What is the purpose of "udating Trainz asset Database?"

[sawyer811]

Okay, i know that sounds obvious, but really the question is why must trainz do this every...urggghh!!...time i try to open content manager. It's getting frustrating. I just want to go in and work on repairing content and i have to deal with this crap? Ten-twenty minutes later, I'm finally in, but the next time i open CM3.3 from the trainz launcher, it says "Updating Trainz asset database" AGAIN!!!

This is the second time in this has happened today, out of two attempts to open CM3.3 (note that I am getting in, it just takes its sweet time doing so). So i've finally got to ask; is there some timing to when trainz does this? I swear every time i open the launcher this happens. I've only got so much time i can play with trainz, and i feel like i waste half of it waiting for these stupid updates.

Okay, maybe that was more me venting than anything else, but i do have several questions; why does it seemingly do this every time i try to open CM3? Is there some regular pattern to this? What is trainz actually doing during this process? I ask the last one because many of the messages it gives are the same one a database repair gives, So I'm wondering if there's a difference or are they the same?

thank you for dealing with my rant (not many do) and thank you in advance for any help you can give me. I'm just frustrated, is all.

Again, thanks. Sawyer

 

[narrowgauge]

Why not leave CM open, there is no need to close it if you want to test something in Surveyor. Don't start it with the opening screen. Make a separate shortcut to CM, leave it open, minimise it, start Trainz/Surveyor, test whatever you are working on then exit Trainz, maximise CM and continue.

When you close it, give it a chance to put things in order before you shut your computer down. Being hasty here could be the cause of your problem.

Peter

 

[LadyWind]

If you leave your computer on after you are finished playing, this program runs automatically without your knowledge. Anytime you turn off your computer immediately after playing, this asset database program will run the next time you start the game. Because I follow thi rule, I almost never have that program run when I start the game. If it does run, I know it is because I turned my computer off too soon.

This was a tip that was offered by another user some weeks in the past, and sure enough he was dead right.

 

[itareus]

....Why not leave CM open, there is no need to close it if you want to test something in Surveyor.....

Another, and possibly safer, way of running Trainz from CM3.3 is to use the "Launch Trainz" option from the CM3 "File" menu. This will close down CM3, start Trainz at the main game selection screen and when you "Exit Game" will restart CM3.

Just to add to what others have said about the database update problem, after shutting down Trainz or CM3 allow a few minutes before shutting down your PC. This is because a process called TADDaemon is running in the background - here are a couple of ways to check when it stops:

1) Start Windows Task Manager, select the processes tab and check to see if TADDaemon is in the list - when it goes it has finished working.

2) Go into "Options" from the Trainz Launch screen, select the "Developer" tab and tick the "Show database process window" option - this will display a command window whilst TADDaemon is running.

 

[shaneturner12]

Due to the way TADDaemon and TrainzUtil works, it is not a good idea to have Content Manager and Trainz itself (any module) running at the same time, as I'm sure some users have found out.

The reason why is because both Content Manager and Trainz itself require exclusive access to the database, which if they are both running, cannot happen.

As stated above, the usual reason for the database repairing every run is due to TADDaemon being closed forcefully (i.e. not being allowed to close itself - it only takes 2-3 minutes after closing Trainz for TADDaemon to do it's job and close itself)

Shane

 

[itareus]

....Due to the way TADDaemon and TrainzUtil works, it is not a good idea to have Content Manager and Trainz itself (any module) running at the same time, as I'm sure some users have found out.....

Morning Shane - I see our posts have crossed in the post again !

I agree with what you say which is why I suggested the "official" method of launching Trainz from CM3 in my last post. This seems to work reliably, because it shuts down CM3 before running Trainz thus avoiding conflicts.

Cheers

Chris

 

[shaneturner12]

I agree - I know that someone on here recently had something like that happening (although their situation was that they had Content Manager open, and wanted to change from OpenGL to DirectX and loaded up another instance of Trainz - you can probably guess what happened)

Shane

 

[narrowgauge]

Shane

I have worked for over 2 years with TS2009 and TS2010 in exactly the way I suggested without any problems, probably because when I start Trainz, CM is doing nothing, hence no clashing in TADDaemon. I agree that if CM is involved in rebuilding the database there could be problems, but in the case of correcting content that sort of continued activity is unlikely, I have never encountered it.

I don't have Trainz running when I am working in CM, that could cause iccups.

Peter

 

[shaneturner12]

It affects different systems differently - bear in mind that whilst CM is open, it is deleting and creating cached files which may have an effect on the database, and Trainz does the same thing.

TADDaemon is only designed to have either Content Manager or Trainz itself running at the same time, not both together (and that includes the Launcher) - it's a lot more likely to require a database repair.

Shane

 

[backyard]

Windows Working...

Here is a view of Trainz Utility at work...I like to watch the Command Prompt windows roll the data...

Back to front is the Desktop background, the TADDaemon, Task Manager, CMv3.3, a Download Manager window and two TrainzUtil logs.

I'm getting at least one TrainzUtil log event at starting CM, going in-game from CM, importing content into CM, but eventually everything settles down & runs smoother...:hehe:

 

[davesnow]

I'm not really satisfied with any of these answers. Why? Because for six or seven months, I have not had one single Updating Trainz asset database pop-up---- until three days ago. Then another today? And I've been running Trainz the same way.

And mine pops up no matter if I'm trying to open Trainz Surveyor or CMP. And I can't click "CANCEL" because that doesn't work either. . . . So I'm forced to wait twenty minutes while trains does this Updating Trainz asset database thing.

I'm now feeling Sawyer's pain and frustration. Damn I wish there was a way to turn this thing OFF.

Dave Snow

 

[backyard]

Work In Progress(WIP)...

I was not going to say this but the work being done is evidently essential to future proper-operations.

You don't have to isolate to this one function like you see I did using Windows Switch Between Windows. You can go to another task whilst this is going on...it will finish, then you can freely access Trainz.

In the total picture of Trainz Simulator, I say this is a necessary update & worrying yourself to death with it won't help you.

 

[davesnow]

I was not going to say this but the work being done is evidently essential to future proper-operations.

You don't have to isolate to this one function like you see I did using Windows Switch Between Windows. You can go to another task whilst this is going on...it will finish, then you can freely access Trainz.

In the total picture of Trainz Simulator, I say this is a necessary update & worrying yourself to death with it won't help you.

Okay. Sorry I got so bent out of shape.

Dave

 

[backyard]

...that's OK...

I got practice saying that...I should have used the word "sequester" instead of "isolate."

I'll try to do better from now on...:wave:

Here is what took up most of last night...


That is CMv3.3, CMv3.4, two TADDaemon logs, two TrainzUtil logs....no trainz tonight...

 

[georgerooney]

game launch

I JUST DOWNLOADED TRAINZ 2010 ENGINEERS EDITION FROM dvd rom
When I try to play the game i dont get anything on the computer just a little bit of the trees no train no tracks no controls nothing.What do I do about that?