Automatically Launching Tables with Correct Audio

So a big thank you for giving the latest version of FCM the ability to automatically launch a particular table. A minor question/nitpick:

When launching TPA from FCM with a particular table from the command line, FCM seems to 'click' on the Recently Played button. *The table that actually starts is the correct table, however the audio that plays when the Recently Played button is clicked is whatever table is shown in the Recently Played, not necessarily the table that FCM actually will then correctly start up.

Not a huge deal, but it would be nice to hear the actual audio from the table I'm about to play.

1. Does anyone else experience this?

2. If so, how to fix? *I didn't really find anything like an .ini file or registry setting that readily identifies this piece of information so I could have a script change it for instance. Not sure if a particular file could be blown away that would just contain this information and nothing else (e.g. display settings, high scores).

Again, extremely nit-picky and I can live with it, just wanted things to be perfect now that FCM has this awesome capability.

OK ... I can't find in forum instruction for command line to launch table ... can someone reply with a simple example? I'm ready to write 90 batch files ...

Use PinballX, but I am afraid you still need some scripts. At least that is what the guys at spesoft forum are doing.
I wonder how noex has set it up

To illustrate the problem, you don't necessarily need PinballX. Or you asking how to do it for your own table? If the latter, then you can check out this PinballX forum post. That was the basis for my own script that gets launched from PinballX but obviously modified it for my own situation (file locations, Steam and key mapper (for exiting with cab buttons) launched at startup, rotating the display, dmdext, etc.). I can go into more detail if you are interested. One of these days I was actually thinking about creating an installation package to automate the installation and configuration instead since I think others in my situation (VirtuaPin Min is my cabinet) might find it useful. The first time ever I have been able to reliably launch TPA from PinballX and launch the right table. While not quite as seamless as having PBX launching a VP table, it works pretty good. And then with the awesomeness of FCM, it is as close as I think we are going to get under current TPA policy.

To illustrate my problem a little easier, you can launch TPA normally and play a table (e.g. Attack From Mars). Then you can just open up a command prompt in Windows after any 'prep' work for your particular situation to get TPA to run, and then in the comamnd prompt type something like:

TPAFreeCamMod.exe -table BlackRose

Instead of the Black Rose table audio playing, you get the Attack from Mars audio playing since that is what is shown in the Recently Played button - which I suspect is what the FCM is taking over somehow to trigger launching the command line table.

Thanks Pike!

Thank you Noex for making that command a simple as it could possibly be! So infact no front end is needed if you just want to launch a table straight from the desktop. Its a little bit of work, but for my preferences, this is how I am setting mine up:

1) IMPORTANT - batch files created to launch tables must be in same folder as Settings.ini and the TPAFreeCmMod.exe files (I have discovered that you can actually also copy those 2 files over to any other folder and place your batch files in that same folder and it will work that way as well)

2) I use a great little website to create my own ICO (icon files) - "https://iconverticons.com/online/" - I save that to my HD and then place it in a folder i created to store ICO files for TPA. I am simply converting my back glass PNG files to ICO using this web site converter tool.

3) I then create the batch file (.cmd) with the command "start c:\users\joewh\downloads\pbafreecammod\tpafreecammod.exe -table addamsfamily" and name it according to the table I am creating the batch file for and save it to my folder where TPAFreeCamMod.exe resides.

4) I then right click that file and "Send to desktop - create shortcut". I've created a folder on my desktop named "Lauch Table" and I drag that shrotcut into that folder.

5) Then I go into the "Launch Table" folder and right-click the cmd shortcut file I just placed in there go to "Proerties" and choose "Change Icon" and browse to the ICO folder where I placed the Icon that I made for that table and apply it. I make sure that I'm showing large Icons in my "lauch Table" folder so that the icon is big enough to decifer which table is which. I rename the shortcut to the Table name.

Done ... I'm doing this for each table and in the end will have one folder for Auto launching all my tables.

Glad it is working for you nudnick. Now that you have it set up and running - are you experiencing the audio 'problem' where it plays the audio of whatever the last table played was? Wasn't sure if it is just me.

To add a little more clarity, I think that what gets put in the Recently Played space is the last table you played 'manually' - not from a FCM table launch. So if I could figure out what to blow away on my computer to get rid of that, I'm hoping it will be 'blank' and work.

Pike13 said:

Glad it is working for you nudnick. Now that you have it set up and running - are you experiencing the audio 'problem' where it plays the audio of whatever the last table played was? Wasn't sure if it is just me.

To add a little more clarity, I think that what gets put in the Recently Played space is the last table you played 'manually' - not from a FCM table launch. So if I could figure out what to blow away on my computer to get rid of that, I'm hoping it will be 'blank' and work.

Click to expand...

Yes ... I'm experiencing the same exact thing. It's like the auto launch bypasses all of TPA interface to get to the table ... therefore when it hits that screen during auto launch TPA interface has no history of what table was launched by the Mod's Auto table.

Like you were saying ... no big deal really. I really think this is a very cool feature and a good way to walk up to your cab and just get playing without jumping through a bunch of hoops to get to the table you want to play.

* Just noticed that there is no support for Dr. Who Masters of Time for Direct launch. Will you be adding support for thatone NoEx?

Yes the direct table launch feature does bypass the TPA interface, it launches the selected table by changing data in game's memory, the 'audio' problem is not a bug, unfortunately it's caused by the method I use to launch the table.

* I didn't notice this table, when it's been released? I'll add it in the mod.

A small price to pay, thanks for clarifying (and for your work of course). I think I can find a table that doesn't sound specific to something ("Return to battle, soldier!") and just maybe some beeps or something.

NoEx said:

* I didn't notice this table, when it's been released? I'll add it in the mod.

Click to expand...

You got it ... Doctor Who Regen ... thanks!