Content Manager - Tips and Tricks (any version)

Hey I just recently perchased TZ 2012. Can somebody please educate me on this content stuff? When I had TS 2010, I never worried about it. I had a bunch of routes, ran a lot of them and then editeded them. I never needed new stuff. Can somebody tell me how to go about getting new content?
 
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Hey I just recently perchased TZ 2012. Can somebody please educate me on this content stuff? When I had TS 2010, I never worried about it. I had a bunch of routes, ran a lot of them and then editeded them. I never needed new stuff. Can somebody tell me how to go about getting new content?

Content is all assets created for trainz, be it routes, scenery, locos, sketch up models, my little pony billboards, anything. Your trainz serial number must be registered to be able to download anything (https://www.auran.com/planetauran/SN_Enter_Serialnumber.php if it asks for a log in use your uh, name or whatever you call it) and then you can search for things in content manager (content on the trainz launcher screen) and drag assets to the Download Helper. This will automatically install the content for you. If its built properly, it should have errors or missing dependencies.
 
hi I followed ya tutorial on content updates ect but on my main screen says I still have 2049 updates grrrrr not going down on trainz 2010
 
Hello Shane. Off-topic, but you noted sometime ago that that doesn't bother you...etc. and you are far more helpful than the help desk. Can't even seem to ask a simple question there, let alone get an answer; everything appears to revolve around "canned" questions and "canned" answers, a la the "FAQ is all we do" approach. But, you had a couple of suggestions related to my "Complete Disaster" post on the day the site was hacked; I followed them, along with most of the other suggestions, but I'm still encountering a couple thousand assets, all built-in content dependencies, with black question marks/"unknown location". I've tracked quite a few down using the TRS2004 DLS "black pages", but I'm getting really, really tired of this nonsense and am at the point where I wonder if it wouldn't just be easier to save my routes and other "custom content" and do the uninstall/reinstall dance. Where do I find all of my "creations" and custom content, in the UserData folder?
 
Ah - that's one I can answer.

Yes - the content is in <trainz install folder>/UserData:

UserData/local - this is content you have either created yourself, or installed using Import CDP or Import Content (as well as anything you may have modified)
UserData/original - this is content that you have downloaded from the Download Station using Content Manager.
UserData/screenshots - this folder is where screenshots are stored.

Shane
 
You, sir, are a Prince (or at least a Duke) and I do appreciate your help. BTW, contrary to what it says, back in the first year or so of my membership in Planet Auran/Trainz Forum, I had some questions and you answered one or two of them as quickly and nicely as these. Thanks again...I shall flog this dragon for another 48 hours before taking the low-road and uninstalling/reinstalling it all.
 
No problem. If you run into problems when uninstalling (if you choose that method) I have a tutorial on how to fully remove the game using Revo Uninstaller on my tutorial site - make sure you've backed up the folders I mentioned in my first reply before proceeding with that method.

Shane
 
glgraeber,

Keep plugging away at the black question marks mate! After weeks of work on my TS2009 SP4 I've finally got no faults and no missing dependencies at all. Shane was a huge help with his PEV downloads and general silly questions from me too. :) In looking for a lot of content I did many google kuid searches and was linked to sites anywhere from Russia to Spain, to Germany and England, but it was well worth it.
Most of the missing kuids I couldn't find were merely replaced with other similar assets and the original kuids deleted from the config files.

Dan.
 
Thanks guys (Shane & Dieselbuilder)...I searched through bing and google for several of the "key" unknown assets that were causing problems with multiple routes and sessions of built-in content and found a common thread...many of them are from "ocemy industries" and a couple of web sites in Russia/ Eastern Europe. I still don't understand how (seemingly) anyone can modify the content in a built-in asset with items of their own and change the configuration file to cause this kind of mess. Regardless, I'm not going to those web sites and downloading their "missing" content...just ain't gonna' go there. So, Revo Uninstaller (thank you again Shane) is currently expunging TS2010 SP3/TS2009 SP4 from the machine and I'll reinstall 'em after it finishes cleaning things up. Now, if I can figure out how to prevent it from happening again, I might not dump the whole Trainz series and go to Railworks or Run 8 instead. Jeez Louise!
 
From memory, quite a few of Ocemy's content assets are part of a payware pack (Contz), as well as on his site. I haven't got the address on-hand though.

Shane
 
Guys,

I found that the hardest thing when trying to locate missing dependencies is actually discovering what the assets are that the kuids represent. Mostly I found that they were nearly all scenery items, such as textures, trees, people and vehicles. I know it's very frustrating as it seems that sometimes there's not enough care and attention when some of these routes are created, but I suppose trying to list every single item used when creating these routes would be somewhat of a nightmare. I might not have been clear enough as the replacement assets I mentioned are what I did myself once I discovered what the kuids represented. Hoping I was still some help.:)

Dan.
 
