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jeffmorris (232 posts)
Sep-29-01, 04:34 PM (EST) "Creating new track sections" I figured out how to create new track sections but I had problems with track textures. Here is what I did:1. Use FFEDITC_UNICODE program to convert compressed shape files to text files.2. Use AutoCAD 2000 program to make 2D drawing of a track section using the measurements from the text file.3. Extrude the 2D drawing into an 3D object.4. Scale the 3D object 1000 times its size.5. Export the 3D object to 3DS file.6. Import the 3D object into 3D Canvas Pro program.7. Scale the 3D object two times its size.8. Move the 3D object and the object axis around until the object axis is in correct position.9. Load ACLEANTRACK1.ACE and ACLEANTRACK2.ACE files into TGATOOL2 program.10. Save the bitmaps to TGA files.11. Load TGA files into Paint Shop Pro program.12. Save bitmaps and alpha channels as BMP files.13. Load BMP files into 3D Canvas Pro program.14. Apply textures to 3D object.15. Export 3D object to MSTS shape file.16. Convert TGA files to ACE file using MAKEACE program.17. Copy shape file to GLOBAL\SHAPES folder.18. Copy ACE files to TEMPLATE\TEXTURES folder.19. Make copy of shape definition file and edit it using WordPad program.20. Make copy of TSECTION.DAT file and edit it using WordPad program.21. Create a new route using Geometry Extactor and Route Editor.22. If you're adding new track sections to an existing route, copy the ACE files to route\TEXTURES folder.I want to use the ACLEANTRACK1.ACE and ACLEANTRACK2.ACE files but I don't know how Kuju applied these textures to 3D track shapes. Jeffrey.
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Subject Author Message Date ID RE: Creating new track sections jeffmorris Sep-29-01 1 RE: Creating new track sections john Sep-29-01 2 RE: Creating new track sections jeffmorris Sep-30-01 6 RE: Creating new track sections RvA1 Sep-29-01 4 RE: Creating new track sections ExpressMark Sep-29-01 5 RE: Creating new track sections ronik24 Sep-29-01 3 RE: Creating new track sections alastair Sep-30-01 7 RE: Creating new track sections jeffmorris Sep-30-01 8 RE: Creating new track sections alastair Sep-30-01 9 RE: Creating new track sections jeffmorris Sep-30-01 10 RE: Creating new track sections jeffmorris Sep-30-01 11 RE: Creating new track sections zorcan Oct-01-01 12 RE: Creating new track sections jkcooney Oct-01-01 13

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jeffmorris (232 posts)
Sep-29-01, 08:56 PM (EST) 1. "RE: Creating new track sections" I created a track section with two tracks and an island platfom using 3D Canvas Pro. I don't have to try to line up platforms with tracks that are laid at an angle other than 0 degrees. I will be making more track sections with platforms. I need help in applying textures to the track section. Jeffrey. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
john (170 posts)
Sep-29-01, 09:09 PM (EST) 2. "RE: Creating new track sections" U've got to use the UV Mapping texture apply thing for it to work.... Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
jeffmorris (232 posts)
Sep-30-01, 05:30 AM (EST) 6. "RE: Creating new track sections" John, How can I use UV Mapping?
Mark, I tried to use AutoCAD to create track sections but after I exported track sections to 3DS files and imported 3DS files into 3D Canvas, some faces are "missing". The track section with platform was created in 3D Canvas.
Roni, I could upload 3DS files to the library but the track sections that were exported to 3DS files are "missing" some faces.
Question: Can I create 2D shapes in 3D Canvas and extrude them into 3D shapes? Jeffrey. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
RvA1 (313 posts)
Sep-29-01, 09:51 PM (EST) 4. "RE: Creating new track sections" MagLift Track! Too cool! I wanted to do a mag train keep going you have a lot of track to come up with now!Best,Roger Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
ExpressMark (13 posts)
Sep-29-01, 10:27 PM (EST) 5. "RE: Creating new track sections" Very nice! Question, have ya tried a curve? You might want to attempt it. If you are successful with making a curved section then your home free as far as I see it. Mark
Keep it up!!
3Dtrains.com Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
ronik24 (31 posts)
Sep-29-01, 09:26 PM (EST) 3. "RE: Creating new track sections" So all in all very simple!
It would be very nice of you if you could post the 3DS files you created from the the shapes, so we don't have to do this part twice.
