Uploading Activities

I have made a few simple activities to run on various routes I have installed. I have never tried to "pack" them up for uploading to the Library, mainly because of the numerous non-default equipment I have installed. And besides, I do not know how to pack one anyway.My question is; what is the difference in work load to packing an activity for upload vs just uploading the required files to run the activity? For example: just upload the *.act, *.pat, *.srv, and *.trf files. Naturally, one would have to have the required trainsets to run the activities, but if they didn't, then they would be able to open the activities and edit them to suit their needs. By that I mean going into the various files and editing them with Wordpad by substituting their own wagon data if they didn't have the ones the activity was built with. This would permit everyone to enjoy these great activities that are uploaded by these talented activity creators.There seem to be some of us, albeit a few perhaps, that have trouble unpacking some activities uploaded to the Forum for some routes. I, for instance can unpack activities for most of the routes I have installed, but have trouble with just a few routes for some unknown reason, even though I have the updated TSUNPACK.EXE, etc. And, even if I could unpack them, without the proper trainsets installed, the activity would not function anyway.So, if activities could be uploaded in an unpacked format, that would be great for those of us with this problem.Just a thought.....comments welcome.Thank you.

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RE: Uploading Activities, buttercup, Dec-30-04, 12:29 PM, (1) RE: Uploading Activities, rd4man, Dec-31-04, 07:57 PM, (2) RE: Uploading Activities, kmanc21, Jan-01-05, 06:54 AM, (3) RE: Uploading Activities, rd4man, Jan-01-05, 10:34 AM, (4) RE: Uploading Activities, buttercup, Jan-01-05, 11:33 AM, (5) RE: Uploading Activities, rd4man, Jan-01-05, 03:24 PM, (7) RE: Uploading Activities, buttercup, Jan-01-05, 07:20 PM, (8) RE: Uploading Activities, rd4man, Jan-01-05, 10:37 PM, (9) RE: Uploading Activities, buttercup, Jan-02-05, 02:17 AM, (10) RE: Uploading Activities, rd4man, Jan-02-05, 07:47 AM, (11) RE: Uploading Activities, buttercup, Jan-02-05, 11:47 AM, (12) RE: Uploading Activities, rd4man, Jan-02-05, 01:56 PM, (13) RE: Uploading Activities, buttercup, Jan-02-05, 05:31 PM, (14) RE: Uploading Activities, rd4man, Jan-02-05, 08:57 PM, (15) RE: Uploading Activities, rd4man, Jan-03-05, 06:24 AM, (16) RE: Uploading Activities, IC7310, Jan-01-05, 02:24 PM, (6)

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RouteRiter has a facility to package activities.That said, by far the best way to package an activity is to use the ae packager. There is a bug in the packager that will cause it to fail if the route folder name is not exactly the same (including case) as the route id in the .trk file. If they are different the ae will only include the consists used in the activity and produce the "damaged more files expected" error when it is unpackaged. The route folder name problem only affects packaging and not installing the activity.If you have trouble using Tsunpack dragging the activity to its icon will usually work if the activity is packaged correctly.Regards,Eric

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Thank you for that.I really wasn't looking for a "how to" as much as a "why" on the uploading of activities by others. As I said, or meant to say anyway, my activities wouldn't hold a candle to ones I've d/l by the experts! I'm not too swift on AI traffic, and that to me, makes activities.I was just wondering if it's too much trouble to just upload the needed files in an UNPACKED state, thereby making it easy to get right to and edit if needed or wanted.Have a Happy!

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Many of us here actually prefer that activities be uploaded in unpacked form. I make a list of all the files involved and that way if I want to remove the activity I can delete all the files. The only issue I have had with some of the unpacked activities that have been uploaded is that not all the folders/files are included. If you want to upload them unpacked, I say go for it, just be sure everything is included.Ken

Moving America one virtual train at a time.

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That's kinda of what I was looking for; people who would like activities uploaded in unpacked form. It's not that _I_ want to upload any, it's I'd like to see other who upload do it in an unpacked version for those of us that have trouble with some routes unpacking activities.I imagine it does require a little more effort though. But.....it would sure be appreciated, I'm sure.

