New version: dmd-extensions with pin2dmd coloring plugin and pac file support !

[malibu]

.

 

Edited July 7, 2024 by malibu

[ArcadeGamer]

Hi Everyone,

I spent way too much time this weekend trying to get everything running on my LCD panel with one config setup as I'd like but struck out.

These things being:

-FX3 PUP pack triggers working correctly
-FX3 Color roms working correctly

-FX3 Color roms custom positions (to work with pass thru Menu animations where some dmds go in middle of screen, some on bottom)

-FX3 PUP pack triggers working correctly with custom position/settings from dmddevice.ini

 

The third and fourth are alluding me.
Perhaps others have solved for these use cases?

 

The color DMD always use the default left,top,width,height settings from the dmddevice.ini file and not the game named overrides that work fine with VPX & FP

 

My current critical logic in my pinup emulation start for FX3:

cd /d E:\Emulator\Pinball_emu\VisualPinball\VPinMAME
if "[custom1]"=="FX3PUP" (start /min "" "dmdext.exe" mirror --source=pinballfx3 -q -d virtual --virtual-position=5889 321 1664 342 --pinup PINUP\[GAMENAME])
if NOT "[custom1]"=="FX3PUP" (start /min "" "dmdext.exe" mirror --source=pinballfx3 -q -d virtual --use-ini)

 

The first if statement runs the pup tables when i set the custom launch parameter to "FX3PUP"

 

The second if statement runs all other tables as expected, including color roms, seems to in

 

However with the second start command:
start /min "" "dmdext.exe" mirror --source=pinballfx3 -q -d virtual --use-ini

combining the two does not solve it either:
start /min "" "dmdext.exe" mirror --source=pinballfx3 -q -d virtual --virtual-position=5889 321 1664 342 --pinup PINUP\[GAMENAME] --use-ini

 

My log out put shows the rom name is unknown and I get an errror in line 5, which I assume I need to pick up the settings from dmddevice.ini while line 18 knows the game name:

 [1] 2024/08/04 17:42:51.910  INFO | Launching console tool v2.2.2
 [1] 2024/08/04 17:42:51.949  INFO | Successfully loaded config from E:\Emulator\Pinball_emu\VisualPinball\VPinMAME\DmdDevice.ini.
 [1] 2024/08/04 17:42:53.191  INFO | Added virtual DMD renderer.
 [1] 2024/08/04 17:42:53.194  INFO | [serum] Determined altcolor path from assembly path: E:\Emulator\Pinball_emu\VisualPinball\VPinMAME\altcolor
 [1] 2024/08/04 17:42:53.194  WARN | Error opening PinUP output: ROM name must not be null.
 [1] 2024/08/04 17:42:53.215  INFO | Setting up Pinball FX3 Render Graph for 1 destination(s) [ Virtual DMD ]
 [1] 2024/08/04 17:42:53.215  INFO |   == Listening to Pinball FX3 for Switching Converter (Passthrough) (Gray2)
 [1] 2024/08/04 17:42:53.215  INFO | Waiting for Pinball FX3 process to start...
 [1] 2024/08/04 17:42:53.231  INFO |   ** Linking converter Switching Converter (Passthrough) to Virtual DMD...
 [1] 2024/08/04 17:42:53.231  INFO |     -> Connecting Switching Converter (Passthrough) to Virtual DMD (ColoredGray2 -> ColoredGray2)
 [1] 2024/08/04 17:42:53.244  INFO |     -> Connecting Switching Converter (Passthrough) to Virtual DMD (ColoredGray4 -> ColoredGray4)
 [1] 2024/08/04 17:42:53.244  INFO |     -> Connecting Switching Converter (Passthrough) to Virtual DMD (ColoredGray6 -> ColoredGray6)
 [1] 2024/08/04 17:42:53.244  INFO | Press CTRL+C to close.
 [5] 2024/08/04 17:42:53.244  INFO | Process found, starting capturing...
 [5] 2024/08/04 17:42:53.244  INFO | Reading DMD data from Pinball FX3's memory at 25 fps...
 [5] 2024/08/04 17:42:53.244  INFO | Frames coming in from Pinball FX3.
 [1] 2024/08/04 17:42:53.454  INFO | Creating FBOs for 128x32
[19] 2024/08/04 17:42:55.333  INFO | Found Pinball FX3 game: WMS_Indiana_Jones
[19] 2024/08/04 17:42:55.336  INFO | [serum] No colorization found at E:\Emulator\Pinball_emu\VisualPinball\VPinMAME\altcolor\WMS_Indiana_Jones...
[19] 2024/08/04 17:42:55.366  INFO | [plugin] Failed to open colorizer plugin Pin2Color v4.52.220
[19] 2024/08/04 17:42:55.366  INFO | [vni] Loading PAC file at E:\Emulator\Pinball_emu\VisualPinball\VPinMAME\altcolor\WMS_Indiana_Jones\pin2dmd.pac...
[19] 2024/08/04 17:42:55.662  INFO | [vni] PAC v1 loaded successfully.
[19] 2024/08/04 17:42:55.678  INFO | Switching Converter (Passthrough) switching to VNI Colorizer
[18] 2024/08/04 17:43:01.757  INFO | Terminating DMD data capture from Pinball FX3
[18] 2024/08/04 17:43:01.757  INFO | Frames stopped from Pinball FX3.
[18] 2024/08/04 17:43:01.757  INFO | Exiting.
[18] 2024/08/04 17:43:01.757  INFO | Source for 4 renderer(s) stopped.

