Figuring out the Download Station

[autodctr]

Maybe it is just me, but I am having little to no luck down loading anything. I know that it is horribly slow unless I buy a first class ticket. But, I usually have the DLS running on my second screen while I am working on a layout. So, time is not real important. However, it seems like everything I download ends up needing dependencies which don't exist anymore. In the last few days, I probably have had 20+ hours on the DLS and I do not believe that I have successfully downloaded a single item. I had to end up deleting every one of them. I have considered buying a FCT a few times, but I am afraid that all I would get for my investment is way faster downloads of non-usable stuff.

Am I missing something?

 

[MP242]

Post Deleted

 

[JCitron]

It depends upon what you're downloading.

I don't download routes unless they're by known route builders, and or have something about the route in the freeware forum, and have notes about where to find third-party assets. Sometimes I'll risk it and download something new and be pleasantly surprised, but then again that's a hit or miss and that's pretty rare. Other assets, such as buildings, track, etc., are fine and usually come down intact.

You're small investment of an annual FCT will pay for its self in a few short hours. I've been that route before without one way back when I was on a limited bandwidth modem (yes dial-up) and then later with early DSL. Back then it wasn't worth it going for the extra download speed since there wasn't any, but today with today with high speed broadband networks, it's worth the investment, besides, if you downloaded something you don't like, you can delete it right away instead of waiting a day or more.

In addition given the size of the assets today, due to the higher detailed mesh and textures, the faster download speed is worth it. Running out of non-FCT download time because you're downloading a gig of assets due to some assets being 300 MB, that gets a bit more than annoying.

 

[oknotsen]

Are you using the website or Manage Content?

”Recently” uploaded content with missing dependencies no longer show up in Manage Content. Could save some frustration. Or at least that was the intention.

 

[1611mac]

Is your main issue download problems or missing assets once something is downloaded? I can certainly say that the best thing I did was install a large SSD drive to put my content on. I then downloaded and downloaded routes. (I'm have a gold subscription so I have all payware available.) The only point I make is that the more you download and keep the fewer issues you will have with missing assets. The most frustrating times (with missing assets) are when you don't have much content.

 

[1611mac]

Are you using the website or Manage Content?

”Recently” uploaded content with missing dependencies no longer show up in Manage Content. Could save some frustration. Or at least that was the intention.

oknotsen - could you explain that a bit more? Some items will not show up in CM due to missing dependencies? Is this new? And please explain "recently." Thanks!

 

[autodctr]

I do not d-l routes. I try for industries, locos, and rolling stock. I have d-led a bunch of trees: they go w/o a problem. But other than that, I waste hours and hours of d-ling things that never work.

I am downloading from Manage Content. Should I be doing it another way>

Are the other places that have downloadable content for Trainz?

 

[JCitron]

I do not d-l routes. I try for industries, locos, and rolling stock. I have d-led a bunch of trees: they go w/o a problem. But other than that, I waste hours and hours of d-ling things that never work.

I am downloading from Manage Content. Should I be doing it another way>

Are the other places that have downloadable content for Trainz?

Using the Content Manager (Manage Content) is the best way to download from the DLS. If you download from the website directly, you need to import the .cdp files either by using the file menu, or by dragging them into the interface.

There are many other places on the web including Jointed Rail, NARM, Erecting Hall, etc., that have downloadable content. These other sites, while good are third-party locations. This becomes an issue when it comes to uploading routes to the DLS and elsewhere for people searching for parts unless you tell them you got them from these places. This is the issue you are running into now.

 

[oknotsen]

oknotsen - could you explain that a bit more? Some items will not show up in CM due to missing dependencies? Is this new? And please explain "recently." Thanks!

Stuff that is “recently” uploaded that is faulty in any detectable way (in the current checking system), including missing dependencies, is added to the Content Repair List. The Content Repair Group can then try to fix it.

I don’t know exactly when “recent” started, but I think it has been like that for at least two years now.

So by using Content Manager, you have a growing chance of downloading content without missing dependencies (which is one reason I would advise using it over the website).
All stuff from before “recent” is still visible, so you will still find loads of junk with missing dependencies.

 

[Forester1]

Routes and sessions are the obvious exception. I spend a lot of time fixing assets missing bogeys and sounds and engine specs, but I have just a few routes and sessions left to work on. Sorry, I changed the original text of this post because I thought these were mostly assets, but they obviously are not. They are routes and sessions....

 

[SailorDan]

But other than that, I waste hours and hours of d-ling things that never work.

There should be very few things, other than routes and sessions, with dependencies that no longer exist. When you look at the asset you downloaded, what do you see for its dependencies? Are they listed as missing in Content Manager, or are you assuming they are missing just because they failed to download?

 

[autodctr]

If I try to d-l the missing dependencies, I almost always get a message saying that they are not available.

 

[1611mac]

Stuff that is “recently” uploaded that is faulty in any detectable way (in the current checking system), including missing dependencies, is added to the Content Repair List. The Content Repair Group can then try to fix it.

I don’t know exactly when “recent” started, but I think it has been like that for at least two years now.

So by using Content Manager, you have a growing chance of downloading content without missing dependencies (which is one reason I would advise using it over the website).
All stuff from before “recent” is still visible, so you will still find loads of junk with missing dependencies.

Humm.. Thanks for that info. All I know is I've only been Trainz'ing since Oct 2018 and many many of my route downloads have missing dependencies. So it was shocking to see a suggestion that items with missing content don't show up on CM.

 

[SailorDan]

If I try to d-l the missing dependencies, I almost always get a message saying that they are not available.

What is the exact text of the message? That sounds more like a connection problem than a missing asset.

When you list the dependencies in Content Manager what is their Status.

Have you checked that you have not exceeded your 100mb daily limit?

 

[philskene]

Hi Forester --

An interesting list. I see that one of my sessions, "TRS19 - The Mann, Phrom, ... " is there. There is a very simple explanation -- included in the text under the thumbnail "By Special Request. This session requires the payware K&L Frico T54 'Mountain' 4-8-2."

For all my other routes and sessions for TRS19 all content is either built-in or from the Download Station.

autodctr --

If you go to the Back Pages, here:

https://www.auran.com/DLS/index.php

and click on Download Page (under the thumbnail for routes and sessions) you will see a list of dependencies that need to be downloaded for routes and sessions. Some lists are so long they they need to be measured in astronomical units, and even then there is no guarantee you will have everything that is needed. In my routes and sessions I try to keep the list as short as possible.

Phil

 

[autodctr]

Again, I am NOT d-ling routes or sessions! Rolling stock, locos, industries only.

 

[oknotsen]

Probably old stuff. Delete and move on or swallow and start a dependencies hunt on the internet (often followed by still deleting and moving on).

 

[SailorDan]

Again, I am NOT d-ling routes or sessions! Rolling stock, locos, industries only.

When you look at the asset you downloaded, what do you see for its dependencies? Are they listed as missing in Content Manager, or are you assuming they are missing just because they failed to download?

 

[autodctr]

It will tell me what dependency(s) is missing, but when I try to d-l it, it says either missing or obsolete.

 

[SailorDan]

It will tell me what dependency(s) is missing, but when I try to d-l it, it says either missing or obsolete.

Obsolete doesn't matter and doesn't prevent it being downloaded, so that's not the problem.

What is the exact message that you get when you try to download?

When you list the dependencies in Content Manager what Status is reported for them?