Downtown Traction Co. TS12 session problem

[AussiePaul]

Hi, I have downloaded Downtown Traction Co. TS12 and the multiplayer session.
There were some assets that had dependencies when it had finished downloading, but when I looked into them, the missing components were available on the DLS and I simply directed Content Manager to download the missing assets.
After I had worked through that (Probably had to download about a dozen assets... I can't remember what they were now, but I remember there was a pantograph and some bogies ... oh and there were some cab interiors)
Anyway , after I had done that there were no missing dependencies and there still are none but when I go to run the session I get a message that says
"The selected session cannot currently be used for multiplayer. The session, the route and some dependencies are not built in and not available on the Download Station."
There is a single option ... To click on a button that says "Abort session Load"
I only want to play it in single player mode at this time. Can anyone tell me what I am supposed to do to fix this?

This is a screen cap of what I see.
I really appreciate the help that is so freely offered on this site.
Kind regards,
Paul

 

[philskene]

OK for me

Hi Paul --

As a check I've just downloaded DowntownTraction into a clean install of TS12 (it's a considerable advantage that TS12 allows multiple installations - I have one called "TS12 Sandbox" that I use for testing purposes then use Content Manager to clear out all the downloaded content to revert to a clean install).

It took a couple of iterations to capture all the missing dependencies. One of the LARS assets was a bit reluctant to capture everything. Eventually there were no "?", which indicated a missing dependency, in the main pane of Content Manager.

Going into Driver, Sessions and Drive Session I got a message:

"The selected session or one of it's {sic - surely this should be "its"?} dependencies ... download these assets now?"

There was one entry in the missing list - "Ortner front coupler".

I clicked on Yes and it downloaded the coupler. With the "Completed" message I responded with "Continue".

There was then a screen with "Downloading and installing" and an "Abort" button - ignore this.

Then I was in.
_____

Can I suggest you check for any "?" in Content Manager.

Tell me how you go. There is a workaround if you are really stuck, but my experience indicated it should load OK.

Phil

 

[AussiePaul]

Hi Phil. Thanks so much for your support. I'm sure you like building your sessions and it would be so much simpler for you if you just kept them to your self so you could drive them as much as you like instead of spending time helping me and others.

"It took a couple of iterations to capture all the missing dependencies. One of the LARS assets was a bit reluctant to capture everything. Eventually there were no "?", which indicated a missing dependency, in the main pane of Content Manager."

That is similar to what I found when I installed it. There were some ?s When I looked at the missing dependencies of those items, there were some parts that were still showing as being on the DLS but other parts were showing as "Local" I selected the ones that were not showing as local and Downloaded them. I now have no parts of Downtown Traction Company or the Multiplayer session showing as missing dependencies.
I am seeing some different behaviour in Trainz since I did that.

When I start Trainz now I and click on the start button on the first screen I go to the screen that shows the five buttons... Tutorials, Routes, Saved Sessions, Railyard and Content updates. Until this morning Content Updates used to become visible with the "Offline" sign showing, but would quickly show as online and the number of updates available. Now it is showing as offline and staying like that. However I can go to content manager and that connects to the Download station and I can use the iTrainz chat. (Never used it before but I tried it and it works). A couple of hours ago I clicked on it and it showed the number if content updates available, however now when I click on it it is telling me I have to enter my username and password in the settings options button from the welcome screen. I just tried again and it has validated me this time and is now showing the number of content updates available again. But I still cant run that session. When I Go into Driver, Sessions and Drive Session I get that same message and window that is in that screen capture in my original post.

I'm not sure if I should be starting a help issue about this or what. I think the problem may be more than just a problem with that session.
Any Ideas?
Cheers,
Paul.

 

[AussiePaul]

Screen shots

I have taken a screen cap of the screen I was talking about and circled in red the areas that are different from yesterday.
Cheers,
Paul

 

[philskene]

Paul --

"I now have no parts of Downtown Traction Company or the Multiplayer session showing as missing dependencies."

OK - that's good. Just a hint. In the "Search" pane, middle left of Content Manager, set the filters to Location = Local / Built-in = False. It reduces the number of items that you need to scan through in the main pane considerably.

"I have taken a screen cap of the screen I was talking about and circled in red the areas that are different from yesterday."

