Trainz Protocol Changer - Second Edition

Moderators - if this is in the wrong place please put it in the right place.

Hi Trainzers,

It is with great pleasure that I announce the development of Trainz Protocol Changer: Second Edition.

For those who are wondering why I've done this rather than updating the existing version, it's due to an issue on the older system that held the older version source files.

It has been redesigned quite a bit from the previous edition, and will support all Windows versions of Trainz from TRS2006 to T:ANE. At some point, I will be extending it to also cover TRS2004 and Ultimate Trainz Collection and possibly Trainz 1.3 if I can find someone who has that version when I come to do the updates.

I'm hoping to be able to release it over the next couple of days providing the internal testing I'm doing passes (which I'm doing at each stage). Be aware that the tool will need to be run as administrator to access and change certain registry keys.

If anyone wants to try a beta version of the tool, send me a private message and I can then sort out a link to it. Be aware though that at this stage there are parts that are not yet complete (at the moment, it can successfully set up the association for Download Helper links but cannot currently set associations for CDP/CDP2 or CMPA files, however I am working on this during the next stage).

32-bit Windows users

Be aware that the automatic detection process for versions older than T:ANE may not work on your version due to differences in the registry location for certain keys. However, there is a manual method available.

Users who have copied over their Trainz install from elsewhere

Due to the way that the automatic detection works for versions older than T:ANE, the tool may not pick up your version. Use the manual method to specify where you've copied it to.

Norton users

Due to an ongoing issue with Norton, users who use Norton may have problems downloading and using the tool.

If anyone has any comments/questions regarding the development of the tool, please post a reply.

Shane

EDIT: As the full version is now available I'm no longer going to be uploading the test version.

I can now confirm that the tool has now been released after passing the final testing stages (and now has full association abilities).

It can be downloaded from http://trainz.shaneturner.co.uk/Trainz Protocol Changer Second Edition.exe.

One thing to be aware of is when using the lists, you will need to click on the left side of the box - this is a known issue which I will be looking into. Also, there appears to be an issue with the icons for CMPA files - I am also looking into this.

Any questions/comments etc please let me know.

Shane

For those who are not familiar with my Trainz Protocol Changer tool (either this one or the predecessor), it's a tool designed to set the file associations for Trainz if Trainz itself doesn't do so, or if you want to change it after it's been set.

I'm hoping to get a help page up over the next few hours to help users with the tool.

Shane

EDIT: I've just released an update to the tool to fix the list issue where one had to click on the left hand side to select an option.

Thank you, very useful and well used tool!

Thankyou for your comments robd - they are appreciated.

It's purely by chance that I found the necessary commands for T:ANE though to be able to get them into the tool.

Shane

Some further observations re: second edition.

I d/loaded the new version and attempted to change protocols from TANE ( I won't be using TANE until it's nigh on perfect!) back to TS12 SP1, the new protocol changer didn't work for that either in auto(?) or manual. In fact, in manual it reported that there wasn't a Trainz installation in my TS12 installation files although the correct location was given by protocol changer 2. My TS12 is installed on a dedicated SSD drive!

I had to revert to the first edition of protocol changer to put things right. I also find that when I use protocol changer (1st edition) I have to shut down windows and then restart in order to complete the process i.e. to show correct cdp icon etc.
Hope this helps.

Rob.

I will have to have a look at that particular issue, although the new version is picky on the selection made on the first screen. I'm surprised that the manual method didn't place it into the list though although I've a feeling I may have an idea why - can you send me a screenshot of your Trainz install folder?

I did do some testing regarding the icons and did find that the CMPA icon isn't appearing properly although as you say it could be Windows related.

Shane

I have just released an update to fix the manual method issue mentioned by robd, which should now fix the problem. Thankyou to robd for pointing that bug out as for some reason that one slipped through the testing.

Shane

shaneturner12 said:

- can you send me a screenshot of your Trainz install folder?

Click to expand...

Not too sure what you require, will this do?



Rob.

Looks OK to me. I've updated the program anyway - can I get you to redownload it and see if it's working now?

Shane

Will do; same link as above?

I have re downloaded TPC2 (Trainz Protocol Changer 2nd Edition) and have attempted to change protocols from TS12 to TANE without success and attempted to change back from TANE to TS12 again seemingly without success. I use the cdp icon as an indicator, in each case the icon shows as a blank which indicates to me that it's not worked. I have tried shutting down windows and restarting but this doesn't help.

Again I have used TPC1 (Trainz Protocol Changer 1st Edition) to fix the protocols to TS12.

It appears to me that 2nd Edition isn't working in my system.

Rob.

Edit. The manual selection of Trainz installations appears to work OK now in TPC2.

Perhaps someone else will give it a go and report back.

Thankyou for your results so far Rob - interestingly enough, my internal testing didn't pick up any icon issues apart from the CMPA files, although I will be doing further tests to see what's going on, in case it's an icon index issue.

Shane

EDIT: If anyone else is having icon issues, let me know which icons are playing up and which version you are setting it to.

I have now released another update as it appears that the last update had an error in the registry format. This can be downloaded using the link further up the thread.

Shane

Hi Shane --

Excellent. It's an indispensable tool for those of us who prefer downloading from the white or black Download Station pages rather than use "Content Manager" or now, in T:ANE, "Manage Content".

All we have to do is wait for N3V to actually get T:ANE content listed on the white pages.

Oh - are all the bugs sorted out? It's safe to use?

Phil

Hi Phil,

In terms of my tool, I have done all the possible testing to make sure that it's working properly (apart from 32-bit testing, but that's due to not having a 32-bit operating system, and icon testing with pre-TS12 versions, which I will need to hunt down my discs to test).

In terms of T:ANE itself though, there are still quite a few bugs (although my tool can understand and work with it without issues).

Shane

Just to let you know, all is working correctly as far as my specific needs go, with the latest version.

Thanks,

Rob.

Thankyou for letting me know Rob. Hopefully it will work OK in other circumstances as well.

Shane

I tried this after you let me know about it. Unfortunately it does not appear to work with the T:ANE-Std version from Steam. I get the following error dialog when I click of the "Download Helper" button in the DLS White Pages:

Error dialog: "Unable to communicate with Steam. Please ensure that the Steam Client is running."

Yes, the Steam client and T:ANE CMP are both running when I click the "Download Helper" button on the DLS White Pages. I used your program to set the file associations for the T:ANE version.

Thanks anyway.

Bob

That sounds like a Steam-specific issue - might be worth closing it down and letting the link restart it.

Shane