Content Manager - Tips and Tricks (any version)

Speedier than a TS12 Trainz pause or stagger!

This may have been posted before but its a really simple tip. When I download a lot of content I often forget exactly what I have downloaded so I take a photo of the list in CM on my mobile phone then when I open Surveyor I have a handy list of everything ready to go.
As is a topic in a forthcoming Wikibooks tutorial on content management, I make a running log keyed by each day I download stuff. Since I have an install of each Code Build version TS2009-SP1 up through each hotfix of TS12, and hadn't been particularly fussy about what I downloaded where and when, it's been darn useful in searching to see if I have an asset already, especially when it's a repeat faulty one--that may be fixed some other time!

Filenames formation: (Use a tilde '~' in place of path/filename forbidden characters semicolon and '\') and prefix a datecode 2014-MMDD (always sorts in order and unique to calendar order) so if my D drive, TS2009-SP4 install, the file name (1st line on the file too) says for example:
2014-0811 Download of 332 Davesnow assets to D~Auran~TS09-SP4, mainly buidings and generic rolling stock assets.

Now I can scan the file header and see any notes I tack in there next which I might. They'll all be in the same (neatly organized) 'Trainz Docs' directory (A notepad++ settings thing) and can be viewed with any number of applications, even IrfanView which wouldn't normally be thought of for viewing a text file--but shows the texture.txt files when repairing assets! Same here, and you can set an editor into it's options to edit them when viewing as thumbnails. There are several other text viewer apps that don't require opening the file for edit. (some other tutorial)

Since my options are such that I manually clear the DLH pane, A CTRL+A and RMBh select of show in Main View brings them to the main screen. Sort as preferred, author, kuid, or whatever by Tabs. Another CTRL-A and CTRL-C captures the list into the cut buffer...

ALT-TAB to Notepad++ and either have an open tab ready with the above filename formate, or CTRL-N, (then type it in now), then paste in the list. The REGEX SAR in Notepad++ can be used with a few repetitive passes to translate the Names, kuids list into a CSV list of only kuids. <..>,<...>,<... repeat nn times ...>,<Caboose kuid> for future study later. If I do that, I do it below the Names, Kuids list. With a second paste down, and turn off wrapping in the SAR API so the upper list does not get affected.

BTW, this works because Notepad++ supports both REGEX processing, the limited 'normal' search and replace (SAR) like Windows Notepad, and Extended SAR so C-language derived escape sequences can be used, including a newline character (EOL code). This last is key, as it will search across the END OF LINE code (newline code) and so
<...>
<...>

can become <...>,<...> for thousands of listed lines! A conversion is Done before I fully get my finger off the mouse button! Speedier than a TS12 Trainz pause or stagger!

However the CSV list (CSV's in a multiline list are called CSLs, Comma Separated Lists) is much easier to generate... if you combine a spreadsheet and the text editor. Further, keeping a kuid list in the Spread sheet means you can sort it whenever desired, including a compendium of all such downloads, so those can all be sorted. Here's how to proceed:

While the CM view is still in the Cut buffer, ALT-TAB to a Open Office or Brand-X spreadsheet. CSL's historically have been the low level data format used universally to transfer data between otherwise incompatible applications programs, so any spreadsheet worth the name will allow importing and exporting using CSVs. I use the same three spreadsheets to track things.

I paste down in the third column, the first two being counters one for just this download, one for the entire list to reorder it as put together in date order. It is integer and counts each line +1. The other is Key# and increments by 0.01, 0.001, or 0.0001 or enough decimal digits that won't round up, but will sort into the preferred order. Hence my 20th dowload starts with 20.000 and increments to 20.0127 for example. The column is set up to display only integers, so since the counter fraction never exceeds 0.5, it never rounds up and they all become part of the 20th list.

When I place the block of lines in the first open cell of the C column, the spreadsheet asks what the delimiter is. I check comma, sometimes use the '<' when a report window is dependencies since 'Asset Unknown: <kuid:497853:1543>' HAS no COMMA! Alternatively, some CC's use a lot of commas in their usernames, so that too might be a reason to delimit with the 'less than' sign.

Having set up the delimiter, click the 'go' button, and you get Names and kuids in separate columns. If a title had extra commas, cleaning up the extra columns is a few minutes of CTRL-X + Left Arrow + Edit Cell and type a comma, CTRL-V [TAB] to end the edit and go move the kuid to where it belongs. If delimited with '<', cut the column and paste back in the text editor and reprefix the kuid with the '<'. Cut that again and re-paste it back into the spreadsheet.

After all the fuss and feathers of comma cleanup, capture the column of kuids, and ALT-TAB back to the editor. (If you did the '<' delimiter shuffle, the lines are already at the bottom of the text editor, or at least you could have left them there! Figure it out. Paste, or not, and...

Then run the extended mode SAR (autoedit) as described above joining the CSL lines into a single CSV list. Paste that into the spreadsheet. Save that, and the text file

I normally copy that back to a fifth row (comments) and paste it in at the head of that download's list.

