XINA Background.
Pinball 2000 is controlled by a personal computer located in the head of the game. The Operating System controlling the PC is called XINA (which stands for It's Not APPLE, {Applied Pinball Programming Language Environment} where APPLE was the operating system used for WPC). XINA is unique in it's command structure (ordinary UNIX / DOS commands do not work). A total of 99 XINA commands are available to view, alter, and execute the parameters surrounding the game.

XINA is actually an application layer on top of PC-XINU, a multithreaded operating system originally created by Douglas Comer and documented in a very well known two volume set of books. (XINU information: public.ise.canberra.edu.au/~chrisc/xinu.html) PC-XINU won over other operating systems for a few reasons. For example, making Linux into a real-time system with thread support would involve modifying the kernel, which then obligated Williams into releasing the kernel modifications to the public under the GPL. WMS Legal didn't care much for that. Comer's XINU license was much more friendly to the lawyers; namely, we could do anything we wanted to it with no obligations.

XINU also turned out to be quite easy to turn into a real-time system, and in the end proved to be as easy as Linux or BSD to work with in an embedded application, if not easier.

It is much easier to interface to the game PC via a keyboard, rather than using the front-door panel (which only has 4 buttons). To hook up a keyboard, unlock and remove the backglass panel on the head. On the PC cage plug in a standard IBM PC/AT keyboard into the keyboard port (note that this PC has an old-fashion 5-pin DIN plug rather than the newer 6-pin mini-DIN plug). In most cases, the PC will detect the connection of the keyboard and place the machine into the SHELL mode. Also note that you can capture all printouts / command responses by connecting a PC to the serial port (9600 baud, 8, N, 1) and by having the PC run a terminal program (HyperTerminal). Typing HELP or ? will display the list of commands shown below.

Most XINA commands are common between RFM and SW:E1 games, though the XINA level in RFM 1.5 includes communication options and code that are not available in released levels of SW:E1 (it appears that much of the XINA code used on the SW:E1 during the tournament at Pinball Expo 99 was incorporated in XINA 1.17 in RFM 1.3/1.4). In addition there are some game-specific commands in RFM (there were apparently some cool game-specific commands for SW:E1 that were removed for production code build).

Many of the XINA commands available in RFM 1.5 are useful for advanced diagnostics or debugging of gameplay only and are of limited general use. During the development of a Pinball 2000 game, many such commands were added by the developers. Not all remain in the release level of code.

There are three commands that may be of general interest: fb, attack_mars, and scenemgr. Many others are interesting (e.g. pinevents), but these three are likely to be the most commonly used by the average RFM home owner.

Warning: DO NOT issue commands or alter settings using the XINA command set unless you know what you are doing and understand the implications. Damage can occur by using these commands recklessly.

XINA Function Key Commands.


• F1 - Help
• F2 - Flip Screen
• F3 - Shell (toggle)
• F4 - Start (same as Start button on Front-door)
• F5 - Escape (same as Escape button on Front-door)
• F6 - Down (same as Down button on Front-door)
• F7 - Up (same as Up button on Front-door)
• F8 - Enter (same as Enter button on Front-door)

XINA v1.18 Command List.


? Attack_Mars Audio Bitmap Bootdata BPool BS Clear CMOS_Buffer CMOS CONF Continue Credit DCS DeffMGR DEVS DGStat DipSW DispMGR Diverter Down Drive DropTGT Dump Echo Enter Errors Escape Ether EventLOG Exit Fatal FB

Flags FlapGate FlipRamp Flip FUpdate Game GX Help History HSTD HTTPD IFStat IGMP Info KEvents Kill LampMGR Lamp LeffMGR LockPost Loops Martians MEM Midas MON Multi NetStat Net NonFatal NSLookup PAL PDB PinEvents

Ping Pool Price_Current Price_Dyn Price_Table PrintOut PS PTY Pub Queue Ramps RASYS Reboot Replay Reslist Resources Routes Route RTC SceneMGR SEM Sleep Stack Start Switch Term TimeRQ Time UpdtMGR Up VDAI ZC Zombie

XINA Command List Usage.
(thanks to Jim Hicks for his contributions to this section)


Typing the command (with no other text) will display the proper usage of the command, parameters, acceptable values, etc. Some exceptions to this are obvious, such as commands like HELP, REBOOT, etc. Commands/arguments should be typed in all lowercase. (They are displayed here in upper/lower case for easier reading). If a command's function is not obvious in what it performs, the listing below will say "(function unknown)" to indicate that I do not know what the command does.

