BLACKWATCH
Mechanical Engineer
To the English, 'American English' is a foreign language. :hehe:
A plea to content creators..
- Thread starter euromodeller
- Start date
eurostar3000
JimmyArmstrongTrainz
It was just an example, generally I name my reskins like this :
JAT <name of the company> <the serie of the locomotive or EMU/DMU> <livery or logo detail or year> for a motorized unit
JAT <name of the company> <the serie of the coach> <the compartment class arrangement> <livery or logo detail or year> for a coach
JAT <name of the company> <the serie of the locomotive or EMU/DMU> <livery or logo detail or year> for a motorized unit
JAT <name of the company> <the serie of the coach> <the compartment class arrangement> <livery or logo detail or year> for a coach
I use a system that natvander uses on his routes for his switches and industries. He uses the following system:
Switches and industries designations all start with the name of the nearest town or signal box. They all start with the first and last letter of the town's name or signal box. If the name of the town or signal box is two words, then it uses the first letter of each word.
After the letters, the switches and industries are numbered numerically from one end of the nearest town or signal box, starting with '01' and going up from there.
If the switch is one of two switches in a crossover, or the ends of a passing siding or a track in a rail yard, one switch will end with an 'A' and the other will end with a 'B'.
If a passing siding has a siding connecting to one end of the passing siding, then the track at the ends of the passing siding end with 'A' or 'B' and the switch to the industry will end with 'C'.
If a passing siding has sidings to industries coming off both ends of the passing siding, then the switches at each end of the siding will be treated as two separate crossovers, so two switches, one for each crossover, will end in 'A', and the other switch in the crossover, will end in 'B'.
If the switch is part of a yard, then between the name of the nearest town or signal box and the number for the switch, 'YD' will be added.
If the switch leads to the servicing facilities for the locomotives (coal, water, etc.), then between the name of the nearest town or signal box, and the number for the switch, 'LSF' will be added.
If an industry has more than one place to load and unload commodities, than one of the tracks will in a letter, starting with 'A' and continuing alphabetically.
Between the name of the nearest town or signal box and the number for the industry, 'IND' will be added.
Here's a few examples:
DN01A
DN = Dalton
01A = Switch 01A
Since this is either one end of a passing siding or one of two switches that make up a crossover, then this switch will be pared with:
DN01B
DN = Dalton
01B = Switch 01B
DN02
DN = Dalton
02 = Switch 2
Please note that this switch is NOT part of the yard, but simply a siding for an industry.
DNYD02A
DN = Dalton
YD = Yard
02A = Switch 02A
Since this is one end of a track in a yard, then it will be pared with:
DNYD02B
DN = Dalton
YD = Yard
02B = Switch 02B
DNLSF01
DN = Dalton
LSF = Locomotive Servicing Facility
01 = Switch 01; this is the switch at the lead into the Locomotive Servicing Facility that connects it to the rest of the railroad.
GJ01A
GJ = Grand Junction
01A = Switch 01A in a crossover
Grand Junction is the junction where a single track branch line branches off one track of a double-track mainline. This therefore means that there's a crossover for trains on the opposite track to cross over to get to the branch line. GJ01A is one of two switches that makes up a crossover, so GJ01A will be paired with:
GJ01B
GJ = Grand Junction
01B = Switch 01B in a crossover
GJ01C
GJ = Grand Junction
01C = Switch 01C; this is the switch that is the beginning of the branch line.
WD01A
WD = Whitfield
01A = Switch 01A; this is one end of a passing siding.
In this case, on the other end of the siding there's a siding leading to an industry, resulting in basically a crossover at the other end of the passing siding.
WD01B
WD = Whitfield
01B = Switch 01B; this is the other end of the passing siding.
WD01C
WD = Whitfield
01C = Switch 01C; this is the switch that makes up one of two switches that makes up a crossover (the other is WD01B), but leads to an industry.
Now for the industries:
DNIND01
DN = Dalton
IND = Industry
01 = Industry 01
DNIND02A
DN = Dalton
IND = Industry
02A = Industry 02, commodity loading/unloading location A
DNIND02B
DN = Dalton
IND = Industry
02B = Industry 02, commodity loading/unloading location B
Hopefully that helps understand how I name things on my routes.
