Troubleshooting

Everything ArcadeDMD does is written to runtime\arcadedmd.log, shown live in the Log tab of its window. Look there first, it usually says what is wrong and what to do.

Installation

• "Python was not found". The Microsoft Store python shortcut does not count, it launches nothing. Run install.bat again, it offers to install Python 3.13. The .bat files also find a Python that is installed but not in the PATH.
• Windows asks for confirmation on every .bat file. Right-click the zip before extracting it, Properties, tick "Unblock".
• No virtual LED window. pygame-ce must be installed (py -m pip install pygame-ce).

The window

• No icon near the clock. Windows puts new icons among the hidden ones, behind the ^ arrow. Drag it onto the taskbar. If the icon cannot be added, ArcadeDMD opens its window instead.
• The window does not open. Run run.bat again, it opens the window of the ArcadeDMD already running. Without Microsoft Edge, the window opens in your default browser.
• To see the console as before. Quit ArcadeDMD from its icon's menu, then run run_console.bat.

MAME

• ArcadeDMD does not appear in MAME's Tab menu. MAME may be too old (0.227 or newer, install.bat shows the version). Otherwise the plugin is disabled, see MAME.
• Nothing shows during a game. Check that runtime\events.jsonl grows during the game. If it does not, the root path in MAME\plugins\arcadedmd\settings.json does not point to the ArcadeDMD folder.

RetroArch

• Nothing changes with RetroArch. The Emulators tab of the window checks RetroArch's settings and fixes them in one click, RetroArch closed. Otherwise check that "Network Commands" is on in RetroArch and that the log says "RetroArch 1.19.x detected (network commands active)". The game must have its file in games\.
• The scene shows but without values. The core most likely does not share its memory (FB Alpha 2012, for example). Run test_retroarch.bat during the game, it says which core runs and which one to use. See RetroArch.
• "RetroArch refuses to read the game memory". The same, it is the core. The log says which one is loaded.
• A coin does not drop. Run coin_buttons.bat. If it still does not, run test_coins.bat while you insert a coin and send its result.

LCD marquee

• The scene is on the wrong screen, or cut. Pick the marquee screen in the Screens tab of the window, run screen_setup.bat again, or set x, y, width and height in the preview section from Settings, Display. See HD Marquee.
• No logo. Set the LaunchBox or RetroBat folder in the Frontend tab of the window, or "launchbox": "E:\\LaunchBox" in the preview section.

Pixelcade

• "Pixelcade: port not found". Set the port in config.json (ports.bat finds it). ArcadeDMD does not probe the other COM ports, so as not to disturb light guns.
• "pixelweb does not stop". Close pixelweb by hand (its icon in the taskbar) and check pixelweb_url (default http://127.0.0.1:8080).
• pixelweb does not come back after a game. Its path is saved in runtime\pixelweb_path.txt the first time it is stopped. Otherwise fill in pixelweb_exe.
• Black Pixelcade during a game. If pixelweb was stopped but the board does not answer, unplug and replug the Pixelcade, then run test_pixelcade.bat again.
• Green and blue swapped. Run test_pixelcade.bat and answer n.

ZeDMD

• "ZeDMD: LED panel not found". Check the cable (it must carry data), the native USB port of the ESP32-S3, and that no other software uses the panel (DOF2DMD, VPX, dmdext, or ArcadeDMD already running in the background). The search stops after three attempts. Once found, the panel's port is remembered.
• Light guns or other serial devices. Set the panel's port ("device": "COM5") or exclude theirs ("ignore_devices": ["COM3", "COM4"]).
• Black panel after sleep or after unplugging. Restart ArcadeDMD, libzedmd does not reconnect on its own.
• Swapped colours, ghost lines. Set the RGB order and the "panel driver" in the ZeDMD menu (or with ZeDMD_Updater2).
• Choppy animation. Raise "USB packet size" and "min refresh" in the ZeDMD menu.
• test_panel.bat says the engine is already running. The automatic start holds the panel. Quit ArcadeDMD from its icon's menu, or test directly with a game.

The engine

• It stops on its own. The error is written to runtime\arcadedmd.log.

Asking for help

Open an issue with runtime\arcadedmd.log. For a game that misbehaves, add its recording (see Recording a Game).