Article: TS12 SP1 Hotfix 2 now available.

[jimabbey]

Well Nice going N3V I can't Use the New train function in Driver mode ,The category is Freaking blank! Trees have disappeared Again and reappear again off and on, Copy and past function in Surveyor STILL crashes trainz to the desk top ..so you Fixed What, again? Come on Guys Cut out the excuses and Fix these freaking issues and please do not say Work around it! Not a good business practice!

 

[cronico]

Hi , for me after 49922 , only problems with trainz , now on driver & surveyor , the game runs very slow , it's very difficult rotate and move objects in surveyor , the black holes never see on 49922 now appear , the game load textures with many difficulties , first appear black squares , after appear the correct texture .
I never had this kind of problems with 49922 build of the game . Sorry for my bad english

 

[shaneturner12]

There are some known issues that N3V are sorting out, and the slow running is one of them. The black hole issue should not be happening though if you have SP1 installed.

Shane

 

[jimabbey]

Too bad, I had no problems after the patch and the first hotfix, but now after the second hotfix (which ran without problems or error messages) Content Manager freezes after some time. I experienced it while clicking assets in the "Today" window. I had to resort to EndTask, for it lasted. In another attempt I started downloading things quite soon after having started CM. Download went fine until it suddenly stopped after a few minutes. Completely stuck. The taddaemon reported two or three lines " ... AssetIndex::WriteDatabase" in each case.
Please help. Thanks.

That is Exactly What is now happening to my CM ,I go to download content and after a few minutes It freezes and the CPU is running full all cores at 100% TaddDamon not doing a damn thing in the Processes View ,CM is running but as I stated ,It froze up my Computer, Never had this happen in Pre Sp1 installations after I stopped the process , And had to sut it down via Ctrl-Alt Esc and restart trainz then it takes 45 minutes doing a Damn database repair. So i'm getting NO joy from Trainz in it's present state At All! going back to Railworks for a while. good luck with this mess!

 

[Fabartus]

That also means that a reinstall is needed - one should never force-close the patching process.

The likely reason for the slow behaviour happens if your antivirus software is still running, or if you have a lot of content installed.

Shane

Let me add to that, anti-malware programs such as Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and system maintenance utilities like Advance System Care also these days branch out and monitor files in the background. So get in the habit of disabling all those process cycle wasters when doing a build and shut down the browser and all it's background processes. Give the foreground process (Hot Fix) as many free resources as possible without having stuff steal cycles. Probably worth disconnecting your internet service feed as well. And shutting down file indexing, printer and other quick launchers, almost everything in the lower right corner of the task bar (Windows XP); newer Windows moved things around, especially W7 & W8.

Just a thought here Shane, since content and the base system upgrade are interdependent wouldn't it make more sense to run a second naked install without any content, patch that, then get the old new content imported in smaller chunks. Seems to me that a lot of man-hours could be saved by orphaning the 'old' trial, (move the install 'local root' folder to a new name), Fresh Install with SP's and Patches, then selectively bring in the content into a Stabilized Software system. It also eliminates a lot of anxiety as you can see and evaluate the CM at each stage as it brings in chunks of local content... not wait around nervously uncertain whether things will work out.

The virtue of this is guys, as Shane knows, you don't actually break the integrity of the old install, or even move or otherwise affect it's files... you simply just use it as a safe backup by severing the registry's knowledge of it's existence because you renamed it. You can always then reverse the severing. The general process of being hyper-safe is found here: TRS2012WBE#How_to_proceed which I wrote up last week to give guidance on one of the TRS2012 problems boards, but only suggested to one individual by PM. I'd been meaning to ask you to critique it Shane, so I'm asking! The Wikibook page end is step by step how to safeguard even the registry keys and how to edit it. Where that might come in, is forcing the system to allow two flavors of TRS2012 to sit on the HDD side by side as runnable programs. (Keeping your content current between one or the other is your job! Use date stamps and learn to copy folder to folder.) It is in this case, unecessary unless you want to assure having two different versions which could run. If we're lucky, you could just add a second version in a new directory (folder) as detailed below. Some registry keys (called 'Hkeys') will be mixed since both installs use the same .exe file names. (more below on that)

The real power is in renaming the old about to be replaced version to say 'TRS2012-SP1HF1' and reinstalling to the same old folder name 'TRS2012' (which is no longer there!). Everything in TRS2012-SP1HF1 is invisible to the registry, save perhaps to indexing software. All the paths and indexes point to the new TRS2012. The old version is however now not fully functional, though running directly from each exe except the launcher will mostly work. Jcitron always runs from ...\bin\ContentManager.exe because it then ignores registry indexed lookups, knowing where it is from the fact it's directly loaded from the ...\bin\ pathspec. (I don't know about Surveyor or Driver in that direct launch mode.) The launcher (the exe pointed to by your desktop shortcut) feeds the CM the path from the registry... one correct, one incorrect relative to the older install.

