Arcadeflow theme v 17.5 [Release] Updated 17 December 2024

[zpaolo11x]

Seems to be the same crash even with the new layout.nut file.

Perfect, I don't know if this fixes the bug, but you can check with this new layout.nut file

[zpaolo11x]

Seems to be the same crash even with the new layout.nut file.

Sorry that layout wasn't meant to fix this error but the one on the displays menu. And the fix I sent to you later won't work either, I'm looking into the log and it seems the issue starts at the very beginning of the function, would you be so kind to run the attached layout and share the log as before? I added some debug code (this will not solve the issue)

Weird thing I noticed: I'm noticing issues with "compoud" romlists but only if I run attract-console.exe, while attract.exe seems to work fine. This is bad because without console I can't do a proper debug, and since attract.exe works it's very difficult to find what's wrong

[Enkak]

Ok, the issues persist in an AM build with only 4.6. From the log attached there seems to be some errors in the layout.nut just launching AM without even doing anything. So maybe that's the reason for the Display menu issues and others.

Thanks for the log and screenshot: I was able to replicate the bug, it's the routine to detect LCD games that messes with displays menu. If you want you can try this patched layout and tell me if it works...

With this patched layout or the newer one you posted for dukpoki at the beginning AM didn't open. It tried but closed immediately. Then I persisted and it opened. Display menu scrolling went back to normal but still no items/pictures there (they are in the menu art folder as they were in version 4.5). Entered Arcade collection, changed the switch from art to screenshots, clicked exit and AM just quit/crash. Same thing happened when I tried to change the options for Display menu to have one row instead of the 2 horizontal rows default. There's some errors in the log so maybe these help track the issue.

[zpaolo11x]

With this patched layout or the newer one you posted for dukpoki at the beginning AM didn't open. It tried but closed immediately.

I thought I had some issues on my test rig since sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, if I copy the executable and rename it it works, if I run the old executable it doesn't. I really don't know how to debug this, because all the errors make AM crash without a useful log.

There's some errors in the log so maybe these help track the issue.

What is the layout you were using when this log was generated? Would you try with this other revision I'm attaching?

[Enkak]

If I'm not mistaken the log was from the version for dukpoki since your first version with the display menu fix wasn't launching so decided to try that one too.

Now for the revised version. Took a long time for AM to launch with this one. Always closed immediately. When it finally launched I still don't have pictures in the display menu. I entered some collections, changed Arcade boxart switch to screenshots. Out, entered SNES, scrolled a little, out. Entered Mega Drive/Genesis, started scrolling, got that letter code error and AM quit/crashed. Log attached.

[zpaolo11x]

Now for the revised version. Took a long time for AM to launch with this one. Always closed immediately. When it finally launched I still don't have pictures in the display menu. I entered some collections, changed Arcade boxart switch to screenshots. Out, entered SNES, scrolled a little, out. Entered Mega Drive/Genesis, started scrolling, got that letter code error and AM quit/crashed. Log attached.

When you say "Out" do you mean you go back in the menu, or that attract mode crashes? I was able to replicate the issue you had in the previous log, but in the latest log there's no hint of what went wrong so I'm trying a last time with a revised revised layout. If this still has issues I'll have to go back to 4.5 and see step by step what works and what makes AM go crazy.

Oh, for the display images, that's probably due to the fact that the layout was looking for flyers and not snaps, but that should be fixed too in this latest layout. I don't think it will work 100% though, this update was really complicated, I need to check it on my Mac too.

[EDIT] I've been playing a bit with the new layout and it seems to work, I had no crashes up to now... I'll check better this evening

[Enkak]

Now for the revised version. Took a long time for AM to launch with this one. Always closed immediately. When it finally launched I still don't have pictures in the display menu. I entered some collections, changed Arcade boxart switch to screenshots. Out, entered SNES, scrolled a little, out. Entered Mega Drive/Genesis, started scrolling, got that letter code error and AM quit/crashed. Log attached.

When you say "Out" do you mean you go back in the menu, or that attract mode crashes? I was able to replicate the issue you had in the previous log, but in the latest log there's no hint of what went wrong so I'm trying a last time with a revised revised layout. If this still has issues I'll have to go back to 4.5 and see step by step what works and what makes AM go crazy.

Oh, for the display images, that's probably due to the fact that the layout was looking for flyers and not snaps, but that should be fixed too in this latest layout. I don't think it will work 100% though, this update was really complicated, I need to check it on my Mac too.

[EDIT] I've been playing a bit with the new layout and it seems to work, I had no crashes up to now... I'll check better this evening

Ah sorry, with "Out" I meant back to menu.

With this new version the Display Menu shows finally the pictures and logos but I still have issues entering and back to menus sadly. Normally entering the first collection works good then you go back and AM closes. Or you enter a collection, go back, try to enter another collection and AM closes. It can happen also after you change the switch from art to screenshots and going back to menu.
Also, first time with the new layout.nut AM launched normally without issues. Second time didn't launch. Third time launched normal again. 

Sorry for all the trouble, I understand this was a big and delicate update.