For advanced study, insert a column as the third column, and use it to give either keywords assigned to the content creators username, or your version of what the asset name 'should be' per your way of thinking. With a little thought, you can add a column or two to classify the assets (trackside, mosignal; building, industrial medium; building, housing, house...) and give yourself a way to sort and select items as a brain/memory stimulator. // Frank
 
Kudos! This deserves fulsome praise, well done!

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
Great Job --- how about collaborating on putting it up with Pictures as a Wikibook tutorial on using CCP to vett such unknown assets? My CM mentors all edit exclusively in Windows mode, and I'd never heard that CCP was very useful in this aggravating issue. The key is always identifying what the asset does, and if I understood that. this method does that for you in CCP!

Most sincerely highly respectful regards! You are a prince amongst men! // Frank
 
Please Help!!

Can somebody please help with an issue I am having?
I had several versions of Trainz loaded on my PC. (TS2006, TS2010 & TS12). I deleted TS12 & TS2006 as I needed HD space and was having issues with TS12. Content from the DLS downloads/loads into TS2010 well via Content Manager V3.3. The problem arises when I attempt to load content through CM that is stored on my HD. CM V3.6 opens automatically (every time) and attempts to load into TS12 that no longer is there.
I cannot find where CM V3.6 files are on my PC to delete them.
Where are these files to be found in my Trainz installation - Or better still, how can I get CM V3.6 to load into TS2010?? I have gone into CM 3.6 settings, and tried to add a new archive, but cannot locate the cmpa file/s in the TS2010 files either. I am just running around in circles.
Can somebody please help as have a lot of excellent paid for content that I just can't use?

John (Worksafe)
 
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The value you will see will be a pathspec of a Trainz install

Can somebody please help with an issue I am having?
I had several versions of Trainz loaded on my PC. (TS2006, TS2010 & TS12). I deleted TS12 & TS2006 as I needed HD space and was having issues with TS12. Content from the DLS downloads/loads into TS2010 well via Content Manager V3.3. The problem arises when I attempt to load content through CM that is stored on my HD. CM V3.6 opens automatically (every time) and attempts to load into TS12 that no longer is there.
I cannot find where CM V3.6 files are on my PC to delete them.
Where are these files to be found in my Trainz installation - Or better still, how can I get CM V3.6 to load into TS2010?? I have gone into CM 3.6 settings, and tried to add a new archive, but cannot locate the cmpa file/s in the TS2010 files either. I am just running around in circles.
Can somebody please help as have a lot of excellent paid for content that I just can't use?

John (Worksafe)
First off, HDD's of gigantic size compared to just a while back are dirt cheap these days. You might want to consider just having a second as a backup storage location.

Second, What precisely do you mean by the process "The problem arises when I attempt to load content through CM that is stored on my HD."? If you are importing or dragging and dropping cdp's into CM-3.3, it shouldn't be even thinking of another program.

However, that said, you should probably make sure TS10 is in the registry for the various cdp types and SAR (search and replace) any Hkeys listing TS12 and delete them. Did you uninstall using either Control panel or your Start > Programs (or All Programs) > Auran > TS2012 >uninstall, or just delete the folders?

I need to get some sleep, but give me that information, and I can better advise you. In the meantime, type the [Windows][R] hotkey, type "regedit" and in the left pane, click on the very top 'folder icon', which should say 'Computer'. Next type [CTRL][F] to start a search and make sure the check boxes are all selected so it sorts data,Hkeys, and such. Now type in '.cdp'and it should stop in a Hkey with a little tree structure. The registry is like Trainz data, everything is paired, so the top Hkey on the left is a container, and the indented folder icons under other containers in a strict computer science meaning of container. The right pane shows the values, the left the Hkey name in the Tree. The editing is pure Microsoft vanilla--once you double click a value to change it, it is just like Notepad to move around and alter the data field. Further TAB toggles between the Hkey selected (effectively highlighted) and the subkey value on the Right pane. In the left pane, your arrow keys will have effect, so examine all the Hkeys to become familiar with the organization.

The value you will see will be a pathspec of a Trainz install. Double-Click on that in the right pane if it needs changed and make sure you have the right path for your TS10 install. Hit [F3] to find the next, which iirc will be .cdp2 files. Check the application the same way. Do it again with [F3] -- that should be the .cdpa archive pathspec.
Repeat that find all the way to the end. Regedit will tell you Hkey not found when it's to the bottom. The registry alas, likes to store things in several places. I know the '.cdp'value will tell the shopping cart downloads from the DLS black pages to goto the wrong install. That may be in play here, but your 'process description' leaves a lot of room for confusion.

