Made a big boo boo help

I was working on my route the other night installing track in the Williamson Yard on my NS or N&W route. After working for hours and saved and got out to realize that I was in edit session instead of edit route, so now when I go into edit route all the rack that I installed and corrected is not there. Now what do I do to correct this boo boo? I hope I don't have to delete out of session and reinstall in route. Thanks for any suggestions or help to correct I hope.:'(

Another reason I absolutely HATE HATE HATE layers in Trainz.

When you go to work on your route, ALWAYS open the SESSION for editing--- Then, immediately after opening it, MERGE the Session into the Route. THEN work on your route. That way, when you save it you won't lose anything.

I wish I could give a big fat black eye to the dude who made the decision to add layers to Trainz.

Layers are great for Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, but a huge headache in Trainz.

What could they possibly be used for in Trainz anyhow?? You're working on a scene that is all one huge layer anyhow.

I'm sorry but I must be doing something wrong because its not working for me. I've never done this before so have no idea what I'm doing. Do I open session for editing in cm or what? I've done so many things now I have no idea what I've done. please give me a first grade step by step. Thanks in advance.

Start Trainz
Select the Route.
Click View Sessions (bottom right of window).
Select the session you last worked on **.
Click Edit Session (bottom of window, right of centre).

If your tracks are now visible proceed to the next step. If not, try another session **.

Press Function key F6 (Layers tab).
Press 'M' key on keyboard (Merge dialog).
Merge into: Route layer, tick. This will move the tracks to the route file.
Main Menu > Save.

Let us know the result, please.

Trevor

... and once you have successfully executed Trev's instructions, don't edit a session anymore when working on a route; future problems avoided.

It is just so easy to get caught out when building a route and running a test session to find problems.
What is needed is an indicator on the screen (like an icon) showing which layer you are in. Should have been done when layers were first added.
Cheers,
Mike

Sorry "Crabby Old Geezer" Dave, but I could not disagree with you more.

Layers are one of the best things that Trainz have introduced. Their one weakness (and this has been the subject of many a thread in these forums) is that there is no onscreen indication of which layer is currently open and active. This is most likely the cause of Jayco-man's misery.

To answer your question "What could they [layers] possibly be used for in Trainz anyhow?? You're working on a scene that is all one huge layer anyhow" ...

I use route layers to provide different options for the sessions I create based on the same layout. For example: A route layer containing trackworkers and their trackside machinery that would be present in daylight sessions but not in a night session, so I make it invisible in the night session. Other route layers allow me to temporarily hide assets, such as station buildings, that block my ability to place and move other nearby assets - such as seats, luggage, etc on the platform.

I use session layers to place the consists used in each session. I also use session layers for placing trackmarks and triggers that allows me to tailor the AI commands to each session instead of cluttering up the route with all the trackmarks and triggers. I also use session layers to show some assets, such as signalers operating levers when they are needed, and to hide them when they are not - all controlled by track triggers.

My best practice for dealing with layer issues is to lock all layers that you are not currently working in. An extra step I know but it will avoid the misery experienced by Jayco-man.

I really don't know how someone could create a complex layout or even a simple one with multiple sessions without using layers.

My opinion.

mikeaust said:

What is needed is an indicator on the screen (like an icon) showing which layer you are in.

Click to expand...

Totally agree, so would like to ask you and everyone else to let their opinion be known in this suggestion topic. The more (different) people reply, the more likely it is to (eventually) be taken serious and end up in a next version of Trainz (though in my opinion it should come in a patch for the current and previous version already).

Merging into the route layer is a solid workaround except there are certain assets that will only save settings to the Session layer; ATLS and probably some of the Multiple Industry stuff come to mind immediately. I still start working on routes from Edit Session, but immediately switch to the route layer and lock everything else except when required - as Peter described.

If in "Edit session" one way to see what is in the route or session layers is to go to the Layer tab and use "Hide layer". This way anything put in the session/route layer will disappear. If for example a group of trees was in session instead of the preferred layer just need to select the objects tab > ? > then the content > change to correct layer.

pware said:

Sorry "Crabby Old Geezer" Dave, but I could not disagree with you more.

...

I really don't know how someone could create a complex layout or even a simple one with multiple sessions without using layers.

My opinion.

Click to expand...

I'm with pware on this one. Once I understood layers and used them correctly, I never wanted to go back to a single layer Trainz version. Never mind sessions, just the ease of placing multiple objects in one small area in Surveyor without constantly disturbing any existing objects is enough to keep me loving layers.

Now where is that on screen indicator?

Ok I did everything as you said. After I picked the check mark my hard drive started hammering away. The only thing you didn't say was to walk away and let it run or get out. I let it run for about two hours or so and the hard drive was still blinking away, so I saved and got out, and then completely got out of Trainz. Tonight I checked it and it didn't move anything over, so should I try again and just let it run out or what? Thanks a lot for all help.

Jayco-man - It sounds as if something is wrong because the session to route merge should take only a matter of minutes, depending on the route size. Perhaps another user could confirm that.

Firstly, what TANE build number are you working with?

Second, when you opened the session did you see the tracks that were formerly invisible?

If so then to guard against accidental loss of the route or session, make a backup as follows:

In Content Manager, Right-click the route and select Export to CDP
Save the route in a safe place.

To identify which Default session to save, select the route and right-click > List Dependants.
In the resulting window you should see the session name along with other dependents.
Export just the session asset to CDP as above and store alongside the route file.

Now make a new copy of the route and session as follows:

Start Trainz
Select the route > View Sessions > Select the session > Edit Session.

Main Menu > Save As > Click the Save new route and session box.
Type in a new route name (Make a note of the name so you don't forget).
Click the tick.
Main Menu > Exit Surveyor. The Sessions menu should now be showing your new session.
Click the Back button (bottom left of screen).

Your route should now appear as a new entry in the route list.
Select the new route name you created and View Sessions.
You should now see you complete layout.

Perform the Merge procedure as before (F6).
If all goes well you should now have a new copy of the complete route.

In the event of errors during the above procedures, report what the errors are.

Trevor

I am working with the lasted build 89566. The route right now is only about 25MB. Ill waite a little before I try your procedure. Thanks for the help. The tracks were accidently put in the session and don't show up in the edit route. Well I went into the session this afternoon and the work that I did is gone from there too, so I guess Ill just have to do it all over again. Lesson learned.

Jayco - Sorry about your loss of work. "Don't do important development work on a beta version of the game" is what you should take away from this experience.

Regards - Trevor