Tips/Stickies resurrected from the old forum

FootplatePhil

Trainz Tragic since 2002
Inspired by an entry in another thread by nwhitney, I am starting this thread in the hope that we can get back some of the community knowledge we lost when the old forums died. Norm had the foresite to save a contribution of mine that was made 'sticky'. This got me thinking, and I'm hoping that others may also have had the foresight to save some of the treasures posted to the old forum. If you have any of these sitting forgotten somewhere on your hard drive dig them out and post them here!

To ensure the thread becomes a good reference thread lets keep it on topic. Please, old stickies and relevant corrections/clarrifications only - no sidetracking. Any questions or issues prompted by posts here should be raised in a seperate thread.

Again, thanks to nwhitney for resurrecting my small claim to fame....

"How to create a TRS2006 Splash screen
In TRS2006 the map which used to appear on the Driver and Survey Routes List has been replace by a user definable splash screen. Here is how to set up a splash screen.
1. I used FRAPS to capture a screen shot from the session. This could be a map view if you like.
2. In CMP 'Open for Edit' the route or session.
3. Using your favourite graphics editing package open the image create by FRAPS, cut to a square, and resize to 512x512. Save in the directory created by CMP in Step 2.
4. Add the following text to the config.txt file (also found in the directory create in step 2)
thumbnails {
0 {
image "yourfilename.jpg"
width "512"
height "512"
}
}
5. Commit
Splash screen should now appear next time you highlight the route/session in Driver or Surveyor menu. Another neat TRS2006 thing to try while your at it is to save a 'readme' file in html format (you can use Word to save any document as HTML) in the directory CMP creates. Then add the following line to the config.txt, and you will get an 'info' button on your new splash screen which provides a user with acess to the readme info-page "readmefilename.htm"


Phil

Edit: an update, thanks to gfisher...



Here's the config format that works for both the thumbnail (required) and the splash screen:

thumbnails
{
thumb
{
image "thumbnail.jpg"
width 240
height 180
}
preview
{
image "splash.jpg"
}
}

If you put in the sizes for the splash screen, width and height, (512 x 512) trs2006 will get confused and think the splash screen is the thumbnail. The names of the files don't matter.
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Theres already a "Tips abd Tricks for Surveyor" thread but as usual after the initial flurry of activity and some Trollish behaviour by one individual it has now slipped out of sight.Most of my own tips are signalling related and the OP says he doesn"t want Signalling Tips so there you go..
 
Theres already a "Tips abd Tricks for Surveyor" thread but as usual after the initial flurry of activity and some Trollish behaviour by one individual it has now slipped out of sight.Most of my own tips are signalling related and the OP says he doesn"t want Signalling Tips so there you go..
Hi Lewisner, yes I am aware of that thread, and its progress (hence my request for no sidetracking). I am hoping here to get back some of the old forum 'stickies'. And not just the Surveyor ones.
Phil
 
With thanks to tonyvdb and BigJacko, and permission from Superfudd, I have cut and paste below from Superfudd's thread 'make TRS'06 run well for you '. My hope is if enough of the old forum gems are combined in one place it may be 're-stickified' for easy access. Now that a link to the old forum has been posted it does not seem so urgent, but it can't hurt to have them here as well. If you find anything else on the old forums you think is good reference material, please feel free to add to this thread.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Some tips to make TRS'06 run well for you
By tonyvdb

I have re edited this list and added several other important items.
Give it a read if you have issues as they will make a difference
CMP issues
For some of you that are having trouble with CMP not showing the DLS content or issues in survayer or other issues try this,
Start up CMP and go into the File tab at the top of the screen. Select "settings" and then "filters" click on the "reset to default" button this will usualy do the trick.
The other issue is that CMP likes to use a lot of CPU power to do anything other then just sitting there. I have ran my Task manager while in CMP and it sometimes takes the CPU process all the way up to 99% causing it to seem to lock up. On some machines this may crash CMP all together but for me it releases after about 30 to 45 seconds. I have also seen that it ramps up the memory usage a fair bit when using so much CPU time. I have found this next step helps.
On some machines if you have your memory management in your Windows control panel set to anything other then "system managed" this will cause trouble particularly with systems under 2 gig of ram I don't recommend using any other setting.
Somtimes the Microsoft dot net framework is installed incorectly. By going into the "add remove programs and uninstalling it and then downloading it and reinstalling it this can help alot with CMP
The Dowload station somtimes will not update to the newest available content this is because CMP only looks for the updated files periodicly so you sometimes need to leave it running for some time before it will by pressing the "F5" key this will refresh the screen. It will update faster if you download something during this delay.
A responce from the helpdesk saying "The process that updates CMP with the latest listing of content runs every day at Midnight Brisbane time. However, as soon as Lance approves content that day it appears on the web-DLS (usually before noon). This means there is at least a 12 hour delay between what you?ll see on the web-DLS versus CMP." and of course this would be longer over the weekends.
First class ticket activation
I also have found for people that can't seem to get there first class ticket or a list in DLS working is to delete and re-enter your password and user name in "settings, Internet" in CMP and select "use Internet explorer settings". This seems to have helped in some instances.
If you see the "Server full" indication or very slow downloads speeds when trying to download in CMP you need to make sure that your First class ticket is activated to do this you must go into your profile (access from the Forum site) and select "tickets" and select the ticket you want to activate. You will only have a ticket if you bought TRS'06 directly from Auran or Aurans regional websites. If you did not then you must buy one first.
The tickets usually take about 24hrs to start working.
If this doesent help, you should contact the helpdesk as they will be able to fix the problem from their end.

