Route Construction continuity

[zeda]

Hi everyone,

I am new to Trainz and have had a go at constructing a new route using Surveyor. My problem is that having run a train on the route and saved it . The route, as yet very much incomplete, shows up in saved sessions. But I cannot then call it back to Surveyor to continue with its construction. Can someone please help ! :'(

 

[rweber95]

If you launch Trainz then select Surveyor you will see you route listed on the left and the session on the right.

Bob

 

[Dermmy]

Zeda you cannot load a saved session in Surveyor, saved sessions are only available from Driver.

Surveyor saves the route and the start point of the session only. You can continue to work on the route in Surveyor. If you use the 'Save' option (NOT 'Save As') then it may be possible to load the saved session in the modified route, but not always...

Andy

 

[zeda]

Excuse me if I appear dim, but just to confirm: If I start a route in Surveyor and then save it ( without running a train on it ) I then close my computer down for the day. When I restart the computer, that partially constructed route will then be available for further development in Surveyor - is that correct ???
By the way I am using Trainz 2009 with a Quad Core Processor and 4Gb Ram (in case thats relevant) - Thanks

 

[railroy19]

Zeda

That is correct.
You can load up your new route over and over and do more work on it until you run out of space on your computer

This is done in surveyor mode. The sessions with trainz on it are on the right side of you route name.

Enjoy.
Bob

 

[zeda]

Thanks Bob, it didn't appear to do that in Trainz 2006, but I will try with 2009.maybe I did something wrong :mop: That's brightened my day a bit

 

[cascaderailroad]

Saving

Have you ever lost a route...PooF...gone ? I always keep at least 1 extra copy of my route, just in case something would happen, like accidently hit the delete route button by mistake. I also have a main CDP copy of my route on a RW-DVD, which I continmually update, in case of complete catastrophic PC failure.

Yesterday I hit the surveyor dropdown box "save route as": 3-29-09, and named the new session the next days date 3-30-09. Now I have 2 duplicate routes, one updated. And after the next days work I save it again, as 3-31-09, and after the next days work I save it as 4-01-09...then I delete the redundant saved routes...always keeping at least 2 separately saved routes, and constantly update my CDP route copy on a RW-DVD, (it's re-writable 4.7gb of space). Always work on the most latest dated route, and save it again as the next days date. It is said that _ _ _ _ _ saves, but only YOU can save your work !
Also keeping a handwritten log book of settings, and phrases that you enter (say, in the trainzoptions file), as well as names of important assets or kuids, so you can easily re-download them, should they all come up missing one day.

 

[zeda]

"Cascaderailroad",

It is possible that I may have lost a route or deleted same, as I am very new to this Surveyor. What you have suggested seems a good system and I would be foolish not adopt a similar one.

When you save the route, into which folder does it go ?

When you download assets such as locos and rolling stock where can they be found ?

As I say I'm still in a bit of a fog ???

 

[cascaderailroad]

Saving

All your stuff is in the "Local" folder under strange encrypted names.

Use the DLH and "search" your route by name, or asset by name. There, you can save it as a CDP, or open or edit in explorer, or edit things like car body textures...etc.... But if you saved each and everything to a CDP, you would need an external 1TB hard drive (I have one, cost $99) to store a copy of all the downloaded stuff on.

Note: However, Trainz Program works best only installed on yout PC's "C" drive. Installing Trainz Program on an external hard drive may present stalling, pausing, operation problems, latency and lag. I use mine as a "Back-Up" for copies of Trainz, my photos, videos, topo maps...etc...

As far as losing a deleted route...for all the mistakes, and all that you have learned...if it took you 1 year to create the lost route...you can create a new, better route, faster and much better than the lost route, inside of 1 months time.

 

[zeda]

Thanks again,"Cascaderailroad",

What is a CDP ?

 

[cascaderailroad]

CDP

In your Trainz main page is "Manage Content", click this and the "Download Helper" opens up. The DLH has the "Down Load Station" content on it. If you had created a route named, say "New Route"...you can hit the "search" box and type in "New Route" and the content box for "New Route" will show up. You can highlight it, and "Open For Edit" and "Save As CDP". A CDP (Content Dispatcher Pack) is a file that contains your route, or asset. You can save that CDP to a CD or RW-DVD disk, or an external hard drive, or drag and drop it and send it to someone in say Yahoo Messenger dialog box, or even mail your CD disk - CDP by snail mail to someone that also has Trainz.

 

[zeda]

Thanks again "cascaderailroad" I'll work through that before I my brain goes into overload

 

[zeda]

Another question occurs to me, I can place a locomotive and consist on assembled track in Surveyor, but can I also runit in Surveyor mode to test the layout. Or do I have to save the Surveyor Session and then run it in Driver mode.
Having checked it in Driver mode, I assume my Surveyor Session will still be available for updating ?

I am asking these silly questions because i encountered some similar problems in TRS 2006 - Than ks in anticipation !

 

[Hot_Box_Detector]

Save as...

Zeda: You cannot run trains in Surveyor mode. There is a button in the upper left of the screen, next to the menu called "quick drive" that will let you exit surveyor and go straight into driver.

I'm sure you will get the hang of all this soon...Patience is key.

A thought...
I use the "save as" function in surveyor as I work on a route and add a V1, V1.1, V1.2... or some other tag on the end of the route name each time I save it. If you wind up with 10 versions, you can always delete the ones you don't want. Or, you may need to go back to an earlier version for some reason.

 

[zeda]

Thanks "Hotbox Detector" I'm gradually getting the feel of it, as you rightly say patience coupled with perseverance is the key.

It reminds me of a quote I once heard "Patience is a virtue rarely found in men, but never in women :hehe:

 

[rweber95]

One minor point of terminology. The store of user created assets is maintained at Auran and is referred to as the Download Station (DLS) and can be accessed directly using the Download Station link at the top of this page. Beginning with TRS2006, the content manger function was expanded to provide direct access to the DLS. It also maintains an index of the content in the DLS, hence it is called the content manager plus (CMP). In TS2009 it was further enhanced and is called CM2 (CMP Version 2).

 

[allderwood]

just a add to hot box suggestion when you go to driver from surveyer for your test drive. when complete exit via the left hand menu ;exit driver: that will return you to where you were in surveyer . from there add more detail correct ooop's. also find objects will locate your trains ect
peter

 

[zeda]

Thanks for all your help fella's, the road is much clearer now, thanks to your help and experience.