[Eldorado.Railroad]

I was exporting a model for testing in OR last week and debugging the rotation of cooling fans for a diesel engine. The exporter allows for a very basic ENG file. Elements like smoke can be omitted from that file.

I tried over and over to get my fan animation to work in v0.6.2 to no avail. I then decided to take a very close look at the wheels (MSTS animation items, WHEELS11, WHEELS12) in v0.6.2 and they were not turning either. I asked myself "what changed here", because it was working just fine before. Testing the exact same model in v677 or v645 resulted in a model that had animations. That was very peculiar. I re-exported the model down to a very basic bogies+wheels and fan animation. Nothing worked in v0.6.2 as far as animations were concerned.

I was stumped.

Then I reasoned that maybe it wasn't the shape exporter after all. I borrowed a "complete" ENG from another model and tried it with the same shape file after making a couple of strategic edits (file name references). To my surprise, everything now works in v0.6.2!

A complete ENG file is a big and multi "parametered" beast. I can't see myself doing an iterative edit of the complete ENG file until I discover where the bug is. In order to help out a little here this the stripped down testing ENG file that does not allow for animations of any kind in v0.6.2:

SIMISA@@@@@@@@@@JINX0D0t______

Wagon ( MyProject
Type ( Engine )
WagonShape ( myproject.s )

Size ( 3.383456m 4.64756m 16.34m )
CentreOfGravity ( 0m 3.34612m 0m )
Mass ( 155t )
InertiaTensor ( Box ( 3.383456m 4.64756m 16.34m ) )
Coupling (
Type ( Automatic )
Spring (
Stiffness ( 1e6N/m 2e6N/m )
Damping ( 1e6N/m 1e6N/m )
Break ( 3.2e6N 3.2e6N )
r0 ( 20cm 40cm )
)
)
Buffers (
Spring (
Stiffness ( 1e6N/m 5e6N/m )
Damping ( 1e6N/m/s 1e6N/m/s )
r0 ( 0m 1e9 )
)
Centre ( 0.5 )
Radius ( 1 )
Angle ( 0.5deg )
)

Adheasion ( 0.2 0.4 2 0 )
DerailRailHeight ( 4cm )
DerailRailForce ( 2.5*155t )
DerailBufferForce ( 500kN )
NumWheels ( 0 )
Friction (
100N/m/s 1 -1mph 0 1
5.1N/rad/s 1 -1rad/s 0 1
)

AntiSlip ()

BrakeEquipmentType( "Triple_valve, Auxilary_reservoir, Emergency_brake_reservoir" )

BrakeSystemType( "Air_single_pipe" )
MaxBrakeForce( 140kN )

EmergencyBrakeResMaxPressure( 110 )
TripleValveRatio( 2.5 )
MaxReleaseRate( 40 )
MaxApplicationRate( 40 )
MaxAuxilaryChargingRate( 35 )
EmergencyResCapacity( 10 )
EmergencyResChargingRate( 30 )
BrakeCylinderPressureForMaxBrakeBrakeForce( 70 )

IntakePoint ( 3.33 0.4 FuelDiesel )

Sound ( "myprojecteng.sms" )
)

Engine ( MyProject

Effects
(
DieselSpecialEffects
(
)
)

Wagon ( MyProject )
Type ( Diesel )
MaxPower ( 3263kW )
MaxForce ( 650.65kN )
MaxContinuousForce ( 550kN )
RunUpTimeToMaxForce ( 30.0 )
MaxDieselLevel( 4720gal )
MaxVelocity ( 74mph )
MaxCurrent ( 1800A )
Sanding ( 6mph )
NumWheels ( 0 )
MaxTemperature ( 120 )
MaxOilPressure ( 90 )

AirBrakesAirCompressorPowerRating( 1.7 )
AirBrakesMainMinResAirPressure( 0 )
AirBrakesMainMaxAirPressure( 130 )
AirBrakesMainResVolume( 8 )
AirBrakesAirCompressorWattage( 19000 )
AirBrakesCompressorRestartPressure( 125 )
AirBrakesAirUsedPerPoundsOfBrakePipePressure( 0.27 )
AirBrakesHasLowPressureTest( 1 )
AirBrakesIsCompressorElectricOrMechanical( 1 )

