VP9.08 USER GUIDE - Documentation & Help

[Wizards_Hat]

I've finally "finished" the VP user guide (documentation).

The guide comprises:
- every single option, menu item, and setting in the entire Visual Pinball Editor
- key codes
- VP units
- and what was previously referred to as "object settings" - that is the properties, methods and events for every playfield object (this has been updated by checking every possible item against the source code).

There are separate versions for VP9.08 & VP9.09.
The 9.08 version, as far as I'm aware this should be virtually the same for all versions of VP9 upto 9.08.
9.09 is different enough in menus & other options to warrant a different document.

The 9.08 version is now here: http://www.pinballnirvana.com/UpDownload-req-getit-lid-1944.html
The 9.09 version is here: http://www.pinballnirvana.com/UpDownload-req-getit-lid-1945.html

There are still a few little things that are unknown to me about the editor, and these are highlighted in the document in red text (if anyone knows about these, please let me know so I can update the guide).

As this is the initial release, and it is intended to be a working document, please feel free to forward any suggestions, errors, omissions, improvements etc..

Finally, thanks to everyone that has helped me with this project so far - Noah, Destruk, Rascal, Uncle Willy, and also to Cold1 & Forchia whose original VP guide was the inspiration for this one. (sorry if I've missed anyone out!)

Regards,
Dan.

 

[Shockman]

Is it specific on what settings can be used in the script, and what settings are only available in the editor?

 

[Wizards_Hat]

It's more to do with the editor settings, but the 3rd appendix is an update of Roland, AngelEyeUK, and Proginoskes's VP object settings file (from 2005).
So from this you can see every property, method, and event available in the script.

Hope this helps,
Regards,
Dan.

 

[Shockman]

Full documentation needed to be done long ago. This puts you up at the top as far as I'm concerned.

It is a shame that it is incomplete though, because for everything that was put into VP there is a person out there that knows what it is. Personally, if I was heading VP dev and there was a mystery routine show up which no one knew who put it there, why it is there, and what function it is serving it would be taken out then and there.

In any documentation, the lions share of the content is going to be the content that people need no documentation for. The obvious. Good documentation should be this, but it's primary purpose, as far as use, is going to be as reference to things that the user does not know, and it needs to be complete. If the answers are not forthcoming from the people that created the function, that is shameful no end. If the answers are not forthcoming from people that use these functions, it is worse.

Good luck with the completion of this project.

 

[Shockman]

I have just very briefly skimmed that and saw a few errors in regards to what is limited to the editor and what can be used in the script. At least some of the visible properties for various elements are listed as script, when all is both editor and script.

Also the documentation should mention that gamepads are supported, in the keycodes section, because the keycodes for these devices are supported directly as well.

I will help. I will read throughly, and I will test as many of the unknowns as I can, but if they have to do with hardware I have no way or interest.

 

[Wizards_Hat]

I have just very briefly skimmed that and saw a few errors in regards to what is limited to the editor and what can be used in the script. At least some of the visible properties for various elements are listed as script, when all is both editor and script.

Thanks...just let me know any that you notice...I swear by the time I got to checking through all those I was just blind to it.

Also the documentation should mention that gamepads are supported, in the keycodes section, because the keycodes for these devices are supported directly as well.

ok - didn't know this, or even think to check it, as I've never used a gamepad. Again, any knowledge you have here would be appreciated.

I will help. I will read throughly, and I will test as many of the unknowns as I can, but if they have to do with hardware I have no way or interest.

Yeah...most of the unknowns are to do with analog controllers/plungers etc, so there's really very few people that know exactly what they do I think...and to be honest, it would've taken me forever to trawl through the source code to the point where I knew exactly what they did...and I also have no interest in them, so my motivation to that was nil!

However...this guide has only been released a few hours & over the 2 sites (here & vpf) & the 2 versions (9.08 & 9.09) it's had over 70 downloads - so hopefully some people will be forthcoming with some more help :)

btw - The next step in this project, and the ulitmate aim of it from the outset, is to create a built-in help file for VP itself. I did all this just to ensure I could get everything written down in a way that would make sense to people (& be accurate!).
...it's always bugged me that the "help" menu in vp was nothing of the sort, and hopefully, come the next release, I can have sorted that :)

Regards,
Dan.

 

[Shockman]

By reading the other side of some of the arguments I have been in you would think that nearly everyone has these devices and they would have forgotten how to make a plunger work otherwise, and hardware questions would be almost a matter of 'ask anyone'.

If I had the hardware, I would surly check it out, and clear this up. What ever they do should have an effect, and many of these few users that have the hardware I would dream would be willing to do the same. And if they didn't do anything, I would just omit them if I were you.

Cause and effect is not exactly rocket science, if you have the elements to test it.

It's great for VP to finally have a users manual though.

Thank you.