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"max number of entries in TSECTION."

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alastair (8 posts)
Aug-15-01, 06:08 AM (EST) "max number of entries in TSECTION." I just managed to get a custom section of track into the route editor (really exciting 1m straight bit). It isn't right by any means but it did exhibit the properties of track. In order to do it I had to use an existing entry. My reading of the comments at the top of the file implied that I could add new entries by upping the count at the top of the blocks. Does anyone know why thsi doesn't work. Have the track sections and and track shapes max counts been 'hard-coded' or otherwise set somewhere else? Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
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Subject Author Message Date ID RE: max number of entries in TSECTI... JMSteven_W98 Aug-15-01 1 RE: max number of entries in TSECTI... alastair Aug-16-01 2

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JMSteven_W98 (290 posts)
Aug-15-01, 12:25 PM (EST) 1. "RE: max number of entries in TSECTION." There are strict controls over the TSECTION.DAT file contents and all existing routes are affected.I used AutoCAD to create third-rail track shape files for a route I'm doing internally and added 21 track shapes.The file is trivial to work with once you understand the logic.First, as it says in the documentation and in the TSECTION.DAT file, you must not change any numbers assigned to track sections in that file. The binary tile files store track section ID's. Those are read by the Route Editor when you use the command "Rebuild Track Database" to create the Unicode text files. That's why it scrolls the screen and displays "All tiles visited".So changing values in the TSECTION.DAT file can result in destroying all existing routes. The files will work, but your trains won't follow the proper vectors if the shapes change.Second, you cannot create new sections just using track object sets to define track shapes. There probably are straight and simple curve shapes that can be forced to use a "home-brew" shape, but each track section you create must have a 3D studio shape file and a corresponding SD file to describe the track behoavior.Without the 3DS information, you're not creating a new track piece at all. I'm not sure what you created, but based on eight months of exposure to the software here at Microsoft, I wouldn't keep adding entries without 3DS control shapes.Third, there are empty placeholders in the Track Section file that belong to the track sections in the Global folder that were not implemented when the game shipped. Do not assign shape ID's that belong to these shapes (slips, Crossover end points, several switches and tunnels).Fourth, there is documentation in the TechDocs folder that ships with the game that describes the correct way to define, create and implement track sections. I would follow those instructions to prevent data corruption.If you destroy a shipping route map through hacking the TSECTION.DAT file, you can't use the "Rebuild Track Database" option. The only solution is reinstalling the game from scratch.
Jim Steven, MCSE
Sr Microsoft Windows Application Developer Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
alastair (8 posts)
Aug-16-01, 02:14 AM (EST) 2. "RE: max number of entries in TSECTION." What is this reference doc called. I can see nothing in the set that was in the zip file in the TECHDOCS folder.What I did was use the last entry to put in something that was like a 10m straight but shorter. The route editor appeared to accept it (it snapped on, the blue marker moved to include it and "T" flipped it). If as you say this may have corrupted things elsewhere OK; I'll knock it out again. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

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