Creating a '19 cdp questions

[rick1958]

If I simply click on a route name in CM what exactly will be saved while creating a cdp?

If built in objects are included while creating a cdp, will they simply be ignored while re-installing the route?

...and lastly...

If I take a route, list dependences recursively, then make multiple cdp's broken into asset types,
in theory, there should be no missing assets... correct?. I do realize it would save time and space by
ignoring the assets of the dls and built-in assets, The reason I don't want to ignore dls objects is
because many have been modified for personal use. I probably should have cloned those assets before
modifying them. Some I did, others I'm sure slipped through the cracks.
Thanks in advance!

 

[johnwhelan]

Why are you doing this? To transfer to another machine or to pass the route on to someone else?

Basically the route by itself is just the route with a lot of dependencies that will be needed from other sources.

Thanks John

 

[JCitron]

From my experience, there will still be missing assets due to dependencies of the dependencies. If you want to, you'll need to drill down again recursively on the dependencies to get those too. It gets messy.

If this is for archiving, back up the route and ensure you have downloaded and stored away any third-party assets. Those on the DLS plus any DLC will still be around and easily installed unless someting drastic occurs.

 

[rick1958]

@JCitron & @johnwhelan

Thanks John(s?)

JW, it's for myself. I wouldn't pass along modified dls content without getting permission from each creator. It's to archive AND eventually move to another machine.

JC, That's what I wasn't sure of. I didn't know if recursively opened all levels or not, and from with you wrote it does not. The problem with allowing Trainz to re-download the dls content wuold be I'd lose all my modifications to that asset. That's why I'm thinking I should have cloned each peice before modifying it.
"It gets messy"? Sure sounds like it could, but caring for my diabled wife gives me 20hrs a day 7 days a week to sit here... Hold my beer...lol
After typing this, I thought of all the reskined rolling stock and all their dependency's... You better make that two beers...lol

Out of curiousity, One question that wasn't answered... If you click on a route, and tell it to make a cdp, what would it save?

Thanks for the insight fella's

 

[pdkoester]

If you export a route to a CDP by just clicking the route itself, you’re only saving the route asset—none of the dependencies come along unless you manually select them.

Built‑ins: If you include built‑ins in a CDP, Trainz will just ignore them on import since they already exist and can’t be overwritten. No harm done, they just don’t reinstall.

Breaking things into multiple CDPs: Yep, that works fine as long as you include every custom or modified asset. The only ones you really need to worry about are the DLS items you’ve edited without cloning—those exist only in your local database, so you’ll want to export them or clone them now so you don’t lose your changes.

Everything else (built‑ins, untouched DLS stuff) doesn’t need to be included.

 

[rick1958]

If you export a route to a CDP by just clicking the route itself, you’re only saving the route asset—none of the dependencies come along unless you manually select them.

Built‑ins: If you include built‑ins in a CDP, Trainz will just ignore them on import since they already exist and can’t be overwritten. No harm done, they just don’t reinstall.

Breaking things into multiple CDPs: Yep, that works fine as long as you include every custom or modified asset. The only ones you really need to worry about are the DLS items you’ve edited without cloning—those exist only in your local database, so you’ll want to export them or clone them now so you don’t lose your changes.

Everything else (built‑ins, untouched DLS stuff) doesn’t need to be included.

Thanks a lot for the reply. I'm not a route collector. I have two that I keep going back to, all depending on my mood, southwest desert or northwest logging. Both are many hours (like everyone else) of time and I don't want to loose a nut or bolt making a backup.

 

[JCitron]

I'll send you more than a couple of beers you need them with what you are going through right now. I've been that route already.

You could save your custom assets to CDP files seperate from anything else. I've done that myself and I keep those along with route backups in a folder on an external drive. I've referred to the folder a number of times mostly to restore old route versions and twice for assets when I've done fresh installs.

 

[pdkoester]

Thanks a lot for the reply. I'm not a route collector. I have two that I keep going back to, all depending on my mood, southwest desert or northwest logging. Both are many hours (like everyone else) of time and I don't want to loose a nut or bolt making a backup.

You will not lose anything by making a backup. What you should be prepared for, and actually test, is doing a restore. But, do the restore on another system. Once you can qualify that is working, you will be confident everything is working and nothing is missing in the backup.

 

[rick1958]

You will not lose anything by making a backup. What you should be prepared for, and actually test, is doing a restore. But, do the restore on another system. Once you can qualify that is working, you will be confident everything is working and nothing is missing in the backup.

Thanks...yeah... I was going to install all the first round on my other machine, and see what missing and make another folder with the "odd ball" messing bits. Thanks for the help.

I'll send you more than a couple of beers you need them with what you are going through right now. I've been that route already.

You could save your custom assets to CDP files seperate from anything else. I've done that myself and I keep those along with route backups in a folder on an external drive. I've referred to the folder a number of times mostly to restore old route versions and twice for assets when I've done fresh installs.

Thanks John,
I back up all my personal stuff as I go, as you say in a seperate folder/drive, plus I'll now save those used on the route again with the actual route. Possibly overkill, but I know my luck all too well.