Syntax: A <parameter> is manditory, <param1 | param2> means one of param1 or param2 is mandatory. A [parameter] is optional, [param1 | param2] means either of param1 or param2 is optional. A 'N' means a numeric value, 0 to ?, based on the command.

XINA v1.18 Command List Usage.


?	Produces a listing of commands, same as "HELP"
Usage:	?
Attack_Mars	Starts / stops the Attack_Mars mode.  Can be used to start Attack Mars mode for practice.
Usage:	attack_mars < Start | Stop | FlagRamps | FlagMS | FlagModes >
Audio	Adjusts audio properties
Usage:	AUDIO INIT
	AUDIO INFO
	AUDIO Quiet {0-5}
	AUDIO Volmin
	AUDIO Voldef
	AUDIO Volmax
	AUDIO Vol++
	AUDIO Vol--
Bitmap	Displays bitmap memory allocations
Usage:	bitmap < Info | Main | Waste >
BOOTDATA	Change / view which boot image is booted
Usage:	bootdata < Current | ROM | Flash > [Verify]
BPOOL	(function unknown)
Usage:	bpool
BS	(function unknown)
Usage:	bs < debugon | debugoff | off | on >
CLEAR	(function unknown)
Usage:	clear < cmos >
CMOS_Buffer	Displays flash CMOS memory utilization
Usage:	cmos_buffer < view | headers | reset | off >
CMOS	Displays ROM CMOS memory utilization
Usage:	cmos < view | headers | flash | prologue | reset | off >
CONF	Provides XINA status / table information
Usage:	conf
Continue	Used internally for continuing programming scripts
Usage:	continue
Credit	Manages current credits
Usage:	credit < init | info | dec >
DCS	Manages the digital sound system
Usage:	dcs N [track [pan]]
	dcs < + | - >
	dcs raw <N>
	dcs quiet [track]
	dcs trkvol <trk vol>
	dcs trkpan <trk pan>
	dcs signals [clear]
	dcs version
	dcs [warm] reset
DEFFMGR	(function unknown)
Usage:	deffmgr < list[_N] | debug<on|off> | log<on|off> | entry<addr> | names[_N] | unreq<addr> >
DEVS	Displays a listing of device names
Usage:	devs
DGSTAT	(function unknown)
Usage:	dgstat
DIPSW	Shows the dip switch value
Usage:	dipsw
DISPMGR	(function unknown)
Usage:	dispmgr < list[_N]debug<on|off> | entry<addr> | frames | fclear | locks[_N] | log<on|off> | on | off >
Diverter	Shows info regarding the diverter (ramp)
Usage:	diverter < debugon | debugoff | info >
DOWN	Same as the Down button on the Front-door
Usage:	down
DRIVE	(function unknown)
Usage:	drive < 0-47 | list | off | highon | highoff >
DROPTGT	Status of right ramp drop target
Usage:	droptgt < debugon | debugoff | info >
DUMP	Provides a memory dump
Usage:	dump <address> [count]
ECHO	Allows a command to be echoed to the window / log
Usage:	echo
ENTER	Same as the Enter button on the Front-door
Usage:	enter
ERRORS	Displays a summary of known errors
Usage:	errors
ESCAPE	Same as the Escape button on the Front-door
Usage:	escape
ETHER	Displays Ethernet network statistics
Usage:	ether < info >
EventLOG	Manages the event log buffers
Usage:	eventlog < dump[depth[count]] | flush | stats | types >
EXIT	Exit a running script
Usage:	exit
FATAL	Displays a listing of the fatal error log
Usage:	fatal
FB	Monitor adjustments, i.e. flips display.  Useful for flipping the monitor when the playfield glass is removed.
Usage:	fb < clear | bars | border | pillars | vsyncs | flip | sync V(0:1) H(0:1) >
FLAGS	Displays flag values / state
Usage:	flags < local | global | static >
FlapGate	Monitor status of left / right flap gates
Usage:	flapgate < debugon | debugoff | info >
FlipRamp	Monitor status of up / down ramp
Usage:	flipramp < debugon | debugoff | info >
FLIP	Toggle state of flippers
Usage:	flip disable [all|0-3] | enable[all|0-3] | player<all|0-3> | computer<all|0-3> | on<all | 0-3> | off <all | 0-3>| debug >
FUpdate	Firmware Update
Usage:	fupdate < load<com1 | com2> <baudrate> [sf | sfonly] >
	fupdate enable
	fupdate disable
GAME	Change / view game parameters.
Usage:	game < info | tilt | over | name | collect >
GX	Displays various GX processor configuration registers
