WinEQ2 incompatibility with Xylobot

[Semper]

I was using WinEQ1 Lite and it worked well with Xylobot 1.71. I upgraded to WinEQ2 Pro, and it no longer wored, then got worse...

Details:

Xylobot hooks to the eqgame.exe when run. Due to some issues with the programs, the procedure to get Xylobot to work is to load EQ to the password screen, THEN run Xylobot, then log in to EQ. Works fine.

This process worked with WinEQ 1.38. When I upgraded to WinEQ2 Pro, at the password screen in EQ, after running Xylobot, I lost all keyboard functions... couldn't type anything. At this point (2.03, I think) I could still run WinEQ1 and Xylobot.

At the 2.04 or 2.05 level, the situation has changed. Now at the EQ password screen with WinEQ2, if I run Xylobot, I still lose keyboard functions. If I type in the password prior to running Xylobot, eqgame.exe crashes. Reverting to WinEQ1, as soon as I run Xylobot, eqgame.exe crashes.

SysInfo.txt:

WinEQ 2 System Information
System:
-----------------------------------
Windows Version: Microsoft Windows XP/Service Pack 2/2600.xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158
System Physical RAM: 323/511MB
Page File: 1102/1249MB
Virtual Memory: 1995/2047MB (Extended: 0MB)
CPU 1: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 1.70GHz @ 1700MHz
Video 1: \\.\DISPLAY1/NVIDIA GeForce FX 5700LE
Video 2: \\.\DISPLAYV1/NetMeeting driver
Video 3: \\.\DISPLAYV2/RDPDD Chained DD
Monitor 1: \\.\DISPLAY1 (0,0,1280,1024) (1280x1024) PRIMARY
Sound: SiS 7012 Wave
DirectX: 4.09.00.0904
Internet Explorer: 6.0.2900.2180
WinEQ: 2.05

Loaded Modules:
-----------------------------------
Module 0: C:\Program Files\Sony\EverQuest\eqgame.exe
Module 1: C:\WINDOWS\system32\ntdll.dll
Module 2: C:\WINDOWS\system32\kernel32.dll
Module 3: C:\Program Files\Sony\EverQuest\mss32.dll
Module 4: C:\WINDOWS\system32\USER32.dll
Module 5: C:\WINDOWS\system32\GDI32.dll
Module 6: C:\WINDOWS\system32\WINMM.dll
Module 7: C:\WINDOWS\system32\ADVAPI32.dll
Module 8: C:\WINDOWS\system32\RPCRT4.dll
Module 9: C:\WINDOWS\system32\WSOCK32.dll
Module 10: C:\WINDOWS\system32\WS2_32.dll
Module 11: C:\WINDOWS\system32\msvcrt.dll
Module 12: C:\WINDOWS\system32\WS2HELP.dll
Module 13: C:\WINDOWS\system32\DINPUT8.dll
Module 14: C:\WINDOWS\system32\IMM32.dll
Module 15: C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHELL32.dll
Module 16: C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHLWAPI.dll
Module 17: C:\WINDOWS\system32\ole32.dll
Module 18: C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS\x86_Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls_6595b64144ccf1df_6.0.2600.2180_x-ww_a84f1ff9\comctl32.dll
Module 19: C:\WINDOWS\system32\comctl32.dll
Module 20: C:\Program Files\WinEQ2\WinEQ2.dll
Module 21: C:\WINDOWS\Lavish.dll
Module 22: C:\WINDOWS\system32\PSAPI.DLL
Module 23: C:\Program Files\WinEQ2\WinEQ2-EQ.dll
Module 24: C:\WINDOWS\system32\MSIMG32.dll
Module 25: C:\Program Files\WinEQ2\WinEQ2-D3D9.dll
Module 26: C:\Program Files\WinEQ2\WinEQ2-D3D8.dll
Module 27: C:\Program Files\WinEQ2\WinEQ2-DI8.dll
Module 28: C:\WINDOWS\system32\mswsock.dll
Module 29: C:\WINDOWS\system32\hnetcfg.dll
Module 30: C:\WINDOWS\System32\wshtcpip.dll
Module 31: C:\WINDOWS\system32\DNSAPI.dll
Module 32: C:\WINDOWS\System32\winrnr.dll
Module 33: C:\WINDOWS\system32\WLDAP32.dll
Module 34: C:\WINDOWS\system32\rasadhlp.dll
Module 35: C:\WINDOWS\system32\NTMARTA.DLL
Module 36: C:\WINDOWS\system32\SAMLIB.dll
Module 37: C:\Program Files\Sony\EverQuest\EQGraphicsDX9.DLL
Module 38: C:\WINDOWS\system32\d3d9.dll
Module 39: C:\WINDOWS\system32\d3d8thk.dll
Module 40: C:\WINDOWS\system32\VERSION.dll
Module 41: C:\Program Files\Sony\EverQuest\dpvs.dll
Module 42: C:\Program Files\Sony\EverQuest\eqmain.dll

