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Windows 7 doesn't recognize plunger

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JohannIX
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2020 5:58 pm

Windows 7 doesn't recognize plunger

Post by JohannIX » Mon Jan 20, 2020 6:03 pm

Hello, I'm trying to get my plunger working and while the keyboard emulator works, I'm unable to use the actual plunger or tilt features.

I have:
- Set bios USB Legacy mode to disabled.
- Downloaded the .inf file and attempted to install the drivers manually. Windows reports no drivers found.
- Boot into safe mode and attempt to clean up an errant entries in device manager. There were none. Manual install yielded same results.
- Plugged into each different usb ports on my computer. No drivers found.
- Let windows attempt to find the drivers online.

Is there a drivers pack I might download or something I can do about this?

Thanks, John.

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Zebulon
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Re: Windows 7 doesn't recognize plunger

Post by Zebulon » Tue Jan 21, 2020 10:37 am

Hi John,

The upload of the newer driver didn't take I guess. I've repaired the link to the new driver and it can be downloaded from here ....

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=5

Sorry for the confusion.

JohannIX
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2020 5:58 pm

Re: Windows 7 doesn't recognize plunger

Post by JohannIX » Thu Feb 06, 2020 11:26 am

Thank you, with the new .inf file, the drivers loaded and I can look at the hardware properties which shows the plunger on com3.

I still have a problem though...

Following the instructions in the manual, I added the batch and .vbs files into the FP tables directory.
- In FP Preferences, Zebsboard plunger is selected and checkmarked as active.
- I changed the comports to COM3 and saved each .bat file.
- Following the example, I opened up 8 Ball Deluxe and opened the script file.
- When I add the line CreateObject("Wscript.Shell").Run "ZBLA.bat",0,True into the file, I get two different types of errors.
1. Adding to the top of the script under 'Option Explicit', I get: Script error Line 173, Type Mismatch 'Display'.
2. If I add the line after the variables (DIm's etc), or within the actual script run subroutine, I get Script Error 143, ActiveX component can't create object: 'wscript.shell'.

I was assuming that by default, without running the .bat file or adding the script, the plunger would be in a default mode and would operate as an analog plunger without any special configuration. However, this is not the case, the plunger does not move at all.

Thanks for your help.
Last edited by JohannIX on Sat Feb 08, 2020 9:43 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Zebulon
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Re: Windows 7 doesn't recognize plunger

Post by Zebulon » Thu Feb 06, 2020 12:16 pm

Is this a question for FP or VP?

For FP you have to switch through the frontend as I've never been able to figure out the scripting for FP and the active x error is a common one.

The default for the plunger at startup is indeed analog operation BUT once you switch it by serial command it will remain in that mode until switched again by serial command or until it is reset by a power cycle.

An example:

If you have played a table that switched it to digital and then turned off the system after gameplay, the plunger is still in digital mode. If your computer doesn't have the USB charging circuit turned off in the BIOS then the plunger remains on while the computer is off and doesn't reset on the next power on of the computer. In this instance the plunger will be in digital mode the 1st time you use it unless the table has switched the mode or the frontend has switched the mode.

It's why I recommend turning off the charging feature in the BIOS as the plunger needs to reset occasionally to ensure proper operation. I also advocate putting the plunger back to analog mode upon exiting an emulator and returning to the frontend by running the ZBLA command in "launch after" or whatever the equivalent is in the frontend.

JohannIX
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2020 5:58 pm

Re: Windows 7 doesn't recognize plunger

Post by JohannIX » Sat Feb 08, 2020 10:57 am

Sorry about the confusion, I'm using Future Pinball exclusively and the 'VP' was a typo. I've edited this in my previous post.

I had read previously about the issues surrounding the charging feature of most bios setups and had searched my bios for this, but didn't find anything resembling it as an option (I did set Legacy Mode to disable, however). I'm assuming that this only controls the usb power after the computer is turned off (usb still being powered vs turning off usb with the pc power).

I'm assuming that somehow before the table loads through the front-end (hyperspin, hyperfe), I need to insert a command that runs the .bat file before the table loads. If I'm understanding this, the .bat file will run the .vbs and program the controller on the plunger. The game loads and the plunger should be active. The plunger will remain in that mode indefinitely (unless a different .bat file is run). From this I can assume that if I'm at the command prompt and type in ZBLA the plunger will be programmed. Then, If I launch FP by itself (not from a front end) and launch a table, that I should be able to use the plunger? I tried this again, going through each of the usb ports. When I change the FP setup to 'mouse', the on screen plunger moves.