Overall, what this technique does guys is breaks the registry's knowledge of the renamed folder -- keeping the data safe. It's also very speedy, since you are merely renaming a folder name (indexed drives will take a few moments longer--they'll likely index all the files in the folder recording their new pathspecs). If the new install doesn't work out, you can reverse the process and orphan the new one by renaming that versions folder to 'TRS2012-SP1HF2' and renaming 'TRS2012-SP1HF1' back to 'TRS2012', and for which, all the registry keys will still be functional.

Alternatively, if the installer allows it (I can't test it yet) you might be able to install a clean fresh version to that same name: 'TRS2012-SP1HF2' -- which name also has the virtue of giving you a 'version state menomic' at a glance.

If someone has a lot of extra HDD space, you can test this by renaming the folder, then copying the whole contents to the current folder name (reestablishing the registry validity), then try the fresh install to the suggested 'TRS2012-SP1HF2' name with each SP and HF in succession.

​

If the installer is stubborn, it kills that second copy in TRS2012 but the first (moved by renaming) is still safe in 'TRS2012-SP1HF1'. If it works, both TRS2012 (SP1HF1) and the new TRS2012SP1HF2 will function... with the caveat, the name Contentmanager.exe is common to both, so you will be best advised to use John's (Jcitron here abouts) direct launch method from /bin or get Shane's tool.
​

Later you could use the technique on the Wikibook page to rename the one folder you're keeping and are happy with anything you like. Any such juggling allows a clean install and rebuild, so you can evaluate it stage by stage, but renaming the current root folder is comparatively safer, for you aren't gambling the installer won't be stubborn about the destination folder--the new version local root. Your content is not risked either, but backed up in a known state.

Above I'd presumed above some of the canned content can be used to test your various concerns; if not, and you want to see a specific problem on your own creations, before you do any of this... you can identify specific content and which route you want to test by monitoring date stamps: e.g. open surveyor, plant a tree, alter a session by adding a 1 second wait, save both. Repeat as needed for each session on the route. Open troublesome assets for edit, recommit, updating the date stamps. I'd do that with one more thing--a route you wouldn't mind not having on the new system for a while. THAT name & Kuid can be used to verify to yourself CM is looking at the right data set, for it is a couple of folders you will not copy to the temp folders and then import to the newly installed ...HF2 version. Data shows in CM, CM looking at the old directory. Data not shows in CM, CM looking at the new folder and data. Regardless of that bit of pre-planned safe guarding... When you've got your 'I want to test these' list exhausted, Quit Trainz all the way, wait a few minutes for it to finish processing, then 'Advanced search' for dates modified in the last day. Write down the files and their paths which changed, or take and save a screenshot or three. That's all folder paths you'll want to copy to your first temp folder -- content you've listed to import and test--working smart, not hard. (see next below)
​

Overall, a fresh install simplifies the build to manageable chunks, you can sub-divide the task by dispersing the local content to several other folders; I would leave the base data alone (it has time stamps, and you may recalling working on such and such ten days ago, or whatever), and selectively copy parts to a set of newly created temp folders off the Auran/N3V mother root folder (all my Trainz are off/in C:\Auran which is where I save any such content to be safe guarded as well, so I have a C:\Auran\libraries and C:\Auran\local as backups) to upload in CM in such chunks. A folder to folder copy is a fast operation. Feeding CM in smaller lots should speed things up as it validates content. Right now, from the above, it appears to be trying to be doing all that in one fell swoop. Oh, my setup also opens each folder in a seperate process rather than mucking around with the Explorer, I can and usually do have ten to twenty things open at once for direct access. Makes dragging and dropping far easier, and that goes double for copying and pasting. // Frank

 

[pcas1986]

...

