PinUP Virtual Pinball System

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====== Visual Pinball X (VPX) ======

For a good video guide that covers all the basics of Visual Pinball, go here:

**[[https://youtu.be/JE-YzV5CyX0|Virtual Pinball: "Software" Essentials - Visual Pinball X**]]**

<blockquote>

General TIP: Many people assume that the FrontEnd is the issue when launching or running VPX. You need to understand that everything must work OUTSIDE of Popper before it will work from Popper. Popper cannot instruct VPX where the B2S goes, or how to show a DMD or not. Troubleshoot always without running Popper first..it will save you time.

</blockquote>

The standard Popper install should work out of box as long as you setup your VPX emulator file/program/table folder locations.

**Some common items/suggestions:**

Always Have the TV/s monitors ON before starting the Computer

===== My Playfield is now showing on my backglass, or vise versa "I didnt' touch anything!" =====

This is a very common issue and has nothing to do with PinUP Popper. Programs like B2S and VPX, FP have 'issues'… that they rely on windows display #ids and not settings like (primary montior or pixel locations). These ID's can change on some people, even during warm-reboots. Sure you can blame windows, but i doubt microsoft will change. "But Popper and PUPPacks are fine?" I've designed them not to rely on windowsID so when they change it wont matter to PinUP Apps.

**how to fix/resolve. **

Reboot system with all TV/s monitors ON before windows starts. That should correct, if not then try :

  * You can run VisualPinballX and change the video settings to the correct montior #. 'NOTE the # in vpx drop-down doesn't always match your windowsID. So usually you select the montior with a * next to it. Also vpx video settings don't take right away, after setting them exit the editor and rerun editor.

  * If your B2S is wrong screen. GO into your tables folder and run B2S_ScreenResIdentifier.exe and change the "backglass display #". Again you will have to put different montior#s till your b2s ends up on the correct screen.
  * More Consistent Solution - [[https://www.nailbuster.com/wikipinup/doku.php?id=b2s_dimension_location|https://www.nailbuster.com/wikipinup/doku.php?id=b2s_dimension_location]]
  * Another good read: [[http://greatjava.org/2022/04/who-stuck-the-pinball-on-my-backbox/|http://greatjava.org/2022/04/who-stuck-the-pinball-on-my-backbox/]]
  * Another method used by others is this: [[https://support.displaylink.com/knowledgebase/articles/736116-windows-display-properties-identify-numbers-are|https://support.displaylink.com/knowledgebase/articles/736116-windows-display-properties-identify-numbers-are]]

===== Get error "This table was saved with file version xxxx" =====

If you try and run a table and you get a notice that the VPX table is newer than your running version see this page:

[[https://www.nailbuster.com/wikipinup/doku.php?id=vpx_versions|https://www.nailbuster.com/wikipinup/doku.php?id=vpx_versions]]

Please don't follow some peoples advice of just resaving the vpx table in a lower version. Always see the VPX table support thread on the forums to see which VPX version is required to use all the features of that release.

===== During loading you see Desktop 'blink' before table is shown. =====

v1.4 has a super duper new way of getting the table loaded. But on some 'slower' systems you may notice a desktop 'blink'. If your system is seeing the desktop with v1.4 do this:

This is different than a TV blank blink, If your TV goes/flashes completely black/blank (don't see desktop) then that is a hardware/GPU/TV setup issue (vpx hz/resoultion is different than windows hz/res). This is for if you see your actualy background desktop behind playfield blink.) in emulator setup:

vpx launch script in emulator setup replace/change the vpxstarter line to this.
<file>

START "" "[STARTDIR]Launch\VPXSTARTER.exe" 30 10 60 "Visual Pinball Player" 5

</file>

the last number will wait 5 seconds after VPX says "all good". so you can play with the last number to your system.

===== Focus Issues =====

If you find that starting a vpx table that you need to use a mouse to click on table then two things you can try.

The first is easiest and works for most. Under VPX display settings you need to run your tables "full screen exclusive mode"

{{:7a4492758cca34a33be0d3b07cab8cc6.png}}

the 2nd option if you cannot run FS exclusive is to have Popper simulate a mouse click after the table is loaded.