Usage:	gx < crs | ccrs | bcrs | mcrs | dcrs | id | cx5520 >
HELP	Produces listing of available commands, same as "?"
Usage:	help
HISTORY	Shows last commands entered from the keyboard
Usage:	history
HSTD	Displays High Score To-Date Tables
Usage:	hstd
HTTPD	Displays Internet hyperlink values
Usage:	httpd < list | stats >
IFSTAT	Switches between interface 0 or 1
Usage:	ifstat < intf >
IGMP	Connect / disconnect via network to other machines
Usage:	igmp < join | leave> <group>
INFO	(function unknown)
Usage:	info
KEVENTS	Toggle values of key event settings
Usage:	kevents resource pid <on | off>
	kevents proc_create <on | off>
	kevents proc_suicide <on | off>
	kevents proc_kill <on | off>
	kevents proc_reap <on | off>
	kevents sem_create <on | off>
	kevents sem_delete <on | off>
	kevents hook_exec <on | off>
KILL	Terminate a process
Usage:	kill < process-id >
LAMPMGR	Monitor the lamp matrix
Usage:	lampmgt < list[_n] | matrixes[_n] | debug<on|off> | log<on|off> | on | off >
LAMP	Perform lamp tests, change lamp settings
Usage:	lamp test
	lamp lamp <all | N> <duty>
	lamp blink <all | N> <duty>
	lamp blink rate <time>
	lamp effect <all | N> <duty>
	lamp mask <all | N> <duty>
	lamp dump <lamp | blink | effect | mask>
	lamp saver <on | off | on_time N | off_time N>
LEFFMGR	(function unknown)
Usage:	leffmgr < list[_n] | debug<on|off> | log<on|off> | unreq <addr> | names[_n] >
LockPost	Monitor the jet bumper exit post
Usage:	lockpost < debugon | debugoff | info >
LOOPS	(function unknown)
Usage:	loops < debugon | debugoff | info >
Martians	Displays parameters about the two bouncing Martians
Usage:	martians < debugon | debugoff | info >
MEM	Displays current memory utilization
Usage:	mem < stat | free | usage <PID> | allocs [entries] | allocs_d [ entries [size]] >
MIDAS	(function unknown)
Usage:	midas <info | enable | disable>
	midas monitor [on | off]
	midas debug_level [N]
	midas send <ack | nack | rvi | eot>
	midas send cash door <open | close>
	midas send cash <5p | 10p | 20p | 50p>
	midas send cash <L1 | L2 | L5 | L10>
	midas send token <5p | 10p | 20p | 50p>
	midas send token <L1 | L2 | L5 | L10>
	midas send hstd <N>
MON	Reboots the machine with an extensive log displayed
Usage:	mon
MULTI	Provides current status of various flags
Usage:	multi < list [N] >
NetStat	Displays the current network status
Usage:	netstat
NET	Control / monitor the Ethernet network capability
Usage:	net < start | monitor [mac] <on | off> | nif <N> >
Example:	net monitor 0x00 0xe0 0x29 0x0f 0xeb 0xf6 on
NonFatal	Displays the non-fatal error log
Usage:	nonfatal
NSLookup	Network Service Name Lookup
Usage:	nslookup
PAL	(function unknown)
Usage:	pal < on | off >
PDB	Displays current status of the Power Driver Board
Usage:	pdb
PinEvents	Triggers a multitude of events
Usage:	pinevents game <on | off> all
	pinevents game <on | off> game_init
	pinevents game <on | off> add_player
	pinevents game <on | off> cycle_players
	pinevents game <on | off> game_start
	pinevents game <on | off> game_restart_game
	pinevents game <on | off> game_restart_ball
	pinevents game <on | off> ball_start
	pinevents game <on | off> first_ball
	pinevents game <on | off> ball_serve
	pinevents game <on | off> ball_serve_state
	pinevents game <on | off> outhole_made
	pinevents game <on | off> valid_playfield
	pinevents game <on | off> score
	pinevents game <on | off> endball_begin
	pinevents game <on | off> endball_kill
	pinevents game <on | off> game_over
	pinevents game <on | off> bonus
	pinevents game <on | off> match
	pinevents multi <on | off> all
	pinevents multi <on | off> audit_complete
	pinevents btime <on | off> all
	pinevents btime <on | off> ball_search
	pinevents btime <on | off> status_report
	pinevents btime <on | off> chase_ball
	pinevents tilt <on | off> plumb
