Baseboards

[clam1952]

Other than maybe 7z which I suspect is 7zip? although I have no sign of it in my Microdem install here, I don't think any of those are any use for Trainz purposes.

I've never updated just downloaded the latest download and replaced the previous as this program is constantly in Beta, I stick to what's on the download site, you may have hit a bad update.

I suspect the dbf files are tiny so would download quickly.

Just checked the Microdem forum, it is 7zip and it is missing he's put up links to download the missing files however I'd go back to the one you downloaded until the author puts up a new version.

 

[Maddox61]

Other than maybe 7z which I suspect is 7zip? although I have no sign of it in my Microdem install here, I don't think any of those are any use for Trainz purposes.

I've never updated just downloaded the latest download and replaced the previous as this program is constantly in Beta, I stick to what's on the download site, you may have hit a bad update.

I suspect the dbf files are tiny so would download quickly.

Just checked the Microdem forum, it is 7zip and it is missing he's put up links to download the missing files however I'd go back to the one you downloaded until the author puts up a new version.

I figure as much. I reloaded the program and did not add the updates and it is working fine. I got the DEMs loading from any area I want, figured out how to merge the DEMs and also found that the Tiger file is the roads and rail images and the DEM for that area must be loaded first, then you can overlay the Tiger files.

SO, now on to getting the thing into Hog and create the model.


More to come, I'm sure.


Thanks again,

Merrill

 

[Maddox61]

One last problem I am having in MicroDem. The information on the map legend such as distance and elevation is still showing up after I save the image. Is there a way to get rid of this. I have searched every place I can with no luck. Also when I recalculate the map, so that 1m = one pixel, I am taking the original 21.15m pixel size, deviding by 10 adding this to the zoomin and I am getting like 9.98m instead if 10.0m. Is this normal? I know that .02m is not much, but if you calculate this over a 150km stretch of track, it could lead up to a lot.

Thanks

 

[Maddox61]

I found it. It was under the "Modify/Map Marginalia" settings.

So, I'm on my way to Hog, finaly.

Hopefully, Hog will be easier to figure out.

Thanks,

Merrill

 

[clam1952]

One last problem I am having in MicroDem. The information on the map legend such as distance and elevation is still showing up after I save the image. Is there a way to get rid of this. I have searched every place I can with no luck. Also when I recalculate the map, so that 1m = one pixel, I am taking the original 21.15m pixel size, deviding by 10 adding this to the zoomin and I am getting like 9.98m instead if 10.0m. Is this normal? I know that .02m is not much, but if you calculate this over a 150km stretch of track, it could lead up to a lot.

Thanks

I think the aim is to get it as close to 10 as possible, the first attempt I made came to dead on ten, every attempt since has been around 9.98 or 9.99. I did think of adding a bit to the pixel size when doing the calculation only I decided I wouldn't worry about it.

The map legend, took me some time to work that out. Right click on the image in Microdem then select ledgends / marginalia and untick the items in there, that gets rid of it.

 

[Maddox61]

I think the aim is to get it as close to 10 as possible, the first attempt I made came to dead on ten, every attempt since has been around 9.98 or 9.99. I did think of adding a bit to the pixel size when doing the calculation only I decided I wouldn't worry about it.

The map legend, took me some time to work that out. Right click on the image in Microdem then select ledgends / marginalia and untick the items in there, that gets rid of it.

Yes, I figured that one out by simply opening each and every tab until I found it. Takes time but good experience though.


I have now got all the files created in Hog, including the file I named "testlayout.gnd" Only to run into my last and final problem.

Can't get it into Trainz.

I opened the surveyor and created a new layout named "TestLayout" and saved this. Then, it said to open the file:
C:/Program Files/Auran/TRS2004/World/Custom/maps/
But in my case should have been:
C:/Program Files/Auran/TRS2009/World/Custom/maps/
Then I was to replace the .gnd file with the one I created in Hog..

There is no folder named "Map" in any of the Auran files.

I even tried to go into the CM and edit the layout there. But when I replace the .gnd file with the new TestLayout.gnd and opened in surveyor, I got an error stating that the map was missing.

Any ideas?:'(

Thanks,
Merrill

 

[clam1952]

Ahh yes, format has changed since the tutorial.

Go to surveyor start a new 1 board route, save it.

In content manager open the new route for edit.

Replace the mapfile.gnd file with the one made in Hog

Commit.

Launch trainz and see if it worked.

 

[Maddox61]

Ahh yes, format has changed since the tutorial.

Go to surveyor start a new 1 board route, save it.

In content manager open the new route for edit.

Replace the mapfile.gnd file with the one made in Hog

Commit.

Launch trainz and see if it worked.

I did this and when I opened the new route back up in the surveyor, I got a blank screen and a message that the file was missing the map.

 

[clam1952]

just to check you have called it mapfile.gnd and not something else? failing that it's back track and check what got missed.

