Zombie Rules using Copy and Paste in Surveyor?

[RHKluckhohn]

Working in T:ANE SP4 on several sessions recently I've encountered issues with copying and pasting rules. Too often this results in a "Zombie Rule" that looks right on screen but doesn't work. There doesn't seem to be any particular rule this happens with. It does not occur invariably, either -- pasting several instances of the same rule may or may not result in one or more of them going zombie. Very frustrating to debug, particularly when one occurs toward the end of a longish run. It's made me leery of using the technique.

Has anyone else seen this?

:B~(

 

[stagecoach]

If you copy a rule that is set up you are duplicating that set up. Trainz is confused if you have two rules the same as both cannot work. What rule are you copying and to where are you placing it?

 

[pware]

A typical example of this is pasting two (or more) copies of the Driver Setup Rule into the Session Editor. If the same consist (same loco identified by name) appears in both rules then only the version in the topmost Driver Setup Rule will be used, the second version will be ignored.

All the rules that are placed so that they are flush up against the left margin of the Session Editor are all executed simultaneously - although some will take longer to complete than others. Where two rules are in conflict, such as the Driver Setup example above, or two Trigger Check Rules that are monitoring the same triggers, then the situation you describe can occur.

 

[RHKluckhohn]

Thanks for your responses!

The most recent instance of this was with the Variable Modify rule in bumping ranking_points for a session. It was used four times. Each had in fact the same parameters. Each was used under one or more different choice points (Check Trackside, Trackside Check and Consist Check were used). The first was the one copied. The first time it was pasted there was no issue. The third iteration I seem to recall doing "by hand." The fourth was a paste from the first or second or maybe third, I don't recall which. The fourth was the fail.

I'll have to start keeping better notes on this stuff. There have been other examples in a couple of other sessions but the particulars are foggy now.

<:B~)

 

[pware]

The Consist Check Rule does have some "issues" when used as a first level rule (i.e. flush against the left hand edge of the Session Editor). When used this way it will never terminate but will continue to check the consists and trigger whenever a match is found. That, possibly, may be the cause of your issue. When used as a child rule under another rule, such as a Trigger Check Rule as the parent rule for example, it will be terminated when the parent or triggering rule is terminated.

PS

When "copying and pasting" rules in the Session Editor, it is wise to check that all the parameters in each pasted rule have been correctly copied. There is a "bug" in the copy and paste procedure that stops the parameters being pasted with some rules - the Navigation Display Rule is one example.

 

[RHKluckhohn]

The Consist Check Rule does have some "issues" when used as a first level rule (i.e. flush against the left hand edge of the Session Editor). When used this way it will never terminate but will continue to check the consists and trigger whenever a match is found. That, possibly, may be the cause of your issue. When used as a child rule under another rule, such as a Trigger Check Rule as the parent rule for example, it will be terminated when the parent or triggering rule is terminated.

PS

When "copying and pasting" rules in the Session Editor, it is wise to check that all the parameters in each pasted rule have been correctly copied. There is a "bug" in the copy and paste procedure that stops the parameters being pasted with some rules - the Navigation Display Rule is one example.

Useful points to keep in mind both. Thank you. I do think I checked the params when first they did not work and they seemed to be set as desired. They just didn't work. What I have seen is a pasted rule that looks right -- the parameters are set as desired -- but doesn't work. Regarding my current example above, the Consist Check was indeed a child rule and the dead Variable Mod rule having been deleted and replaced de novo everything works as desired. The session has been placed on the DLS.

:B~)