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If you have trouble unpacking a correctly packaged activity, you probably do not have the route or correct version of it. Installing an activity into the wrong route can cause MSTS to crash. TSunpack checks for the correct route id and correct .tdb and will tell you if something does not match.Regards,Eric

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>If you have trouble unpacking a correctly packaged activity,
>you probably do not have the route or correct version of it.
> Installing an activity into the wrong route can cause MSTS
>to crash. TSunpack checks for the correct route id and
>correct .tdb and will tell you if something does not match.
I wish it were that simple. I have the route (NYSubway), and the correct version of it. It runs just fine. For some unknown reason, I cannot unpack activities to it. I have no trouble unpacking activities to other routes. We have tried to troubleshoot this with no success.

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What are the activities (zip names etc) and what error messages do you get etc?Regards,Eric

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LAST EDITED ON Jan-01-05 AT 10:39 PM (EST)

>What are the activities (zip names etc) and what error
>messages do you get etc? Well.....there's a thread on this someplace (can't find it right now), but I get:"This package requires a route called F1 Transit, UID USA 6."(without the quotes)I have the updated TSUNPACK, etc. and have tried dragging over it and all the tricks.I've been in to the *.trk file and the route is listed correctly. And...others have not had a problem unpacking same or similar activities to this route. Now, the fact that my routes are in individual folders might have a bearing on it, but I don't have a problem with activities in other routes that are in individual folders. No.....I don't have Route Store.....tried it; like my system better.So, if you wanna "get your hands dirty", go right ahead! (smile)

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That error says that that the route is not in the path where Tsunpack is looking. Tsunpack uses the location in the registry for MSTS.Regards,Eric

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>That error says that that the route is not in the path where
>Tsunpack is looking. Tsunpack uses the location in the
>registry for MSTS.
>Well, I'm not one to mess with the Registry, but that route and all others are installed in the same manner on the same h/d and I don't have a problem with the others. So, something's amiss someplace for sure.I install all new routes through the 'default' TS on my main h/d then move the individual route to another h/d. I've done this for all routes. I even tried unpacking into this route (NYSubway) while it was in the default route with no luck.This is why I was trying to see if activity designers would be willing to upload in unpacked format. But, if I'm the only one with this problem and only on this route, I guess I'm sol. Not too big a deal. I'll survive.Thanx anyway.

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Let's try this from another direction. What are the activity(ies) that won't load? (zip file names and where I can get them)Regards,Eric

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>Let's try this from another direction. What are the
>activity(ies) that won't load? (zip file names and where I
>can get them) Well, I appreciate your trying to help, but the activity/ies in question are capable of being opened by others, so I'm not sure the actual file name would help.But.....as a for instance: 242nd St - South Ferry.apk.And from another author: Flatbush 2 242nd St.apkAll of these came from the library here. I don't have the zip file name they came in any more, however. Only the individual *.apks

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Ok, I know that those will work. The next step is to find out where Tsunpack is looking. Find a route that you can unpack an activity into, place an empty USA 6 folder into the routes folder for that installation and copy the .trk and .tdb files from your F1 Transit route into it. (verify that both the route id (USA 6) and route name (F1 Transit) in the .trk file have quotes around them)(verify that the files are saved as unicode and are not read only)Now Tsunpack should unpack the F1 Transit activities into that folder. After unpacking you can move activities, services, paths, and traffic files to your main F1 Transit folder. Don't forget to move the consist files and also the needed rolling stock also.
Regards,Eric

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LAST EDITED ON Jan-02-05 AT 08:58 PM (EST)

>Find a route that you can unpack an activity into, place an
>empty USA 6 folder into the routes folder for that
>installation and copy the .trk and .tdb files from your F1
>Transit route into it. (verify that both the route id (USA
>6) and route name (F1 Transit) in the .trk file have quotes
>around them)(verify that the files are saved as unicode and
>are not read only)
>
>Now Tsunpack should unpack the F1 Transit activities into
>that folder. After unpacking you can move activities,
>services, paths, and traffic files to your main F1 Transit
>folder. Don't forget to move the consist files and also the
>needed rolling stock also.
>
>Thank you for that!! Ironic in that "as we speak" or type as the case may be, the author of the activities in question has been kind enough to send me the activities in an unpacked state. But I have printed out your instructions for future use!Thank you again!!

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One more thing..........I forgot to mention that I have already tried your method. I put the files into my default sim and still no luck unpacking them. Until I learned about just putting in those two files, I used to load the whole route back into the default sim to unpack activities.So, while I haven't tried it yet, I'm not so sure your "system" wil work anyway with this particular route.

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Use Route Riter, it is easier.

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