Just a thought here Shane, since content and the base system upgrade are interdependent wouldn't it make more sense to run a second naked install without any content, patch that, then get the old new content imported in smaller chunks. Seems to me that a lot of man-hours could be saved by orphaning the 'old' trial, (move the install 'local root' folder to a new name), Fresh Install with SP's and Patches, then selectively bring in the content into a Stabilized Software system. It also eliminates a lot of anxiety as you can see and evaluate the CM at each stage as it brings in chunks of local content... not wait around nervously uncertain whether things will work out.

... // Frank

I'm not Shane but that is a good idea. The problem is that many Trainz users may not be comfortable with doing something like that. I'd hesitate about putting something like that in a tutorial.

 

[shaneturner12]

I agree with Paul. It's a possibility, although I'm not sure how many users would be comfortable doing something like that (even with utilities available to help at certain stages).

Shane

 

[Fabartus]

I agree with Paul. It's a possibility, although I'm not sure how many users would be comfortable doing something like that (even with utilities available to help at certain stages).

Shane

(And Hi to you too Paul!)

WELL, I'm certainly not going to retract it! LOL... cost too much time to write up!

The cats out of the bag. Besides that Wikibook hand-holding tutorial will still be there as a reference.

If they set a system restore point, and gain a little bit of basic Windows knowledge (e.g. the diff between copying a folder icon [highlighted] AND copying the [CTRL]-[A] (select All) Cut and paste to an open folder) they'll be fine. If they want to play in the registry, it's not much tougher than running Notepad or Notepad+.

The damned process is written to KEEP the data safe and unmolested so they can back out of HF2. // Frank

 

[shaneturner12]

Indeed - I just think that it may be a problem for those who are not familiar with the process though.

Shane

 

[pcas1986]

...

WELL, I'm certainly not going to retract it! LOL... cost too much time to write up!

...// Frank

I'm sure there are some out there that will gladly pick up that advice and run with it - including me.

The problem, as I saw it, was copying the previously installed content back into a new installation. N3V may well change file locations (they have in the past) and just copying back may cause a disaster. Not everyone has your experience, or mine for that matter.

 

[BuilderBob]

Installed quickly without errors.

"Surveyorlist now stores saved consists for use via Quickdrive" is a bonus because that was a real annoyance.

Performance is improved, and nearly back to pre-SP1.

I have one spline which has become invisible, immovable and undeletable and I can't track down in the route dependencies, but I'm not sure if it came from Hotfix 1 or Hotfix 2.

 

[samplaire]

And what about the '-freeintcam' feature???

 

[nawlins]

And what about the '-freeintcam' feature???

Simply reinstall trainzoptions.txt into the UserData folder and add those things that you need like -freeintcam and -debug.

Cheers

 

[leandrobrn]

I'm disappointed in is updated.
Several problems still remain.
Der that had reviewed before publishing.
I'm also having serious problem freeze. already been done the repair, but is slow. before everything was fine, no problems.

My problems are partially solved

 

[riddy19]

Ok, I'm now really, really and extremely feed up, with the DLS returning to the "bad old days" of pre Ver 3.6. This version was the stablist of them all.

Ver 3.7 hangs ever single time I try to download any content. Not only that it has that nasty habit of the the "black streak" across the screen just before it hangs. With the only way of getting control back by using "task manager," then logging off and back on.

Any one else with this problem?

Steven

 

[doitall]

Some jointed rail content no longer works.

 

[clam1952]

Some jointed rail content no longer works.

See Jointed Rail section, I believe they have fixes.

 

[asavage]

I installed the patch with no problems after manualy selecting the correct path. But after I started the game I found that when I select routes it still freezes.

 

[BNSF1995]

Just bring back Compatability Mode! Please!

 

[Razor01]

So Auran, N3V, or whatever/whomever you are,

With the lack of any more fixes coming from N3V, I think we are being left with a big mess and no solutions.

I for one am so disappointed I just don't know what to say. No communication to update us on where things are at. Don't even feel like checking anymore to see if anything is being done, because the likelihood is that nothing is, as we can see by the lack of correct fixes to this disaster of an update.

This is absolutely frustrating. Thankfully, spring is here so I think I'm done trainzing for the spring & summer and perhaps forever. In the fall, I can start looking for something else to entertain me, because this is certainly not entertainment - it's frustration.

Just my thoughts for the N3V team, if you even care what your supporters/customers think. I, for one, think that there is a lot of "ignore" going on.

Razor01