WebLobby (MainLobby) Problem with UTMA TouchTronix Device

[BraveSirRobbin]

I am running older versions of MainLobby (ver 2.86b) and WebLobby on a MainLobby client machine (i.e. not the MLServer (ver 1.3.5) machine). I also have a TouchTronix UTMA touchscreen (with latest firmware) running an "instance" of this client machine via UTMA software (which came with the unit).

The problem I'm having is that I CAN run MainLobby on both the MainLobby client machine AND the UTMA TouchTronix device with no problems except when closing a MainLobby scene with a WebLobby swf "Background FX" (component).

Since you have to use the "web.close" command specific to the name of the MainLobby client; when you close a scene on the UTMA screen it also closes the weblobby component on the client machine (since technically they are both "named" the same with regards to a MainLobby client name).

The exact syntax I'm using in the MLServe Cmd Exit Box is (MainLobby client name is "Mopar"):

MLServeCmd.MLCmd|MLCommand~Mopar~Web.Close

I don't know of a work around that can fix this since both units use the exact same MainLobby scene, unless I'm missing something obvious (which does occasionally happen ). This is a big problem because the screen will close on the device (that is not being used) whenever someone clicks ANY scene that has a WebLobby component on it (since all those scenes use the web.close command). For instance I like to show the directory scene as a default as it has my front door web cam image on it. If someone was using say the UTMA display to navigate MainLobby scenes, the main client's directory scene will have its camera WebLobby image disappear whenever a scene (with a WebLobby component) is closed on the UTMA screen. I'm also thinking this would be a problem if someone had multiple UTMA devices as any device that issues a web.close command would close ALL of the clients.

I tried looking for an option/command to refresh/reload the scene/WebLobby FX component, but without success.

I'm hoping I'm not the first to encounter this problem and some wise member will have a fix for me!!! :lol:

I would be more than happy to upgrade my MainLobby/WebLobby software (I already have the licenses), but I'm not sure this will fix the problem as you (if memory serves me correctly) still have to use the web.close command to properly shut down a WebLobby component.

Thanks,

BSR

 

[DavidL]

Are you using two directories - one for each client instance? ie: Cinemar1 and Cinemar2? Then, in each, have a unique client name in the mainlobby.ini file to personalize each session. Too early for my brain to kick in...

Hard to remember, but I think the Web.close was managed differently with later generations. There is another version that is due out shortly as well.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Are you using two directories - one for each client instance? ie: Cinemar1 and Cinemar2? Then, in each, have a unique client name in the mainlobby.ini file to personalize each session. Too early for my brain to kick in...

Hard to remember, but I think the Web.close was managed differently with later generations. There is another version that is due out shortly as well.

Hmmm, I'm not doing that. Great idea, I'll give it a shot tonight!

When you say newer version coming out, do you mean WebLobby? Will that still require the "web.close" command?

Thanks,

BSR

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Here is what I did. I created a "CinemarUTMA" directory under "Program Files" on the client machine. I then copied the entire Cinemar directory to that new directory. I edited the MainLobby.ini file to create a "MoparUTMA" client name. I then edited all the scenes in that new directory to use that new client name in their web.close commands.

I have the client use the regular Cinemar directory and the UTMA open MainLobby.exe under the "CinemarUTMA" directory. Is there an ini setting somewhere which tells the client what directory to point to or will it default to the directory where the MainLobby.exe file was executed from?

I'm getting some weird results. When I switch scenes on the client machine it will close the UTMA weblobby display, but when I switch the UTMA scenes it will not close the client's weblobby display. Some progress made, ran out of time (had to get to work) this morning...

EDIT Found this information on Cinemar's forums:

If you need to have multiple instances on one PC, just install ML Client to Cinemar1 and the second to Cinemar2 directory and edit the mlserveconnect.ini file for the unique name for each. Then, the mainlobby.ini file can be edited uniquely for different screen resolutions, home page, etc. All of this can be edited in the Mainlobby Client Options / Startup page once ML launches.
You can create all your scenes and then copy from one directory to another. Just don't overwrite the .ini files. You can also create the files in a common directory to reuse .mls / jpgs. This directory can also be on a mapped and shared drive.

I'll try this out tonight. One interesting item I've read is if I would upgrade to the newer version, I would only be able to have three instances of MainLobby connected to my MLServer! I could exceed this quickly in the near future!

 

[DavidL]

Here is what I did. I created a "CinemarUTMA" directory under "Program Files" on the client machine. I then copied the entire Cinemar directory to that new directory. I edited the MainLobby.ini file to create a "MoparUTMA" client name. I then edited all the scenes in that new directory to use that new client name in their web.close commands.

I have the client use the regular Cinemar directory and the UTMA open MainLobby.exe under the "CinemarUTMA" directory. Is there an ini setting somewhere which tells the client what directory to point to or will it default to the directory where the MainLobby.exe file was executed from?

I'm getting some weird results. When I switch scenes on the client machine it will close the UTMA weblobby display, but when I switch the UTMA scenes it will not close the client's weblobby display. Some progress made, ran out of time (had to get to work) this morning...

EDIT Found this information on Cinemar's forums:

If you need to have multiple instances on one PC, just install ML Client to Cinemar1 and the second to Cinemar2 directory and edit the mlserveconnect.ini file for the unique name for each. Then, the mainlobby.ini file can be edited uniquely for different screen resolutions, home page, etc. All of this can be edited in the Mainlobby Client Options / Startup page once ML launches.
You can create all your scenes and then copy from one directory to another. Just don't overwrite the .ini files. You can also create the files in a common directory to reuse .mls / jpgs. This directory can also be on a mapped and shared drive.

I'll try this out tonight. One interesting item I've read is if I would upgrade to the newer version, I would only be able to have three instances of MainLobby connected to my MLServer! I could exceed this quickly in the near future!

Actually, you would have up to 5 concurrant connections. More are available with additional licensing. I think the 3 number you speak of is the default number of supported MusicLobby Zones - which also can be expanded.

The later MainLobby 3 supports "Content Directory" settings which allow you to make all scenes relative to an install path. Otherwise, if you are hard coded of your scenes or images to paths, you have to manually edit these file links. In mass, you can do this with a Find / Replace using TextPad or similar (with care) which makes this simple to do enmass. I suspect you might have hard coded paths that when you change the name of the directory, things get unlinked. You should always use relative links like \MYScenes19home.mls and not: c:\program files\cinemar\myscenes19home.mls