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Hello again Shane,

One more quick question and hopefully just one...but you never can tell...I seem to recall a long discussion about multiple installations of the different Trainz versions on one machine, but I can't find it anywhere. Can you tell me if there have been any known issues or if there are any tips & tricks to managing an installation of all of the different versions? As I mentioned earlier, I have (well, had) 2004 and 2009/2010 installed and want to reinstall 2006 and 2009/2010 (sorry folks...I'm going to leave TS12 on the shelf).

Dan,

Yes, you encouraged me to keep at it with the searching for the missing dependencies for the non built-in assets; thak you very much. I've kept CDPs of those that I found and will continue to use. It was the never-ending mess with third-party content causing problems for built-in assets that I finally gave up on. I don't know why the folks at Auran/N3V would allow that to happen and/or can't design CM to prevent it from happening. Oh well...we must press on.

Thanks again to you both.
GLG
 
It is possible to do so, but watch out for file associations and patching issues (i.e. you will have to tell the patcher to patch the right folder). Also, when downloading from the Download Station it will normally default to the version you last used.

Shane
 
More on Content Manager

Now for the "blue dot (ver 2.9)."

Before we go any Further, look at the "dependices" of one of the next content item which is Fully Error Free. Write down the "names" of the dependices so that you can choose these to correct the faulty one.

Go to the item that needs correcting by left click on it and the right click. This will bring up the "menu" and left click on the words "Errors and warnings." A new small window will open and a list of "red" errors will be shown. Leave this window open and again right click on the item and this time left click on "Edit," a scond list will be shown and this time pick "Open in Content Plus."

Is there a Yellow Jigsaw piece with a "?" in it or a Red Jigsaw piece or even a red "!." The means that there is/are missing dependances, next means that the content is trying to use other Faulty dependances and the red "!" is the same as above. Right click on the content item to bring up the menu and left click on the "View Dependances" and check what is at faulty and note it down. Normaly missing or interiors, hornsound, enginesound and bogies, now to find which ones. Click on "close" and right click again on the content item. Go to "Edit" and Content Creation Plus, left click on it.

A new window will open which is called "Traincar," this is the Front Page, look at the left hand side panel. This is were all the different "bits" of the item will be shown in a "Tree" format.

In the Traincar panel you will see a number of "tags," the first six or so should be ok, but then the fun starts! There should not be any <kuid:number> showing in the first grey box right of the tag, as it should be in the next white boxes! If this is so it needs correcting, or if not the fault lays elsewhere. You must remember that each time you correct an item kuid, you need to also correct it in the kuid-table locate at the bottom of the "tree."

In the left-hand panel, the word Traincar will be highlighted, there is also a small "+" next to it, left click on it and most of the tree will open. Any other "+" means that there is more content to open. You will need to look in all of them to find the faulty item/s before you can finish. Now depending on how many of the content items you have downloaded and the speed of you computer, this next bit may take sometime.

Look along the "tag" line and next to the grey box you will see two buttons "..." and "C". Left click on the "..." button a window will open with all the listed items in that catagory that you have downloaded under its heading. This may were well take sometime to open so be very patient it will open and then take sometime look through it.

Under the "heading" is a box for you to search for the item you are looking for, by putting something in here will shortern the list. Again this may take time, by patient and let it do its work for you. Once you have seen the item you wish to use, left click on the name and left click on the "Select" button at the bottom of the window. You must do this in the "kuid-table" before moving on to the next item. If not it will still show an error after you have "committed" the corrections.

When all the corrections have been done, left click on "File" and "Save", then "File" and "Exit". Now left click on the content item to highlight it again and the hit the "Ctrl plus M" keys to "commit the corrections you have made. If all is well the Yellow Jigsaw will change to a Yellow "!", meaning that the item is ready for use.

If all else fails, hit the "Ctrl plus R" keys will revert the item as if you had not done a thing to it. OR you can delete the item and download it again and start the corrections again.

Red Jigsaw, you need to do a search on the faulty content items first and carry out the corrections on it/them first and comeback to the main one afterwards, by doing this it may have been corrected too.

Content to get use to this correction is Catagory>Train Vehicle and type in 50ft, watch what comes up and if some need down loading do that. These are simple corrections to carry out. Also, try the 40ft/4bay content items too, a few here a bit more tricky but only one or a few corrections needed.

I hope this helps members find the content that they are longing/looking for.

Riddy19
 
Thank you and your welcome.

Just to add, that you are only correcting the "asset" as it sits on YOUR computer and not on the CM. As long as you don't "Upload" which it what happenered to poor young Bort85.
 
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Yes - you would only be correcting your local copy of the asset. If the version on the Download Station needs to be updated, it's best to get the creator to do it, or check if it's on the DLS Cleanup list under Planet Auran.

Shane
 
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In order for me to be able to assist you with that, I need you to register your serial number - click Planet Auran, then Serial Number, then fill in the form.

If you have a second account with it registered, contact Helpdesk to get the accounts merged.

Shane
 
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