[Genma Saotome]

My solution is strightforward: You have one directory tree called Train Simulator and you put standard, pure MSTS file there. A different directory tree called Open Rails has OR rolling stock plus any MSTS files you might want to use. The first directory tree is used to run AE. Any and all files created over there are copied to the proper locations in the OR directory tree. The only real requirements is all directory and file names must remain identical in the two environments. What is inside of those files can differ with respect to the sim software reading them.

An an example, original files go into the Train Simulator tree and files that make use of \INCLUDE go into the Open Rails tree. Same folder names, same file names. No problems. When the OR project releases something that obsoletes AE the tree for Train Simulator can be deleted.

[James Ross]

 cr-stagg, on 13 April 2015 - 02:25 PM, said:

Opened ORTS the menu in the ENG list displayed "BN C33-7 5569 Green-H" NOT "#OR BN C33-7 5569 Green-H". AND the Loco Description information displayed was from the original ENG file not from the New OR ENG file.

Section 8 in the ORTS Manual says that the data in the ENG file in the OpenRails folder will used in place of the data within the ENG file in the "TrainCar" folder. Apparently this does not apply for the menu data. That is a shame because this information would be useful to distinguish that the ENG has an ENG file with physics written for OR.

I see you've filed a bug already. I'm certainly not okay with any font/colour changes in the menu but we could try duplicating the loading behaviour in the menu, so you'll get a different name if you have one set. I'm not sure it's worth it for 1.0 though, particularly as I don't expect people to have different names in the OR version of wagons/engines, but maybe someone wants to try implementing it and seeing what the patch looks like?

[cr-stagg]

 James Ross, on 14 April 2015 - 01:12 PM, said:

I see you've filed a bug already. I'm certainly not okay with any font/colour changes in the menu but we could try duplicating the loading behaviour in the menu, so you'll get a different name if you have one set. I'm not sure it's worth it for 1.0 though, particularly as I don't expect people to have different names in the OR version of wagons/engines, but maybe someone wants to try implementing it and seeing what the patch looks like?

When the ENG filename must be that same and there is no indication otherwise how else are we to distinguish ORTS from non-ORTS ENGs? Consider that only 2 of the 5 Consist Editors have any chance of being modified in the future. The use of some naming convention is the only way users have to distinguish these engines. I am using one that puts the ORTS capable at the top of my listings so I will be more prone to use them.

[James Ross]

 cr-stagg, on 14 April 2015 - 01:22 PM, said:

When the ENG filename must be that same and there is no indication otherwise how else are we to distinguish ORTS from non-ORTS ENGs? Consider that only 2 of the 5 Consist Editors have any chance of being modified in the future. The use of some naming convention is the only way users have to distinguish these engines. I am using one that puts the ORTS capable at the top of my listings so I will be more prone to use them.

What do you need to distinguish? You can't use the MSTS version if the OR file exists; there is only one wagon/engine "entity" no matter how different the Name() block is.

[cr-stagg]

You said "You can't use the MSTS version if the OR file exists" What is keeping MSTS from running that ENG? MSTS does not see the ENG file in the child OpenRails folder.

[slipperman]

Hi Charles,

 cr-stagg, on 14 April 2015 - 10:38 AM, said:

I have already implemented a Consist naming convention of using a # to begin the Name of a Consist with ENG(s) with OR Physics.

I'm not sure that's a very good idea! Several routes, payware and freeware, and some rolling stock builders, use the # sign at the start of the file name to indicate an AI consist.

Cheers,
Ged

[cr-stagg]

 slipperman, on 15 April 2015 - 12:32 PM, said:

Hi Charles,

I'm not sure that's a very good idea! Several routes, payware and freeware, and some rolling stock builders, use the # sign at the start of the file name to indicate an AI consist.

Cheers,
Ged

OH. I must have different routes than you have. I have 88 Routes in my main Install and about 2000 consists and except for the ones I have that start with "#OR" to indicated created with OR locos, only 2 start with a #.

[James Ross]

 cr-stagg, on 14 April 2015 - 02:12 PM, said:

You said "You can't use the MSTS version if the OR file exists" What is keeping MSTS from running that ENG? MSTS does not see the ENG file in the child OpenRails folder.

Nothing but we're talking about Open Rails here. The purpose of the OpenRails folder is to provide a locomotive that performs the same but using different parameters, for the cases when the MSTS and OR physics aren't reacting similarly. In MSTS you'll always have the MSTS engine file and in OR you'll always have the OR engine file but you should not notice significant any differences - if you do, the OR engine file has not been created as well as it should have been. :)

If you're only interested in knowing which is being used to confirm your editing is being picked up, well, you just need to gut (or comment out) the MSTS file while testing or put something blatantly wrong in it, like you did with mass.

[Buttercup]

You could a "name" line to the OR folder (file) that would display if the file was being used.

[James Ross]

 Buttercup, on 17 April 2015 - 07:49 AM, said:

You could a "name" line to the OR folder (file) that would display if the file was being used.

If I understand correctly, that's exactly what was proposed here - display the name from the OR-specific file in the menu.