Launch without configuration utility?

K3V · Jan 7, 2014

I've got TPA running in my cabinet and want it to auto launch at boot up, directly into TPA. Right now I use the desktop shortcut in my startup folder to get the game to run but it always prompts to select either "Play Pinball Arcade" or "Launch Configuration Utility."

Is there a switch or something I can use to bypass this prompt and launch right into the game at startup? Thanks.

Biff · Jan 7, 2014

there ya go:

http://digitalpinballfans.com/showthread.php/6802-How-to-skip-anoying-steam-window-before-TPA-launch

dada8787 · Jan 7, 2014

I made that tread and no real answer to that. Im so mad because im playing TPA in my cab and need to have keyboard connected just to press "enter".
Stupid Steam.
And yes you can go around it but have to play in offline mode which is not acceptable for me.

FS do something about this please!

superballs · Jan 7, 2014

Maybe connect a smartphone with a keyboard app running over ad - hoc wifi connection?

Xanija · Jan 8, 2014

The only way to I have found to start TPA without the launcher: When you have Steam open, rightclick on the Steam icon in the task bar, pin the game to the popup list and start it from there. It doesn't launch the configuration tool there.

If you drag and drop this link to the desktop it works as well, so I think it should also work when copying it to autostart.

The shortcut of this link points to:

"E:\Programme (x86)\Steam\Steam.exe" steam://rungameid/238260

[edit] Just tried it on my machine, worked.

dada8787 · Jan 8, 2014

Xanija said:
The only way to I have found to start TPA without the launcher: When you have Steam open, rightclick on the Steam icon in the task bar, pin the game to the popup list and start it from there. It doesn't launch the configuration tool there.

If you drag and drop this link to the desktop it works as well, so I think it should also work when copying it to autostart.

The shortcut of this link points to:

"E:\Programme (x86)\Steam\Steam.exe" steam://rungameid/238260

[edit] Just tried it on my machine, worked.

can u explain little bit more step by step?

What is "popup list"?

superballs · Jan 8, 2014

Xanija said:
The only way to I have found to start TPA without the launcher: When you have Steam open, rightclick on the Steam icon in the task bar, pin the game to the popup list and start it from there. It doesn't launch the configuration tool there.

If you drag and drop this link to the desktop it works as well, so I think it should also work when copying it to autostart.

The shortcut of this link points to:

"E:\Programme (x86)\Steam\Steam.exe" steam://rungameid/238260

[edit] Just tried it on my machine, worked.

Actually, this likely won't work for most. It's not exactly common to have the program files on the E drive and the path is different for a US English installation.

You will most likely have your program at "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\PinballArcade\PinballArcade.exe"
Or try the link that Xanija posted, but make sure you replace "E:\Programme (x86)" with "C:\Program Files (x86)" if you are running a 64-bit version of windows (if the program files (x86) folder exists under c:\ then it's 64-bit, if there's only Program Files then it's 32-bit).

For 32-bit windows7, 32-bit Windows Vista, or Windows XP (99% chance it's 32-bit as the 64-bit XP wasn't very well adopted) Use "C:\Program Files"

The pop-up list could either mean the start menu (which pops up when you click on the start button) or even an icon you pin to the task bar.

Xanija · Jan 8, 2014

superballs said:
Actually, this likely won't work for most. It's not exactly common to have the program files on the E drive and the path is different for a US English installation.

Yeah, I was quite sure most people know where their Steam folder is located, otherwise they would ask

Xanija · Jan 8, 2014

@dada8787 & K3V:

Please let me know if you need any further help on that or if it works for you.

K3V · Jan 8, 2014

I tried it out and it wouldn't work, probably because I'm on Windows XP. I've got my plunger button mapped to Enter so it's not a HUGE deal but it'd be much nicer to have it boot right in at launch.

Thanks though. Was hoping I could just do pinballarcade.exe -noconfig or something and get it working. Maybe in the next release?

Xanija · Jan 8, 2014

Yeah, on XP you don't have this taskbar functionality for programs. But you could try to create a new shortcut on the desktop, and link it to

"<path to your Steam Directory>\Steam.exe" steam://rungameid/238260", so if your Steam sits in c:\program files\steam, the link should look like this:

"c:\program files\Steam\Steam.exe" steam://rungameid/238260

Then the only thing to do is put this shortcut to your autorun.

Don't forget the " ", because of the blank in the path.

K3V · Jan 8, 2014

Yeah that's exactly what I did, it still prompts for the config utility this way on XP unfortunately.

dada8787 · Jan 9, 2014

Xanija said:
@dada8787 & K3V:

Please let me know if you need any further help on that or if it works for you.

yeah thanx

Im using win 8.1

can u pls explain me step by step. I have already Pinball Arcade.exe in autostart folder but when windows start first config window appears and there is no way to continue without pressing enter.

Xanija · Jan 9, 2014

Hmmm.. I have checked something on my system which makes me believe my solution won't work for you. I have just started pinballarcade.exe, and it didn't start the configuration tool. So there must be some other reason why the configuration tools doesn't start for me.

