dmdext 2.5.1 r9?

[DBrown67]

I had an issue with my cabinet yesterday when trying to update a ROM for Twister.  There is a new colour version out but it seems it needs dmdext v2.5.1 CORE r9-x64  (for 64 bit).

In the Twister colorization thread on page 2 there was a solution to getting it working, as a number of people were having issues. And that was to over write the files in VPinMame with the files in dmdext 2.5.1 r9 file.
Before I did this I backed up my original files that I was overwriting. But this did not do me any good.

I lost the positioning of all my DMDs. It was as if my dmddevice.ini had been rewritten or moved, but this r9 update file did not contain a dmddevice.ini.
It did have one in an ini-template folder, but that was called xdmddevice.ini. So that could not have had any bearing.
Every dmd was very small and appearing under the playfield at x-pos zero in the "three window" line up, and about a third of the way down in y-pos.

I replaced my backup files but something was still borked. It made no difference and I have had to set my DMDs all over again. Global is OK but some are specific to their table.

So what happened? And is there a way back to my original settings?

For reference, I do have two vpx installs, one for cabinet mode and one for VR. They are completely separate. But if there is any crossover between the two then I don't know about it or fully understand it.
I only did the changes to the VpinMame folder in the cabinet section. The VR install was untouched and did not show any ill effects. 

Quite recently (August '26) I updated the cabinet to 64 bit and updated all the stuff to the (then) latest versions.

Edited October 30 by DBrown67

[Thalamus]

From what you explain, I don't see how this would happen. In the future though, you might have to keep extra eye on VP, when it is updated since it now uses a plugin system that contains many of the "utilities" we normally have had to update manually. Like dmdext, pup-player etc.

[DBrown67]

3 hours ago, Thalamus said:

From what you explain, I don't see how this would happen. In the future though, you might have to keep extra eye on VP, when it is updated since it now uses a plugin system that contains many of the "utilities" we normally have had to update manually. Like dmdext, pup-player etc.

One thing I didn't mention is that I am using VPX 10.8.0 GL_64bit.  There is an "optimized" VR version I use that comes with the excellent VPX-Launcher.
I tend to shy away from betas.  So will 10.8.1 change a lot?  Should I have been on 10.8.1 for that update to work?

[Thalamus]

No. I don't see how this would be related to your issue. And, yes, 10.8.1 is kind of a different beast in that it has A LOT of development in it. There has never been a release before with this many changes from one ver to the next. The aim, is still the same as when they started. Modernize, keep it compatible with the file format of vpx and in general don't break old tables.

 

IMPORTANT : If you download 10.8.1 - make very sure that you don't overwrite it to your regular VPX install ... It is intended to live in ANY folder. So even unzipping it in downloads is valid. Cabinet users - expect issues like, new button assignments, tilt bob, plunger, dof - well, lets say everything needing to have a second look.

 

Almost everyone that that hasn't run anything beyond 10.7 will be fine - just going trough these.

 

However, if you have - like you, been a naughty boy, testing, you will most probably already have a %userfolder%\VPinballX\VPinballX.ini file - that MIGHT contain old relics that will give you issues on newer versions. Just move ANYTHING inside this folder to somewhere else IF you have issues. It is - hey, lets start off with a clean slate.

 

More like an answer for the future, but, yeah - don't see how you managed to get into your situation. Either a odd bug or you did something you didn't tell us

[DBrown67]

7 hours ago, Thalamus said:

Cabinet users - expect issues like, new button assignments, tilt bob, plunger, dof - well, lets say everything needing to have a second look.

 

Almost everyone that that hasn't run anything beyond 10.7 will be fine - just going trough these.

 

However, if you have - like you, been a naughty boy, testing, you will most probably already have a %userfolder%\VPinballX\VPinballX.ini file - that MIGHT contain old relics that will give you issues on newer versions. Just move ANYTHING inside this folder to somewhere else IF you have issues. It is - hey, lets start off with a clean slate.

Sounds like we are gonna need a full and detailed tutorial when it comes out.  I've not tried 10.8.1 and don't intend to until it's been out for a while. All I did was try this dmdext update into VPinMame folder.
So how have people been updating to 10.8.1 beta?  I thought it was just another .exe that sat alongside 10.8.0 and 10.7.2.

[Thalamus]

Yeah. Well, I've tested it since l10.8 was released. Only in the last year did they separate it from the old folder structure. And, yeah, there is definitely some things to be aware of. What I mentioned is probably the most critical one, in that you can mess up with you've got working just fine if you do. You will have to setup all buttons again, if you have a cab - adjust plunger and tilt, and screens - well, almost everything to be honest. There are a huge amount of improvement. No wonder after more than 2 years of development.