 

Does anyone have FX3 custom positions/settings from dmddevice.ini figured out?

 

BTW,

start /min "" "PUPDMDControl.exe" FX3 PINUP\[GAMENAME]

does pull the custom positions based on game name, but I have no luck with color or PUP  triggers (next to last line).
 

 [1] 2024/08/04 18:31:09.814  INFO | Starting DmdDevice API 2.2.2 (x86) through PUPDMDControl.exe.
 [1] 2024/08/04 18:31:09.827  INFO | Assembly located at E:\Emulator\Pinball_emu\VisualPinball\VPinMAME\dmddevice.dll
 [1] 2024/08/04 18:31:09.827  INFO | Running in E:\Emulator\Pinball_emu\VisualPinball\VPinMAME
 [1] 2024/08/04 18:31:09.840  INFO | Successfully loaded config from E:\Emulator\Pinball_emu\VisualPinball\VPinMAME\DmdDevice.ini.
 [1] 2024/08/04 18:31:09.872  INFO | [serum] Determined altcolor path from assembly path: E:\Emulator\Pinball_emu\VisualPinball\VPinMAME\altcolor
 [1] 2024/08/04 18:31:09.872  INFO | Analytics disabled.
 [1] 2024/08/04 18:31:09.883  INFO | [dll] Open(0)
 [1] 2024/08/04 18:31:09.883  INFO | [dll] PM_GameSettings(0, PINUP\WMS_Fish_Tales, 0)
 [1] 2024/08/04 18:31:09.883  INFO | Disabling game colorization
 [1] 2024/08/04 18:31:09.883  INFO | Setting game name: PINUP\WMS_Fish_Tales

 

Thanks!

[GordonJames]

Anyone here know what causes a color file to do this? I've been trying most of the day to get the color dmd to work properly with some very skilled help and nothing is working. Thank you.

Edited September 15, 2024 by GordonJames

[cherok]

23 hours ago, GordonJames said:

Anyone here know what causes a color file to do this? I've been trying most of the day to get the color dmd to work properly with some very skilled help and nothing is working. Thank you.

Hi I have exactly the same problem and i never could resolve it; help will be appreciate. Thanks

[Dicentim]

Hi ! Had exactly the same issue with Metallica altcolor yesterday. I deleted the altcolor file then put it back and all is fine now. Don't know what happened.... 

[Ezifox]

Hello! I also had the problem. A clean reinstallation of the GPU driver helped me.

[cherok]

I installed the new gpu drivers and try to reload the Metallica Pin2dmd.pac file but no changes...

[lucky1]

On 9/15/2024 at 7:58 PM, cherok said:

Hi I have exactly the same problem and i never could resolve it; help will be appreciate. Thanks

 

I guess it is the number of credits simply avoiding to trigger properly. Set yoour machine to free play and it should work.

[cherok]

On 9/24/2024 at 6:52 AM, lucky1 said:

 

I guess it is the number of credits simply avoiding to trigger properly. Set yoour machine to free play and it should work.

Unfortunatly it didnt change anything...

 

[cherok]

On 9/25/2024 at 9:41 AM, cherok said:

Unfortunatly it didnt change anything...

