DMDExt Guide (for Future Pinball) by TerryRed

[TerryRed]

Future Pinball doesn't natively support displaying it's DMD on a separate window or on a real DMD for cabinet users.

 

Until now, the solution to this was to use  FP-Intercept (for real DMD only), or to use FutureDMD to display on a virtual DMD. While both solutions did work, there were limitations and quirks with each. For years, Visual Pinball, Pinball FX3/2 and The Pinball Arcade have been using DMDext (freezy) to display their DMD to a real DMD or a virtual DMD.

 

Now thanks to the work of MrMoose74 and freezy, Future Pinball can now join the fun with DMDExt!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This guide is now completely updated and renamed as the DMDExt Guide (for Future Pinball)

- I now have all my guides and tutorials in PDF format
- this new guide has been created to be used with the FP and BAM Essentials AIO package
- all my guides and tutorials are now only included with the FP and BAM Essentials AIO package



You can download the FP and BAM Essentials AIO package (and DMDExt Guide) here:
 

https://vpuniverse.com/files/file/14807-future-pinball-and-bam-essentials-all-in-one-complete/

A video tutorial that walks you through this guide can be seen here
 

 

 

00:00 Start
01:25 DMDExt - What does it do?
03:14 Guide walkthrough
06:50 How to run DMDExt with FP
08:00 Copy dmddevice.ini to FP folder
09:04 dmddevice.ini settings
11:46 Run DMDExt - set it's position and size
13:16 Styles - window and settings (always appears on PF screen)
16:15 Test DMDExt with Sonic Pinball Mania
17:52 FP must be run in windowed mode to access Styles window
18:34 Test different Styles presets
22:22 Run FP and DMDExt with BAT file
23:45 Setup Popper to run DMDExt
31:04 Test launching FP table and DMDExt from Popper
33:03 Closing

 

 

=================================================================

 

 

FP DMD display and score gets garbled and is unreadable for non-English players

 

SOLUTION BELOW!

 

 

For some players who have Windows set to a non-English language, their FP DMD becomes garbled, and the score and text becomes unreadable. This is something I couldn't see myself as my Windows is always set to English. Well finally, there might be a solution for those who have this issue! We simply need to tell FP that the locale is US in the table script!

 

 

Just goto the table's script, and at the top add the line below under Option Explicit

 

 

SetLocale 1033 'set region to US to fix some issues with the DMD and more (for non-english settings in Windows)

 

 

Save the table. Done!

 

 

This was confirmed by multiple non-English people to fix their DMD related problems and also some PUP related problems.

 

Edited January 11, 2025 by TerryRed

[TerryRed]

Update:

 

********   Download DMDExt 1.9  (release)  ********

 

- download the x86 (32 bit) version at the DMDExt site (DO NOT use the 64 bit version)

 

https://github.com/freezy/dmd-extensions

[freezy]

On 7/11/2021 at 4:25 AM, db10145216 said:

Not sure if it is just me, but Freezy or Github pulled the Beta Version from the site. I can no longer find the zip or installer for the Beta Version. 1.8 is still the latest version, but beta is no longer there. Any ideas?

 

Neither, it was the CI (AppVeyor) that reduced the life time of the build artifacts from six months to one. But as Terry said, it's released and you grab it from GitHub now.

[ktmspark]

Hi , I have setup everything up and freezy works fine on the relevant FP tables no problem, I noticed at the start of this thread it was mentioned that Freezy could be disabled for certain pinevent tables

"can be used only when you want to use it, not just forced to autorun on all tables (this is handy if you don't want to use this while playing PinEvent tables"

 

I cannot seem to locate the info on how this is acheived.

