While the GUI is very functional, it's not friendly for front ends like GameEx or (sigh) HyperSpin. It would be really awesome if we could have some command lines that would open the game and automatically start a table. The icing on that tasty cake is if we could turn on some extra options like key configs or start in Operator mode. Failing the extra options, maybe make it possible to always run the game in Operator mode would be easier.
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Request Start tables using a command line (allow options like starting with Operator mode)
- Thread starter Tin_Foil
- Start date
- Feb 19, 2012
- 8,144
- 2
As a workaround: Could you add a link to the .exe in the frontend? I know some MAME frontends allow this. I haven't used a pincab frontend though.
- Thread starter
- #3
GameEx has Steam support and I'm sure you could start the game in some way or fashion with (sigh) HyperSpin, but it wouldn't be the same as using those front ends to link directly to the tables. Ideally, you could put some commands after the 'steam://rungameid/238260' that would take you directly to the table. That way, you could build links from any front end to run any table you own. Being able to bypass the Pinball Arcade GUI and take you straight to the game is the important part.
Larry
New member
- Jul 4, 2013
- 204
- 0
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\PinballArcade\PinballArcade.exe but it needs the backend to catch and use the parameters
Windows just puts everything after the command in an argument object and passes it along, or you could in theory add stuff to the registry CLASSES_ROOT to give the .csv files TPA as a handler which would also require FS to wire backend support.
I'm sure they thought of this, it takes a fair amount of doing to pull off elegantly, but I'm fairly confident "something" will open up as a possibility, but at some point the Steam license probably kicks in, they don't like it when you don't get to see those wonderful Steam ads now and again
Simple solution, give every table a 4 character designation that can be appended to the command line to launch directly from TPA launch splash screen to table with a standardized set of modifiers such as operators mode, tourney options, lighting, etc.
Simpler solution, plug in a second controller to your cab I kid, it's probably tied into the cabinet decision in general as the "average" PC user probably wouldn't have any real use for it other than bypassing legal-ese we're probably supposed to see
I'm not sure if there's any chance that the Cab software itself could ever get updated to allow more flexibility? In Windows there's a few ways to get the same results. In a pinch, you can also try a macro program such as Auto-it to create an .exe to simulate the clicks of the actions you want (open TPA, select table, click start, etc.)
In a nutshell, you can add the URL above to at least get your software to fire up TPA, it will have to always try to call home to the Steam mothership first regardless of Steam-support, it's in the DRM, but any functionality beyond that is strictly a code decision that probably is getting back-burnered until the cabinet ideas take more substance on FS's part decision-wise. Obviously, however, for a cabinet-specific build, it's absolutely critical ihmo.
Hope that helps, I want a vcab some day!
Windows just puts everything after the command in an argument object and passes it along, or you could in theory add stuff to the registry CLASSES_ROOT to give the .csv files TPA as a handler which would also require FS to wire backend support.
I'm sure they thought of this, it takes a fair amount of doing to pull off elegantly, but I'm fairly confident "something" will open up as a possibility, but at some point the Steam license probably kicks in, they don't like it when you don't get to see those wonderful Steam ads now and again
Simple solution, give every table a 4 character designation that can be appended to the command line to launch directly from TPA launch splash screen to table with a standardized set of modifiers such as operators mode, tourney options, lighting, etc.
Simpler solution, plug in a second controller to your cab
I kid, it's probably tied into the cabinet decision in general as the "average" PC user probably wouldn't have any real use for it other than bypassing legal-ese we're probably supposed to seeI'm not sure if there's any chance that the Cab software itself could ever get updated to allow more flexibility? In Windows there's a few ways to get the same results. In a pinch, you can also try a macro program such as Auto-it to create an .exe to simulate the clicks of the actions you want (open TPA, select table, click start, etc.)
In a nutshell, you can add the URL above to at least get your software to fire up TPA, it will have to always try to call home to the Steam mothership first regardless of Steam-support, it's in the DRM, but any functionality beyond that is strictly a code decision that probably is getting back-burnered until the cabinet ideas take more substance on FS's part decision-wise. Obviously, however, for a cabinet-specific build, it's absolutely critical ihmo.
Hope that helps, I want a vcab some day!
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I'd like to second this request. It'd be great to be able to launch immediately to a particular table, especially for those of us using front-ends. I wrote my own front-end a few years ago that just runs on shortcuts behind the scenes, so anything that would allow me to just tack on a phrase in the shortcut options (command line) to get directly to a table would be fantastic. Not that it's a huge deal, but it would at least spare me the trouble of having to quit out to Windows and restart just to tell my front-end which table I'm playing now. I use the front-end in part to track and keep stats on what I play and how much time I spend playing it, because I'm just that much of a geek.