Change the vpxstarter.exe line in your emulator launch script to this

<code>
START "" "[STARTDIR]Launch\VPXSTARTER.exe" 30 10 60 "Visual Pinball Player" 3 0 5

</code>

the last digit 5 will tell it to press the mouse so keep that #.

the 3 number is the # of seconds after its loaded to press it, so if you need more than 3 seconds you can increase that 3.

==== Still have focus issues with vpx? Use this if all others have failed. ====

Grab this file (unblock before unzip) and put in your launch subfolder: [[https://nailbuster.com/betas/PopperKeepFocus.zip|https://nailbuster.com/betas/PopperKeepFocus.zip]]

then put at bottom of launch script for vpx this line (15 seconds it will attempt to lock focus, you can change that number)
<code>

START "" "[STARTDIR]Launch\PopperKeepFocus.exe" "Visual Pinball Player" 15

</code>

===== POVEdit via cabinet keys in vpx 10.7.2 =====

The latest version of VPX 10.7.2 includes my changes to POV editing directly on cab keys/options. To make it work via popper operator menu modify this batch file (in your pinupsystem **launch**  sub-folder) file named: **POPGAME_VPXPOV Edit.bat**

<code>
@echo off
if /I "%~x2" NEQ ".vpx" goto end
CloseVPXEditor.exe
timeout 2
cd /d "..\..\visualpinball"
VPinballX.exe -play %2 -PovEdit
CD /d %~dp0
SendPuPEvent 15
:end

</code>

While in a GAME you press OP menu and select this under custom scripts. You will then be able to use flipper keys and nudge keys to modfiy the POV to your liking. Press STARTKEY on cab to save the POV file or COIN key to cancel the current changes to POV. NOTE: this does NOT save or alter your VPX table itself. It makes [tablename].pov file in your tables folder. you can just delete that POV file extension to reset the POV if youd like.

//Note; if batch file is not there then you are probably not on baller and can create the bat file, just change cd line to your vpinball folder where vpinball.exe is located.//

===== I get some ball-stutter when launching tabe via Popper but don't see it in VPX directly. =====

Check your emulator/vpx launch script and try changing your default to EnableTrueFullScreen (read script text). The launch script determines what your default state is for running VPX. Also, if its only a couple of tables you notice on, try a different backglass direct2bs file (or run without to test), some have said theres a few directb2s files that have issues.

Also, if your system is on the mid to lower-end of cpu/gpu. You may need to lower the resoultions of puppacks and also check that your media for KeepDisplayOn for underlays or toppers is not too complex/large.

===== Weird crashes on certain tables when launched via Popper FrontEnd =====

AT91Jit must be 1 for the following tables:\ (this is a VPinMAME issue, not a pinup setting)

Walking Dead LE\ Star Trek LE\ ACDC Premium\ Metallica Premium\ Mustang\Elvis

[[https://www.nailbuster.com/wikipinup/doku.php?id=at91jit|https://www.nailbuster.com/wikipinup/doku.php?id=at91jit]]

===== On a few tables i only see the backglass come up but the playfield just shows the windows desktop. =====

First run the table outside of PinUP Popper to make sure there's no errors with table…

If there's no errors running directly in vpx, then proceed with this: Good news its NOT a Popper setup issue….

The only real difference between running vpx directly, and within PinUP, is that PinUP launch script will run vpx with the **-minimized**  flag so that you don't see the vpx editor/loading. This is fine for 99% of tables…..BUT there's a bug, either with table script/vpx/B2S that doesn't like to run with the -minimized flag set.

Here's some things to check. Usually its the b2s file. So First, make sure your b2s is running in EXE mode. right-click on backglass and set it to exe mode(others needed to disable both b2s dmds…generally try changing some of the b2s options). IF THat doesn't work then rename your tablename.directb2s to something else so table has no backglass. Does the table show up properly with no directb2s? IF YES then you know its the b2s file issue, and try another directb2s file.

The final solution is to remove the -minimized parameter from vpx emulator launch script… but doing that may make you see the VPX editor dialog during loading…so if its just a couple of vpx tables, you should fix like above and keep the -minimized flag.

