Trainz running in Linux

O

oldalistair

New member
I've just come back to Trainz after a gap of a year or so. I had tried in vain to get MSTS running in Linux (under Wine- no, I wasn't inebriated!) and was pleasantly surprised to find that Trainz2009 will run beautifully (faster than on my Win XP PC) on Ubuntu v.11.05 and the latest version of Wine. Unsurprisingly of course Content Manager refuses to cooperate. The screen darkens when I run it (sulk mode I suppose). and I can achieve nothing. It looks as if I am compelled to stick with the built-in content- unless someone out there has finally found out how to install .cp files into Trainz without dear old CM. Of course I can continue to run a version on my Windows PC and install new stuff there (though I find that difficult enough given the cussed nature of CM) and periodically transfer the whole Trainz folder and its gigabytes of data to the Linux machine. A better solution would be if Auran ever produced a new version of Trainz written for Unix/Linux. I'll continue to live in hope.
 
oldalistair said:
I've just come back to Trainz after a gap of a year or so. I had tried in vain to get MSTS running in Linux (under Wine- no, I wasn't inebriated!) and was pleasantly surprised to find that Trainz2009 will run beautifully (faster than on my Win XP PC) on Ubuntu v.11.05 and the latest version of Wine. Unsurprisingly of course Content Manager refuses to cooperate. The screen darkens when I run it (sulk mode I suppose). and I can achieve nothing. It looks as if I am compelled to stick with the built-in content- unless someone out there has finally found out how to install .cp files into Trainz without dear old CM. Of course I can continue to run a version on my Windows PC and install new stuff there (though I find that difficult enough given the cussed nature of CM) and periodically transfer the whole Trainz folder and its gigabytes of data to the Linux machine. A better solution would be if Auran ever produced a new version of Trainz written for Unix/Linux. I'll continue to live in hope.
Click to expand...


Have you tried setting permissions on CM? This to me sounds like there is some kind of restriction on the app that keeps it from running properly. It needs to connect to the internet through its own interface, and it opens a lot of applications.

Rather than having to suffer with what you're doing, I'd check this out. Believe me, I've given up trying to tweak things to work anymore. If something doesn't work, I ditch it rather than fiddle around with it.

John
 
oldalistair said:
. A better solution would be if Auran ever produced a new version of Trainz written for Unix/Linux. I'll continue to live in hope.
Click to expand...

We've already had a big no on a version for Linux, try setting Content manager up in Wine as if it was an independent program and then running it direct rather than through the launcher. I actually got Content Manager working up to a point using PCLinux, was a bit unstable though.

Alternatively set up a VM on Linux and run content manager from the VM, by adding wherever you have installed Trainz folder as a drive. Draw back with that is you have to install Windows in the VM in which case its probably as easy to dual boot, use CM in Windows and run Trains Direct from Linux / Wine from the Windows partition, yes you can actually do that with a bit of fiddling.

Easier just to use Windows for most games though.
 
Trainz in Linux

"try setting Content manager up in Wine as if it was an independent program"

Tried this today but Content Manager just doesn't like Linux. I think the advice to stick to Windows for Trainz is the correct one. I tried out Trainz Classics 1,2 today and it won't run in Wine. I'm a bit saddened because I have been almost completely successful in moving away from Windows to Ubuntu (all my multimedia activities for example), with the exception of rail simulation. I'll just have to content myself with the built-in routes of Trainz 2009 and of course Open BVE! Thanks for your interest folks!
 
Trainz Classics does run in Linux

" I tried out Trainz Classics 1,2 today and it won't run in Wine."

Correction. I discovered that TC does in fact run perfectly in Linux with Wine, provided you use OPENGL rather than DIRECTX
 
oldalistair said:
"try setting Content manager up in Wine as if it was an independent program"

Tried this today but Content Manager just doesn't like Linux. I think the advice to stick to Windows for Trainz is the correct one. I tried out Trainz Classics 1,2 today and it won't run in Wine. I'm a bit saddened because I have been almost completely successful in moving away from Windows to Ubuntu (all my multimedia activities for example), with the exception of rail simulation. I'll just have to content myself with the built-in routes of Trainz 2009 and of course Open BVE! Thanks for your interest folks!
Click to expand...
Have never been able to get any version of CM to run under WINE. I think it has something to do with the Microsoft .NET platform, but don't quote me.
Download the free version of VirtualBox from Sun.
Run CM inside this and you should have no problems. Works fine with Ubuntu.
TRS2006 and TC3 will run out of the box with WINE, CMP and all.
Geoff
 
geoffwilliams said:
Have never been able to get any version of CM to run under WINE. I think it has something to do with the Microsoft .NET platform, but don't quote me.
Download the free version of VirtualBox from Sun.
Run CM inside this and you should have no problems. Works fine with Ubuntu.
TRS2006 and TC3 will run out of the box with WINE, CMP and all.
Geoff
Click to expand...


Virtual Box rules! It'll run virtually any platform and their are versions for Solaris, 'nix, Apple, and Windows.

Right now I'm testing Windows 8 in it. I don't see the hardware performance, which you won't with a VM, but V-Box is doing a great job for what I need.