Mike Reitmeyer · Jan 9, 2014

dada8787 said:
yeah thanx

Im using win 8.1

can u pls explain me step by step. I have already Pinball Arcade.exe in autostart folder but when windows start first config window appears and there is no way to continue without pressing enter.

If you haven't used the config before (or in some cases where we add new features) the config will come up when you try to run Pinball Arcade since it needs you to set the settings first. Once they are set you should be able to run Pinball Arcade by running PinballArcade.exe and it shouldn't bring up the config app. Check to make sure you have a settings.dat file in your PA save folder. Usually "My Games/Pinball Aracde".

Ton · Jan 10, 2014

Because it is not a big problem for me I didn't pay attention to it, but I have the same issue. I am on Windows 7.
When I start TPA with PinballArcade.exe the 1st time after starting my pc, I first see "Connecting to Steam account...." and then I get a window where I must choose between "Play" and "Launch Configuration Utility". As long as I don't close Steam, after exiting TPA I can start TPA again immediately with PinballArcade.exe without the option for configuration. (I have a settings.dat file)
But, with regards to Mike Reitmeyer's reply, could it be that there is a misunderstanding ? For the OP and me as well, running PinballArcade.exe does not bring up the config app, but a choice to Play or Launch Config Utility where we have to click Enter for Play. Correct me if I did understand it wrong.

dada8787 · Jan 10, 2014

Ton said:
Because it is not a big problem for me I didn't pay attention to it, but I have the same issue. I am on Windows 7.
When I start TPA with PinballArcade.exe the 1st time after starting my pc, I first see "Connecting to Steam account...." and then I get a window where I must choose between "Play" and "Launch Configuration Utility". As long as I don't close Steam, after exiting TPA I can start TPA again immediately with PinballArcade.exe without the option for configuration. (I have a settings.dat file)
But, with regards to Mike Reitmeyer's reply, could it be that there is a misunderstanding ? For the OP and me as well, running PinballArcade.exe does not bring up the config app, but a choice to Play or Launch Config Utility where we have to click Enter for Play. Correct me if I did understand it wrong.

Yes this is what im trying to explain. When I TURN ON my comp PinballArcade.exe start immediately but config app appear before game was launched. So I need to press enter to go.
Now, if I close the game but Steam is still working launching the game AGAIN will be now without config window.

So I think all of you who are saying Its possible to launch the game without config window HAVE STEAM ALREADY RUNNING.

Unfortunately when you turn your computer ON, and click on PinballArcade.exe first (without Steam running) config window will appear.

This is very annoying if you have pinball cabinet because you have to have keyboard connected to skip that window (enter) to get into the game.

Mike Reitmeyer · Jan 10, 2014

To clarify.

If you launch the game from the Steam Client, you will get asked if you want to run the config tool or the game.

If you launch from the exe from the steam installation directory (Commonly "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\PinballArcade") it should launch the game, unless there is an issue with your configuration, then it will run the configuration tool. If you are trying to do this, try these steps.
1. Look for settings.dat in your My Games/Pinball Arcade folder. On Win 7 this is in "C:\Users\Your User Name\My Games\Pinball Arcade"
2. Delete settings.dat if it is there. Do not delete anything else!
3. Run PBAConfig.exe from the PBA Steam folder and set the settings you want and click Done.
4. There should now be a settings.dat file in that save folder, if not, then there is a bigger issue. Right click settings.dat and do properties. It should be 44 bytes in size.
5. Run PinballArcade.exe and it should boot without bringing up the config tool each time.

SilverBalls · Jan 10, 2014

I know Steam is a great distribution platform for TPA and all that, but since having in my cabinet I feel like I have a bad cold that I just can't shake off. The way it pops up an advert every now again gives the impression of Spyware. In some way it's like you have to pay protection money (in the form of adverts) to play a game that you have paid for. In simple terms it's a big pain in the a*se.

Ton · Jan 10, 2014

Mike Reitmeyer said:
To clarify.

If you launch the game from the Steam Client, you will get asked if you want to run the config tool or the game.

If you launch from the exe from the steam installation directory (Commonly "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\PinballArcade") it should launch the game, unless there is an issue with your configuration, then it will run the configuration tool. If you are trying to do this, try these steps.
1. Look for settings.dat in your My Games/Pinball Arcade folder. On Win 7 this is in "C:\Users\Your User Name\My Games\Pinball Arcade"
2. Delete settings.dat if it is there. Do not delete anything else!
3. Run PBAConfig.exe from the PBA Steam folder and set the settings you want and click Done.
4. There should now be a settings.dat file in that save folder, if not, then there is a bigger issue. Right click settings.dat and do properties. It should be 44 bytes in size.
5. Run PinballArcade.exe and it should boot without bringing up the config tool each time.

Did all that meanwhile (deleted settings.dat, ran PBAConfig, checked settings.dat=44 bytes). When I run PinballArcade.exe after that I am still asked if I want to Play or Launch configuration utility, as before.

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