Now that is certainly not OK. You should see a screen there with "xxx Content Updates" (on mine xxx = 296). Unless you see this you will not see when you try to enter the session:

"The selected session or one of it's {sic - surely this should be "its"?} dependencies ... download these assets now?" when loading the session.

Now it might be that the multiplayer server was down when you tried to launch the session. Or you might not be logged in correctly.
_____

Now the workaround.

Go Routes (select Downtown) /Sessions (select session) / Edit Sessions

On the toolbar, top left, select "Edit Session Rules".

In the new screen highlight "Multiplayer Rule". Delete it.

Finally save the session as, eg, "DowntownTractionCo TS12 Single Player". It should now all be good.

Tell me if this helps.

Phil

 

[sniper297]

Well, I'm working on it now, stupid stuff like dependencies of dependencies of dependencies failing to download.

http://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?t=77178

I did send in a helpdesk ticket just to make sure we all weren't griping about it with the devs totally unaware of the problem. Let you know what I find out, but my experience is that the servers have some kind of monthly PMS and it's better to just wait it out rather than re-entering all the username and password stuff trying to kickstart it.

 

[sniper297]

Currently still working on the route;

Bulldozer,<kuid:42796:29001>
Canadian Army Light Vehicles,<kuid:95761:60100>
girderbox12ft,<kuid2:97212:367:1>
hilift jack LOAD,<kuid2:97212:1721:1>
Oversize Container CONEX,<kuid:164988:88092>
Rails, New, 3 Pack,<kuid2:44988:80011:1>
Scrap Metal,<kuid2:81150:46:4>
sherman,<kuid:1551:25005>
Sherman Tank,<kuid:42796:25005>
Steelpipe 52ft,<kuid2:30671:9730449:1>
Tire,<kuid2:30671:9401110:1>
US Army Heavy Trucks,<kuid:95761:60101>
2ft Pipe,<kuid2:44988:80013:1>
42in cast iron pipe 50ft long,<kuid2:58422:9730000:1>
43ft Container YML,<kuid:164988:88093>
48ft container,<kuid2:30671:98906001:1>
5 Baumstaemme 12 m,<kuid:72730:61014>
53ft Container SWIFT,<kuid:164988:88090>

LARS IndustRail,<kuid2:69871:10001:3>

gets downloaded, needs all that stuff to work, all that stuff SHOULD download automatically with it, I thought that was the whole point of the download helper? Did this thing EVER work right, or has it always been like this?

 

[AussiePaul]

Workaround

Hi Phil thanks for the work around that has worked to get that side of it going.
Thanks for your help.
I think I will lodge a support request with the help desk to try to fix the main part of the problem though, there certainly is something wrong and of course I want to fix that. Thanks again for your help.

With no one that I know locally who is using the game can only suspect that I'm seeing something I shouldn't be, until I can confirm it as I did with you.

Sniper, that is exactly the problem I had when I originally downloaded Downtown Traction Co and session 1 .... Dependancies of dependencies that failed to download. Reading your post about the monthly server issues .... I'm thinking I might give it a day or so and see if this problem I am having it resolves itself. If it is still there then I will post a support request with the help desk.
At least thanks to Phils workaround I can amuse myself in the meantime driving The Downtown Traction Co.
That will kill plenty of time .... you may not even hear from me here for weeks now!!!
Sniper, just saw your latest post before I posted this... all of that stuff that you have listed is completly different to the stuff I had to get. The stuff that didn't download automatically was some locos .... and some interiors and a pantograph. Some other stuff but I didn't bother noting the kuids ... so I can't remember exactly what it was.
None of what I downloaded was that stuff that you have listed though and I have a clean slate now (for Downtown Traction Co.) ... no dependencies
Cheers,
Paul

 

[sniper297]

That was just a sampling of the LARS dependencies, I also had to manually download cabviews and bogies and pantographs and find the new version of the chrysler and mercedes cars and flip back and forth in various lists, which is actually typical for any route and session with a clean default copy of the game. I'm not seeing what you got, my content updates currently shows 295 so it's not offline at the moment. And got this now;

I'll be back.

