The Mission Pinball Framework

Software for powering real pinball machines. 100% free. 100% open source.

This Month in MPF December 2018

31 Dec 2018 - jab

What happened in MPF-land in December 2018? This post will highlight changes in MPF, MPF-MC, MPF monitor, documentation and the rest of the ecosystem.

News

We created a list of publicly documented projects by MPF users on our website.
RGB Matrix DMDs on the RPi
Step Stick Steppers in MPF
Happy new year everybody!

MPF Projects

We moved active publicly documented projects by MPF users. Some new projects which joined the list this month:

We know that there are a lot more projects. Let us know if you want to be listed here as well.

0.51 release

We released MPF 0.51.3 and MPF-MC 0.51.4.

Changes/New features

No changes

Bugfixes

Fix audio problems - jab (MPF-MC 0.51.4; based on 0.50 fix)
Fix P-Roc DMD problem - jab
Fix crash when cleaning up a player without using it - jab based on report from Brian Cox (MPF 0.51.3; backport)
Workaround P-Roc DMD problem - jab based on error report in forum by Sean-Paul (MPF 0.51.3)

Documentation

No changes

Dev release (future 0.52)

We pushed MPF 0.52.0-dev0 and MPF-MC 0.52.0-dev0.

Changes/New features

OSC platform to control external lights - jab based on request in forum
Validate variables in variable_player - jab based on config in example
Placeholders for shots and shot_groups - jab based on question from mike wiz
Better error messages for placeholders - jab
Show proper error when fadecandy server is not running - jab based on request from Brian Cox
Nicer output on startup errors - jab
Show shutdown reason on exit of MPF - jab
Show import error for pinproc - jab
Add a segment display font - jab based on example from BorgDog
Upstream Raspberry Pi DMD support - jab based on external platform from Michael Betz
Support for Spike Trough via SPI Bit Bang - jab
Move libpinproc to a separate thread - jab
Score Queues for SS style scoring - jab based on request in forum
Conditionals on add_to_slide animations - avanwinkle
Check for OPP firmware mismatch on start - jab based on bug report in forum
Evaluate placeholders from service cli - jab

Bugfixes

Fix audio problems - jab (based on 0.50 fix)
Fix crash in achievments_group when setting auto_select and rotating an empty group - jab
Only post select event of achievements on state change - jab based on report from Brian Cox
Missing lower case for A side switch in snux platform - jab based on fix bx Snux
Fix crash when cleaning up a player without using it - jab based on report from Brian Cox
Fix problem in pypinproc which caused empty DMDs on the P-Roc + rebuild by Quinn - jab based on error report in forum by Sean-Paul
Fix name clashes between multiple anonymous slides - jab based on bug report by pinballpeople

Documentation

How to change the size of switches and light in the MPF monitor - jab based on questions from Jack Danger and Dan
Document StepStick stepper drivers in MPF - jab based on request from Tom
How to show virtual segment displays in MC - jab based on example from BorgDog
How to use multiple displays - jab based on question in forum by Chris B and Snux
Credits mode tutorial - jab based on old tutorial
Tutorial on debugging memory leaks - jab based on question from Brian Cox
Document RPi DMD platform - jab
How to subscribe variables in config players - jab based on question
Documenting the snux platform - snux
How to use a Stern Spike Trough in other platforms than Stern Spike - jab
How to use Solid State Style Score Queues - jab based on request in forum
Document event handler priorities - jab
How to use multiple locks in a multiball - jab

Have a look at the dev documentation. Do you have an example which is missing there? Please send it to us!

Open PRs/Not landed yet

Multiply volumes instead of overwriting them in sound_player and sound_loop_player - qcapen (breaking change)
Multi display updates improvements - qcapen
Spike 2 support in mpf-spike-bridge - jab and wolfmarsh

Upcoming changes

Support for the Pololu Tic stepper controller - wolfmarsh
Stern Spike 2 support - wolfmarsh and jab
Full support for LISY35 - jab

Do you want to contribute?

A list of things where we would love contributions (not exclusive):

Pictures for the following devices: pop bumpers, incandescant bulbs, GI bulbs, GI LEDs, WS281x or serial LEDs, data east optos, dual wound coils, coils, orbits, kickbacks, kicking targets, servos, accelerometer, playfield, flashers, flippers, steppers, score reels, diverters, trough with optos - please only send us picture where the rights belong to you
add an initial stepper device howto
Document asset pools such as video_pools, image_pools or show_pools
Create an electronical drawing for mechanical switches in matrix and on direct inputs
Document motors
Add an example or howto for timed switches
Add an example or howto for ball holds
Add an example or howto for combo switches
Add an example or howto for diverters
Add an example or howto for shot_profiles
Adding more devices to the built-in service mode
More good first issues in MPF
More TODOs in the documentation

Other contributions are welcome as well. Those are meant as starting point. Let us know in the forum if you want to work on something or got questions.

New contributors

Welcome (back) snux.

Did we forget anything? Please let us know! Discussions in MPF-Users.