Switches and industries designations all start with the name of the nearest town or signal box. They all start with the first and last letter of the town's name or signal box. If the name of the town or signal box is two words, then it uses the first letter of each word.
After the letters, the switches and industries are numbered numerically from one end of the nearest town or signal box, starting with '01' and going up from there.
If the switch is one of two switches in a crossover, or the ends of a passing siding or a track in a rail yard, one switch will end with an 'A' and the other will end with a 'B'.
If a passing siding has a siding connecting to one end of the passing siding, then the track at the ends of the passing siding end with 'A' or 'B' and the switch to the industry will end with 'C'.
If a passing siding has sidings to industries coming off both ends of the passing siding, then the switches at each end of the siding will be treated as two separate crossovers, so two switches, one for each crossover, will end in 'A', and the other switch in the crossover, will end in 'B'.
If the switch is part of a yard, then between the name of the nearest town or signal box and the number for the switch, 'YD' will be added.
If the switch leads to the servicing facilities for the locomotives (coal, water, etc.), then between the name of the nearest town or signal box, and the number for the switch, 'LSF' will be added.
If an industry has more than one place to load and unload commodities, than one of the tracks will in a letter, starting with 'A' and continuing alphabetically.
Between the name of the nearest town or signal box and the number for the industry, 'IND' will be added.
Here's a few examples:
DN01A
DN = Dalton
01A = Switch 01A
Since this is either one end of a passing siding or one of two switches that make up a crossover, then this switch will be pared with:
DN01B
DN = Dalton
01B = Switch 01B
DN02
DN = Dalton
02 = Switch 2
Please note that this switch is NOT part of the yard, but simply a siding for an industry.
DNYD02A
DN = Dalton
YD = Yard
02A = Switch 02A
Since this is one end of a track in a yard, then it will be pared with:
DNYD02B
DN = Dalton
YD = Yard
02B = Switch 02B
DNLSF01
DN = Dalton
LSF = Locomotive Servicing Facility
01 = Switch 01; this is the switch at the lead into the Locomotive Servicing Facility that connects it to the rest of the railroad.
GJ01A
GJ = Grand Junction
01A = Switch 01A in a crossover
Grand Junction is the junction where a single track branch line branches off one track of a double-track mainline. This therefore means that there's a crossover for trains on the opposite track to cross over to get to the branch line. GJ01A is one of two switches that makes up a crossover, so GJ01A will be paired with:
GJ01B
GJ = Grand Junction
01B = Switch 01B in a crossover
GJ01C
GJ = Grand Junction
01C = Switch 01C; this is the switch that is the beginning of the branch line.
WD01A
WD = Whitfield
01A = Switch 01A; this is one end of a passing siding.
In this case, on the other end of the siding there's a siding leading to an industry, resulting in basically a crossover at the other end of the passing siding.
WD01B
WD = Whitfield
01B = Switch 01B; this is the other end of the passing siding.
WD01C
WD = Whitfield
01C = Switch 01C; this is the switch that makes up one of two switches that makes up a crossover (the other is WD01B), but leads to an industry.
Now for the industries:
DNIND01
DN = Dalton
IND = Industry
01 = Industry 01
DNIND02A
DN = Dalton
IND = Industry
02A = Industry 02, commodity loading/unloading location A
DNIND02B
DN = Dalton
IND = Industry
02B = Industry 02, commodity loading/unloading location B
Hopefully that helps understand how I name things on my routes.
BLACKWATCH
Mechanical Engineer
For a start, you can lose the 'JAT', that is just there for your ego
BLACKWATCH
Mechanical Engineer
Worse than the 'small print' on a legal document, total gobbledigook to most Trainz users.
Dinorius_Redundicus
kuid 68213
...which is why I didn’t use that term. I described the languages as either English or non-English.
