[h5djr]

I love Open Rails especially as it gives far better scenery when I'm running my Swiss packages. I have several now from Simtrain.ch depicting the RhB metre gauge railas in South-East Switzerland. Glacier Express, Bernina and some add-ons for the new powerful 'Allegra' 3-car units that are gradually replacing the older locomotives.

The only problem I find is with the other trains and the signals. Quite often it seems that I come across a red signal and I could wait there all night but it never changes. Run the same in MSTS and another train arrives and goes into the passing loop and the signal turns to green. All very frustrating and I've no idea what if anything I can do about it. This happens in both v9 and the latest x1717 versions

Perhaps the answer will be to go to the new Train Simulator 2014 when it is released and wait for Simtrain.ch to finish it's work on it's new RhB routes for TS2014.

[h5djr]

I have now being trying more of the MSTS scenarios in the Glacier Express and Bernina Express packages from Simtrain.ch in both 0.9.0 and x1717. I have also been trying the 'Allegra' add-on to those packages and the situation is the same with all of them. At some point the train I am driving stops at a red signal in a passing loop sometimes with a train coming in the opposite direction on the single track also stopped, presumably at a red single and nothing ever happens. With some it is part way through the scenario and in a couple a cases it's whilst the train is waiting to depart from the start station. All very frustrating.

When I try any of them in MSTS they all work just as expected although they do not look anywhere near as good as in OR.

Whilst I like OR very much, I think I will have to give up and wait for Simtrain.ch to finish and release their currently 'in progress' versions for Train Simulator 2013/2014.
Dave

[eugenR]

The sigscr.dat of Glacierexpress has an error:
look here:
http://www.tssf.eu/f...hp?topic=9925.0
perhaps it helps

[eugenR]

The sigscr.dat of Glacierexpress has an error:
look here:
http://www.tssf.eu/f...hp?topic=9925.0
perhaps it helps

[h5djr]

I have already made that correction and unfortunately it makes not difference at all.

[roeter]

Patience, please, patience.
First of all, simply stating here that the signals don't work won't do anything to solve the problem. Clearly, on scores of routes the signals do work correct, so it is something in the route or perhaps the activity which causes the problem. I'm not saying it cannot be a program error - but it is not a very obvious error, it might be something which is triggered by a special construction or special situation which is typical for this route.
To sort out such problems takes a lot of time. And the situation is not helped by the fact that it is a payware route - for that means I cannot test the situation for myself.
But even for a freeware route, it takes at least a week to get an idea of what goes on - the route has to be downloaded, installed, location and specific details of the problem must be analysed and proper testcases, e.g. specific activities, must be created. Then it can be tested, often special debug versions have to be created to collect sufficient internal data for analysis etc. And in at least half the situations, the problems turns out to be something in the route data - no program error at all.
For a payware route, the situation is ofcourse even more complex as I have to get all required information from the user - it often takes weeks to find the cause of the problem.

I have seen the bug reports on this route, but I still have a number of problems on which I am working, so I have not picked up these reports yet.

But I can give you a first idea - at least on the first report, the train which blocks the crossing. My thoughts on that problem at the moment is that it is a route error - there does not seem to be a crossing at all, as there are no conflicting paths. But to confirm that I need a lot more information.
As for the second report - the signal remains at danger after the AI train went into the siding - there is simply no information at all to have any idea of what is happening.
A lot more information is required to even have an idea where to start looking - screenshots including dispatcher control (preferably using an activity with only player and relevant AI train), before the problem occurs as well when the train is blocked. Screenshots of the position of the AI train, of the paths as shown in the Activity Editor for both player and AI train - and that is just for starters. Probably a lot more will be required later, likely requiring running special test-versions etc. I expect it will take several weeks to sort it out.

Regards,

Rob Roeterdink

[h5djr]

roeter, on 23 August 2013 - 11:11 AM, said:

Patience, please, patience.
First of all, simply stating here that the signals don't work won't do anything to solve the problem. Clearly, on scores of routes the signals do work correct, so it is something in the route or perhaps the activity which causes the problem. I'm not saying it cannot be a program error - but it is not a very obvious error, it might be something which is triggered by a special construction or special situation which is typical for this route.
To sort out such problems takes a lot of time. And the situation is not helped by the fact that it is a payware route - for that means I cannot test the situation for myself.
But even for a freeware route, it takes at least a week to get an idea of what goes on - the route has to be downloaded, installed, location and specific details of the problem must be analysed and proper testcases, e.g. specific activities, must be created. Then it can be tested, often special debug versions have to be created to collect sufficient internal data for analysis etc. And in at least half the situations, the problems turns out to be something in the route data - no program error at all.
For a payware route, the situation is ofcourse even more complex as I have to get all required information from the user - it often takes weeks to find the cause of the problem.