Driver and Survayer issues
The distorted sky problem when using routs improted from '04 is caused by you using a non standard setting in "world" all you need to do there is select another sky and that will fix it. (Fixed in service pack 1)
The still water is a bug with TRS'06 and some ATI cards using Open GL If you use DirX it works fine in '06. fixed in service pack 1)
Heat issues
One big thing here is HEAT Trainz can push your pc hard at times. If you have poor ventalation or an overclocked CPU or graphics card this will cause TRS to crash somtimes very quickly. Make sure you have your case ventalation up to snuff and that you blow out the dust inside the case at least three times a year.
Other issues
The content saying that it is missing or has other problems. I find just ignoring what CMP says, they work fine for me with the errors. Unless you have content that is not available on the DLS that you downloaded from 3rd party sites then you will need to import them from '04 or go to the original site you got them from. (a bypass option has been added so you wont see the splash screen when loading a route to the service pack 1 update)
If you do not like how Survayer catagorises the content I for one have started to rename my content in CMP so that the first word is what I am looking for. for example "Trees" so when I do a search for them in survayer they all show up under the first word trees.
Content that you import from '04 needs to be "Commited" before Survayer will see it and display it. To do this select the content that you just imported and want commited and right click, select "open for edit" and then once done that right click again on the same items and select "commit" you will then see a green triangle beside each item.
Other notes
This one is thanks to Trainz user BigJacko
Two main things have turned up:
1 - CMP speaks in tongues!
CMP uses a variant of FTP, in which the FTP command is encapsulated in a single HTTP-formatted request. This WILL confuse many routers' internal FTP-proxies.
In my case, I have to turn my router's internal FTP-proxy OFF when I am using CMP, because otherwise, the FTP-proxy will open the TCP FTP connection, but never actually send any data (because it didn't understand what CMP asked it to proxy!). Consequently, after two minutes, the Auran server will view this as a 'Login Timeout' and return a 421 error (this sometimes shows up as a 'Server Full' message, if CMP receives the error successfully).
So - if in doubt... turn your router FTP-proxy OFF, and see what happens.
2 - CMP ignores your chosen Proxy settings
This is the killer. CMP seems to have some problem correctly saving its SOCKS-proxy configuration information (this is the Settings part of CMP, where it asks you about whether you want to use a manual proxy, or use IE's setting, or use no proxy.
Don't be confused - this field is presumably for a SOCKS proxy (though they don't make that clear), not necessarily a bespoke FTP-proxy that you might find inside your router. The CMP entry here is, I think, more intended for if you use a general proxy at your ISP, for web, FTP, etc.
What I discovered is that if you enter ANY words or numers into the manual proxy fields at the bottom, then it makes NO DIFFERENCE how you click on the option buttons above it. Doesn't matter if you select 'Use my IE Settings' or 'Use Manual' - if there's ANYTHING written in the two boxes next to Proxy and Port, the CMP WILL stupidly try and use them!!!
So - keep these bits blank, if you are NOT using an ISP SOCKS proxy!
If you get really stuck, and you've done the above, and it's still not working, open the file called userd.txt in your TRS2006\Settings\ folder.
Make sure the following bits look like this:
userie 0
usernoproxy 1
usermanual 0
proxyaddress
proxyport
Don't change or remove anything else - just make sure that the 'usernoproxy' bit is set to ONE and the others to zero, and make sure there is nothing after the proxyaddress or proxyport commands (you can put "" I've found, but CMP turns these into blank anyway, so probably best to just leave them blank in the file)
Save the file, and try again. So far, it's worked for at least three of us today - maybe it'll work for you!
Using faulty content
Faulty content in TRS '06 will most of the time still work without problems but this is not always the case. Faulty content can cause your routes to crash or lock up so it is advisable to try to repair them in CMP. Missing dependancies can also cause things to not work properly but usualy wont crash TRS.
 
Hi Phil, I sent a message to the HelpDesk -Alan - the other day about having some of these "old forum" threads made a sticky on this new forum and I think he will and it's a very good idea. I had thought of doing the same but I am getting ready for a Holiday :)

Craig
:):):)
 
Hi Phil, I sent a message to the HelpDesk -Alan - the other day about having some of these "old forum" threads made a sticky on this new forum and I think he will and it's a very good idea. I had thought of doing the same but I am getting ready for a Holiday :)

Craig
:):):)

Excellent.
By the way, what is wrong with tips on improving Auren's signalling?
 
"Ess1" re the signalling thing I originally intended to start a thread for Signalling tips but I had a feeling that a) It might end up as a "ghetto" and b) It would probably drop out of sight and thus essentially be a waste of time.I posted a carefully thought out Tip and this resulted in the Thread being plastered with "off topic" arguments against and for my Tip which is (I guess) why the OP said he didn"t want Signalling tips on there.The thread is his baby, so I respect that.I"ve seen some Signalling questions asked on this Forum which I could answer but at the risk of sounding jaundiced it probably isn"t worth the effort since people rarely say thanks.:rolleyes:
 
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"Ess1" re the signalling thing I originally intended to start a thread for Signalling tips but I had a feeling that a) It might end up as a "ghetto" and b) It would probably drop out of sight and thus essentially be a waste of time.I posted a carefully thought out Tip and this resulted in the Thread being plastered with "off topic" arguments against and for my Tip which is (I guess) why the OP said he didn"t want Signalling tips on there.The thread is his baby, so I respect that.I"ve seen some Signalling questions asked on this Forum which I could answer but at the risk of sounding jaundiced it probably isn"t worth the effort since people rarely say thanks.:rolleyes:

Ah well. Thank anyway for your efforts appreciated by, at least one!
 
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