	pinevents tilt <on | off> ball_roll
	pinevents tilt <on | off> game
	pinevents tilt <on | off> slam
	pinevents update <on | off> request
	pinevents update <on | off> update
	pinevents update <on | off> group
	pinevents update <on | off> object
	pinevents update <on | off> delay_pid
PING	Determine if a link / host is available
Usage:	ping host [size]
POOL	(function unknown)
Usage:	pool < stat >
Price_Current	Displays the current value of coins
Usage:	price_current
Price_Dyn	Displays status of dynamic (multiple coins) pricing
Usage:	price_dyn
Price_Table	Displays the price / coin table
Usage:	price_table
PrintOut	Displays via shell various printouts / audit logs
Usage:	printout < audits | adjustments | hstd | hourly | daily | pricing | fatal | nonfatal | everything >
PS	Displays CPU processes in memory
Usage:	ps
PTY	Check status of COM / Printer port
Usage:	pty < stat [N] >
PUB	(function unknown)
Usage:	pub < game | sound1 | sound8> dump <address> [<count>] >
QUEUE	(function unknown)
Usage:	queue < sleep | ready >
RAMPS	(function unknown)
Usage:	ramps < debugon | debugoff | info >
RASYS	(function unknown)
Usage:	rasys < debugon | debugoff >
REBOOT	Reboots (re-starts) the machine, smaller log entries
Usage:	reboot
Replay	Display / change replay values
Usage:	replay <info | buckets | check | reset>
	replay add N [random | low | middle | high] [debug]
	replay boost <ah | ar | coin | gs | go | rf>
Reslist	Displays a lengthy resource manager / system list
Usage:	reslist
RESOURCES	Displays a list of resources in use
Usage:	resources
ROUTES	Displays current network routing information
Usage:	routes
ROUTE	Configure network routing information
Usage:	route add <dest> <mask> <gateway> <metric> <ttl>
	route delete <dest> <mask>
RTC	Access various RTC chip registers
Usage:	rtc < dump >
SCENEMGR	Manage the 12+ scenes (modes) (including bonus waves)
Usage:	scenemgr < awardshot<id> | awardswitch<id> | debugoff | debugon | info | reset<id> | resetall |  select<id>| start<id> | stopall >
	Notes: the scenemgr command can be used to manage which scene is active in the game and/or display information on the status of an active scene.  The command can be used be used at the beginning of the game to select the starting scene, including selecting scenes in the middle group that are not normally selectable by the action buttons.  For example, use "scenemgr select 8" to select "Drive-In Demolition" as your first scene.  All other gameplay continues options/rules continue normally. During gameplay scenemgr can be used to start another scene at anytime using the format: scenemgr resetall stopall start N            where N =   0 - "Fuel Bonus Wave"  1 - "Saucers Bonus Wave"  2 - "Weapons Bonus Wave"  3 - "Alien Abduction"  4 - "Martian Happy Hour"  5 - "Secret Weapon"  6 - "Tower Struggle"  7 - "Question Mark"  8 - "Drive-In Demolition"  9 - "Paris In Peril" 10 - "Big-O-Beam" 11 - "Mars Kneads Women"
SEM	Shows status of semaphores
Usage:	sem
SLEEP	Pause execution of program by delay factor
Usage:	sleep < delay >
STACK	(function unknown)
Usage:	stack < history >
START	Same as the Start button on the Front-door
Usage:	start
SWITCH	Perform switch diagnostics
Usage:	switch < debug | callbacks | timers | counters >
	switch test < on | off >
	switch trace < on | off >
	switch break number
TERM	Manage the serial (terminal) port
Usage:	term < on | off | capslock | control | swap >
TIMERQ	(function unknown)
Usage:	timerq
TIME	Displays the current date and time
Usage:	time
UPDTMGR	Manages scenes, backgrounds, sounds, music
Usage:	updtmgr < list | update >
UP	Same as the Up button on the Front-door
Usage:	up
VDAI	(function unknown)
Usage:	vdai info
ZC	(function unknown)
Usage:	zc
ZOMBIE	(function unknown)
Usage:	zombie process-id