( for example i can see freezy running under the pinevent halloween dmd which it does not need to be 

 

any guidance on this minor issue would be appreciated

 

TIA

Edited August 6, 2021 by ktmspark

[TerryRed]

1 hour ago, ktmspark said:

Hi , I have setup everything up and freezy works fine on the relevant FP tables no problem, I noticed at the start of this thread it was mentioned that Freezy could be disabled for certain pinevent tables

"can be used only when you want to use it, not just forced to autorun on all tables (this is handy if you don't want to use this while playing PinEvent tables"

 

I cannot seem to locate the info on how this is acheived.

( for example i can see freezy running under the pinevent halloween dmd which it does not need to be 

 

any guidance on this minor issue would be appreciated

 

TIA

 

 

https://vpuniverse.com/forums/topic/4934-pinup-popper-baller-installer-future-pinball-tips/

 

[ktmspark]

Just now, TerryRed said:

 

Pinup Popper "Baller Installer" - Future Pinball Tips - Future Pinball General Discussion - Virtual Pinball Universe (vpuniverse.com)

Thanks Terry , Im on way

 

[tsaylor]

Freezy is working well for me, but is it possible to show it "on top" of the FP window, basically overlaying it?

 

I've got the unusual setup of a single screen portrait mode screen, so I've configured the playfield to fill my entire screen, and I'm trying to add the DMD somewhere (probably one side of the apron area). Freezy works but the "--virtual-stay-on-top" option does not make it display "over" the playfield. As long as FP has focus, it just hides the DMD. Is what I'm trying to do even possible?

 

And if that won't work, I've also been trying to edit the tables to "move" the DMD from the backglass to the playfield by recreating it. This works, but there doesn't seem to be any way to resize it to fit it within the apron. Is there a way to size a DMD within the playfield area?

[TerryRed]

No, you can't resize the FP DMD on the playfield.

 

No you can't have DMDext appear "on top" of the FP app when its running in Fullscreen. You don't want to run FP in Windowed or forced Borderless Windowed as it won't run very well on more demanding tables.

 

Both FP and VPX weren't really designed to have a separate DMD window displayed on the playfield screen in cabinet mode.

 

 

 

 

[tsaylor]

Bummer... but thanks for the quick reply and definitive answers!

[Wavfact]

Anyone know how to get the pinup popper menu DMD's to work in pindmdv3?  Got it working in the games but while in the menu, would love to show the game system name.  There is a DMD on the backglass working so I know it's available..  

[Elleray1980]

On 10/2/2021 at 10:44 AM, Wavfact said:

Anyone know how to get the pinup popper menu DMD's to work in pindmdv3?  Got it working in the games but while in the menu, would love to show the game system name.  There is a DMD on the backglass working so I know it's available..  

 

Did you get your pindmd V3 working with future pinball?

 

I cant seem to get it working, working great in VPX

[Elleray1980]

Just now, Elleray1980 said:

 

Did you get your pindmd V3 working with future pinball?

 

I cant seem to get it working, working great in VPX

Here is my script:

 

rem Enable FP Backglass and Arcade Mode

d:
cd "D:\vPinball\VisualPinball\VPinMAME"
start /min "" "dmdext.exe" mirror --source=futurepinball -q --fps 60 -d pindmd3 --port com3 -g "[GAMENAME]" --use-ini="D:\vPinball\VisualPinball\VPinMAME\DmdDevice.ini"

REG ADD "HKCU\Software\Future Pinball\GamePlayer" /v "ArcadeMode" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REG ADD "HKCU\Software\Future Pinball\GamePlayer" /v "SecondMonitorEnable" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

rem Disable FP Backglass and Arcade Mode if "Custom Launch Param" = PinEvent

if "[custom1]"=="PinEvent" (REG ADD "HKCU\Software\Future Pinball\GamePlayer" /v "ArcadeMode" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f)
if "[custom1]"=="PinEvent" (REG ADD "HKCU\Software\Future Pinball\GamePlayer" /v "SecondMonitorEnable" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f)

rem Launch Future Pinball

START "" "[STARTDIR]Launch\VPXSTARTER.exe" 10 5 60 "BSP Software*"
START "" "[DIREMU]\BAM\FPLoader.exe" /open "[GAMEFULLNAME]" /play /exit /arcaderender /STAYINRAM