EngineBrakesControllerMinPressureReduction( 6 )
TrainBrakesControllerMinPressureReduction( 6 )
EngineBrakesControllerHasProportionalBrake( 1 )
EngineBrakesProportionalBrakeLag( 0.9 )
EngineBrakesControllerMaxApplicationRate( 20 )
TrainBrakesControllerMaxApplicationRate( 10 )
EngineBrakesControllerMaxReleaseRate( 20 )
TrainBrakesControllerMaxReleaseRate( 4 )
EngineBrakesControllerEmergencyApplicationRate( 50 )
TrainBrakesControllerEmergencyApplicationRate( 50 )
EngineBrakesControllerMinSystemPressure( 0 )
TrainBrakesControllerMinSystemPressure( 0 )
EngineBrakesControllerMaxSystemPressure( 90 )
TrainBrakesControllerMaxSystemPressure( 90 )
EngineBrakesControllerEmergencyBrakeTimePenalty( 0 )
TrainBrakesControllerEmergencyBrakeTimePenalty( 0 )
EngineBrakesControllerFullServicePressureDrop( 26 )
TrainBrakesControllerFullServicePressureDrop( 26 )

DynamicBrakesMinUsableSpeed( 5 )
DynamicBrakesMaximumEffectiveSpeed( 25 )
DynamicBrakesMaximumForce( 100kN )
DynamicBrakesResistorCurrentLimit ( 700 )
DynamicBrakesCutInSpeed( 8 )
DynamicBrakesMaxAirBrakePressure ( 15 )
DynamicBrakesFadingSpeed( 25 )
DynamicBrakesDelayTimeBeforeEngaging ( 10 )
DynamicBrakesMaximumSpeedForFadeOut ( 65 )
DynamicBrakesEffectAtMaximumFadeOut( 0 )
DynamicBrakesHigherSpeedCurveExponent( 1 )
DynamicBrakesLowerSpeedCurveExponent( 1 )
DynamicBrakesNumberOfControllerNotches( 8 )
DynamicBrakeHasAutoBailOff( 1 )

BrakesEngineBrakeType( "Air_single_pipe" )
BrakesTrainBrakeType( "Air_single_pipe" )
BrakesEngineControllers( "Independent, Train, Dynamic" )

EngineBrakesControllerDirectControlExponent( 1 )

CabView ( myproject.cvf )
MaxDieselLevel ( 5300gal )
DieselUsedPerHourAtMaxPower ( 60gal )
DieselUsedPerHourAtIdle ( 10gal )

DieselSmokeEffectInitialMagnitude( 2.2 )
DieselSmokeEffectMaxMagnitude( 2.2 )
DieselSmokeEffectInitialSmokeRate( 0.2 )
DieselSmokeEffectMaxSmokeRate( 10 )

DieselEngineIdleRPM( 315 )
DieselEngineMaxRPM( 900 )
DieselEngineSpeedOfMaxTractiveEffort( 13mph )
DieselEngineMaxRPMChangeRate( 40 )

DoesHornTriggerBell( 1 )

MaxSandingTime( -1 )

EmergencyStopMonitor(
MonitoringDeviceMonitorTimeLimit( 0 )
MonitoringDeviceAlarmTimeLimit( 0 )
MonitoringDevicePenaltyTimeLimit( 0 )
MonitoringDeviceCriticalLevel( 0 )
MonitoringDeviceResetLevel( 0 )
MonitoringDeviceAppliesFullBrake( 0 )
MonitoringDeviceAppliesEmergencyBrake( 1 )
MonitoringDeviceAppliesCutsPower( 1 )
MonitoringDeviceAppliesShutsDownEngine( 0 )
)

VigilanceMonitor(
MonitoringDeviceMonitorTimeLimit( 25 )
MonitoringDeviceAlarmTimeLimit( 17 )
MonitoringDevicePenaltyTimeLimit( 0 )
MonitoringDeviceCriticalLevel( 0 )
MonitoringDeviceResetLevel( 0 )
MonitoringDeviceAppliesFullBrake( 1 )
MonitoringDeviceAppliesEmergencyBrake( 0 )
MonitoringDeviceAppliesCutsPower( 0 )
MonitoringDeviceAppliesShutsDownEngine( 0 )
)