I apologize, I'm still a little bit unclear of what to do next.

https://ibb.co/xmgdTLq Running ZBLA
https://ibb.co/sWKfFhd FP Settings
https://ibb.co/Nstfwdt USB settings in bios

JohannIX
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2020 5:58 pm

Re: Windows 7 doesn't recognize plunger

Post by JohannIX » Sat Feb 08, 2020 4:49 pm

Quick update - still doesn't work on the PC I'm using for my table, but I tried:

1. Installed visual pinball /vpinmame and a Table, loaded it up and the plunger doesn't work.
2. Used my gaming laptop: plugged in the plunger, it loaded and was set up automatically.. But the only evidence I see in the device manager is a serial device COM3 in the ports folder. I installed virtual pinball and was able to use the plunger. I attempted to install future pinball but for some reason it didn't work in win10, program hung/closed, couldn't click options etc.

So through all this I surmise that whatever driver is being loaded for the plunger isn't recognized by future pinball, or may not be the correct driver anyway. This is super frustrating that after months of downloads and configuring everything perfectly, wiring my cabinet up, getting everything working - except the stumbling block that may kill my project may be this plunger.

If anyone else reading this has a win7 setup, I'd love to hear from you - thanks.

The computer I need to use for my project:
Dell Optiplex 760, 32gb ram and ATI graphics card, win7

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Zebulon
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Re: Windows 7 doesn't recognize plunger

Post by Zebulon » Sat Feb 08, 2020 5:39 pm

According to the picture you provided previously you have the plunger set to use the Y axis on the board as the plunger, you need to use the z axis.

X axis (left right) and Y axis (forward backward) are the nudging axis. Change it to the z axis and you should be fine.

JohannIX
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2020 5:58 pm

Re: Windows 7 doesn't recognize plunger

Post by JohannIX » Sun Mar 15, 2020 5:05 pm

Thanks for the reply, honestly I haven't looked at it/touched it until today. Changing to the Z axis worked, I haven't tried attempting to see if the nudge settings work. However, the action on the screen does not match the action of pulling the plunger back. Also, when released, there is a pause then the ball is pushed forward. Time to research this and see if anyone has come up with a solution.

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Zebulon
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Re: Windows 7 doesn't recognize plunger

Post by Zebulon » Wed Mar 18, 2020 10:21 am

The solution is somewhere in your software environment.

Looking at your settings in the image you linked to previously you haven't assigned any axis to the nudge settings, you need to link the x and y axis to the respective input setting.

The way to check the hardware function is to verify the operation in the gamepad control panel (right click on plunger in devices and printers, select gamepad properties (or whatever it is listed as) which ultimately takes you to the control panel applet.

You can verify the response of the left/right and forward/back (x/y) movemt by the crosshairs and the plunger response in the z axis sliders. If the unit is in gamepad mode it can verify the button presses as well but if it is in keyboard mode you need to either use an online keyboard tester or notepad (which won't show up the majority of the basic controls as they are non-printing keystrokes - shift, ctrl, etc).

If you verify the response this way, you will likely see that the unit is functioning properly in windows. That would indicate that the issue is with your game/front end setup. I know that you are using FP, which can be a bit of a bear to get configured, but what is your front-end that you are using? Most if not all of them have some issues with trying to take over the game controller button layouts and defaults (PinballX jumps to mind).

Looking at the images you linked to again I see that you have the USB enabled. That's good, but not what I was talking about with regard to your actual USB port behaviour in standby. If your computer supports offline charging through the USB port you need to disable it. If left on it will hold all connected devices as active when the computer is off which will mess with the device identification and enumeration at boot. This can cause a delay in response during gameplay as windows needs to search out the device, read the input and report it back to the game during every input event. When properly initialized and enumerated, this all happens much faster.

The driver is actually just a virtual comport driver, it does nothing with regard to the gamepad features and operation except provide the usb to serial conversion for setting up a comport.

JohannIX
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2020 5:58 pm

Re: Windows 7 doesn't recognize plunger

Post by JohannIX » Mon Apr 20, 2020 6:11 pm

I haven't yet sat down to troubleshoot further because it's going to be awhile before I'm done being upset and discouraged. I'm disappointed that I never received a response to my return request email I sent back in March.

Before I started, I wiped the drive and installed a fresh copy of windows. The only thing extra that was installed was future pinball. Out of curiosity, why would my software environment be a problem considering everything is stock?

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