Trying out PuP packs with VPX for first time; tables that reference PuP player in script work perfectly, but...

[DJM468]

Trying out PuP packs with VPX for first time; tables that reference PuP player in script work perfectly, but then there are about a dozen (so far) that do not reference PuP in script (at least not directly) and seem to do nothing, though their PuP packs test fine.

 

Wizard of Oz was the first one I ran into that acted like this. That one does reference PuP (enabled or disabled) in script, but only to send DOF triggers. (?) Since then:

 

Indiana Jones Pinball Adventure (tried four or five different versions of the table)

Addams Family (same)

Creature from the Black Lagoon (same)

Grease (same)

 

IIRC, the latter these tables have no references to PuP objects in their scripts. It seems to be a recurring pattern that tables without PuP object automation in their scripts do nothing for me. These particular tables I tested are all noted to work with PuP packs by various commenters over the years.

 

I must be missing something here. I am on old hand with VB, so no issue parsing the scripts, but when there is no script?  What exactly controls the (seemingly working outside the tables) PuP packs. I even tried running the tester in the background, so that WoZ's DOF chatter would reach it (or perhaps I'm way off here). Nothing ever happens on events like Ball Lost or whatever; though I can trigger them in the tester every time.

 

I suspect either VPinMAME or B2S server (or both) and I did get the former "hooked up" to PuP for capture (whatever that's for).

 

I do have the shortcut in tables/plugins to the PinUPPlayerB2SDriver folder, which has these files:

 

B2SServerPluginInterface.dll

PinUpPlayerB2SDriver

 

The former is also in the Visual Pinball directory, for what that's worth. "Activate Plugins" is checked on the B2S settings dialog for each table in question (though the "Plugin Settings" button is always greyed out, perhaps a clue?). PuP is not behind the backglass either, as I turn off the always on top feature as well. Alt-tabbing around shows no PuP windows, hidden or otherwise.

 

Started to look into the B2S plugin system, but it seems like I am getting deep in the weeds at this point. AFAICT, these other PuP tables (call them the no automation script tables) should be working at this point.

 

I also have these in vPinMAME as well:

 

dmddevicePUP.dll

dmddevicePUP.ini

 

The latter has "pinup" enabled.

 

Typical log output for these:

 

DMDDevice.log (in root of VPX directory):

 

 [3] 2024/03/21 08:44:53.404  INFO | Successfully loaded config from D:\Emulators\Visual Pinball\VPinMAME\DmdDevice.ini. 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:44:53.483  INFO | No altcolor folder found, ignoring palettes. 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:44:53.490  INFO | Starting VPinMAME API 1.10.2 through VPinballX.exe. 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:44:53.490  INFO | Assembly located at D:\Emulators\Visual Pinball\VPinMAME\DmdDevice.dll 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:44:53.490  INFO | [vpm] Open(0) 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:44:53.490  INFO | [vpm] PM_GameSettings(0, ij_l7, 0) 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:44:53.490  INFO | Disabling game colorization 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:44:53.490  INFO | Setting game name: ij_l7 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:44:53.490  INFO | Setting color: #FFFF5820 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:44:53.719  INFO | PinUP DLL starting ij_l7... 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:44:53.719  INFO | Added PinUP renderer. 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:44:53.719  INFO | Transformation options: Resize=Fit, HFlip=False, VFlip=False 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:44:53.736  INFO | Applying default color to render graphs (#FFFF5820). 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:44:53.736  INFO | Setting up 2-bit VPM Graph for 1 destination(s) 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:44:53.754  INFO | Connecting VPM 2-bit Source to PinUP Writer (Gray2 => Gray2) 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:44:53.754  INFO | Setting up 4-bit VPM Graph for 1 destination(s) 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:44:53.766  INFO | Connecting VPM 4-bit Source to PinUP Writer (Gray4 => Gray4) 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:44:53.766  INFO | Setting up RGB24-bit VPM Graph for 1 destination(s) 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:44:53.766  INFO | Connecting VPM RGB24 Source to PinUP Writer (Rgb24 => Bitmap) 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:44:53.766  INFO | Setting up Alphanumeric VPM Graph for 1 destination(s) 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:45:02.133  INFO | [vpm] Close(0) 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:45:02.133  INFO | Closing up. 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:45:02.133  INFO | Source for 1 renderer(s) stopped. 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:45:02.141  INFO | Source for 1 renderer(s) stopped. 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:45:02.141  INFO | Source for 1 renderer(s) stopped. 
 [3] 2024/03/21 08:45:02.141  INFO | Source for 0 renderer(s) stopped. 

 

vPinMAME\PUPLOG.txt:

 

20240321 08:44:53 Open called
20240321 08:44:53 Set Game Name thread ij_l7
20240321 08:44:53 Start Thread Matching
20240321 08:44:53 create PuPCap
20240321 08:44:53 Init Game name:ij_l7
20240321 08:44:53 Create Object Display
20240321 08:44:53 imagedir:D:\Emulators\Visual Pinball\Tables\PinUpPlayer\PuPVideos\ij_l7\PuPCapture
20240321 08:44:53 num images 109
20240321 08:45:02 Free Object Display
 

Love these things, BTW! Thanks in advance for any clues...

Edited March 21 by DJM468

[DJM468]

Solved! At least for Indiana Jones. Too tired to bother with the rest, but feel confident at this point.

 

For one, my "plugins" folder was in "tables", but that's not where my B2S stuff was. Moved that. Nothing changed.

 

Then, in desperation, I "unblocked" the two DLLs for the B2S plugin. That did it. Who knew?

 

Never done that to any file before. Not sure where these DLLs came from original (downloaded in a ZIP, I suppose?)