OverspeedMonitor(
MonitoringDeviceMonitorTimeLimit( 0 )
MonitoringDeviceAlarmTimeLimit( 0 )
MonitoringDevicePenaltyTimeLimit( 0 )
MonitoringDeviceCriticalLevel( 76 )
MonitoringDeviceResetLevel( 0.1 )
MonitoringDeviceAppliesFullBrake( 1 )
MonitoringDeviceAppliesEmergencyBrake( 1 )
MonitoringDeviceAppliesCutsPower( 1 )
MonitoringDeviceAppliesShutsDownEngine( 0 )
MonitoringDeviceAlarmTimeBeforeOverSpeed( 5 )
MonitoringDeviceDoesSuppressionReset( 0 )
MonitoringDeviceTriggerOnOverspeed( 74 )
MonitoringDeviceResetOnZeroSpeed( 1 )
MonitoringDeviceResetOnResetButton( 0 )
)

EngineControllers (
Throttle ( 0 1 0.125 0
NumNotches ( 9
Notch ( 0 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.125 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.25 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.375 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.5 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.625 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.75 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.875 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 1 0 Dummy )
)
)
Brake_Engine ( 0 1 0.0125 0
NumNotches ( 1
Notch ( 0 1 Dummy )
)
)
Brake_Train ( 0 1 0.0125 0.75
NumNotches ( 5
Notch ( 0 0 TrainBrakesControllerReleaseStart )
Notch ( 0.3 1 TrainBrakesControllerGraduatedSelfLapLimitedStart )
Notch ( 0.85 0 TrainBrakesControllerSuppressionStart )
Notch ( 0.9 0 TrainBrakesControllerContinuousServiceStart )
Notch ( 0.95 0 TrainBrakesControllerEmergencyStart )
)
)
Brake_Dynamic ( 0 1 0.1111 0
NumNotches ( 10
Notch ( 0 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.1111 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.2222 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.3333 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.4444 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.5555 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.6666 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.7777 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.8888 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.9999 0 Dummy )
)
)
Combined_Control( 0 1 0.5 0.5 throttle dynamic )
DirControl ( -1 0 1 1 )
BellToggle( 0 1 0 )
AWS ( 0 1 0 )
Sanding ( 0 1 0 )
Horn ( 0 1 0 )
Wipers ( 0 1 0 )
EmergencyStopToggle( 0 1 0 )
Vigilance ( 0 1 0 )
Headlights ( 0 0.25 1 0 )
BailOffButton( 0 1 0 )
)

EngineVariables ( 5300 )
Sound ( "myprojectcab.sms" )
Name ( "My Project Name" )
Description (
" \n"
)
EngineOperatingProcedures (
" \n"
)

)


If there are any other experimenters/modelers for diesels out there who see this problem, the work around is to borrow an ENG file from another model that seems to work just fine for this version of OR. Otherwise you'll be pulling out your hair asking why your model doesn't seem to work. But it did before!

thanks for your patience, time, and effort with this matter,

Eldorado

[captain_bazza]

The end result might depend on whether your modeling prog is also generating a 'basic' ENG file. I believe that TSM does this unless you untick some button?

Cheers Bazza

[Eldorado.Railroad]

captain_bazza, on 06 August 2011 - 06:27 PM, said:

The end result might depend on whether your modeling prog is also generating a 'basic' ENG file. I believe that TSM does this unless you untick some button?

Cheers Bazza

In my case I am using 3D Crafter for exporting and the basic ENG file that is described in the original post is what is automatically generated. As mentioned, that basic file was not a problem for v645 or v677. So my best guess is that there is some error by omission that OR does not like which is killing all the animations, including rotating main wheels. This can lead to frustration and "fear" if you are not aware of it!

