Messages

1

Themes / Re: Intro Gallery - Post a link to your favourite intro

« on: February 11, 2022, 04:08:28 AM »

I made this intro based upon the credits opening from the movie Blade Runner. I was always mesmerized by the theme and somberness of the music that played over this. I thought I'd repurpose it as an intro:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/en7sCVZoHWdGorfD6

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Themes / Re: The 'PCCA' project - a Hyperspin layout for Attract-Mode [Ready!] + Gift!!

« on: February 10, 2022, 06:53:56 PM »

Version 1.15 of this layout fixes a bug when PCCA is used as a main menu layout, the main menu info could not be hidden.
It also increases the size of the game title, in a system's game info screen (similar to the original hyperspin).

Download and Instructions on how to use:
http://forum.attractmode.org/index.php?topic=3526.0

Increased title text size:

Yaron, please repost PCCA for download. The mega.nz link is broken. Thanks!

And apologies for the necro-bump.

3

General / Re: InstantSheller in Win7 - Need to Hide Batch Command Prompt

« on: February 24, 2018, 02:40:31 PM »

keilmillerjr, hermine.potter, YellowBirdAZ, All,

I figured it out why on some installs/cab builds using the <directory\attract.exe> -c <directory> command does not always work. It is pretty simple. If there is a space in the directory name, the command fails. In one of my builds, the directory was 'c:\Attract Mode', with a space between 'Attract' and 'Mode'. In another build, it was just 'c:\AttractMode', with no space.

Flipped the builds back and forth removing the space in the directory name and then updating the shell command. Like clock work, it would fail with the space in the directory name, then work without the space in the directory name.

Give it a shot and see if you an replicate it.

4

General / Re: InstantSheller in Win7 - Need to Hide Batch Command Prompt

« on: February 17, 2018, 12:48:37 PM »

I am using AM ver 2.3. Also, I can confirm that command works!

Interestingly enough, I bricked my HDD and had to reinstall everything last night. After everything was back up and running, I tried the command and it worked perfectly. I haven't run all the Windows updates on the restore. I have only installed the roll-up update pack and essential files (.Net, Visual C++, drivers). Perhaps Windows Updates is causing some conflict. But it works now without any work-arounds. Thanks!

5

General / Re: InstantSheller in Win7 - Need to Hide Batch Command Prompt

« on: February 16, 2018, 08:20:42 PM »

The command I posted does work. It points attract to the config directory. It does not hide the console like you think? I’m so confused now as to what you are trying to do and have already done.

I am just trying to shell directly to AM properly. I achieved it by shelling to the batch file, but that leaves the batch file command window visible. I want to get rid of that. Just straight shell to AM.

I am sure that command works, it just doesn't work on this build I am working on. What's happening now is that Attract Mode doesn't even launch upon bootup entering that command from the registry. I'll pass on figuring it out for now as the BATCH-to-EXE work-around works. And so look towards the next build using that command and report back.

6

General / Re: InstantSheller in Win7 - Need to Hide Batch Command Prompt

« on: February 16, 2018, 04:10:13 PM »

Burrrr, so I did get it to work as desired with the BAT-to-EXE converter posted earlier by @hermine.potter. Now the command console does not appear just before AM loads. AM launches fine. I checked to make sure that focus wasn't stolen after launching a few games. Seems to be all good and accomplishes what I set out to do. Should be noted that I can set InstantSheller to shell to the exe I created, or works by making the registry change manually.

But but but but, adding in this entry to the registry didn't work for me at all:

C:\Attract Mode\attract.exe -c C:\Attract Mode

Wasn't from a lack of trying either. Trying from normal Windows Explorer after undoing changes from InstantSheller didn't work. Tried it without the 'C:\Attract Mode' suffix at the end of the entry, and with it. With the backslash at the end and without it. With quotations, without them. Made the changes after using InstantSheller and bringing up regedit. Typed in the entry precisely, copied the directory and exe file name from the properties menu and explorer bar even. Nothing worked with this entry. Not very fun doing this on a CGA 15khz arcade monitor, I might add.

Perhaps my installation of Windows for this build has been flumoxed with enough where this would not work any longer. So I'll save investigating getting shelling to work using that registry entry for the next build which will be sometime next week.