Direct3D9:
-----------------------------------
Driver: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5700LE/nv4_disp.dll/6/14/10/6177
Adapter Display Mode: 1280x1024 D3DFMT_X8R8G8B8
Game Display Mode: 1280x1024 D3DFMT_X8R8G8B8
Current Adapter: 0

Direct3D8:
-----------------------------------
Adapter Display Mode: 0x0 D3DFMT_UNKNOWN
Game Display Mode: 0x0 D3DFMT_UNKNOWN
Current Adapter: 0

DirectInput8:
-----------------------------------

EverQuest:
-----------------------------------
Profile 1: WinEQ 2.0 Default Profile
EQ Path: C:\Program Files\Sony\EverQuest
EQClient.ini: .\eqclient.ini
Patch: OFF Test Server: OFF Locale: us
Video Adapter: Application Controlled
Luclin models: 21 (+105 min RAM)
MipMapping: ON (+4 min RAM)
Sound: ON (+22 min RAM)
Dynamic Lighting: ON (+4 min RAM)
Texture Caching: ON (+0 min RAM)
Texture Quality: MEDIUM (+30 min RAM)
Calculated minimum RAM: 448MB (BASE+165MB)
Level of Detail: 1
MaxFPS: 100
Additional setting: HardwareTnL=FALSE
Additional setting: VSync=1
Additional setting: VertexShaders=1
Additional setting: 20PixelShaders=0
Additional setting: 1xPixelShaders=0


Thanks for looking into this.

[Lax]

I'm making some major changes over the next week or two. If you need to run Xylobot you may want to run WinEQ 1.38. You lose a few new features from WinEQ but shouldn't have any problems with Xylobot.

[Semper]

We're up to 2.07 now, and I still have the same problem as detailed in first post. Can I provide any different info that might help facilitate the fix, or am I just out of luck?

[Lax]

You can try it with the latest update to 2.07.

[Semper]

Tried it again, same results. At password screen, run Xylobot (the only point it will successfully hook to eqgame.exe), at this point lose keyboard functions. Mouse still works. If you want I can regen info files, if that might help.

[toomanynames]

I wanted to add I'm having the same problem.

It is a bit odd. It appears something is "hooking" the keyboard, and not letting go. You can alt-tab out of the WinEQ session and keyboard works fine in notepad, etc. However tabing back into the WinEQ session allows for no keyboard input but as already said, mouse works fine.

Any other news or things I can do to help troubleshoot this problem?

[Lax]

Other than trying with the "Multithreaded Window" option off (which is off by default...), the best thing for you to do is ask on the Xylobot boards...

