BAM Two Methods of Swapping Textures Using BAM Code

[GeorgeH]

The purpose of this tutorial is to capture comments about 2 ways of swapping texture on table objects so it is not lost.

1) The method at the following link works well but requires that table objects have a name that can be used in the script. It can't be used on ramps or other unnamed objects.

Tutorial - BAM - BAM Feature How-To Guides

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pinballnirvana.com

2) This method can be used on objects that don't have a name. It does exhibit some odd behavior on FP models that use an invisible texture.

This method replaces all textures used on the table that have the same texture name as the code in the red text below. The texture is replaced with the name of the texture in blue below. It requires adding the code in green. If you don't want to have all the objects on the table use the texture with the name in red below, you can make another copy of the texture with a different name and upload to the table and use it on the objects you want to change.

It works perfectly except when attempting to replace a texture on a model with a FPM file extension and use an invisible texture. For some reason, you must have the "Reflects off playfield" option checked for it to work. Oddly, the "Reflects off playfield" option does not need to be checked on other table objects except FP models. If you can't live with the "Reflects off playfield" option checked, then you can change the FP model unnamed model to a named object like a toy and use the code from the first option above.

===========================================
Dim PuP_Plug_Tex
Set PuP_Plug_Tex = xBAM.Get("PuPPlugin")
If PuP_Plug_Tex Is Nothing Then AddDebugText "PuP Plugin is missing"

' swap ramp texture with new texture

PuP_Plug_Tex.ReplaceTexture PuP_Plug_Tex.GetTextureId("ramp_texture"), PuP_Plug_Tex.GetTextureId("ramp_texture_2")

' swap ramp texture back to original texture

PuP_Plug_Tex.ReplaceTexture PuP_Plug_Tex.GetTextureId("ramp_texture"), PuP_Plug_Tex.GetTextureId("ramp_texture")
===========================================

This method is described in depth on this link:

Ramp and mini playfield

Can I use a ramp on (with) a mini playfield. I try but it's don't work, but maybe I've made a fault (but I know some items don't work with mini playfield). Thank in advance for tour respons.

pinballnirvana.com

 

[Popotte]

You have to create an image list with ramp texture and ramp texture.

 

[GeorgeH]

You have to create an image list with ramp texture and ramp texture.

Aye! That is true about both methods. You may not need to add the first texture to an image list if it is used on the ramp.

For sure though, it is easy to forget to add textures to an image list that are not used on the table. For those of you that don't know, FP does not load textures that are not used on the table so you add the textures to an image list to force FP to load the texture so the name of the texture can be used in the BAM coding. On Gimli's tutorial, he says to add the textures to invisible surfaces but adding them to an image list is easier.

FP does load all DMD fonts and audio listed on the font and audio (sound and music) managers. I have encountered many tables where the authors have just abandoned audio which does get loaded. I have found some tables with as much as 30MB of unused audio which will affect table loading time, even on today's PCs.

 

[Popotte]

It's normal. FP allows you to delete unused textures and models and not musics or sounds.
PlaySound Text. So you can write PlaySound "Sound" &nvBallsPerGame &CurrentPlayer, so FP can't know what is really used.

 

[GeorgeH]

It's normal. FP allows you to delete unused textures and models and not musics or sounds.
PlaySound Text. So you can write PlaySound "Sound" &nvBallsPerGame &CurrentPlayer, so FP can't know what is really used.

That is true. It is odd how many table developers abandon so much audio. It makes me wonder if they realize that FP loads all of what they add.