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Bigger changes are coming for the B2S.Server: support for a new type of EM table with advanced mechanics like Nags (Williams 1960) redesigning the EXE and DLL versions so that hopefully the EXE will no longer be needed. This should not be visible to an end user, but will make future development easier Testing the new builds is essential to help development to not break old backglasses. In the beginning of the B2S.Server, there were only the DLL. (this was long before me joining this hobby, so I can only guess, if I should correct anything please ping me) The source code was stored at SourceForge After a while someone found out that the DLL wasn't the best way to have for VPX, making the tables stutter. Therefore the B2S.Server was split out into the DLL & EXE, where it was a possibility to switch DLL or EXE per table. The communication was made through the registry (!). This might not be the best RPC technique there is, but this was how it was made. Even when you have the EXE activated, the DLL will take the COM calls and pass them through the Registry and then the EXE reads the commands out and displays the changes. When new COM methods are added, they have to be added to the DLL + serialization on the registry + similar code in the EXE version. Over the years, there has been smaller additions to the B2S.Server, @toxie made changes on request from users sending updates. There has been updates from @DJRobX @Westworld among others. The updates mostly was made for the EXE version, which meant that DLL & EXE were shifting away from each other slowly. Sometime in the beginning of 2022 I asked Toxie about how to do changes in B2S.Server and after his explainations I started to send in some patches. Later that year @jsm174 and I moved the old sourceforge repository to Github Slowly I then started to merge the DLL and EXE, so that they both have the same features. This is now finally finished with 2.5.0... both DLL & EXE is built using the same source code, only a handful #If #else precompiler statements left... Thanks to @stevejones72 trigger, we now started to investigate why the DLL has the performance issue with VPX in the first place. @jsm174 meant it shouldn't be any problem since he runs B2S inproc in the standalone VPX version. To be continued...

It is time for another update for the B2S Server. Version 2.1.1 includes some nice new things: Add B2STools/B2SRandom.cmd to randomize many Backglasses when activated in Pinup Popper or similar Backglasses using overlapping partly transparent pictures get it's events merged. This is now deactivated by default. Can be activated in the direct2BS file (there is NO GUI): <MergeBulbs Value="1" /> Add support for **PWM modified tables**, the light turn on values > 64, if it is a PWM activated table: There is a new setting for VPinMame.SolMask(2) to set the output mode: 0 = default 1 = modulated (PWM) solenoid (exist for some years already) 2 = new PWM mode (all solenoids but also lamps and GI-lamps, and value if physic meaning, not smoothed out binary state) For this new mode, we now hardcode a value 64, if the lamp intensity exceed this value, it is binary 1 re-registering B2S.Server should first cleanup earlier entries #98 Bug fixes: b2s_screenresidentifier: Add Comments hidded behind the taskbar #77 "Fantasy" setting in B2STableSettings.xml is ignored #93 So for all new Flipper Tables using the latest VPX and VPM features with PWM values, this version is a must. Older B2S Server crashes on the new PWM tables. (it means that a lamp can not only be on or off, but can be a value in between)

Tried the PinCab Template Toolkit tonight, worked great. Only as soon as I saved the table the project, I could no longer see the b2s backglass in VR. Without saving, I could always see the b2s backglass, even if I quit and restarted the game several times, even after editing the table. BUT after saving the correct b2s backglass is started but is no longer visible in VR. I tried it several times with different tables and ALWAYS the same thing. This must be a small problem, I'm just stuck, please help me. https://vpuniverse.com/files/file/6349-pincab-template-toolkit/?tab=comments&fbclid=IwAR2lciYmH6YBqPphprmydf7E53GQo9Wj1JTHDzUWJZ282EzOi6JA3FMgES8 Habe heute Nacht das PinCab Template Toolkit ausprobiert, funktionierte wunderbar. Nur sobald ich den Tisch das Projekt gespeichert habe, konnte ich das b2s Backglass nicht mehr in VR sehen. Ohne Abspeichern konnte ich das b2s Backglass immer sehen, auch wenn ich mehrmals Spiel beendet und neu gestartet habe, auch nachbearbeiten des Tisches. ABER nach abspeichern wird das richtige b2s Backglass gestartet aber ist in VR nicht mehr sichtbar. Habe es mehrmals ausprobiert mit unterschiedlichen Tischen und IMMER das gleiche. Das muss ein kleines Problem sein, nur ich komme nicht weiter, bitte helft mir.

A new pre-release build is available. For more information, see the thread with latest results:

Hey all, I recently upgraded to a third monitor for the DMD. I also recently installed the latest version of B2S. Everything ran great for a week. I use Pinup for the front end. I go to play today and I see the playfield is tiny on my main screen. Strange... I check all my settings, and they are all fine. I restart and that issue gets resolved. I do not know how.. Well, I started a couple tables and then saw no playfield... So I check my settings again. Everything was good. Main monitor set, checked screenres.txt and nothing changed there. So I check one more thing... screenres identifier app. Low and behold no window is where it should be. Backglass was on the DMD screen. Playfield on the Backglass. So I fixed that. Then started pinup and tried a table. Finally everything is back to normal. Until I tried another table and the same thing happened! So I go back to check the identifier app again but this time its all where it should be. At this point I am ready to give up. Reinstalling crossed my mind. Then I thought of all the work I put into this cabinet and said NO! lol. I restarted the pc and then tried a table. Playfield on backglass. So I launched VPX and loaded a table. then went into settings to see any issues. excited the game. Then launched and it was all back to normal. I am loosing my mind on this. Has anyone had this issue? Is this a B2S server issue? VPX? I hope someone has gone through this.

Hi For some reason my only non-working pup pack is The Addams Family (TV Version) which if I load up in the PuP Editor looks good and I can fire individual events OK but when I play the game it doesn't load anything except the (external) DMD on screen 2. Batman 66 is fine and so is Deadpool. I did notice that in the options for the B2S server I have Activate Plugins checked but the button on the right (Plugin Settings) is greyed out. Any pointers would be much appreciated, thanks!

I am testing the "Small Button Option" on directb2s settings together with a screenres.txt file. It seems to me as the directb2s is rather put "on-top" now even if I turn it of in the settings. So when I use my directb2s together with pup videos, the videos are drawn behind the directb2s. Has anyone similar problems, or maybe a solution to this?

Hello, I've just completely re-installed my pincab and moved my tables to the new machine. However I miss all the backglass settings and if I can avoid to re-do one by one 200 tables or more I'd be a happy man... Is there a way to apply the same settings on all backglass files ? (I want grill , dmd and B2S dmd "hidden") Thanks a lot !

I wanted to test to add some new features to the B2S Server. Does anyone have a hint what is needed to compile it? I am new to VBA and C#, but wanted to give it a try. Is Visual Studio 2015 needed? Any hints are very appreciated!

While working on the B2S Server, I can see that many of the features are not synced into the DLL version of the solution. So everyone using the DLL version, will not be able to use many of the new features. Before fixing all this and testing, I would like to know how many actually use the DLL version, rather than the EXE version? If no one is using the DLL version, it could actually be removed? Asking the same question on VPForums, there are signs telling we could maybe remove the DLL version. /Jarr3