Approach_Medium
Trainz Addict
Good morning;
There have been several postings from unhappy Trainzers who have lost their routes after a HDD crash.
Here is the method I use to get a complete backup of my routes. This will allow you to import the route again into a freshly installed TS of the same build or later than that which was used to create the route.
This will work for TS2006 and TS2009. I don't recall how I used to backup in TS2004, but it is somewhat different.
1) Open CMP
2) Select the "My Content" tab
3) Left-Click to highlight the route and the session you want to back up. Make sure you also have the session for the route highlighted.
4) Right-Click on the highlighted route and select Save to CDP
5) Accept the default name or type in another. Select a folder to save your route.
Note: Never save the route to the same hard drive as where you have TS installed. You want to be able to recover your route if the HDD crashes.
I highly recommend a removable (USB, etc) drive.
6) Click the SAVE button to create the CDP file. This process can take some time if the route is large and/or complex.
Now, you must also back up the route's Dependencies.
If you fail to do so, you will need to re-download those that are not built-in content from DLS, or if you have created your own assets, you will need to find them after the route is restored.
The method outlined below is much easier:
1) Again in CMP on the My Content tab, Left-Click to select the route you want to back up.
2) Right-Click on the highlighted route and select View Dependencies from the menu.
3) Click the button "View in Main List". This will open up the main list showing all dependencies for the route.
4) Click any item in the list, then press CTL+A or Right-Click and "Select ALL" to select the entire list
5) As you did for the route, Right-Click (make sure that all items are highlighted), and select Save to CDP from the menu
6) Type in a name for the dependencies. This must be a unique name, not the same as the name you saved the route as. I recommend using route name_dependencies as the file name.
You should save the dependencies to the same folder where you saved the route file.
7) Click the SAVE button, and go have a cup of coffee, tea, or whatever you prefer.
If the route is large and/or complex, this process will take some time.
When you need to restore your route, you simply import the cdp file for the route (and session), and the one for the dependencies and you will have your route back the way it was before the crash.
I perform this operation about once per week if I am actively adding or removing content on my route, or less often if I am not.
I frequently save my working routes to cdp on a separate hard drive.
Always use SAVE AS when saving your route from Surveyor. Give each saved route a slightly different name so you know which one is the most recent.
Each night I save the last 3 revs of the route I have been working on to cdp.
Then, I delete all but the last three to save space and to reduce the number of routes I have to scroll through in the Surveyor menu to find my latest rev.
It is very important to remember that you cannot restore a route to a previous version or build of TS. If you created the route in TS2009 SP1, build 38599, you will not be able to open that route in any build prior to 38599, but you will be able to open it in a future build.
When you really want to create a permanent backup, copy your cdp files to CD or DVD.
I hope that you will find this little tutorial helpful, and may your Trainz dayz be crash free!
FW
There have been several postings from unhappy Trainzers who have lost their routes after a HDD crash.
Here is the method I use to get a complete backup of my routes. This will allow you to import the route again into a freshly installed TS of the same build or later than that which was used to create the route.
This will work for TS2006 and TS2009. I don't recall how I used to backup in TS2004, but it is somewhat different.
1) Open CMP
2) Select the "My Content" tab
3) Left-Click to highlight the route and the session you want to back up. Make sure you also have the session for the route highlighted.
4) Right-Click on the highlighted route and select Save to CDP
5) Accept the default name or type in another. Select a folder to save your route.
Note: Never save the route to the same hard drive as where you have TS installed. You want to be able to recover your route if the HDD crashes.
I highly recommend a removable (USB, etc) drive.
6) Click the SAVE button to create the CDP file. This process can take some time if the route is large and/or complex.
Now, you must also back up the route's Dependencies.
If you fail to do so, you will need to re-download those that are not built-in content from DLS, or if you have created your own assets, you will need to find them after the route is restored.
The method outlined below is much easier:
1) Again in CMP on the My Content tab, Left-Click to select the route you want to back up.
2) Right-Click on the highlighted route and select View Dependencies from the menu.
3) Click the button "View in Main List". This will open up the main list showing all dependencies for the route.
4) Click any item in the list, then press CTL+A or Right-Click and "Select ALL" to select the entire list
5) As you did for the route, Right-Click (make sure that all items are highlighted), and select Save to CDP from the menu
6) Type in a name for the dependencies. This must be a unique name, not the same as the name you saved the route as. I recommend using route name_dependencies as the file name.
You should save the dependencies to the same folder where you saved the route file.
7) Click the SAVE button, and go have a cup of coffee, tea, or whatever you prefer.
If the route is large and/or complex, this process will take some time.
When you need to restore your route, you simply import the cdp file for the route (and session), and the one for the dependencies and you will have your route back the way it was before the crash.
I perform this operation about once per week if I am actively adding or removing content on my route, or less often if I am not.
I frequently save my working routes to cdp on a separate hard drive.
Always use SAVE AS when saving your route from Surveyor. Give each saved route a slightly different name so you know which one is the most recent.
Each night I save the last 3 revs of the route I have been working on to cdp.
Then, I delete all but the last three to save space and to reduce the number of routes I have to scroll through in the Surveyor menu to find my latest rev.
It is very important to remember that you cannot restore a route to a previous version or build of TS. If you created the route in TS2009 SP1, build 38599, you will not be able to open that route in any build prior to 38599, but you will be able to open it in a future build.
When you really want to create a permanent backup, copy your cdp files to CD or DVD.
I hope that you will find this little tutorial helpful, and may your Trainz dayz be crash free!
FW