It would be nice too if Surveyor had the description box available too when selecting an asset. Sometimes there is a description, and even how to use the asset instructions in the description box, but the problem is when we get into Surveyor, we're supposed to remember to go back to Content Manager to bring up the instructions on how to use the asset, or read the description provided by the author.
I agree that non-descriptive names and lack of information is detrimental to everyone. The content creator loses out in the long run because his/her audience, his customers, will shy away from the content because no one wants to wade through lots of part numbers with no idea what the content is. In many cases, as we've found out, these assets are really nice, but remembering what they are is next to impossible, and it doesn't help that Content Manager has trouble with preview images from the DLS, or people providing a generic splash-screen kind of thumbnail.
For many years during my work-life, I was involved in inventory and logistics even though I was in IT and repair. In one organization, they had developed a part number system based on the type of part. A IC 74F74 flip-flip had a part number IC-74F74-001, with the 001 being the revision. ROMs and EPROMs were always prefixed with IC24x, Capacitors CP-something with something being the value in micro or nano-farads, Resistors were RB for the standard resistors and RP for resistor packs. Now I haven't seen these parts since 1987, but I still remember the part numbers!
In contrast another place I worked in had sheets of film, which were sold in boxes along with other equipment and service parts. They had no rhyme or reason to their part numbering scheme, which made remembering what the parts were, and ordering, let alone searching the warehouse for the products. From doing data entry and inventory, I still remember some of the parts a decade later. 625510 was Yellow GRACol 22x30 film sheets 100 per box. 625537 is 22 x 30 semi-gloss finishing film, and so on, but compared to the other system this was very difficult to remember.
What it boils down to is:
1) Having asset names that everyone understands.
2) Using a universal language, English, the Queen's English is fine and understood worldwide
3) Have this enforced in the content-validation system, and force non-English names to be rejected right from the get-go. Non-English text can be put in the description.
4) Enforce the description box. It maybe text only, but having something in there is better than nothing. Tell us how it works, what it is, etc.
5) Establish a naming convention - related to item 1, and having everyone stick to that.
This latter point should have been established back in 2002 when Trainz was in its early stages and content was being created. All train wagons could have some kind of prefix followed by the name. BX for boxcar for example, might work so we could have BX - BM 40ft, for a B&M 40ft boxcar. PA, or PAS for passenger, Lo for locomotives - this could have LOS for steam, LOD for diesel, and so on. The same for splines, and all other asset types. Maybe this could be picked up from the asset categories, which are used by Content Manager and Trainz its self to sort the assets in the database.
I know much of this comes after the horses and cows have long left the farm, but with the CRG going about their business, I don't see why assets being repaired couldn't be renamed at the same time.
I agree that non-descriptive names and lack of information is detrimental to everyone. The content creator loses out in the long run because his/her audience, his customers, will shy away from the content because no one wants to wade through lots of part numbers with no idea what the content is. In many cases, as we've found out, these assets are really nice, but remembering what they are is next to impossible, and it doesn't help that Content Manager has trouble with preview images from the DLS, or people providing a generic splash-screen kind of thumbnail.
For many years during my work-life, I was involved in inventory and logistics even though I was in IT and repair. In one organization, they had developed a part number system based on the type of part. A IC 74F74 flip-flip had a part number IC-74F74-001, with the 001 being the revision. ROMs and EPROMs were always prefixed with IC24x, Capacitors CP-something with something being the value in micro or nano-farads, Resistors were RB for the standard resistors and RP for resistor packs. Now I haven't seen these parts since 1987, but I still remember the part numbers!
In contrast another place I worked in had sheets of film, which were sold in boxes along with other equipment and service parts. They had no rhyme or reason to their part numbering scheme, which made remembering what the parts were, and ordering, let alone searching the warehouse for the products. From doing data entry and inventory, I still remember some of the parts a decade later. 625510 was Yellow GRACol 22x30 film sheets 100 per box. 625537 is 22 x 30 semi-gloss finishing film, and so on, but compared to the other system this was very difficult to remember.
What it boils down to is:
1) Having asset names that everyone understands.