7

General / Re: InstantSheller in Win7 - Need to Hide Batch Command Prompt

« on: February 16, 2018, 11:18:11 AM »

Hmm, changing the shell key in regedit isn't working :/. I'll give the bat-to-exe thing a shot.

8

General / Re: InstantSheller in Win7 - Need to Hide Batch Command Prompt

« on: February 16, 2018, 04:46:47 AM »

Ahh, k. I see. So for my install, I have to change the shell in regedit to:

"C:\Attract Mode\attract.exe -c C:\Attract Mode"

I'll give this a shot and see what happens.

9

General / Re: InstantSheller in Win7 - Need to Hide Batch Command Prompt

« on: February 15, 2018, 08:05:45 PM »

Code: [Select]

Keils-iMac:~ keiljr$ /Applications/Attract.app/Contents/MacOS/attract -c /Users/keiljr/.attract
Edit paths as appropriate for your windows install. Problem solved.

that code you posted is for MacOS. Am I missing something here? What is the corresponding action or change needed for Windows 7? Also, instantSheller does things such as hides parts of Windows which improves the presentation. Allows for boot logos. Sort of makes the presentation better. InstantSheller is not really avoidable for a cab build.

10

General / Re: InstantSheller in Win7 - Need to Hide Batch Command Prompt

« on: February 15, 2018, 12:10:17 PM »

Why not just set attract as shell in registry?

Shelling directly to "attract.exe" (or using InstantSheller to do that) creates a weird conflict where it seems Attract Mode is launched with the settings menu open.

11

General / Re: InstantSheller in Win7 - Need to Hide Batch Command Prompt

« on: February 15, 2018, 02:52:54 AM »

@albert_c
it's an exiting topic an i have some ideas too.
an section emulators already exists.
maybe an admin or mod could create a new section for cab building?!

I am up for contributing to such a sub-forum. I started out with MAME emulation and HyperSpin, then graduated to arcade collecting. I now have over 20 CRT-based arcade cabs. Wouldn't mind contributing to give back to this community.

12

General / Re: InstantSheller in Win7 - Need to Hide Batch Command Prompt

« on: February 15, 2018, 12:40:41 AM »

Alright. I'll put a video series together on Youtube then. Won't link to it here. But will give a shout out to Attract Mode appropriately.

13

General / Re: InstantSheller in Win7 - Need to Hide Batch Command Prompt

« on: February 14, 2018, 11:43:39 PM »

Interesting. I'll give it a shot and update this thread.

One more question before I get to that however; is there a definitive guide for cab building (15kkhz/CGA/Arcade Monitor-type) located anywhere on this site or Youtube? I have lots of expertise in this area and wouldn't mind contributing in that manner. But don't want to duplicate efforts either.

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General / InstantSheller in Win7 - Need to Hide Batch Command Prompt

« on: February 14, 2018, 07:50:15 PM »

I have InstantSheller working to shell to a batch file to launch Attract Mode as instructed here. Want to take this a step further and hide the launching of the batch file which is visible just before AM loads. This is cosmetic but makes a difference with presentation in a cab build.

Been reading about how to achieve this for other applications and have been unsuccessful. What is mentioned is to edit the batch file to run it minimized. Or the other way is to use a VBS script to launch the batch file; thus the batch file shall be hidden by the VBS script. I have been unsuccessul in applying either method. I really know nothing about scripting other than following the work layed down by others and copy/pasting. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

15

Themes / Re: SOLVED: Nevato Theme - Missing cab graphic

« on: January 30, 2018, 01:17:19 AM »

If I had a critique, I would say, you need to add in a wheel pointer; lots of drunk people play on my cab builds

The wheel code is ported from ROBOSPIN theme - so there was a pointer originally, but I've removed it 'cos I didn't like it.
But you can simply copy-paste coresponding code from Robospin (and copy pointer image to Nevato folder) and it should work.

Great! I'll check it out tomorrow and see if I can play around with some custom pointer graphics.

FYI, I started a new build. Same deal, installed a Radeon HD4000 series video card needed for use with Calamity's hacked CRT_Emu drivers. With default Windows WDDM drivers, the cab graphic is missing. So yeah, users definitely need to update their drivers for the cab graphic to show. Probably will only ever be a problem for cab builds where older hardware is sacrificed to power MAME.