Content Manager - Tips and Tricks (any version)

[DB1]

Have done both to no avail. The only diference now is that the asset is now marked as faulty (I think I knew that already)
I need some way of removing the reference to the asset in CM since there are no longer any files relating to it.
Any further suggestions gratefully received as I am now just ignoring the asset for the time being.

Don't know the specific answer but I would run a quick database repair and if that don't work then an extended database repair.

Power failures will corrupt databases if half way thru a commit.

 

[eddie232]

Hello again

AssetX was mentioned, but how is that obtained?

I just opened a config file on an asset that I wasn't concerned about and that had no thumbnail image, then clicked into it. the cursor showed up instantly, but I was unable to type in the added lines.
Is there some means of typing the added lines direct into one config file, and then copy and paste each time?

Regards

eddie232

 

[pcas1986]

Hello again

AssetX was mentioned, but how is that obtained?

I just opened a config file on an asset that I wasn't concerned about and that had no thumbnail image, then clicked into it. the cursor showed up instantly, but I was unable to type in the added lines.
Is there some means of typing the added lines direct into one config file, and then copy and paste each time?

Regards

eddie232

AssetX can be obtained from Shane Turner's site at http://trainz.shaneturner.co.uk/tutorials/index.php/home/utilities/pevsoft-trainz-tools

You can copy and paste thumbnails into different config.txt files but make sure you use a simple editor such as notepad.exe. Don't use a word processor as that will cause all sorts of problems. When editing, do not remove the apparent blank line at the beginning of the file as there is hidden data there.

AssetX has many uses but it will display the contents of the config.txt in a more readable fashion. It also has a display area for different file types. One use is to view an IM file (the mesh file) and then make a snapshot of it for thumbnail purposes. There is also a tool in there to create the config.txt thumbnail structure as I described earlier. Note that an asset may will have several IM files so if you intend to use one as the basis for a thumbnail, make sure it is appropriate. Its worth reading through the help file for AssetX as it contains tips for usage.

I use AssetX as part of my content development process and so its a key tool for me.

 

[shaneturner12]

A few searching tips for those using TS12 SP1:

Installed=True and On Download Station=True - this will find assets that you have locally installed and are also available on the Download Station.

Installed=False and On Download Station=True - this will find assets that you haven't installed yet and are available on the Download Station.

Installed=True and On Download Station=False - this will find assets that you have locally installed, but are not from the Download Station (very helpful for MP players if you also add Built-in=false as well)

Installed=True and Archived=True/False - this will find assets that you have locally installed and also inside/not inside an archive that is known to Content Manager.

Installed=True and Enabled=True/False - this will find non-disabled/disabled items that you have installed.

Shane

There are other possibilities using the Installed, On Download Station, Enabled, and Archived search options, which replace the Location search option.

 

[kgp]

The only thing I dont know how to do is commit.

 

[shaneturner12]

Right click the asset in Content Manager, select Edit then click Commit.

Shane

 

[eddie232]

Hello

I've had no luck with putting thumbnails on assets, even with the benefit of Assetx, and doing all that you have mentioned.

The config file saves out correctly, after the message saying that the file already exists and do I want to replace it and so on.

However, when I check in content manager, no thumbnail shows up.

Is there something more that I need to do?

Hoping you can help

Eddie232

 

[shaneturner12]

Can you post the thumbnails container from your asset?

Shane

 

[pcas1986]

Hello

I've had no luck with putting thumbnails on assets, even with the benefit of Assetx, and doing all that you have mentioned.

The config file saves out correctly, after the message saying that the file already exists and do I want to replace it and so on.

However, when I check in content manager, no thumbnail shows up.

Is there something more that I need to do?

Hoping you can help

Eddie232

Your config.tx entry for the thumbnail should look like this:

thumbnails {
  0 {
    image                                 "$screenshot$.jpg"
    width                                 240
    height                                180
  }
}

The image file need not be called $screenshot$.jpg but that's somewhat of a convention. The image size in pixels should be 240 * 180. If you have done it right then it should work. Check for mispelling.

