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MPF Soft Power Down Sequence

The soft power down sequence is a process you can take advantage of to shut down your game process cleanly, or even command the entire computer to shut down. The FAST Neuron processor supports a native integration of this feature with its soft power button, but other controllers can take advantage of the system as well.

Steps

Any MPF game can be configured with a soft power request system. The default game logic listens for the event request_soft_shutdown, which you can post via an event player:

event_player:
  my_trigger_event: request_soft_shutdown

The core MPF code in machine.py listens for this event, and will post the boolean event machine_request_shutdown.

If any handlers return False, the soft powerdown will abort, and the event machine_abort_shutdown is posted.

If there are no handlers, or all handlers return True, the powerdown will continue. The event machine_will_shutdown is posted and the machine subsystems will begin graceful exit procedures.

Finally, if the config option machine:soft_shutdown_exit_command is defined, it will be executed asynchronously.

FAST Neuron integration

Games using the FAST Neuron controller can also use the request_soft_shutdown event, but MPF also is able to listen to the built-in Soft Power switch provided by the platform.

These functions only operate when using the soft power mode, see the FAST website for wiring details.

If in soft power mode, the watchdog WD: command will automatically detect when the soft power button is pressed or released. While MPF is running, if the soft power switch is pressed, the synthetic switch event fast_soft_power_switch_active will be posted. When the switch is released, the synthetic switch event fast_soft_power_switch_inactive is posted.

If the time between the button press and release is longer than the config value fast:net:soft_power_hold_ms then it will post request_soft_shutdown, starting the standard procedure described above.

For non-FAST Neuron systems, or FAST Neurons using standard power (not soft power), the controller will not automatically shut down at the end of the shutdown process.

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