AHK + Visual Pinball

[dasd]

I need help.

i have tried roughly 30 variations of AHK scripts for launching, resuming, and exitiNG Visual Pinball from BigBox and nothing seems to work consistently across all tables.

As I’m an AHK noob, I would love some help with this scripting.

 

also, sometimes Visual Pinball opens but the ROM doesn’t load and I have to use F3 to reload the rom.  The issue is that I can’t map F3 to an arcade button…

 

 

[sundogak]

1 hour ago, dasd said:

I need help.

i have tried roughly 30 variations of AHK scripts for launching, resuming, and exitiNG Visual Pinball from BigBox and nothing seems to work consistently across all tables.

As I’m an AHK noob, I would love some help with this scripting.

 

also, sometimes Visual Pinball opens but the ROM doesn’t load and I have to use F3 to reload the rom.  The issue is that I can’t map F3 to an arcade button…

 

 

For launching and pause this commands works below in BB and LB.  You can directly launch VPX without any AHK:

-primary -minimized -play

I have found in BB depending on setup (i.e., Backglass, DMD on second screen) that bringing up LB's Pause Menu and using that to Exit option can lose focus on occasion for BB (doesn't happen on LB).  However, if you have a mapped exit button (I use XBOX controller) to VPX then doesn't have issues.  Do the mapping in VPX in the keys assignment page.  No need for AHK in that case because your controller will send the exit command directly to VPX.  

On the loading ROM issue, that sounds like a table script problem or rom path issue (or a symptom of using AHK). I have never had that issue pop up using VPX with LB using above process.   

Edited November 20, 2023 by sundogak

[dasd]

Gotcha.  I’ll use the exit key!  
 

a few questions:

1. Do we know of a way to map F3 to an arcade buttton?

2. Do we know if a way to disable bigbox’s pause screen while in visual pinball? Using this screen locks the game up when hitting resume and doesn’t always shift focus to BigBox when hitting exit

[JoeViking245]

If all is set up correctly, you shouldn't need to have-to reload the ROM (F3).  If you find you need to [still] do that often, something [else] is not right.  Using the above command-line parameters should be all you need.

You can disable the pause screen by editing the emulator in LaunchBox (Tools - Manage - Emulators) and in the Pause Screen section, un-check Enable Game Pause Screen.  Or play it like a real pinball table and don't press pause.  

[sundogak]

 

3 hours ago, dasd said:

Gotcha.  I’ll use the exit key!  
 

a few questions:

1. Do we know of a way to map F3 to an arcade buttton?

Not sure what F3 is doing to load the ROM. F3 on my setup resets the whole VPX setup (which can cause issues with PupPacks, etc).  You might check your rom paths setting in your VPinMAME directory. The file "PinMAME32.ini" has your rom folder paths. Make sure something wasn't moved. By default should be ...Visual Pinball\VPinMAME\ROMs 

 

[dasd]

Thank you all.  This is all helpful. 

A few updates:
1. I dont have a PINMame32.ini. I have a PINMame32ui.ini, but not the former. I think the issue might be a focus issue actually.  Sometimes, when a table launches, it doesnt have focus.

2. Also, when I close a table using Visual Pinballs close button, it successfully closes but doesnt return focus back to BigBox.  

[sundogak]

PinMAME32ui.ini is correct that was typo on my part.  That shouldn't be anything related to focus since it is ROM pathing.  

Not really sure on the focus issue because with VPX can be complicated with number of programs running.  VPX and VPinMAME are running at a minimum and potentially B2S Server if using back glass.  Are you using a XBOX controller or using an arcade/cabinet setup?   Are you using B2S Server (the backglass program) and/or multi-screens?  You also might turn off all pause and start/stop screens within LB to help with troubleshooting.  

Edited November 20, 2023 by sundogak