 

[eddie232]

Hello again

I've been away for a while, but have got back into looking at the problem with the numbnails.
Here is a copy of what I have now, before the list of installed assets. (The file name is exactly what I've called the correct size image)
Incidently, is there a proper place to put the thumbnail file for content manager to access it?


thumbnails {
0 {
image "$northernarizonathumbnail$.jpg"
width 240
height 180
}
}
kind "profile"
kuid <kuid:143520:100064>
username "Essex to Cutbank doublestacks"
description "Take a doublestack train from Essex to Cutbank."
map-kuid <kuid:143520:100063>
category-region "00;US"
category-era "1950s;1960s;1970s;1980s;1990s;2000s"
category-class "YP"
trainz-build 3.6

kuid-table
{

 

[pcas1986]

Well it looks ok to me providing the file exists in the base folder for the asset. AFAIK the location in the config.txt can be anywhere. I've seen many combinations.

But what was interesting is that you are editing the config.txt for a kind profile. I'm sure Trainz automatically allocates whatever the config.txt requires. Plus I found this on the TrainzDev WiKi:

KIND Profile is the Trainz kind used for a session. Sessions are created in Surveyor, so hand-editing of a session config file should not be required.

 

[eddie232]

Hello Paul

No, I haven't edited the Kind profile. That was put there automatically when I saved the session with the file name in Surveyor.

Regards

Eddie (eddie232)

 

[jordon412]

I have always been bothered about how the content updates feature in Trainz, specifically the one that is 'in-game', not the CM, does not show the size of the update. I found a way around it. I have your page about updating content with the CM, but I diverge from your directions at Step 4. Here's how I update my content.
1. Open the Content Manager.
2. For the terms, select and place them in this order
Location - Local
AND
Out of Date - True
Select Apply
3. Left click on any of the assets and select
View Asset Versions
4. When the box appears showing the different asset versions, select
View in Main List
5. At this point, left click and select
Download
Note: I've noticed that the most of the Russian content shows a '?' icon instead of the 'DS' icon.
Updating this way lets me update all the content who have updates available, reguardless of the icons that are shown. The best feature of updating the content via the CM: seeing the size of the updates.

 

[pcas1986]

Hello Paul

No, I haven't edited the Kind profile. That was put there automatically when I saved the session with the file name in Surveyor.

Regards

Eddie (eddie232)

I'm not sure why you are editing the config.txt to add a thumbnail then. TS12 SP1 allows you to capture a view for use for the route and it also automatically adds the same thumbnail to the session. Have a look at the Edit Route option in Surveyor ->Edit Session.

But I guess you could always add your own.

Note that this doesn't change the thumbnail for any of the other sessions dependent on the route.
The way this thumbnail allocation works seems a bit odd to me. Maybe I missed something.

 

[gbethel]

I have Trainz 12 through Steam, and when I went to start it up this morning, it had to download a 7.1 GB update. Following this update, content manager was unable to connect, telling me to check my internet connection and firewall/proxy settings to access the Trainz Download Station. In addition, large amounts of content fails to appear in the railyard despite having no indications that they should be doing so. Any help om this issue would be greatly appreciated. I'm running windows 7 with the built in windows security and firewall programs.

 

[shaneturner12]

The issue regarding the unable to connect is due to a server issue.

As for the no content issue, SP1 has caused some content to become faulty and may require manual changes through Content Manager to fix them.

Shane

 

[gbethel]

Ok. My one question though is why does the content which does not appear in the game show up as being faulty in CMP? There is nothing that would indicate that a problem would exist. Or is that part of the problem itself?

 

[shaneturner12]

If it's appearing faulty in Content Manager, right-click the affected assets and use View Errors and Warnings. Any remaining faulty assets after this process will need to be fixed manually.

Shane

 

[gbethel]

Pardon me, I misspoke. The non functioning content is not appearing as faulty in CMP. Even validating the content does nothing.

 

[shaneturner12]

Does the content have a yellow ? icon? If so, this means it has missing dependencies. Unfortunately the DLS is down at the moment.

Shane