I see this in their FAQ:

Q: Xylobot does not work with EverQuest after the last EQ Patch?
A: You must use the following work-around to get Xylobot to work with EverQuest. Be sure to follow every step in these instructions:

* Exit Everquest for now.
* Run Xylobot.
* Click the "Options" tab.
* Click the "advanced" button.
* Click the "Do Not Attach List" tab.
* In that list, put "+eqgame.exe" without quotes (make sure to have the plus sign).
* Close Xylobot.
* Right click on Xylo icon and go to Properties
* At "Shortcut key" enter a key combo to start Xylo. Broman used CTRL-ALT-/.
* Launch EQ
* Login, but do not click on the instant server login.
* Make sure you go to the server select screen.
* While at the server select screen, press the CTRL-ALT-/ keys to start Xylo.\
* This will minimize EQ to the task bar.
* Wait until Xylo turns green and click on the EQ tab in the task bar to bring it back to the front.
* Click "PLAY EVERQUEST" button in the eq window.

For more info, see http://www.uorobot.com/scripts/WebBoard ... 3448#23448

I have no idea how relevant that information is or if it's current or whatever, but thats about all I can see

Not to be condescending but why Xylobot anyway? MacroQuest has been the reigning champ for EQ automation and utility for years...

[toomanynames]

Well there are some fundemental difference between macroquest and xylobot.

I don't want to get into that discussion either way as it ends up like a MS vs Linux type of thing :p. However, simply put, xylobot modifies nothing, there are no "codes" to worry about if eqgame.exe gets patched, MQ does modify some stuff (not a user so not sure "what" gets modified).

I am a longtime xylobot user and am new to lavish. I had been using EQWin up until recently (like yesterday :p).

I take no offense in what you've posted, just don't want ot redo all I have in xylobot to make it work via MQ.

I know EQWin and WinEQ are "competeing products" of sorts but I do know it "works" in EQWin but does not in WinEQ. The issue with EQwin is the session swaping hotkeys broke yesterday. After looking around and already knowing of lavish I figured hey, for 40.00 lets give this a go. It looked promising but alas, it ended up not working.

So it appears to be something centric to the implementation of mouse and keyboard captureing/intercepting going on in WinEQ2.exe There are obvious hooks one must have into the keyboard and mouse IO in order to complete some of the tasks WinEQ performs.

I'm a pretty techy fellow so if there is something specific you'd like me to test, i'm all for that.

I've done a bit of trial and error in attempts to make this work but thus far I've had no luck.

[Lax]

Well, to the best of my knowledge Xylobot will work with WinEQ 1.38. 1.38 and 2.0 are practically equal, thoguh, as far as keyboard and mouse goes. I had assumed the incompatibility was with multithreading the window, but apparently not. Anyway, you can try 1.38. Inner Space also provides WinEQ features and is highly configurable, so you may give that a shot also.

[Semper]

Yes, Xylotot, EQ and WinEQ 1.38 still work together. Also EQWindows v. 3.47, EQ and Xylobot work together.

The 'break' came when WinEQ was updated to v. 2.05, IIRC. Versions of WinEQ2 above that lose the keyboard function when Xylobot is run at the accountname/password screen.

As an update/aside to this... I have been playing with another computer and CAN get 2.07 and Xylobot to work properly!! Might this possibly be some esoteric Windows setting that interferes?

[Lax]

The only thing I can think of is if you also have XFire installed..

[Semper]

XFire? No idea what that is

[Semper]

nm, just googled it... no, do not have XFire installed.

[Semper]

This all may be a non-issue soon. With last WinEQ update (2.07a) several days ago my video went bonkers in EQ also. I DO use WinEQ2 when not running Xylobot.

Now, at the character select screen the 'view' display, as in the character and background, show only a black screen. Logging into the game, same result. Dialog boxes, etc. are still normal, as in visible. The mouse leaves a series of ghost images as it is moved around the screen. Ghost images appear to be on a set timer, as they appear at a set interval... closely spaced with slow movement, wider spacing with faster movement.

EQ run solo, or with EQWindows does not do this.

Due to all of these problems, and the fact that WinEQ2 works on my older, less capable, PC, I think I may be about to wipe the drive and do a clean setup.

Unless an answer suddenly pops into your head...

[Lax]

The black screen is EQPlayNice settings being 0, delete EQPlayNice.ini and it'll reset