Eldorado

[captain_bazza]

Basically, what's in the ENG should not directly affect the animation in the shape file. Rather, the problem lies elsewhere. All the data for the animation to work is in the shape file. The ENG has no direct link to any animation sequence.

Indirectly, the ENG tells the sim (MSTS or OR) the basic parameters of the shape's dimensions, such as those related to size and wheel diameters; and where the coordinate points are for the various emissions and lights.

Cheers Bazza

[James Ross]

Eldorado.Railroad, on 06 August 2011 - 10:58 AM, said:

I was exporting a model for testing in OR last week and debugging the rotation of cooling fans for a diesel engine. The exporter allows for a very basic ENG file. Elements like smoke can be omitted from that file.

I tried over and over to get my fan animation to work in v0.6.2 to no avail. I then decided to take a very close look at the wheels (MSTS animation items, WHEELS11, WHEELS12) in v0.6.2 and they were not turning either. I asked myself "what changed here", because it was working just fine before. Testing the exact same model in v677 or v645 resulted in a model that had animations. That was very peculiar. I re-exported the model down to a very basic bogies+wheels and fan animation. Nothing worked in v0.6.2 as far as animations were concerned.

The problem that prevents the wheels animating is the "NumWheels ( 0 )" entries; when I set them to 1, the wheels animated (but without "WheelRadius" they probably won't go the right speed). This affects the wheels and all running gear animations.

[Eldorado.Railroad]

James Ross, on 07 August 2011 - 02:24 AM, said:

The problem that prevents the wheels animating is the "NumWheels ( 0 )" entries; when I set them to 1, the wheels animated (but without "WheelRadius" they probably won't go the right speed). This affects the wheels and all running gear animations.

A big thank you for discovering exactly what the problem was!

Since the response to NumWheels() changed in v0.6.2 it might be very useful if this "error" shows up in the log file. An indication that this will curtail all animations would be most helpful for debugging errant ENG files (in this case) NumWheels ( 0 ) that is provided automagically by the 3D Crafter exporter. I was caught unaware that this was the cause of hitherto lively locomotive that had now suddenly become catatonic. MSTS Bin is famous for not telling you exactly what is wrong as it aborts. OR could be a whole lot smarter than that, I hope.

thank you for all your dedication and hard work,

Eldorado

[captain_bazza]

It is really a problem with the exporter, not OR. It always pays to find out the limitations of the software, in this case 3DC and double check the ENG when using it. Being a modelers for the sims means being a detective, too. :buffalobill: Having said that, it's so easy to miss the bleeding obvious.

Cheers Bazza

[James Ross]

Although it isn't really a problem with OR, it's pretty confusing and having NumWheels < 1 may well break parts of the physics now or in the future too, I decided to add a warning, like the following (which includes the full context):

runactivity.exe : Warning : 0 : NumWheels is less than 1, parts of the simulation may not function correctly in STF C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Train Simulator\trains\trainset\Series2000\2000.eng:line 81

[Eldorado.Railroad]

James Ross, on 11 August 2011 - 09:19 AM, said:

Although it isn't really a problem with OR, it's pretty confusing and having NumWheels < 1 may well break parts of the physics now or in the future too, I decided to add a warning, like the following (which includes the full context):

runactivity.exe : Warning : 0 : NumWheels is less than 1, parts of the simulation may not function correctly in STF C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Train Simulator\trains\trainset\Series2000\2000.eng:line 81

On this point, I can see the need at some time to somehow emphasize errors in the log file. Unless I am living, eating, and breathing OR every day such an error message might escape a casual glance at the file. If we live in a world where HTML browsers are the norm, would it not be easier to color (colour) code some of the text so that it stands out in the log file? For easy portability the standard text file wins (and I am sure you would argue that I should use a vanilla editor to find the "Warning"s, but there can be a lot of them), for legibility, some kind of markup language would help. This might mean the creation of two log files at runtime for each running of runactivity.exe.

thank you for your time and effort with this matter,

Eldorado

[captain_bazza]

Actually, the only time I can see where you'd need NumWheels (1) for OR would be for a Stirling 2-2-2 locomotive....which only had one driverset, usually a wheel diam' of 9' 6"!

Cheers Bazza