Is it possible to have a batch/macro file change actiti

Does anybody know whether it's possible to use a (tailored) batch file -- or macro -- upon an activity such that it change what consists be drawn?I avoid trying out others' uploaded activities because most of them involve downloading trains, and I'm seldom in a position where I can download freely.I myself have lots of activities that I would share with folks weren't it for the fact that I use downloaded trains which I myself have further tweaked. If I could set up a batch file -- or macro -- to accompany an activity I would upload, all the end users would have to do is consult/refer to the chart wherein I'd list the roster of rolling stock in lengths, size, power, purposes, etc., such that the end user could determine what similar consist s/he has so that s/he could manually fill in the blanks within the batch/macro file. Upon saving the batch file as a text file, s/he could change its file extension to ".bat", and then execute the batch file within the subdirectory where s/he'd have been instructed to place the downloaded activit/ies.I know how to effect this with an MS-Word macro, but I've no MS-Word prorgramme at home!Cheers,
goonybird

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RE: Is it possible to have a batch/macro file change ac, derekmorton, Apr-05-04, 09:13 PM, (1) RE: Is it possible to have a batch/macro file change ac, goonybird, Apr-06-04, 12:43 PM, (2) RE: Is it possible to have a batch/macro file change ac, derekmorton, Apr-06-04, 06:22 PM, (3) RE: Is it possible to have a batch/macro file change ac, goonybird, Apr-12-04, 10:23 AM, (4) Activity Master, JivaGoswami, Apr-21-04, 05:26 PM, (5) RE: Activity Master, tulsarailfan, Apr-23-04, 07:01 PM, (6) RE: Activity Master, thow2004, May-03-04, 09:21 PM, (7) RE: Activity Master, JivaGoswami, May-04-04, 08:13 AM, (8)

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Batch file I would say no.Script has some promise, but there would have to be a script to go with EVERY activity.I don't see it as something I would take on. Derek

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LAST EDITED ON Apr-06-04 AT 12:44 PM (EDT)

>Script has some promise, but there would have to be a script
>to go with EVERY activity. "script" => "macro", right?I should try out a macro then -- I'll be in touch sometime about this afterwards to post how it'll have worked. Anybody see any pitfall with a macro, because I can't?Cheers,
goonybirdUpdated March 14, 2004: http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Bayou/4804/ a fictitious network serving London, Weymouth, and points in between

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Follow your idea and see what you get.
Thats how EngMod started, as just a set of perl scripts.Derek

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Hmm, now I'm thinking who'd want to download some document with a macro attached . . . I dunno . . . it doesn't seem worthwhile encouraging people to share macros when out there exist vandals whom I undertand use macros to spawn viruses . . .Cheers,
goonybirdUpdated March 26, 2004: http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Bayou/4804/ a fictitious network serving London, Weymouth, and points in between

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Hello! There is already now a program, payware, which does these things and does them well.I have purchased this one for $14, and although I haven't yet used it, it is looking VERY good. It even works hand in glove with Train Store, if you like. The manual is straight forward, in PDF format. Got yer pictures, yer clear explanations. Interacting with the author is not hard to do at all. This software is endorsed by Rich Garber, among others.This program does indeed swap cars and engines ... you can download an activity, and not have a single add on download called for and "instantly" swap out as per your preferences. Some here prefer all steam, for example. Then: Not a problem. Some (like me) have trouble discerning what I have and don't have under certain fuzzy (self induced?) circumstances. Etc. It is called: “Activity Master” See:
http://www.train-sim.com/dcforum/DCForumID7/2102.htmlRespectfully
jivajiva (President Club Services)

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>Hello!
>
>There is already now a program, payware, which does these
>things and does them well.
>
>I have purchased this one for $14, and although I haven't
>yet used it, it is looking VERY good. It even works hand in
>glove with Train Store, if you like.
>Thanks Jiva for the kind words! If anyone reading this is interested in learning more, or downloading the free manual, please visit my web site, www.skylinecomputing.comSorry about the shameless plug!Steve Davis

Steve Davis
Author of "SwitchList Generator" and
"ActivityMaster" for MSTS.
"TulsaRailfan" on this forum
sgdavis@vigoris.net
www.skylinecomputing.com

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As a small-time activity creater, I must say I find the ideas in this thread, and a similar one over on the General area, a little disappointing. I put a lot of effort into creating the "atmosphere" of my activities. I choose protypical consiste for the period, and locos which really did belong to the area being recreated, together with their prototypical loads. It would disappoint me a lot if these were replaced by items which bore no resemblance to what I am creating. Does naybody else feel the same or am I being just a little bit precious?I am certainly not intending to criticise Steve's product, because I believe there obviously is a need for it, and it is clearly doing its job well. I just wanted to add another perspective.thow

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Hello! I am one who also likes accurate period pieces, and as a lowly end user, I love to embrace an activity and roll with it, getting surprised as I go through the process ... Very frequently, however, downloaded activities need a comb through with regard to required rolling stock. The Activity Designer may have used a particular item which is not default and also not included in the default download list. Figuring out and implementing the required down load list often becomes an inappropriate chore due to documentation which is inadvertently inadequate for one reason or another.Enter Activity Master.Also, this fine tool enables users to relatively easily put together our own projects ... not necessarily era jumbled.There is another parameter: Guys like me have a 40 gig HD. There is no more space. MSTS product is parked all over the LAN. I've seen activities which call for HUGE (disk space) wise extra utilization. Enter Activity Master.I empathize with and welcome your point of view. I also don't like inappropriate mixing of era. You are certainly not alone in your take. Rich Garber's roads have an option for changing the era of vehicular traffic via a batch file!To me, nothing is nicer than watching a train coming around a bend, all appropriately decked out, in a beautiful time synchronized environment ... and the volume turned up up up ... it often looks like a water color or an oil painting here. Only it lives ... then ... to my embarrassment ... so do IVery respectfully
jivajiva (President Club Services)

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