[zpaolo11x]

Sorry for all the trouble, I understand this was a big and delicate update.

No no I have to thank you for the feedback, it helped me a lot, it's difficult because I can't get a proper error log so I suspect that something I did doesn't play nice with Attract Mode. In 4.5 when changing displays the theme was always reloaded, one of the main features of 4.6 was that it did not need to reload, and just jump into the new display, but maybe this is not the intended behavior. I'll try to switch back and clean up everything. At the moment I can only suggest you don't use 4.6

[Enkak]

Sorry for all the trouble, I understand this was a big and delicate update.

No no I have to thank you for the feedback, it helped me a lot, it's difficult because I can't get a proper error log so I suspect that something I did doesn't play nice with Attract Mode. In 4.5 when changing displays the theme was always reloaded, one of the main features of 4.6 was that it did not need to reload, and just jump into the new display, but maybe this is not the intended behavior. I'll try to switch back and clean up everything. At the moment I can only suggest you don't use 4.6

No problem, glad to help in anyway I can. I have a build with 4.5 and another one with 4.6 just to help testing and see potential issues. Thank you again for your work.

[zpaolo11x]

No problem, glad to help in anyway I can. I have a build with 4.5 and another one with 4.6 just to help testing and see potential issues. Thank you again for your work.

Just a final test, could you test 4.6 using the "Default" Displays Menu layout? I suspect most of the issues are generated when using AF as displays menu layout... It also seems to work without issues using keys to go to next/previous display :O

[dukpoki]

Seems to be the same crash even with the new layout.nut file.

Sorry that layout wasn't meant to fix this error but the one on the displays menu. And the fix I sent to you later won't work either, I'm looking into the log and it seems the issue starts at the very beginning of the function, would you be so kind to run the attached layout and share the log as before? I added some debug code (this will not solve the issue)

Weird thing I noticed: I'm noticing issues with "compoud" romlists but only if I run attract-console.exe, while attract.exe seems to work fine. This is bad because without console I can't do a proper debug, and since attract.exe works it's very difficult to find what's wrong

Here you go.  Same crash again switching to "Arcade".

[zpaolo11x]

Here you go.  Same crash again switching to "Arcade".

I see. To save my mind from a nervous breakdown I've cooked a layout that disables completely all features related to using Arcadeflow as Displays Menu. I suggest you try this new stripped down layout, set your displays menu layout as "Default" in the options, and set Attract Mode to start in "Last selected (Default)" instead of Displays Menu.

Please let me know if, at least, this solves the Arcade library issue (you might need to run it a couple of times)

EDIT: I see something strange in your log: it seems the selected filter index is 2, but the filters array is of size 2, so filter index should only be 0 or 1, not 2. I don't know how this can happen but I'll add a check to avoid it

[Enkak]

No problem, glad to help in anyway I can. I have a build with 4.5 and another one with 4.6 just to help testing and see potential issues. Thank you again for your work.

Just a final test, could you test 4.6 using the "Default" Displays Menu layout? I suspect most of the issues are generated when using AF as displays menu layout... It also seems to work without issues using keys to go to next/previous display :O

That seems to solve the other issues for now at least. And I like that the boxart/screenshot switch saves your choice per system, really nice.

[dukpoki]

Here you go.  Same crash again switching to "Arcade".

I see. To save my mind from a nervous breakdown I've cooked a layout that disables completely all features related to using Arcadeflow as Displays Menu. I suggest you try this new stripped down layout, set your displays menu layout as "Default" in the options, and set Attract Mode to start in "Last selected (Default)" instead of Displays Menu.

Please let me know if, at least, this solves the Arcade library issue (you might need to run it a couple of times)

EDIT: I see something strange in your log: it seems the selected filter index is 2, but the filters array is of size 2, so filter index should only be 0 or 1, not 2. I don't know how this can happen but I'll add a check to avoid it

Okay perhaps there was a communication error.  I have not been using Arcadeflow as a display menu.  I have always had it disabled i.e. it was always at "Last selected (Default)"--that is if we are talking about Tab->General->Startup Mode->Show Last Selection (Default).  What I have been doing was going all the way up past the flyers, then the "Utility Menu" comes up and then I switch systems via the "Display" option.

Good news is with the new layout.nut (the one where you disabled "all features related to using Arcadeflow as Displays Menu"), switching to Arcade via that Utility Menu seems to work now without crashing.

[zpaolo11x]

Okay perhaps there was a communication error.  I have not been using Arcadeflow as a display menu.  I have always had it disabled i.e. it was always at "Last selected (Default)"--that is if we are talking about Tab->General->Startup Mode->Show Last Selection (Default).  What I have been doing was going all the way up past the flyers, then the "Utility Menu" comes up and then I switch systems via the "Display" option.

I know, but most of the issues are related to code that I added to manage displays menu, so I wanted to strip it to the bare bones.

Good news is with the new layout.nut (the one where you disabled "all features related to using Arcadeflow as Displays Menu"), switching to Arcade via that Utility Menu seems to work now without crashing.

Well that's a relief, now I only need to rewrite all the displays menu part of the code