 

[Maddox61]

just to check you have called it mapfile.gnd and not something else? failing that it's back track and check what got missed.

According to the tutorial, I was saposed to name it while creating it in Hog and hten name my route the same. So, the file I created using Hog was "TestLayout" and it created the .gnd file. Then I created the new layout in surveyor and named this route "TestLayout". Then, using the CM, I opened the layout and replaced the .gnd file with the "TestLayout.gnd" and commited.

This is when I got the message about the missing map.

Was I supposed to name it mapfile.gnd?

Thanks Malc

 

[Maddox61]

For the record.

I appreciate all the help.

If it was not for you, I would still be on "What is a DEM?"

Thank you very much.

Merrill

 

[clam1952]

Yes from 2009 onwards I think it is, the map has to be called mapfile.gnd, nothing else works.

 

[Maddox61]

I Got It!!

You was right. The minute I renamed the TestLayout.gnd to "mapfile.gnd" it worked like a charm.

I only need to do a bit of tweeking. It seems that the terrain has a ridge along the edge of each table that is about 10m high. But now that I got the map loaded, I will delete it and do the entire thing over, now that I have a basic idea of how this works. I know I probably overlooked something in the border size on the map, or in one of the Hog settings that will correct this.

But knowing me, I will do this over and over untill I can do it in my sleep before I continue on to the next step in creating my layout.


Thanks again for everything.

Merrill

 

[clam1952]

Right the ridges, was hoping that wasn't going to happen however there is a way of avoiding that or reducing it so it barely shows.

Create new blank route and save.
Create second new blank route save and add your mapfile.gnd in CM as before, has to be a new one as once the route is opened this won't work.
In surveyor open the blank board.
In the menu click on Merge route.
Select your new route with the DEM
use the arrows to move things around and make sure the blank board is to one side of your route but not touching, then save.
Next time you open the ridges should be barely noticable and you can delete that extra board.

 

[Maddox61]

Hey Malc,

I can't tell but in the GeoCommunity" what is the difference between the "30m .gz" and the "10m .gz"?

Thanks

 

[Maddox61]

Right the ridges, was hoping that wasn't going to happen however there is a way of avoiding that or reducing it so it barely shows.

Create new blank route and save.
Create second new blank route save and add your mapfile.gnd in CM as before, has to be a new one as once the route is opened this won't work.
In surveyor open the blank board.
In the menu click on Merge route.
Select your new route with the DEM
use the arrows to move things around and make sure the blank board is to one side of your route but not touching, then save.
Next time you open the ridges should be barely noticable and you can delete that extra board.

Don't know if that is going to work.

The new layout has about 12 boards and the seems are all over the place.
And that is only the end of the route. The entire route is 53 miles long.

This was also only using one DEM file from Geo.

I don't know if there is a way to create only one board at a time. Unless I was to crop the maps in Gimp while creating the .tga files.

Thanks

Merrill

 

[Maddox61]

Yah, I need to do something. I think I missed the part about leaving one board as a buffer from the tracks. Miss-counted, on my little test layout I have 64 boards. :hehe:

Oh well, the more I do this the better at it I will get.

 

[Maddox61]

Hey Malc,

I can't tell but in the GeoCommunity" what is the difference between the "30m .gz" and the "10m .gz"?

Thanks

I found the answer for this one. In the DEM file, the 10m and 30m are the distance between one elevation line and the next. In other word, sort of like the resolution of the DEM.

Learning

Thanks,
Merrill

 

[clam1952]

There is a way you can cheat if you had an old version of Trainz such as 2006 and that's create the board in that and then import it to 2009, the ridges are a bug that appeared part way through 2009 after one of the service packs if I remember correctly and are still there in TS12.

 

[Maddox61]

There is a way you can cheat if you had an old version of Trainz such as 2006 and that's create the board in that and then import it to 2009, the ridges are a bug that appeared part way through 2009 after one of the service packs if I remember correctly and are still there in TS12.

I would need to locate a ts2006 build. Probably one out there someplace.

While I was doing the tutorial, I am sure I remember something
about adjusting the map and board overlap ar such. It would make sence that if the DEM or Hog is allowing for a Trainz board overlap to get the entire DEM listed in it that it would have an area that has no elevation. Thus, would leave those seems like that.

I am sure that if you adjust for no overlap, it may correct the problem.

I'm working on downloading DEMs for now. Going to see how many can be merged together at one go. Or I am going to have to create one DEM using two and then take those and join to create another DEM and so on.

Lot of work, but much, much easier than creating the terrain for 54 miles of track by hand. What a nightmare that was going to be.

I will be searching along the way for an adjustment for the board or map in either Hog or MicroDem.

Will let you know if I find the answer. I will probably be on here for atleast another 4-5 hours.


Thanks,


Merrill