[outhere]

@Elleray1980 When Posting code/script
After you paste it highlighted and then at the top click these 2 little arrows  <>
Otherwise there's a chance if somebody copies it, The code will not work because some of the special characters may be altered

[DtM2000]

Hi, how can you find out which version you have installed please? I've ended up here trying to fix a flickering DMD and one suggestion was to update to the latest Freezy. I used Nailbuster's Baller installer and wanted to understand which version I had installed before I started messing around and potentially cocking things up. Thanks in advance, DtM

[TerryRed]

On 10/24/2021 at 6:36 AM, DtM2000 said:

Hi, how can you find out which version you have installed please? I've ended up here trying to fix a flickering DMD and one suggestion was to update to the latest Freezy. I used Nailbuster's Baller installer and wanted to understand which version I had installed before I started messing around and potentially cocking things up. Thanks in advance, DtM

 

Baller Installer currently does not include dmdext 1.9

[DtM2000]

On 10/28/2021 at 8:05 PM, TerryRed said:

 

Baller Installer currently does not include dmdext 1.9

Thanks Terry. I worked it out and upgraded to 1.9. All good now.

[sgeist28]

Hi Terry hoping you can help me here.

 

Forgive me if I'm missing something obvious, but I've gone through your instructions multiple times, but for some reason I cannot get the DMD position and size settings to save for FP tables.

 

Even though I clearly see the position and dimensions being saved in Dmddevice.ini.

 

Visual Pinball X and FX3 both are working perfectly.

 

I've attached both DmdDevice.ini and my FP launch script from Pinup Popper for reference.

 

If you have a chance, can you please review and let me know if you can identify where I might be going wrong?

 

 

 

 

DmdDevice.ini FP launch Script.txt

[TerryRed]

I don't have a chance.... as I am still recovering from a stroke, and haven't been on my cabinet for many months, and haven't been able to test any new updates for DMDext, which is why my time is focused on my other projects that I can do.

 

I'm sure others who have been able to get it working can chime in with what they needed to do.

 

Be sure to get the latest update... as there have been a few since 1.9 was released.

 

 

[outhere]

If it's not fixed with the latest version of freezy then it's not fixed And we'll not work the same as the others

[sgeist28]

No worries Terry!  Wish you well on your road to recovery.

 

Outhere,

 

I am running latest official version of DMDext (dmdext-v1.10.2).  Previous versions also had same issue.    

 

 

[outhere]

21 minutes ago, sgeist28 said:

No worries Terry!  Wish you well on your road to recovery.

 

Outhere,

 

I am running latest official version of DMDext (dmdext-v1.10.2).  Previous versions also had same issue.    

 

 

Post the Problem Here - https://github.com/freezy/dmd-extensions/issues

[sgeist28]

Thanks both

[nanuk]

hi anyone know how to remove the grill from the backglass on future pinball

 

thank you

[TerryRed]

2 minutes ago, nanuk said:

hi anyone know how to remove the grill from the backglass on future pinball

 

thank you

 

 

[nanuk]

25 minutes ago, TerryRed said:

 

 

thx ill try that after i finish my damn taxes that taking me time away from my cab lol

[Terrada]

On 4/14/2021 at 12:19 AM, TerryRed said:

 

UPDATE: changed commands to include quotes around [GAMENAME] so they should look like this:

 

start /min "" "dmdext.exe" mirror --source=futurepinball -q --fps 60 -d pindmd2 -g "[GAMENAME]" --use-ini="C:\vPinball\VisualPinball\VPinMAME\DmdDevice.ini"

 

 

All Pin2DMd, PinDMD, PinDMD2, PinDMD3 owners.... please let me know if the commands above work for you!

So, I should replace GAMENAME by PinballY that is my frontend?