. But I still like it's fine grain configurability. I hope one day Jason implements some "more advanced" options into LaunchBox, but I get that he whats to keep it as simple as possible.

[Headrush69]

Just now, Koroth said:

Yes, that's the transition from FPLoader to Future Pinball. If you have configured LaunchBox with FPLoader as the emulator, as far as LaunchBox is concerned the emulator has exited. The startup screen is aborted and no shutdown screen. If you make and compile a script that only stops after Future Pinball has  exited and set that as your emulator then LaunchBox keeps seeing that script as a running emulator. I got perfect startup and shutdown screens for Future Pinball that way. 

Yes I understand why it happens, but the compiled script didn't solve it for me. Since RL is working fine, I didn't really want to diagnosis why it wasn't. 

Maybe once my Sinden's get here I might re-evaluate the situation since those are the only other games I use RL for. ?

[JoeViking245]

1 hour ago, Headrush69 said:

I grabbed the version directly from SlamT1LT's web page. Sometimes those pinball sites have so many versions it can be confusing. (VPUniverse, VPinball, PinSimDB)

Ya, I kinda did a copy/paste of the Table name from this thread and the 1st-ish hit was the DOFLinx version. I wasn't sure what it was (actually I assumed it had something to do with DMD's or the sort ?) but the description said it could run in desktop mode.   So I went with it.

Anyway... it was Terry's version of SlamT1lt's table (v1.03) [VPUniverse].  I did end up today going to his site and got v1.05.  I then did a complete reinstall (again, lol) following Terry's Mega Guide.  I think the last time I installed and messed w/FP was at least a year ago. lol

• BAM's 2-in-1 installer
• Installed "latest BAM version" (seems redundant. dunno.  Just read it in his thread and assumed it would work and didn't think twice about it.)
• Installed (copied in) "his" default config files for desktop (vs pincab config files)
• Installed his pre-config'd table config files
• Renamed the ST config file to match the fpt file

Then played me some Star Trek Ultimate.  

[Cnells2000]

4 hours ago, Headrush69 said:

I grabbed the version directly from SlamT1LT's web page. Sometimes those pinball sites have so many versions it can be confusing. (VPUniverse, VPinball, PinSimDB)

I always got a quick blimp of the LaunchBox screen after the start up screen and before FP started even when using a compiled AHK start up method. I use Rocketlauncher for 2 systems and Future Pinball is one of them. Since it actively waits for the FP game window, it was the cleanest option.

Cnells2000, I did a complete clean install with just the BAM all in one installer and a clean download of the Star Trek table and added to LB with the options we listed above and it worked fine. In testing various things, like hidden characters in filenames, wrong passed parameters to FPLoader, the only way I could reproduce the results you had is when the /open parameter was wrong. (A bad file name produces an error and extra parameters seem to be  ignored.) This makes things even weirder since if you are using those parameters as default arguments and it works for most tables, why these 2 don't? The only I could image is somehow there are custom config settings for those games that aren't properly being displayed by LB. Only suggestion I have left is go into your Launchbox -> Data -> Platforms folder and rename Future Pinball.xml. Start LB again, and you should have a Future Pinball platform. reimport those 2 games and post if the problem still exists. If it doesn;t change anything, you can delete the Future Pinball.xml and rename your previous once back.

 

I followed your instructions and star trek loads perfectly!!!!! thank you all so much for your input!!!

[Headrush69]

6 hours ago, Cnells2000 said:

I followed your instructions and star trek loads perfectly!!!!! thank you all so much for your input!!!

That’s awesome.

Have fun playing these great tables. Photons locked and loaded!