 

[AussiePaul]

This is the stuff I had to chase up

I managed to sort my CM list so I was able to get a list of that stuff I had to download manually.... all from the DLS though.
Freelance GE Traction Interior,<kuid:520526:1225>
Freelance Traction Bogey 1,<kuid:520526:1210>
Freelance Traction enginespec,<kuid:520526:1216>
Freelance Traction Trolley Pole 2,<kuid:520526:1224>
FS65A bogey,<kuid:438196:1219>
PT42 pantograph,<kuid:438196:1420>
297 Freelance GE Traction Interior,<kuid:522774:100252>
297 Freelance Traction Bogey 1,<kuid:522774:100253>

I thought at a rough guess it was about a dozen items but I'm pretty sure this is all of it. Probably just me being a poor estimator.
Cheers,
Paul

 

[sniper297]

Okay, got this now;

So I guess I'm hosting a multiplayer game now, having claimed a driver I got a loco to drive, now to figure out what else I'm supposed to do. Where did I put that manual?

 

[AussiePaul]

Content updates

When I installed TS12 I downloaded any content updates that were available I figured if they were there I should update them I ended up with 8 that I didnt get they were payware trees and I am not interested in paying for soemthing that I may well not use there also was some stuff that just had ???????????????? in the name and I figured I would stay clear of that just be cause it seemed to be a bit suspicious.
It is on 10 now and although I cant remember off the top of my head what they are I did have a look at them and for whatever reason, I'm not interested in getting them either.
After I click on the Content Update button it does log me on and shows 10 available when I get back to that main screen.
Cheers,
Paul

 

[philskene]

Get back to your session!~!

Hey Jim -

Get back to your session. I'm banked up behind you.

Phil

 

[AussiePaul]

I can see sniper297s game in my list of sessions in Downtown Traction Co. but when I try to join it I get the same message as I got when I tried to jois the first multiplayer session.
Paul.

 

[philskene]

Jim - thanks for hosting

Had an excellent little session with Sniper and jamie.

One lesson though - it is highly recommended that you print out copies of the map and session sheets. They are in the folders containing the route and session. It makes it so much easier if you know what goes where on what freight car.

Jim - thanks for hosting.

Phil

 

[sniper297]

De nada. Wasn't actually my intention to host, I was just looking to see if it works. One item, I got a slowpoke DSL connection that maxes out at 4 megs per minute, could that be the reason for the half messages that don't show the second line until someone sends another message?

 

[philskene]

Paul --

One final suggestion.

Go into Content Manager.

Find the route in the main pane. Right click and select "View Dependencies". Now click on "View in main list". If any of them have a green triangle it means that they have been modified - that could be the cause of your problem. If there are any with green triangles, delete them. Multiplayer does not accept modified assets.

Do the same with the session.

Now download anything that is missing.

Phil

 

[AussiePaul]

Good idea

That was a good idea Phil .... but there were no Green triangles.
I have had a think about it from another angle arising from something you said earlier about being able to install multiple versions of TS12.
I thought I could do a parallel install and back up my content from the original install and then import it into the new one. If it all works I'll just remove the original when I have moved all I want from the original one.
I have plenty of HD space and that would have been the only limiting factor.
Do you see any potential for problems that I should be aware of?
Cheers,
Paul

 

[philskene]

Paul --

If it was me I'd make a new folder called "TS12 Sandbox".

Then I'd copy and paste all the files from the exiting TS12 folder into this new one. Depending on the size of your downloads and the speed of your HDD this might take some time.

From TS12 Sandbox I'd launch Content Manager, set the Search filters to Location = Local / Built-in = False and delete all the content. You now have two installations - your old one with all its content and a clean install of TS12.

Now install Downtown into the new installation.

Phil

 

[AussiePaul]

Ok Phil thanks for the tips...

So just so I understand you properly ..... I'll do like you said and make the TS12 sandbox and so on ....after I have done that I download the content again from the DLS.
Is that right?
I can't see any way I could pick and choose the content from the old installation unless I used the archive.
I think what you are saying though is to completely download the content again.
Is that right?
Personally I think probably it is the best way.

I do have some good stuff that I have downloaded but I don't have anything that I can't get again.

It's not a big deal to me, I have a pretty fast connection and plenty of download capacity .... apart from the 100mb limit because I don't have a FCT.
Cheers,
Paul.
I'm going away tomorrow for a couple of days with the missus. So I'm not actually going to start this till after I get back, in case I have to leave it partly done and forget something when I come back.
Less haste ---- More speed.