2) Using a universal language, English, the Queen's English is fine and understood worldwide
3) Have this enforced in the content-validation system, and force non-English names to be rejected right from the get-go. Non-English text can be put in the description.
4) Enforce the description box. It maybe text only, but having something in there is better than nothing. Tell us how it works, what it is, etc.
5) Establish a naming convention - related to item 1, and having everyone stick to that.
This latter point should have been established back in 2002 when Trainz was in its early stages and content was being created. All train wagons could have some kind of prefix followed by the name. BX for boxcar for example, might work so we could have BX - BM 40ft, for a B&M 40ft boxcar. PA, or PAS for passenger, Lo for locomotives - this could have LOS for steam, LOD for diesel, and so on. The same for splines, and all other asset types. Maybe this could be picked up from the asset categories, which are used by Content Manager and Trainz its self to sort the assets in the database.
I know much of this comes after the horses and cows have long left the farm, but with the CRG going about their business, I don't see why assets being repaired couldn't be renamed at the same time.
I agree and disagree with the OP. What he calls Geek Speak can be useful information, but indeed a proper verbal description should also be included. And the thumbnails should be images of the actual item. I am guilty of using generic thumbnails, and will start a project to replace them all with relevant images. Is there a way to have them generated automatically? Did I see something in Asset-X?
Mick
Mick
Yes, Mick_Berg - there's an option in AssetX to auto-generate thumbnails via a script, but it is rather generic, creating the config.txt framework for you and a dodgy generic .jpg placeholder image. However, you can use the same tool to capture a snapshot of your primary mesh/ preferred view of each asset to use that as the thumbnail instead. Certainly speeds things up.
Preferable to use the "Generate a thumbnail..." option on the File Menu. That way you can choose the thumbnail that will be generated from the image you select from the file browser.
Preferable to use the "Generate a thumbnail..." option on the File Menu. That way you can choose the thumbnail that will be generated from the image you select from the file browser.
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Interesting discussion.
The problem with all acronyms is that you have to have some (often considerable) experience to know what they mean. LOD, for example, does that mean LOcomotive Diesel or Level Of Detail? Many, especially new users, would not know anything at all about levels of detail. It is only when you get into content creation that it would start to become an important concept - and perhaps not even then judging from the number of Sketchup created assets on the DLS and layouts that use them as dependencies.
There are many different ways of classifying railway rolling stock, trees, buildings, roads, textures, etc and I suspect any "universal system" will either be too cumbersome or will eventually fail under the weight of exceptions to the rule - just like the English language. In any case, I don't think such a system would be enforceable.
My major complaints, and I suspect those of the OP and others here, are directed against the extremes that seem to be coming the "normal". Such as:-
I confess, I do not know what acceptable solutions to these issue are. My current approach is to ignore any asset that I cannot decipher.
The problem with all acronyms is that you have to have some (often considerable) experience to know what they mean. LOD, for example, does that mean LOcomotive Diesel or Level Of Detail? Many, especially new users, would not know anything at all about levels of detail. It is only when you get into content creation that it would start to become an important concept - and perhaps not even then judging from the number of Sketchup created assets on the DLS and layouts that use them as dependencies.
There are many different ways of classifying railway rolling stock, trees, buildings, roads, textures, etc and I suspect any "universal system" will either be too cumbersome or will eventually fail under the weight of exceptions to the rule - just like the English language. In any case, I don't think such a system would be enforceable.
My major complaints, and I suspect those of the OP and others here, are directed against the extremes that seem to be coming the "normal". Such as:-
- Asset names that are meaningless - even allowing for the short length allowed. The description should be the obvious place to expand on what the asset is all about, but the description does not appear in CM.
- Descriptions that are useless, totally untranslatable (e.g. a series of "?????" characters), or just missing.
- Thumbnails that are generic
I confess, I do not know what acceptable solutions to these issue are. My current approach is to ignore any asset that I cannot decipher.
amigacooke
Well-known member
I don't believe you were quoted.
I have never had any problems understanding your descriptions and your thumbnails are not generic. You "pass muster".
whitburncolliery
New member
A pet peeve is the lack of Region code on an asset. 
