Preparing A Route For DLS

[Vern]

I'm hopefully going to be in the position over the next few days of being able to upload the first Trainz route I've managed to finish in nearly 4 years. Nothing too exciting, just a "imagineered" and recreated stretch of railroad in the Adirondacks. Just need to finish up testing and setting up a few sessions to get users started.

However a couple of things I'm not sure on.

The first and probably glaringly obvious, is how do I take a screenshot in TS2009? If there's a key command then it is undocumented and "PrtScrn" only exports a black picture to the paint package.

Second, how can I include a readme file with the route cdp but separate, i.e. for other sims such as Railworks you package the proprietary archiver file (rwp) with the documentation in a zip or rar file. I want to be able to include more information than the small text box within the route itself offers. Ditto a splash screen for when the route is loading.

Finally, can the route and sessions be bundled in one cdp (what used to be known as a "pack") or do they have to be uploaded as individual items?

In addition to the DLS I will probably upload the route to UKTS and TS.com, in which case the docs issue is solved as the cdp and text file will be contained in an overall zip file.

 

[mattm]

Vern,

'PrtScrn' is the way to take screen shots in Trainz. These get saved to a folder in the main Trainz install directory called 'Screenshots'. They are normally saved as a jpeg. file.

Your second question, create your readme file, save it somewhere then open CMP. Open your route for edit, copy the readme to the route editing file, then close and Commit the route.

The last one, I can't help you with.

Matt.

 

[Deano5]

Vern, I can't quite recall but I do remember reading another thread way back yester-month about someone having the same problem with the black screen shots, I'm sure it was something to do with the program opening the picture not being able to read the format or vice versa. Try using Photoshop or similar to open the pictures.
For some reason I seem to remember Shaneturner having an answer for this. :wave:

 

[stovepipe]

Or if you have Fraps installed, use the screenshot function in that application - I have the black screen problem on my laptop too.

You can add two screenshots to your route, one for the DLS and CMP at 240x180, which is mandatory and also one as a "loading screen" at 512x512. It's used when the route lists loads up. Add it to your config file like this :-

thumbnails
{
  0
  {
  image              "xxx1.jpg"
  width               240
  height              180
  }

  1

  {
  image              "xxx2.jpg"
   width               512
   height              512
   }
}

You can include a readme.txt file and jpeg files in the route upload as well if you want.

There is also a thing called "info-url" announced when TS2009 came out. It was supposed to give you a way to link to help/instructions when in game, but I don't think it was ever implemented fully.

 

[Vern]

Thanks for the helpful information.

With regard to sceenshots I'll check the folder as I was trying to Ctrl-V straight into PSP7 (the budget doesn't run to Photoshop, unfortunately!).

 

[stovepipe]

I should have added that the images need to go in the same directory as the config.txt file.


BTW There is some information on "info-url" here, if anyone is interested.
http://online.ts2009.com/mediaWiki/index.php5/KIND_TrainzBaseSpec#info-url
It's a shame it isn't (or can't be?) used.

 

[misterchugg]

hi mate

i use irfanview

http://www.irfanview.com/

its free and shows and saves all types of formats

cheers
ron

 

[Vern]

One (hopefully last) query. In order to get the readme.txt and splash screen in the route, presumably I have to open for edit, add the relevant files to the folder then re-commit or is there another procedure?

Thanks.

 

[H222]

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Jamie