UNC for Trainz?

[Approach_Medium]

We all know that computers use a "Universal Naming Convention", or UNC to name network resources. Without it, it would be very difficult to use the network.

Perhaps it is time for the same type of concept to be adopted by the Trainz community.
For example, so much content uses cryptic names (some of it in foreign languages, to me anyway), and there are so many different ways for the creator to spell the name of his/her asset.
One example: bridge_stone_1t, and stone bridge 1t are not exactly the same asset, but in trying to find objects in Surveyor, I have to scroll through the alphabet to find it all, rather than just look through B for bridges.
I am now in the process of renaming (and eliminating or disabling unwanted content) all of my content. It's going to take a very long time, but I think in the end, I will have a lot more fun and be more productive in Surveyor.

What I would like to see is that all content creators be required to adhere to a convention for naming the asset, as well as categorizing them.

If the creator wants to name the content in a his own language, that's fine, but a translation to the major languages of Trainz users should be required.
You don't know how long it took me to rename my paint textures from "gestein" this and that to the English equivalent.
On the up side, I did learn a bit of German<g>

I hope I don't stir up a lot of controversy on this subject, but maybe it's time for us to do so.

FW

 

[bl4882]

Hi Fwassner,

Wow! did you touch a nerve with me. That's one of my pet peeves: That so many assets are effectively lost because of random naming. Your suggestion is also analogous to what large organizations that deal with thousands of inventory items, such as the military, do. They have a standard nomenclature. Such a thing, together with a translation guide to other languages, would be a big help.

It may not be practical to revise the names given to the bizillion items already floating around out there, but the release of Trainz 09 might be a good opportunity to implement it for future content releases. And it would not be too burdensome to ask a creator who spent a couple dozen hours on an asset to spend 15 minutes more to name it according to a standard, published naming procedure.

Bernie

 

[Captain_Collins]

This makes perfect sense. I hope it gets implemented.

 

[Approach_Medium]

Maybe I should offer to update the entire Trainz DLS myself; for a fee of course<vbg>
One of the nasty practices by content creators is the use of the _underscore character. Having it there prevents one from getting decent alphabetical listings.
Perhaps simply providing a utility to organize one's assets as he/she feels fit would work. No one would have to rename the entire DLS. It would be up to each TS user. Kind of like organizing Bookmarks in Firefox or IE.

FW

 

[PerRock]

this was actually sort of already included. in TRS you have the ability to add your own keywords to things. therefor if you have something called "Bahnhof" you can add the keyword "Station" to it. then in surveyor you can do a keyword search for "Station" and it will come up. I would like to see this keyword search implememted into the DLS as well however.

 

[Approach_Medium]

this was actually sort of already included. in TRS you have the ability to add your own keywords to things. therefor if you have something called "Bahnhof" you can add the keyword "Station" to it. then in surveyor you can do a keyword search for "Station" and it will come up. I would like to see this keyword search implememted into the DLS as well however.

The keyword search is why I don't like names joined_with_underscores. I don't think it would find the word between the _.
I prefer just to rename my assets. Hopefully, I will be able to do better with TS2009, If I decide to buy it.

FW

 

[gfisher]

The keyword search is why I don't like names joined_with_underscores. I don't think it would find the word between the _.
I prefer just to rename my assets. Hopefully, I will be able to do better with TS2009, If I decide to buy it.

Using underscores makes perfect sense and allows you to search on each word used in the name. If for example you use "ParkStation" or "Park-Station", then using keyword search you must type in the exact whole name or you get nothing. But if you use "Park_Station" or "Park Station", then in keyword search you can type in either "Park" or "Station" and the item will come up on a list.

I would like to see everyone use spaces or underscores as it would be much easier to find things in TRS06 and higher.