Giving John's Country Carnival a 900K workout

[GSGregg]

Is anyone else still playing this one? (Green Knight?)

I decided it would seem less of a fluke if I showed the previous high game, so I had to grab the screenshot before Game Over erased it. Problems, problems.....

Thanks, tiltjlp---and Terry, wherever you are

Gregg

Attached Thumbnails

[Ike Savage]

i'm not seeing the thumbs, grand stationmaster gregory,
also i'm mainly on reddit (and occasionally FB) these days, if anybody needs me.

er... but why would anybody need me? :P

[GSGregg]

I'm not sure, Ike; is it your turn to feed the iguana?

[GSGregg]

Originally Posted by Ike Savage

...I'm mainly on reddit (and occasionally FB) these days, if anybody needs me.

er... but why would anybody need me? :P

Because somebody (like me) might experiment with convention and tangle things up!


While my old XP / AGP machine was spiraling down the drain, I went about ten months without playing Country Carnival; now that I have a working PC again, I thought I'd catch up, but I get a script error, Line 275 'Active X component can't create object: VPMidi.clsVPMidi'. The Plugin zip was extracted to C:\ Program Files\Visual Pinball\ Music, and the table and pianobackground played fine. The old C: drive is now in an external enclosure and serves as F: drive for the new comp, and VP works fine there.


Except for John's Country Carnival.


In the MIDI Sample Table Readme, destruk directed registering Visual Basic Runtime Library v6 (MSVBM60.DLL) after putting it in, for instance, C:\WINDOWS\System...but have I scrambled possible registration with my F: drive arrangement?


Gregg

[Ike Savage]

Ahoy, matey!

Jon had previously shared CC 1.2 in a post, with the midi file included:
http://www.pinballnirvana.com/forums...8&d=1259103922

That work?

[GSGregg]

I'm pretty sure his is the link from which I got v1.2, and VPMidi.clsVPMidi was from Robert Kundrat in Steverd's 'Spring Break - working?' thread. The Visual Basic Runtime Library v6 that destruk discussed (no 2nd 'V' in MSVB*M60.DLL) is not on my drive, but I guess the 'double V' version is close enough, because it IS on my drive and CCv1.2 did fine until the link to the registry was severed.

I guess I'll let it select its own path, and see what happens...

[Ike Savage]

Ah, okay.

Let me know how things work out. I haven't messed with the plugin-type tables for... phew, well over 10+ years. Closer to 15, really.

Could be interesting, tho.

[GSGregg]

I'll be damned - I always assumed only one Command Prompt per computer, but I found cmd.exe in Drive C:\ for the new (refurbished) PC AND Drive F:\, which was Drive C:\ in the old machine. All of my VP stuff is still on that (F:\) drive except for VPMidi.clsVPMidi which I copied to C:\WINDOWS\system in addition to the F:\ drive counterpart (the Runtime Library v6, MSVBVM60.dll, is already loaded to system32 in both drives).

Destruk's revelation (finally - MIDI with BP!) is from Nov 8, 2001, is a good read (aren't they always?), and is here in case someone wants to compare my CMD prowess with destruk's instructions for registering the MIDI library...

Both drives produce the same error code, 0x80004005, and I did see a YouTube video in which the star downloaded another copy of his target file (not VPMidi, of course) in case his was corrupted. Talk about your B-flat remedies...

When Country Carnival is opened, the blueprint comes up fine - but starting the game brings up the script error, 'ActiveX component can't create object: VPMidi.clsVPMidi', and the table never renders. Hopefully, somebody will have an inkling of what's haywire...

OH - by the way; the music plays just fine through Media Player...and maybe even through VLC, too!

EDIT: I stumbled back onto the video, but it doesn't seem to offer much help...
RETRACTION: After going to the page and past the ads, there indeed does seem to be potential help in the text of the article (Registry Key and Corrupt .dll file. Still B-flat, but at least it's multiple choice!)

https://errorcodespro.com/fix-error-...-windows-7-10/

[Ike Savage]

So looking at the script, the only purpose of VPMidi in this table is to play the little piano background tune. Basically just a circuitous way of hacking in a .mid file instead of converting it to a compatible sound file, which it would have been better to have done in the first place for this table.


Having said that, here's a quick workaround--

- Play the .mid file ("Pianobackgrnd.mid") in Winamp or Windows Media or player of choice. Put it on repeat.

- In the script, near the very beginning, look for "Sub CountryCarnival_Init()"

- Place an apostrophe in front of the following "StartMidi" line, such that it now reads "'StartMidi"

- Start the table.


Unless you have other tables you're wanting to play that require VPMidi, I don't see the point in wasting time trying to get it running in your current config. VPMidi is arguably a plugin that was of debatable merit in the first place, and is completely unnecessary now. The main argument for it was probably tables that used loads of midi files in the days when people were still using dialup, thus making a smaller download.

Good?


Btw Gregg-- did you see that treasure trove of older tables someone linked here about a month ago? There were some classics that aren't archived here or anywhere else.

[GSGregg]

Originally Posted by Ike Savage

- Play the .mid file ("Pianobackgrnd.mid") in Winamp or Windows Media or player of choice. Put it on repeat.

Every time I play the table?

Originally Posted by Ike Savage

- In the script, near the very beginning, look for "Sub CountryCarnival_Init()"
- Place an apostrophe in front of the following "StartMidi" line, such that it now reads "'StartMidi"

- Start the table.

So, commenting out stops it from being a spike-strip to the running of the table?

Originally Posted by Ike Savage

...I don't see the point in wasting time trying to get it running in your current config...

