Updating content after a fresh install

[tringate]

At first I was going to ask how to transfer my existing downloaded content over to a fresh install of TS2010. After searching the forum, and studying my old install, I have decided to start out fresh again.

My first major mistake after installing TS2010 was to use CMP to update all of the "Out of Date" content thinking it would update that content shipped with TS2010 to the latest versions.

It appears that using the default filter of "Out of Date" You install all of the content on the DLS that has been updated. In my case it was over 27 thousand assets. I should have known something was out of wack with a number like that, but went ahead and downloaded some 66 gigabytes of content only to load up my HDD and cause Trainz to load at a snails pace.

The correct way to update your installed content is not to use the existing filter of "Out of Date" but to create a new filter and add "Out of Date" to the "Installed" content and name it something like "Installed - Out of Date"

It sure would be nice if Auran would put some resourse into creating the game "Help" content that is online. Going to a wiki that has nothing in it is not of much "help".

I think I have the "update" process figured out, but how does this "archieve" thing work?

My impression is that once you create a directory for the archieve, it will contain the "containers" of the items you select to archieve. Is that a correct understanding? A person can think of an archieve as a ".zip" kind of file where many other files are put into one single container?

Again it sure would be nice to have a "help" function in Trainz that pointed to some actual "help".

Back to the archieve function. Once you create such a container, and you edit some content contained in that particular archieve, can you replace that content in this container by selecting it and adding the same updated content once again?

To be more precise, does it "replace" or "add" the content?

An example would be an archieve called "TS2010 fixed assets". Here I would place all of the assets I fixed so they are error free in TS2010. There could be hundreds of indivudual assets in this archieve. Can I select those assets all at once and put them into this archieve? Then if I discovered one or two I had fixed wrong, can I replace just those assets in this archieve to the corrected copies?

Because this is mostly a mystery to me, I have decided to make .CDP files of everything important to me, like the content I have fixed to be error free in TS2010. I will reinstall them once I reinstall TS2010 on it's own HDD.

Another important point I recommend is to "NOT INSTALL TRAINZ ON YOUR SYSTEM DRIVE".

I have always done that, and have often regretted it. I have decided to add a new internal drive just for Trainz so I can keep it isolated from my operating system.

It would be wonderful if there was a "Trainz for Idiots" posting that gave a quick start guide to Trainz with a step by step process for each of the primary functions a newbie was likely to run into in their first few weeks.

- recommended install location
- How To update to the current release of the software
- How To launch trainz for the first time
- How To connect to the download station
- How To update your "installed" content
- How To archieve your installed content
- etc
- etc

None of these should be more than a few paragraphs

I'm not a newbie, but without a "help" I might as well be.

 

[clam1952]

The correct way to update has been posted several times on here including by Auran Staff in the form of Zec.

To update:

Add filter location = local.
Add filter = out of date.

Save this filter, I don't bother as it's pretty quick to do and I haven't got room for any more filters!

Next:

Highlight all the list of out of date items.
Right click - view asset versions. (important step) Opens new window
Again in the new list highlight all.
Right click view in main list.
Highlight all.
Right click download, this then only downloads update for whatever you have on your PC.


In TS12 and 2010 Multiplayer, you can download all updates you have installed in one go, from the in game updates menu.

So this has actually be made easier with no chance of getting it wrong.

Archiving? I keep clear of as for me it doesn't seem to work well between different versions. I do as you have, make cdp's of my stuff, amounts to the same thing really as a cdp is a form of archive.

The best form of help I have found is these forums, which is what they are here for. All of what you are asking for has been posted an awful lot of times on these forums, would help if some were made sticky posts though.

 

[shaneturner12]

I agree there - we could do with such a thread.

I have a thread for one of the important items, which is updating DirectX (which is a sticky in this forum)

Shane

 

[clam1952]

Probably sticky and locked as many of the helpful posts get lost in large threads.

 

[tringate]

Thanks guys, I did not know about the one extra step in the update process, so have added it to my cheat cheat on how to get Trainz working for this "dummy".

I appreciate the comment on archieve as well. Making the .CDP's is easy, and I know they work from version to version because that is how I have continued to move those assets forward on each new release.

The archieve seamed like a better way, but it is not very clear how to actually use it if you are changing the same asset. With the .CDP you can save the old copy if you want or just over write it which is what I usually do.

I second the sticky idea, but it would be wonderful if they did something with the wiki that "help" launches.

The problem with the forum is trying to come up with the search argument to find an already answered question.

People do not always think of a problem in the same way. Their understanding of the problem may yield few or no results for a problem that has been asnwered.

With "help", I can point to the button or function I have a question about, and it should tell me how to use it. It would give me better language to use in a search of the forum to find an answer if I was unable to find the answer in "help".

It would appear that Auran has marketing and programming talent, but lacks technical writer skills to produce a "help" function.

I am grateful for the forum, and often find information about things I did not understand, but I didn't buy Trainz so I could search forums to find out how to use it. The forum should be answering questions about the bleeding edge functions, not the basics.

An example is the "PEV" tutorials to walk you through fixing assets from older versions. One read of those and most people will be able to fix old content and have it working just fine on the later releases.

Thanks again for your help and comments.

 

[Hovisman]

When I saw this thread I was delighted, because I have just installed TS2010 into a new computer and want to transfer the 'local' content to avoid starting all over again with a new route as I have done when going from TRS 2006 to TRS 2009 and then when I first bought TS2010. I find the DLS and Content quite baffling. I am not a newbie to computers having been using one for 20 years, but I am 79 years old and that creates other problems. So, as I said I was pleased to see this thread having searched for some kind of tutorial, but was baffled when I read such things as

To update:

Add filter location = local.
Add filter = out of date.

Save this filter, I don't bother as it's pretty quick to do and I haven't got room for any more filters!

Next:

Highlight all the list of out of date items.
Right click - view asset versions. (important step) Opens new window
Again in the new list highlight all.
Right click view in main list.
Highlight all.
Right click download, this then only downloads update for whatever you have on your PC.

Where in the computer should I be to do all of that? In Content? If could be pointed in the right direction I would be very grateful.

Hovisman

 

[clam1952]

The filters are in the search dialogue in content manager.

Under the search box there is a small button with a + on it, click that and another dialogue appears, it defaults to name on the left and blank on the right. You use the arrows to open the list and select the filters.

Change name to Location in and in the next box you select local.

There will be another button with a + underneath, click that and do the same again but this time select Out of Date and in the second box select True.

The main Window in content manager updates each time you change or add a Filter. You should now have a list of everything that needs updating

Select the items in the main Window by either using Edit (on the top menu bar) > Select all or.........
Just stick the mouse cursor in the main Window > right click > select all.

You now need to view the Asset versions.
With the main Window selected as above (all the items should be blue) Right click > select View asset versions.

A small Window then opens, click the button at the bottom that says View in main list.

Main Window then changes again to show all versions of the assets that are out of date and need updating.
Just again select all and then right click download, no need to worry about there being multiple versions of things showing as CM will download the latest and ignore the rest.

 

[Hovisman]

Now, that is what I call a tutorial. It is all downloading as I speak - or is it?-
"unable to download, the server appears to be full" Oh well; I shall try again later, this time with my FCT!!

Thank you very much