 

finally it was the mtl180hc rom for metallica which was buggy -> use the mtl180 instead

Edited October 6, 2024 by cherok

[Cliffy]

2 hours ago, cherok said:

finally it was the mtl180hc rom for metallica which was buggy -> use the mtl180 instead

Mtl_180 is for the Pro. Use mtl_180H. H is for premium/le's. Do NOT use the HC which is sterns LE Color patched rom.

[MisterCoffee]

Hello,
Unfortunately, I have to admit that I'm too stupid.
First I have freezy version 2.2.2. installed via msi into the VpinMame folder (86 & 64 bit files).
Then I copied the content from the Lucky1 folders from page 1 over it.
Finally I copied the libserum 1.6.2 files.

The errors look like this:
- Without lucky1, PAC doesn't work (which is clear). However, I only have 4 colors in the CRZ files.
- If I use the lucky1 files, PAC works great, but even the four colors of CRZ disappear.

The question is, why do I only have 4 colors in CRZ? And why do the lucky1 files seem to completely remove CRZ?

 

I tried it with CRZ from 24 and Tron. Pac from LOTR.

 

I sat on it all night and couldn't get any further. Thanks for your help.

[cherok]

4 hours ago, MisterCoffee said:

Hello,
Unfortunately, I have to admit that I'm too stupid.
First I have freezy version 2.2.2. installed via msi into the VpinMame folder (86 & 64 bit files).
Then I copied the content from the Lucky1 folders from page 1 over it.
Finally I copied the libserum 1.6.2 files.

The errors look like this:
- Without lucky1, PAC doesn't work (which is clear). However, I only have 4 colors in the CRZ files.
- If I use the lucky1 files, PAC works great, but even the four colors of CRZ disappear.

The question is, why do I only have 4 colors in CRZ? And why do the lucky1 files seem to completely remove CRZ?

 

I tried it with CRZ from 24 and Tron. Pac from LOTR.

 

I sat on it all night and couldn't get any further. Thanks for your help.

you dont need lucky has freezy supports in major cases PAC and CRZ. You must have your dmddevice.ini correctly setup for this (check out Rudy's arcade tutorials on youtube for more details). no need libserum and serum dll i think in your vpinmame folder (with the freezy option)

Edited October 8, 2024 by cherok

[MisterCoffee]

8 hours ago, cherok said:

you dont need lucky has freezy supports in major cases PAC and CRZ. You must have your dmddevice.ini correctly setup for this (check out Rudy's arcade tutorials on youtube for more details). no need libserum and serum dll i think in your vpinmame folder (with the freezy option)

Thanks for your help. I wouldn't have thought of that.

By the way, I think I found a mistake in the Freezy files.
The zip files of version 2.2.2 contain the current dmddevice.ini including the VNI key. The msi installer didn´t install that new ini version.
Since I only used the installer, it didn't work. Replacing the ini from the zip version was easy. After that, no manual change to the ini is required. Except of course to enter the old position settings (or copying the new features into the old existing ini).

 

Maybe someone should verify that. I am really happy that it works now.

Edited October 8, 2024 by MisterCoffee

[Turnbull]

just to ensure: since version 2.3.0 , there is no need for the "lucky1"-pack at all?

 

Edited November 27, 2024 by Turnbull

[KiwiBri]

23 hours ago, Turnbull said:

just to ensure: since version 2.3.0 , there is no need for the "lucky1"-pack at all?

 

yeah, that’s what I’m thinking.

 

i have a Pin2dmd  and been using these lucky1 dlls, but they didn’t work with the latest STTNG and TRon Legacy colour files.

 

i went back to the Freezy DLLs (DMD extensions v2.3.0) and everything works.   I'm usually May-Oct, so the Vpin doesnt get updated. Winter is the time I spend the most on the VPin so just catching up on a lot of things!
 

hoping someone else can confirm?

Edited November 28, 2024 by KiwiBri
Added version number

[judremy]

I could use some help.  I am on the latest version of everything which is confirmed by VPin Studio.  I have Freezy 2.3.0 installed for 32 & 64 bit.  All the below is in my DMDDevice.ini, but I only get black & white from PAC files.  Serum files (CRZ format) work fine.  Can someone provide assistance?

