Learn something new ever day

I did not know till today that the in game download CMP? did not show older versions of the downloads. They only show up on the web site download.

https://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?145898-DLS-vs-DLH-CM

I wonder if this has caused others problems before?

Also once again would like to say PLEASE RGCX don't leave.

fourteen said:

I did not know till today that the in game download CMP? did not show older versions of the downloads. They only show up on the web site download.

Click to expand...

That's not correct. CM lists plenty of assets available for download that are from older version of Trainz.

What you might be referring to is that uploads to the DLS of assets with build numbers below 3.5 will not be processed through to the DLS so they are visible to CM, but will be processed as if they are uploaded as 'hidden'. This 'hidden' facility was originally designed for those assets that should not appear in the CM listing, but which should be available for download as a dependency. An example would be a pantograph - useless on its own, and unlikely to be downloaded separately, but an important dependency for a loco.

The DLS currently allows assets with build numbers that apply to unsupported versions of the game to be uploaded, but it applies the 'hidden' tag automatically. This means that important dependencies can still be placed on the DLS, and will be downloaded when their dependent asset is downloaded, but will not be part of the CM listing. This is important, because assets with these obsolete build numbers are not subject to the same rigorous validation as the later builds, and there is a much greater risk that they won't work properly. There is a warning to this effect provided at upload time.

The CC that you refer to was playing the system by uploading a lot of TS2009 version assets onto the DLS, and ignoring the warning. This means that the stringent checking applied to uploads as part of keeping the DLS as free from faulty assets as possible was being bypassed. It appears that there was no good reason for doing it like this, as reports are that the assets work OK in TANE and therefore would likely have passed validation at build 3.5. But the side effect is that users have to know that they won't appear in the CM listing, and can only be downloaded from the web page. Unfortunately, this information was omitted from the release note.

See I learn something new again, so its not older assets but build number 3.5 or lower assets that do not show up? Correct?


On a side note I see that some stuff I have uploaded shows version 2009, not 2012, that means they do not show up also correct? Should I re upload them with the higher build number or not?

How common is this happing?

Thank you for the time to post the correction.

As higher versions of Trainz are raising the bar height, and changing the goalposts, thereby breaking assets, for use in higher versions of Trainz, I imagine that one could edit the config files, and also raise the trainz-build tag line numeral, and get those pesky lower trainz-build assets to work in T:ANE ... I have 3787 assets to edit and lower the trainz-build line numeral to be 2.6 :hehe:

Which makes one wonder: What does the trainz-build tag line really do ... What would happen to an asset, if the "trainz-build" line tag was totally removed from an assets config file ?

The "trainz-build" tag tells CM witch error checking to use i.e. 3.6, 3.7, 3.8 and so on.

What would happen to an asset, if the "trainz-build" line tag was totally removed from an assets config file ?

Why does the CM even have to "check for errors" anyway ?

What if the CM didn't even need to check for errors ?

cascaderailroad said:

What would happen to an asset, if the "trainz-build" line tag was totally removed from an assets config file ?

Click to expand...

You own 5 versions of the game; what keeps you from finding out yourself?

cascaderailroad said:

Why does the CM even have to "check for errors" anyway ?

Click to expand...

What would you use to create or import assets otherwise?

fourteen said:

On a side note I see that some stuff I have uploaded shows version 2009, not 2012, that means they do not show up also correct? Should I re upload them with the higher build number or not?

Click to expand...

Any stuff you upload now should have a minimum build of 3.5. That will ensure that it is available for downloading in-game using Content Manager. These assets will be subject to stricter validation than applies to TS2009 assets, but those warnings are useful in ensuring that you are building to the latest required standard, and compliance is relatively easy in most case. It's not clear how long this will last before the minimum build reqirement is upped to a TaNE build version, with much tighter validation rules, so I would recommend doing it promptly.

cascaderailroad said:

What would happen to an asset, if the "trainz-build" line tag was totally removed from an assets config file ?

....

Click to expand...

You would have a broken asset unless you were loading it into an early version of Trainz. I forget when it came in.

Asset validation has certainly become tougher. Fixing asset dependencies is even worse.

I'm told it will improve Trainz......

pcas1986 said:

You would have a broken asset unless you were loading it into an early version of Trainz. I forget when it came in.

Asset validation has certainly become tougher. Fixing asset dependencies is even worse.

I'm told it will improve Trainz......

Click to expand...

Validation as we know it started with TRS2006. The rest fell in after that with subsequent versions.

Fixing is becoming more difficult, but for many users who have massed a collection of unused assets, it's perhaps time to clean those out that can't be repaired and worry about those that we have installed and definitely need to fix.

This new step has disenfranchised some of the best and most prolific artists. It is most frustrating to have to check the Download Station every few days to see if any good stuff has been uploaded since I can not depend on the Content Manager any more.

normhart said:

This new step has disenfranchised some of the best and most prolific artists. It is most frustrating to have to check the Download Station every few days to see if any good stuff has been uploaded since I can not depend on the Content Manager any more.

Click to expand...

Please explain further what you mean by "I can not depend on the Content Manager any more."

If memory serves me correct, not having a trainz-build value in the file causes it to default to trainz-build 1.3 (Original Trainz SP3).

Tony - I think it may be relating to the way Content Manager syncs with the content servers as the web-based Download Station shows content that isn't on Content Manager in some case (I would need to do some digging to track down examples).

Shane

The recommended process is to use CM to download files, or to import into CM via drag and drop or the File > Import options.

Several very good authors have uploaded dozens of assets that do not appear in the Content Manger, not because the assets are defective in TANE, but because they do not meet some arbitrary criteria.

If there were some method of finding and downloading these assets as well organized as the Content Manager or if users were able to configure the Content Manager to see these assets that would be acceptable.

I suppose that the current situation is better than just cutting off these authors from uploading period forcing them to quit or to open separate websites to offer their assets.

shaneturner12 said:

If memory serves me correct, not having a trainz-build value in the file causes it to default to trainz-build 1.3 (Original Trainz SP3).

Tony - I think it may be relating to the way Content Manager syncs with the content servers as the web-based Download Station shows content that isn't on Content Manager in some case (I would need to do some digging to track down examples).

Shane

Click to expand...

No need to dig.
Those are items that are in the faulty list for fixing as and when the CRG gets round to fixing them, given that there are only about 4 of us actually doing anything in the CRG, that may be a long time....

Also includes some new items still being uploaded at pre TS12 builds, which automatically go on the faulty list due to being an unsupported build number and creating extra work for the CRG, who have enough to do fixing where possible, existing assets!

Indeed (I think I remember some non-faulties not appearing in CM as well).

Shane

I have the opposite happen to me, an assest not showing up on the web site, but was able to download with the CMP. The few times it has happened is with trainz 2006 or 2004 stuff. I had it happened this week end with a bridge for a route I had downloaded.