Table Backups - syd711/vpin-studio GitHub Wiki
The Studio comes with it's own backup manager for VPX files. The backup manager works independently from the frontend and can be used by PinUP Popper and PinballX/Y users.
Note that the backups are only allowed for private backups. DO NOT SHARE OR PUBLISH THESE ARCHIVES.
Backups Overview
Authentication Providers
Before backups can be used, you have to configure an authentication provider which can be VPU or VPF. The authentication against one of these portals ensures that you backups have a unique signature. This should ensure that backups are not shared to the public. Once one of the providers is configured, all backup options are available.
Authentication Provider Selection
Backup Folders
The VPin Studio Server has one default backup folder where tables are exported to. It is located under ./resources/vpa in the installation folder of the VPin Studio Server. When the repository view is opened, this repository is selected by default:
Default Backup Folder
Additional backup folders can be configured in the preferences. The default folder is also listed there, but is not configurable. But if you plan to copy you backups to an USB stick, you can add the device data there and the Studio will detect the new backup location on reload in the backup manager.
Backup Folder Management
Backup Tables
Every table backup file contains the VPX table and additional required or mandatory assets, such as the ROM file, backglass, Pup Pack, music files, POV files and highscore data.
Highscores
The Studio supports the creation of backups and restoring all the following highscore types:
- EM highscore text files
- VPReg.stg highscore entries
- NVRam highscore files
Table Meta Data
For backup contains an additional JSON file contains the metadata of the table. This metadata contains the complete game info (manifest) which will be written to PinUP Popper when the archive is imported. The backup details view shows the details of the manifest data:
Table Meta Data
Asset Details
Additionally, the archive descriptor file contains information about it's own size and which assets have been added to the backup. This way, the user knows what the file contains before executing the actual import.
Backup Asset Details
Backup Upload
If you want to transfer backup files from one PC/VPin to another (e.g. prepage a table on your PC and transfer it to your VPin), you can use the upload function to upload backup files into the default repository. You can install the table afterwards or use the Table Manager to install them out of PinUP Popper.
Backup Upload
Create Backups
Backup can be triggered from the table overview. You can bulk backup a set of tables via multi-selection. Once the backup is started, you will noticed that the tables are backed-up one after another. The progress can be seen in the jobs drop-down menu in the upper right corner of the Studio window.
Restore Backups
Restoring a backup is pretty self-explaining. You only need to determine the emulator and the assets that should be restored. Once the restoring is triggered, the job is triggered to unpack the backup. Note that you have to refresh the table overview in order for the restored table to appear!
Backup Restore
File Details
The question raises how the files are restored and if existing files are overwritten. The sections below describe more detailled how files are written. In general, restoring backup behaves the same way the upload .vpx files dialog does. It uses the "upload and import" strategy which will avoid overwriting existing game files and will create a copy instead.
.vpx Files
The .vpx file is the base of every backup. Without it, no backup is created. Note that the Studio supports creating backups from .vpx files that are located in a subfolder. So when you backup a table from a subfolder, it will be restored this way too.
.directb2s Files
The Studio supports multiple .directb2s files for tables. During a backup, all .directb2s files will be added to the backup and all will be restored.
.ini, .pov, .res Files
These file types must reside next to the .vpx file and must have the same name. They will be backed up and restored together with the VPX file.
VPinMAME Settings
The VPinMAME settings for a game will be exported in JSON format and added to the backup. When a backup is restored, the entries will be written into the windows registry too.
ALIAS Mappings
Aliased ROM names will be backed up and restored too, when a corresponding entry has been found in the MAME settings.
B2STableSettings.xml
The B2STableSettings.xml file is usually located in the "Tables" folder of VPX and contains additional configurations for the backglass server. It contains global configuration settings and table specific ones. By default, the backglass server assumes that this file is located next to the .vpx file that is executed. The Studio will check this when a table is backed up:
- When the default B2STableSettings.xml file contains a setting for the table, the settings are backed up and restored.
- When the .vpx file is located inside a subfolder, the B2STableSettings.xml file itself is added to the backup and restored too.
NVRam and ROMs
The files will be backed up and restored too, when the corresponding files have been found - depending on the ROM name that is set.
Music
Music files are difficult to backup. The audio files for a table may be located directly in the "music" folder of VPX or a subfolder of it. Note that only subfolders of the "music" folder are backed up. So in general, it is a good strategy to have separate backup of the VPX installation anyway.