The link www.virtualbox.org

John
 
I have Windows 8.1 and am running Lubuntu via VMware player. TRS2006 doesn't run properly on my computer, so I thought I would try it out. Oracle Virtualbox doesn't work, and the included Hyper-v didn't work. I am not about to waste a product key for Windows on a virtual machine.
 
No point in trying Trainz in a VM the hardware is just emulated, the way to go is to use WINE I've had 2009 and 2010 working in Wine, I got Content Manager to work albeit spasmodically, never bothered to progress further as I'm too busy route building in TS12 on Win7.

I find using a program called Dependency Walker, runs fine under WINE, invaluable for finding missing bits and pieces required to get Windows programs working in WINE.

Should be able to install cdp's using Trainzutil and the command line
Include the path to the cdp
Code: 
trainzutil InstallCDP asset.cdp
asset being the name of the cdp.

Run Trainzutil help for the full list of commands


Edit: You are aware that there will be a Linux version of T:ANE a bit further down the road.

Edit 2: I've always duel booted and run Trainz in Wine Direct from from the Windows Partition using Mandriva usually, sometimes PCLinuxOS, saves installing it in WINE.
 
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I was just trying to get it to work until I can get Trainz 12. Trainz 2006 apparently doesn't like dual-core processors and doesn't like Windows 8.1 64bit. I got it to work on my computer, but the FPS drop and it is always caching. It usually smooths out after loading a map and going in and out of quick drive. It does crash a lot though, and maps take forever to load.
 
Entirely new approach to Linux based railroad simulation

I've been a Trainz fan since 2004. From day one I've pondered the Linux-Trainz operating coexistence. After a decade of thought I believe the answer will not be found in the computer, but rather in the social-economic area. Auran is a business for profit operation. So when managers discover Mr. Market has changed directions the computer engineers have their projects halted, perhaps never again to be useful to anyone.

I think a "club" approach may be solve the Linux-Railroad Simulation issue by creating an organization that required dues to remain in "the club." A Linux based server programmed specifically to match a Linux based user funded by club members requiring club dues to keep it funded may resolve the issue of getting a Linux based railroad simulator.

My idea does not eliminate the need for managers or marketers, it just puts the computer geeks programming the servers closer to the rest of us trying to have fun with railroad simulation. In theory it reduces technical problems because every comment or complaint is not overseen by managers sweating out the economics of every task.
 
Is it just me, or does it seem that Auran is just dancing around Linux? They have developed versions of Trainz for Android and Mac OS, which are both Linux/Unix-based. It doesn't make sense to me. Linux is a decent kernel, and it is free, unlike other operating systems... (***Cough, Cough, Micro$oft, Cough) I am not going to pay $150 to install Windows once. And, Linux tends to take up WAY less space, and runs faster. Although, there has also been ReactOS which (supposedly) can run Windows programs. Fine by me, as long as it is free. Has anyone tried that? It is still in alpha stages, however. I don't see the need of an operating system that looks pretty, but at the cost of performance. I just need one that functions.
 
We have had this discussion many times over the years. The answer why N3V (it is no longer Auran) has been "dancing around" Linux/Unix should be obvious from the latest statistics.

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_share_of_operating_systems

To summarise, In the desktop/laptop area
- Windows (all versions) has about 80% of the market
- MacOS X about 8%
- Ubuntu (the most popular of the Linux/Unix distros) about 1.7%

If you use web clients (which includes mobile phones) as your measure, then
- Windows about 51%
- Android about 26%
- iOS, OS X about 16%
- Linux based about 3%

The discussion has always raised the valid point that any version of Trainz that is released for an OS other than Windows would incur additional development and support costs so the market has to be there to support that.

I have Ubuntu (v14) running very well on an old laptop but I seldom use it for anything, and I find I am using it for even less now that i have upgraded my high end desktop and mid level laptop to Win 10.
 
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The other problem with Linux, proper Linux not the Ubuntu pretender, is that not many Linux users want to spend money on anything. The whole point of Open Source was that it was free. To be honest I got tired of the hours spent getting windows stuff to work on Linux be it in Wine where the next update frequently broke what I got to work or hunting out binary replacements or compiling some code or script to replace the exe files and the updates these days are just as bad as with Windows for some distros.

ReactOS? er......... yes............ well........... it's the longest Alpha I've ever come across been Alpha since 1998, you can run basic stuff like Firefox and Chrome on it however it's not really much! But hey guess what they managed to get it to be able to print for the first time back in February this year

Back in 1998 it looked hopeful but like many open source projects, people come and go fall out or get bored and so on and nothing much happens.
 
This has just reminded me of something. I was flicking through computer magazines and in a section mentioning Linux it claimed there was the possibility in the next year of a major graphics advancement with DirectX I think it was. Wish I had taken a note of it so has anyone else become aware of this??
 
pware said:
To summarise, In the desktop/laptop area
- Windows (all versions) has about 80% of the market
- MacOS X about 8%
- Ubuntu (the most popular of the Linux/Unix distros) about 1.7%
Click to expand...

What percentage of the Windows based machines will be locked down to business use only I wonder and therefore false padding to potential market size for any entertainment product?
 
operating-systems-diagram.png
Operating_System_Venn_Diagram.jpg
OSchart.png
 
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