Networking P2k Games: Adding an Ethernet Card.


Why add an Ethernet card to your pinball 2000 game? Good question! Maybe because you saw the SW:E1 machines network-linked together at Pinball Expo '99. Maybe because with an Ethernet card installed you can access your RFM's internal commands via the Internet (to check earnings, diagnostics, etc). Or perhaps you own more than one PB2K machine and you're going to have your own tournament. To tell the truth I have not installed an Ethernet card in my machine, but I wanted to document the procedure as I know it. Again, perform this kind of operation at your own risk.

Ethernet Card Specifications
I've been told that RFM only supports one brand of Ethernet Card, an SMC (brand) ETHEREZ 16BIT ISA 10MBPS RJ-45 network card (mfg part# SMC8416T, typically goes for $31 USD at places like www.buy.com, but this card is becoming increasing difficult to find). This network card needs to be installed into the extra ISA slot in the RFM (v1.4 or better) pinball machine motherboard. After the settings are configured for the network adjustments, you can connect to the XINA command shell via telnet or alternately you can connect to the machine using a web browser (a simple httpd server is built in!).

Ethernet Configuration Instructions.
Note that depending on the motherboard in the RFM machine, you may have to adjust the BIOS setup setting prior to getting the network card working in order to avoid an IRQ conflict. This can be determined if there is a problem by configuring the network adjustments, setting an IP address/mask, and then using the keyboard (or serial port) to access a command prompt and run 'ping'.  If the 'ping' works (the lights on the card blink or device on the network responds to the ping, etc.), then you don't need to change the BIOS. If you get some kind of "ez" error message, then you will have to do the following:

Remove the PRISM board, plug in a keyboard and power up the box. If you are lucky and the monitor "syncs up" to the BIOS screen, then you can see what you are doing. If not, you may want to temporarily plug in a PC monitor instead of the Pin2000 monitor.

Disable the 'Built in OnBoard Audio' in the 'Integrated Peripherals' menu. On some RFM motherboards, the onboard audio uses the IRQ that the default setting of the EtherEZ network card uses.

Here are the key strokes that should effect the change:


1. Remove the PRISM board/plug in PC monitor and keyboard
2. Power up (you will see the normal PC BIOS startup because the PRISM card is out).
3. Press DEL to enter setup (the BIOS setup should appear).
4. Press the RIGHT ARROW key (move to the INTEGRATED PERIPHERALS menu).
5. Press the ENTER key (enter the INTEGRATED PERIPHERALS menu).
6. Press the RIGHT ARROW key (move to the right hand column of menu items).
7. Press the DOWN ARROW key (move to the BUILT IN ONBOARD AUDIO menu).
8. Press the PAGE UP key (change the adjustment from ENABLE to DISABLE).
9. Press the ESC key (leave the INTEGRATED PERIPHERALS menu).
10. Press the DOWN ARROW key (move to the SAVE AND EXIT menu).
11. Press the DOWN ARROW key.
12. Press the DOWN ARROW key.
13. Press the ENTER key (SAVE AND EXIT).
14. Press the Y key (confirm).
15. Press the ENTER key (do it).
16. Replace the PRISM board.

The default username / password are set to "Pin2000" and "Manager" (respectively, case sensitive), which you may want to change since all RFM machines are initially set to the same values (but who would want to hack into a pinball machine?)

Wireless Access to your Pinball 2000 Game.
Matt Osborn came up with this info. If your basement arcade is anything like mine, you don't have outlets all wired up to the home network, and snaking CAT5 isn't going to be much fun. There's a simpler and easier way to get connected. But before we get to that, you're going to need to get the right network card for your Pinball 2000 game. Apparently, Williams only had time to add support for one specific ethernet card, the SMC8416T. You'll have to hunt around to find one.

What you need is a wireless bridge. Logitech used to make one called the "Play Link", which was marketed for network capable consoles link PS2 and XBox. Like just about everything good for Pin2000, it's no longer made. I was fortunate enough to pick one up when they were on clearance at geeks.com for $9.99 (wish I'd bought more than one!) You see used ones pop up on eBay fairly often. There are probably other bridges out there, but the Play Link is inexpensive, simple, and works great. All you have to do is run the provided network cable from your P2K network card to one of the Play Link cubes, and connect the other cube to your router. The two cubes automatically make an RF connection. There's no configuration to do. It's essentially a "wireless cable" from your pinball to the router. I run the network cable down the back of the machine (along with the other cables, like the parallel cable that goes to the driver board) and put the cube down in the bottom of the cabinet. The cube has a little wall-wart power supply that you can plug into the utility power outlet with the help of the adapter cord that comes with the machine.

The Logitech PlayLink installed in the bottom of a RFM machine. Picture by Matt Osborn.

In the P2K setup you'll need to assign an IP address to your machine. In a home networking environment that'll be something like 192.168.1.X (assuming your router's IP is 192.168.1.1), where "X" can be any number from 2 to 255. Don't pick too low of a number, as those addresses are probably already used by other computers on your net (likely automatically assigned by DHCP). To test it out, the first thing to try is the machine's webserver, which is http://192.168.1.X web address. If everything is set up right you'll get a webpage that looks something like this:

The web page at http://192.168.1.X ('X' is the number you assigned), showing high scores.

Then you can try logging into your P2K machine via telnet. That's where you're going to need the XINA commands shown above in this document.