This would really help a lot!Thanks,
Roní Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
alastair (12 posts)
Sep-30-01, 06:50 AM (EST) 7. "RE: Creating new track sections" Did you manage to add the track section to TSECTION.DAT or did you use up one of the empty slots? I ask because although I have managed to get a section into a slot I couldn't add it to the end successfully even though I upped the counts at the top of each section Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
jeffmorris (232 posts)
Sep-30-01, 12:27 PM (EST) 8. "RE: Creating new track sections" The TSECTION.DAT file has two sections: Track Sections and Track Shapes. The Track Sections tells MSTS how a train is supposed to run on the track and Track Shapes loads the shape files for the track sections, sets up paths for trains, and sets the spacing between two or more tracks. For example, I'm creating a track section with two straight tracks and island platform. Here are how the entries in the TSECTION.DAT file looks like: TrackSection ( 333
SectionSize ( 1.5 200 )
) TrackShape ( 241
FileName ( mytrack001.s )
NumPaths ( 2 )
SectionIdx ( 1 -4.985 0 0 0 333 )
SectionIdx ( 1 4.985 0 0 0 333 )
)You need to use empty slots in both sections for your custom track sections if the lengths and sizes of curves are different from those that came with MSTS. Because a straight track section that I'm creating is 200 meters long, I have to add an entry in the Track Sections section. If I'm creating a new track switch that is similar to the 10-degree track switch but has 30-meter straight track instead of 40-meter straight track, I have to add an entry for the 30-meter straight track but I can use the existing track sections for the curved track. Jeffrey. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
alastair (12 posts)
Sep-30-01, 01:18 PM (EST) 9. "RE: Creating new track sections" That's as far as I got. The documentation though implies that if you changed the count you could add more (this is a normal industry standard way of doing things). But it doesn't seem to work. Kuju must have hardcoded these numbers into their program or be using another copy of them. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
jeffmorris (232 posts)
Sep-30-01, 06:24 PM (EST) 10. "RE: Creating new track sections" I think that there's a maximum number of slots in both sections of TSECTION.DAT file. That's 375 for Track Sections and 262 for Track Shapes. Are you sure that you put shape files in \Global\Shapes folder and texture files in both \Template\Textures and \route\Textures folders where \route\ is name of your route? Are you sure that you create SD files for shape files? Are you sure that you edit the TSECTION.DAT file correctly? I found weird problems with 3D objects created by other CAD and 3D modeling programs - you think that you created square faces but the other CAD and 3D modeling programs create "square faces" from two triangular faces, causing weird problems when you try to apply textures on 3D objects. 3D Canvas Pro doesn't use triangular faces when creating square faces. Jeffrey. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
jeffmorris (232 posts)
Sep-30-01, 09:20 PM (EST) 11. "RE: Creating new track sections" After creating an experimental route to test the track sections with platforms that I created using 3D Canvas Pro and finding out that the route worked, I created an experimental version of Staten Island Railway route that uses the track sections with platforms, created an activity for the route, and tried to run the Japanese Series 2000 train on the route but the train went off the track after leaving the starting station and the route went into a loop. I loaded the route into the Activity Editor and found out that the double-crossover after the starting station was screwed up. I loaded the route into Route Editor and tried to check out the problem but while I saw the blue lines, there was "nothing wrong" with the double-crossover that I have been making many times. I went below the ground and couldn't find anything wrong with the double-crossover. I loaded the route into Route Editor, rebuilding the track database, and I got the dialog box telling me that there was problem with MSTS and asked me if I want to send Microsoft a report. I cancelled the dialog box, removed the route from my hard disk, removed some files from some MSTS folders, and restored the backup copy of TSECTION.DAT file. I WILL NOT WASTE ONE MORE SECOND TRYING TO CREATE NEW TRACK SECTIONS. I'm not sure about creating any new routes after running into problems with custom track sections. Jeffrey. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
zorcan (14 posts)
Oct-01-01, 04:17 AM (EST) 12. "RE: Creating new track sections" Hmmm - looks like there are more than a few pitfalls here.My major concern with the sections supplied is that there are some switch shapes missing. If there is a maximum number of shapes allowed in the database, I would quite happily trade these against the missing switches.It might prove easier to create these missing switches directly from their (existing) opposite hand counterparts. Interrogating the shape files of the switches which DO have both handed versions should reveal what values need tweaking to swap the hands.When i get my terrain mapper finished, I might take a look at this. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
jkcooney (501 posts)
Oct-01-01, 09:42 AM (EST) 13. "RE: Creating new track sections" I agree with you. One set of switches that could easily be tossed out are the 45degree yard switches. They simply don't look prototypical. I would love to see a set of 10degree switches imbedded in curved trackage. These are so common in American RR and they conserved a lot of space in tight situations. Keep me posted on your progress.
Joe Cooney, Ocala, FL Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

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