[steamer_ctn]

I have started improving the searchability of OR parameters by creating a search mechanism, which can be found on the CTN site.

As you can be imagine this is a large task, and will require constant updating. It is too large a task for one person, and therefore the OR community is needed to assist by identifying any omissions or errors.

Any issues identified should also include suggested text for the relevant fields associated with the OR parameter. Do a search and click on a link to see the type of information required.

[C44-9W]

What is the data store behind the search?

I think maintaining this kind of documentation would really benefit from a collaborative approach, where users can make corrections and additions, like in a Wiki.

[steamer_ctn]

C44-9W, on 29 January 2026 - 09:08 PM, said:

What is the data store behind the search?

It is an xml document.

Any new input would need to come through me so that I can incorporate it into the xml document.

C44-9W, on 29 January 2026 - 09:08 PM, said:

I think maintaining this kind of documentation would really benefit from a collaborative approach, where users can make corrections and additions, like in a Wiki.

Whilst the manual is now online, however I am not sure whether this is simply a read from the OR development environment, or can be updated by users.

I certainly have no issues with the concept that you are suggesting, it just needs somebody to set it up and manage it. Perhaps this is why it hasn't been done to date.

[cjakeman]

steamer_ctn, on 29 January 2026 - 07:49 PM, said:

I have started improving the searchability of OR parameters by creating a search mechanism, which can be found on the CTN site.

As you can be imagine this is a large task, and will require constant updating. It is too large a task for one person, and therefore the OR community is needed to assist by identifying any omissions or errors.

Any issues identified should also include suggested text for the relevant fields associated with the OR parameter. Do a search and click on a link to see the type of information required.

This is a good idea.

Please contact RR1 (John Rogers) who has maintained a spreadsheet for this and has code to search the Open Rails source code to identify parameters. I'm sure he could help.

[James Ross]

steamer_ctn, on 29 January 2026 - 09:41 PM, said:

Whilst the manual is now online, however I am not sure whether this is simply a read from the OR development environment, or can be updated by users.

The manual can be updated the same as code (i.e. with a pull request, using GitHub's online editor) and we have it set up to build the same versions as the code:

• Stable: https://open-rails.r...cs.io/en/1.6.1/
  
• Testing: https://open-rails.r...s.io/en/latest/ (this is the default version you'll see)
  
• Unstable: https://open-rails.r...io/en/unstable/

The last one is very useful when reviewing pull requests, as it lets the reviewer see the result of manual updates. For example, your current rack railway work appears in the unstable manual here: https://open-rails.r...ilway-operation

Documentation pull requests do not have any special merge requirements, only the 1 review which everything requires.

Personally, I would like to see the parameter documentation you're building appear in the manual as an appendix, although we quite probably should split the manual into two first (playing OR vs creating content for OR).

ORMT are happy to link from the manual to your website though.

[Laci1959]

Quote

Personally, I would like to see the parameter documentation you're building appear in the manual as an appendix, although we quite probably should split the manual into two first (playing OR vs creating content for OR).

Hello.

To the latter I would add that there are more and more people who only know OR. Maybe for them the manual should also include what is obvious to us because we learned it during the MSTS times.

Regards Laci1959

[Genma Saotome]

If a Wiki seems to be the right way to go there is a comparison site that might be useful.

I don't know beans about Wiki software but I did poke around a bit just to see what appears to be important and there was one in particular that I saw that might deserve a closer, and wiser-than-me look: PMWiki: Free, can store as ordinary files or use a database, has plugins, runs on most any OS, and is still getting regular attention from the authors.

IMO the biggest problems in using OR are:

• There isn't/hasn't been a simple alphabetized list of all parameter names with an explanation of what it is, it's range of values, and where to put it.
  
• New users are completely baffled by the existing jungle of examples, posts, pages to go from MSTS to even basic OR. See above for why.

A Wiki, or Wiki-like collection of information would start to address those problems.