Once the '.cdp'task is out of the way, enter the TS12 installs pathspec just for what the folder name TS12 had like '/TS2012/' or '/TS12/' or however you set things up and see how many hits you get with a find. If you uninstalled improperly, one of them will be in a Hkey with a table of values, one of which will be the code build. If you find any paths at all outside Hkey=RUNmru and Hkey=MUIcache you might just reinstall to the same path, and then use a proper uninstall. Do change the .cdp references regardless. I'll check back with my morning coffee. Yawwnnn // Frank
 
Hi Shane
I hope I am in the right area....I have been trying to download more content for my tr2004...I can get downloads into download helper and pick list, but can't move them any further (my tr2004 version was so early that the help files on downloading were incomplete (in red type !!!) )....Ctrl+M does not work ,so I guess there must be another way.

Thanks (once again)

charles_d
 
charles_d - you will probably find that using Download Helper for your TRS2004 version at least is not going to get you anywhere. TRS2004 is not supported by N3V and most of the content on the Download Station requires at lest Trainz Classics.

You may be able to download the content manually though (if you have an active First Class Ticket) by clicking the Download Station link above, then searching for the required assets, then click Download Page followed by Download via FTP. Note that this method will not include dependencies.

Shane
 
I also have a problem with the CM: I bough Trainz 12 and installed it via Steam, so I should have the latest Version of the game? I installed some CDP files and a bunch of assets are missing. No matter which KUID I am looking for, it will not be downloaded:

I can search for that file and it is found (a symbol tells me "Unknown Location"). When I click "Download", the CM tries to load it but the file is marked red with the error message "Unknown Content Error". I really don't know what the Problem is. I registered my CD-Key in my Auran Account and everything seems to be fine. CM Version is 3.7. Built of TS is 61297.
 
Content Manager Download Issues

I have a similar problem. I recently bought TS12 directly from N3V, it is build 61388. I am still not able to download anything through the Download Helper in the Content manager. I have purchased a FCT, am registered and even changed passwords a couple of time as hopes this would kick start the download connection. When conducting a Network test everything passes, pings, packets sent is good, auran logon is good, the http(s) test pass, dls search passes, ts2009.com test passes but the following fail; test host failure failed, download failure – error 7, ftp dls failed – error 7 and test “ ftp firstclass” failed. All other test passed and due to this I cannot download anything through the content manager. My only work around is to go online, look up what I want through the download station, and using the ftp site to download to my download files to import the CDPs through the Content Manager back into the program. It is a royal pain in the backside but it is the only way I can work around the issue. Does anyone here know why this is doing what it is doing? Verification is good, password is good, the Content Manger can verify I exist and am up to date. It knows how much time I have left on the FCT. I have used three different networks, reloaded the program twice and have turned off every form of security to test these connections and the result never changes.
Any information to correct this or at lease understand it would be very much appreciated.
Dave
 
My problem was solved after contacting the Support. I got the reply that my Download permissions have been updated and everything was fine then. Perhaps you have the Same problem and should contact Support.
 
I got Trainz 12 last week. I have gave it permission my security systems (including firewall and antivirus), made a profile, registered the serial number and checked the connection (the content manager confirms the connection to the DLS and search works fine). Everything is in working order except for one thing: my connection to the download station from the content manager continuously reports a speed of "0.00 Kbps" and all downloads fail accompanied by the message "unknown error." Diagnostics found everything in working order. Reinstallation and multiple quick and extended database repairs induced no change. Anyone know how to fix this? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
J
 
Have you read my last answer? The one just above your post? I had the same problem which has been solved after contacting the support and explaining what does not work. If you search for a file, you have several icons. If you move the mouse over it, does one icon say "Unknown location"? If this is the case, then I think you have to contact the support. They will (hopefully) update your download permissions and you should be able to download from DLS.
 
Not sure if I follow on this do you mean the asset I bring up on the download station or from a search on the CM is so how to you find the asset on the CM when ever it try to do a search nothing ever shows up so must be doing something wrong and would like to know how to go about doing a search.....
 
26-hr Quick Database Repair: Not So Quick! My game (ts12sp3) froze up while downloading bunches of in-game updates the other day. CM could not display filters (Please wait...) so I initiated QDR. That was... 28 hours ago. I used Task Manager to kill the application. Now the game wont load (Loading...) AND CM won't filter. Must I resort to Extended dBase repair? Will it, at least, tell me if it gets hung up? The QDR "Details" window displayed nothing other than "Repairing database..."
 
I have used Content Manager for years with no problems until today. I recently upgraded to a new computer operating Windows 7 and I have installed ts12 patching up to build 58414. The installation is on C:\Program Files (x86)\N3V Games. The S&C package installed itself and I have transferred the User Data folder from the old computer. All tested and running correctly except that when I attempt to open assets for editing, Windows Explorer opens in D:\AndrewH\Documents which only has a temp folder in it. When I search the N3V Games\Trainz Simulator 12\UserData\editing folder I find that it is empty.

I would be grateful if someone can help me to find the solution to this.
 
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Yes it had a D:drive for data. However the ts12 program was on the C:drive, as far as I am aware the setup was the same as what is on the new computer.
 
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