I have seen the bug reports on this route, but I still have a number of problems on which I am working, so I have not picked up these reports yet.

But I can give you a first idea - at least on the first report, the train which blocks the crossing. My thoughts on that problem at the moment is that it is a route error - there does not seem to be a crossing at all, as there are no conflicting paths. But to confirm that I need a lot more information.
As for the second report - the signal remains at danger after the AI train went into the siding - there is simply no information at all to have any idea of what is happening.
A lot more information is required to even have an idea where to start looking - screenshots including dispatcher control (preferably using an activity with only player and relevant AI train), before the problem occurs as well when the train is blocked. Screenshots of the position of the AI train, of the paths as shown in the Activity Editor for both player and AI train - and that is just for starters. Probably a lot more will be required later, likely requiring running special test-versions etc. I expect it will take several weeks to sort it out.

Regards,

Rob Roeterdink

Hello Rob

Thanks for you reply. I am more than happy to supply any information I can about these route if it helps OR. Perhaps you could email me direct with what you want and I will try and provide what information I can. (h5djr@ntlworld.com)

In connection with the AI train already in the siding, in MSTS the player train is waiting in the terminus station for clearance to leave. An AI train comes in on the single track and enters a siding therefore clearing the route for the player train. The signal goes green and the player train can proceed. In OR when the scenario opens the player train is in the same place in the terminus but the AI train is already sitting in the siding but the signal to release the player train is at red and stays that way.

I realise these things take time to sort out, but it means that in the mean time I cannot use my packages in OR. I am now retired but I have supported pc's and a network for over 25 years and my last job was carrying out final testing of software before it was released to customers so I am well aware of the problems faced by programmers. If I can help with any testing against the Simtrain packages I would be only too happy to help.

I like OR and will be quite happy to continue using it in the future as and when this type of problem is sorted. In the mean time I have no wish to use them in MSTS and as I already have Train Simulator 2013, if Simtrain bring out any narrow gauge routes for this simulator, I will be interested in trying them. Most of the ones currently available for TS2013 are multiple track main line scenarios which do not interest me at all.
Regards
Dave

[disc]

h5djr, on 19 August 2013 - 10:47 AM, said:

Perhaps the answer will be to go to the new Train Simulator 2014 when it is released and wait for Simtrain.ch to finish it's work on it's new RhB routes for TS2014.

HAHA TS20xx and single track routes? You will see constant reds, or nothing except green(and no AI traffic). Railworks can't even handle multi track crossings, single track is nearly impossible. In metaphors: Openrails AI and dispatcher is a supercomputer, TS20XX/Railworks dispatcher AI is an abacus(however and abacus is usually works, but the TS/Railworks AI mostly crashes or blocked) :oldstry:

By the way, it's probably a waiting point problem, try Ctrl-M then press it again and see if it's fixed.

[cjakeman]

disc, on 25 August 2013 - 01:03 PM, said:

In metaphors: Openrails AI and dispatcher is a supercomputer

That's a big pat on the back for your hard work, Rob !

[h5djr]

disc, on 25 August 2013 - 01:03 PM, said:

HAHA TS20xx and single track routes? You will see constant reds, or nothing except green(and no AI traffic). Railworks can't even handle multi track crossings, single track is nearly impossible. In metaphors: Openrails AI and dispatcher is a supercomputer, TS20XX/Railworks dispatcher AI is an abacus(however and abacus is usually works, but the TS/Railworks AI mostly crashes or blocked) :drinks:

By the way, it's probably a waiting point problem, try Ctrl-M then press it again and see if it's fixed.

You may well be right but until SimTrain bring out one of their packages for a Swiss metre gauge route I will not be able to try it. One assumes they will be able to get it to work as all the metre gauge lines in Switzerland are single track with passing loops.

I have supplied Rob with some information and screen shots and he is currently looking at trying to see why the don't work as they should on OR.