===== Get "ROMNAME not found" when i'm sure the rom file is there. =====

Test running VPX in non-exclusive Full screen mode and see if error goes away…

if yes, then Need to set DDRAW=0 in registry for each game (good to do it on default when starting out).

(this is a VPinMAME issue/setting, not a pinup setting)

===== Game Volume is too low, the table sounds are OK but not the ROM sounds/muisc. =====

This is normal and you have to adjust almost all game roms at least once. Its different based on ROM company. NOTE: do not go near max, like max should be 27-28 out of 30max…or you can get awful clipping noises from ROM sounds.

see here for sample instructions: [[https://www.vpforums.org/index.php?app=tutorials&cat=9|https://www.vpforums.org/index.php?app=tutorials&cat=9]]

----

===== Typical Emulator Setup For VP-10 (VPX) =====

{{:popper_-_vpx_setup.jpg|popper_-_vpx_setup.jpg}}

===== Launch Script (DEFAULT) =====

New for v1.4.6 and above here's the launch script that is the default. \\
 <font inherit/inherit;;#2980b9;;inherit>For the NEW Options to Work, Use the NEW Launch Script from Below</font>
 <font inherit/inherit;;#e74c3c;;inherit>NOTE!!</font>  This launch script now controls how and when VPX runs Force Exclusive Fullscreen mode. The checkbox in vpx video settings doesn't matter (should be off in editor so that you can work in vpx easier).

You should decide if you want Force Exclusive Fullscreen mode on or off for vpx by changing the default option in launch screen (read script). (Option - SET FSMODE= )

You can then set
 <font inherit/inherit;;#e74c3c;;inherit>Custom Launch Param</font>  setting on any game to NO Fullscreen Exclusive (NO FSX) so that particular game won't run in FSX mode (if you default to always FSX). \\
In Game Manager on the Left Pick the Game and on the Right In
 <font inherit/inherit;;#e74c3c;;inherit>Custom Launch Param</font>  PUT
 <font inherit/inherit;;#2980b9;;inherit>NOFSX</font>  . \\
 <font inherit/inherit;;#8e44ad;;inherit>**Another 'neat' feature**</font>  with this launch script is it supports ALTEXE field on vpx games. So if you want to run a vpx table with lets say the 10.71 beta vpx. You just copy/rename the 10.71 vpx exe to vpinballx1071.exe and \\
In Game Manager on the Left Pick the Game and on the Right In
 <font inherit/inherit;;#e74c3c;;inherit>**Alternate Launcher**</font>  Put
 <font inherit/inherit;;#2980b9;;inherit>**vpinballx1071.exe**</font>
<code>

@echo off
START "" "[STARTDIR]Launch\VPXSTARTER.exe" 30 10 60 "Visual Pinball Player" 2
cd /d "[DIREMU]"

rem Change the following to EnableTrueFullScreen to default FullScreen Exclusive!
SET FSMODE=DisableTrueFullScreen

SET VPXEXE=vpinballx.exe

if "[RECMODE]"=="1" (SET FSMODE=DisableTrueFullScreen )
if /I "[CUSTOM1]"=="NOFSX" (SET FSMODE=DisableTrueFullScreen )
if NOT "[ALTEXE]"=="" (SET VPXEXE=[ALTEXE] )

START /min "" %VPXEXE% -%FSMODE% -primary -LessCPUthreads -minimized -play "[GAMEFULLNAME]"

if %FSMODE%==DisableTrueFullScreen (START "" "[STARTDIR]Launch\PopperKeepFocus.exe" "Visual Pinball Player" 10)

</code>
 <font inherit/inherit;;#e74c3c;;inherit>Exit Script</font>

<code>
"[STARTDIR]LAUNCH\PUPCLOSER.EXE" WINTIT "Visual Pinball" 4 1

</code>

----

===== Nifty Things to do in the Launch Script =====

This is a small example of what can be done in the Launch Script

With this set up you can use the same game with a backglass or puppack and at the same time use the Appropriate ROM for each game

[[https://www.nailbuster.com/wikipinup/doku.php?id=pinup_optional#option_3_dual_boot_puppack_by_default_custom_parameters|https://www.nailbuster.com/wikipinup/doku.php?id=pinup_optional#option_3_dual_boot_puppack_by_default_custom_parameters]]