 

; enable or disable frame-by-frame colorization (inactive in VPX bundle)
colorize = true

 

; the key to decrypt PAC files, in hex.
vni.key = f0ad135937ffa111c60b24d88ebb2e59

 

; put your plugins here, up to 10 plugins can be defined.
; since they are native plugins, you need to define them
; for both 32-bit and 64-bit versions.
; load plugins
plugin.0.path = C:\VisualPinball\VPinMAME\pin2color.dll
plugin.0.path64 = C:\VisualPinball\VPinMAME\pin2color64.dll
plugin.0.passthrough = false

[Joppnl]

20 hours ago, judremy said:

I could use some help.  I am on the latest version of everything which is confirmed by VPin Studio.  I have Freezy 2.3.0 installed for 32 & 64 bit.  All the below is in my DMDDevice.ini, but I only get black & white from PAC files.  Serum files (CRZ format) work fine.  Can someone provide assistance?

 

; enable or disable frame-by-frame colorization (inactive in VPX bundle)
colorize = true

 

; the key to decrypt PAC files, in hex.
vni.key = f0ad135937ffa111c60b24d88ebb2e59

 

; put your plugins here, up to 10 plugins can be defined.
; since they are native plugins, you need to define them
; for both 32-bit and 64-bit versions.
; load plugins
plugin.0.path = C:\VisualPinball\VPinMAME\pin2color.dll
plugin.0.path64 = C:\VisualPinball\VPinMAME\pin2color64.dll
plugin.0.passthrough = false

What happens if you leave the path and path64 description empty like this:
plugin.0.path =
plugin.0.path64 =
plugin.0.passthrough = false

??

[ARMYAVIATION]

@lucky1 i updated my dmdext to 2.3, the serum crz files work but the pac files dont, i cant remember every time someone makes an update, do i need your, or the other one for all to work, the one in the download on the first page is  2.1.3.  thanks

[lucky1]

12 hours ago, ARMYAVIATION said:

@lucky1 i updated my dmdext to 2.3, the serum crz files work but the pac files dont, i cant remember every time someone makes an update, do i need your, or the other one for all to work, the one in the download on the first page is  2.1.3.  thanks

 

Please ask such questions in the 2.3 thread

[ARMYAVIATION]

doesnt this thread deal with pacs

[lucky1]

9 hours ago, ARMYAVIATION said:

doesnt this thread deal with pacs

 

This thread is about my own compile of dmdext posted in the first post which has proper pac and vni support. Version 2.3 is a different version compiled, published and supported by freezy.

However I just uploaded a pin2color.dll plugin for release version 2.3.0 from freezys github

to my repository. You might want to give it a try by adding 

plugin.0.path = pin2color.dll
plugin.0.path64 = pin2color64.dll
plugin.0.passthrough = true

to your dmddevice.ini and copying the dll files from the zip into the same directory as dmdevice.dll v2.3.0

https://github.com/lucky01/PIN2DMD/tree/master/integration/pinmame

 

Edited January 31, 2025 by lucky1

[TeteDampoule]

Hello,

On my config, this is working with pac and pal/vni. Unfortunallety not with cRZ (vpinmame crash, v3.6.0.1227)

 

With freezy 2.3 version cRZ ok but not pac.

[LoiAbdullah]

On 1/31/2025 at 1:04 PM, lucky1 said:

 

This thread is about my own compile of dmdext posted in the first post which has proper pac and vni support. Version 2.3 is a different version compiled, published and supported by freezy.

However I just uploaded a pin2color.dll plugin for release version 2.3.0 from freezys github

to my repository. You might want to give it a try by adding 

plugin.0.path = pin2color.dll
plugin.0.path64 = pin2color64.dll
plugin.0.passthrough = true

to your dmddevice.ini and copying the dll files from the zip into the same directory as dmdevice.dll v2.3.0

https://github.com/lucky01/PIN2DMD/tree/master/integration/pinmame

 

 

@lucky1 I tried this plugin as explained with freezy's 2.3.0 and 2.3.1 but my custom animation on Virtual the dmd doesn't work properly. Does it need to be updated?

[bandicoot]

Hello , it'm trying to the 2.3 working but got a big lag problem

With the files on first post no problem it's work great but doesn't have serum V2 support so , trying Dmdext 2.3

Now serum V2 works but DMD running totally slow 

My pin2dmd is an XL one , hope Lucky can found a way to make it works

Thanks

This is exaclty issue i have but for a PIN2DMD XL.

 

Edited May 18, 2025 by bandicoot