Same reason my 1966 Gran Sport still has its lumbering 401-inch V8 instead of a Tesla electric setup; old stuff that still works has personality. (Of course, there's also the money...or lack of same)

Originally Posted by Ike Savage

Good?

Btw Gregg-- did you see that treasure trove of older tables someone linked here about a month ago? There were some classics that aren't archived here or anywhere else.

Yeah, good - thanks for the insight. I always thought MIDI was to make a French Horn come out of an amplifier while a Piccolo writhed between your lips...


I did see a bunch of Future Pinball originals by, I think, Mark 1? But, VP Recreations? Not sure. Hafta go browsing...

[Ike Savage]

Originally Posted by GSGregg

Every time I play the table?

Er, how often are you planning on playing the table? oO

But yeah, it shouldn't be too hard to convert it in to a non-midi table, if you need a hand with that.

So, commenting out stops it from being a spike-strip to the running of the table?

Yes. Didn't you try it?

Same reason my 1966 Gran Sport still has its lumbering 401-inch V8 instead of a Tesla electric setup; old stuff that still works has personality. (Of course, there's also the money...or lack of same)

Meh. This would be more like trying to preserve a custom hack someone rigged up in the shop. Instead of using a Buick part, they stuck some import chrome pieces on for some reason.

I did see a bunch of Future Pinball originals by, I think, Mark 1? But, VP Recreations? Not sure. Hafta go browsing...

I think they're all originals; no re-creations:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...gPFUn-HIyenjFg

[GSGregg]

Sorry for the extended absence, Ike;

All I want to do is layer the small image over an unpopulated space on the larger image...and do you think there's a coherent how-to on the friggin' web? On the old XP machine, I did several edge-to-edge combinations, but no superimpositions, so I had no experience there that would help with W7's new, improved(!?) version of Paint.

I mean, how hard can it be to Paste a Copied image over a larger, background, image? I wind up looking for a Paste option that's either grayed out or nonexistent in the particular menu - like, wut the phuk!

So, forgetting the superimposition and just attaching two separate images, I'll try to get down to business...

Quote: GSGregg

So, commenting out stops it from being a spike-strip to the running of the table?

Quote, Ike: Yes. Didn't you try it?

I hadn't yet at the time; never dug into Visual Basic to see how things actually work...and that the commented line is just skipped by the resuming sequence. Game is playable now, but not repeatable without a little extra attention...

_________________________

That Google Drive file collection looks old...I know Wrenchien is a name from before my time in VP. Wonder how old those tables are...?
_________________________

At the end of Country Carnival, there's something else which didn't happen before (see attachments below) and has to be X'ed out before a new game can start...

I tried to see what it all meant, but you know how less-dick-sick can be.....


There is sufficient room in the lower right corner of the script pic to accept the Permission Denied box...without obscuring any text, but.....


Gregg

[Ike Savage]

Originally Posted by GSGregg

Sorry for the extended absence, Ike;

1) All I want to do is layer the small image over an unpopulated space on the larger image...and do you think there's a coherent how-to on the friggin' web? On the old XP machine, I did several edge-to-edge combinations, but no superimpositions, so I had no experience there that would help with W7's new, improved(!?) version of Paint.

I mean, how hard can it be to Paste a Copied image over a larger, background, image? I wind up looking for a Paste option that's either grayed out or nonexistent in the particular menu - like, wut the phuk!

So, forgetting the superimposition and just attaching two separate images, I'll try to get down to business...

2) Quote: GSGregg

Quote, Ike: Yes. Didn't you try it?

I hadn't yet at the time; never dug into Visual Basic to see how things actually work...and that the commented line is just skipped by the resuming sequence. Game is playable now, but not repeatable without a little extra attention...

_________________________

3) That Google Drive file collection looks old...I know Wrenchien is a name from before my time in VP. Wonder how old those tables are...?
_________________________

4) At the end of Country Carnival, there's something else which didn't happen before (see attachments below) and has to be X'ed out before a new game can start...

I tried to see what it all meant, but you know how less-dick-sick can be.....


There is sufficient room in the lower right corner of the script pic to accept the Permission Denied box...without obscuring any text, but.....


Gregg

1) What graphics program are you using? I can't think of a single one that wouldn't let you do that, including MS Paint.

2) Don't forget I offered to help you give it a permanent fix. It would involve converting the midi file and making a small change in-script.

3) They go back to the early aughts. Note that there's a few can't-miss tables in there they'd I've starred and highlighted.

Wrenchien's tables are weird, goofy and childish, but they're also pretty creative and give you a sense that VP can do a lot more than standard-look PB tables.

4) That looks related to an admin-rights or read-only setting. I'd say:

Right-click the active VP folder, choose Properties, choose Security, and then there's a bunch of permission settings, both there and in "Advanced" tab. Try to add any obvious permissions and see if that works.

You could also just comment out SaveHighScore if you don't care about the HS save. Best place to do it would be the first instance in script.

[Ike Savage]

Also, some advice--

I don't mind helping out with issues when I can, but it's helpful if you can stay on top of things from your end.

Some of this stuff is easy to answer, but other stuff requires me to do some testing, look through scripts (etc) and think about possible solutions. If it's something I haven't touched for years, chances are I'm going to forget it pretty quickly, too. Just a word to the wise.

[GSGregg]

Well, forty-six days in which to read about permissions, ownership, etc, and comprehend none of it.....but I did notice that when I turned off User Account Control to connect with PINemHi (not something I ever had to do on my XP machine), the Special feature(?) tallies save and the aftergame fireworks show works (Yay!). I could have gone a long time without discovering this, since Country Carnival has no VPinMAME and therefore no reason to be hooked up to PINemHi.

Plus, I'd figured UAC came out with Vista or 7, while Carnival was released in ~2002...