Shy Ffedit

I'm trying to use FFEDIT to edit the .s file in the 3dtrains ATSF War Bonnet B unit to get it to accept re-skinning with the Ron Paludan GN F7B, which appears to have been designed to re-skin an earlier version of the 3dtrains F7. After re-naming the .eng, .s and .sd files and opening them to edit the appropriate lines, MSTS still says it wants the ATSF .eng file.Anyhow, when I try to open FFEDIT, it opens a box for a split-second and flits away! Same thing happens clicking on the bat file with the download mod. Anybody seen this?Or does anyone else have a better idea of how to put re-skins on the ATSF B's? Seems getting the old 3dtrains demo isn't in the cards.

bud

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RE: SHY FFEDIT, zhivago47, Jul-28-02, 10:08 PM, (1) RE: SHY FFEDIT, sooner, Jul-28-02, 10:38 PM, (2) RE: SHY FFEDIT, zhivago47, Jul-28-02, 10:56 PM, (3) RE: SHY FFEDIT, sooner, Jul-28-02, 11:16 PM, (4) RE: SHY FFEDIT, kenm62, Jul-28-02, 11:55 PM, (5) RE: SHY FFEDIT, sooner, Jul-29-02, 00:45 AM, (6) RE: SHY FFEDIT, Hack, Jul-30-02, 02:21 AM, (7) RE: SHY FFEDIT, zhivago47, Jul-30-02, 02:50 AM, (8) RE: SHY FFEDIT, Hack, Jul-30-02, 03:05 AM, (10) RE: SHY FFEDIT, sooner, Jul-30-02, 03:03 AM, (9) RE: SHY FFEDIT, Hack, Jul-30-02, 03:09 AM, (11) RE: SHY FFEDIT, sooner, Jul-30-02, 03:12 AM, (12) RE: SHY FFEDIT, sooner, Jul-31-02, 11:06 PM, (13)

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I am not sure I have this correct about what you are doing but sounds similar to something I just did.......I had the first version of 3dtrains which I reskinned and then decided after seein the war bonnet that I would rather have the newer version, so I just made sure that I fixed the older ace files to reflect the newer ace files, they weren't that different, just a few things in different places and then I made sure that I used the s, sd and eng files from the new model.........also insuring that I went into the cabview file and changed the one line in there that asked for the atsf files.....I changed the names of the s sd and eng files as well.......I didn't have to change anything in the s files.......and it works fine.....Now this may not be what you are doing.......if it is then it can be done without changing the s file.......as long as you use the new bonnet s, sd and eng file.........
If that isn't what you are doing then disregard.......Let me know....
By the way, I wouldn't use ffedit but use route riter, newest version......it will decompress and recompress s files much easier than ffedit........Tim
The Spur Line
http://tahunter.net/thespurline
Appalachia RR

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LAST EDITED ON Jul-28-02 AT 10:41 PM (EDT)

Tim, I'll follow your advice and try the .s file exercise with route riter.I am trying to do the same thing you did, as far as I can see, except that I never had the original 3dtrains demo B unit. The particular locomotives I'd like to get running are repaints of the 3dtrains f7 for an SF freight by Tom Gibson, GN by Ron Paludan and Frisco - sorry, but I forgot the builder on the latter. I have repeatedly tried just what you suggest in your post, that is to simply overwrite the old .ace files in F7B1_ATSF then re-name the appropriate files and lines. I'm getting the A unit to run using the current 3dtrains demo. But it just doesn't work on the ATSF War Bonnet B unit. I can only get the re-skin to work if I over-write the .ace files and leave everything else alone EXCEPT the loco name in the .eng file (though that doesn't matter one way or the other - I could leave it F7B1_ATSF for all the game cares. It shows up in the consist editor as "F7B1_ATSF even when it's painted in GN colors and re-named F7B_GN in the .eng file.) If I change the names on the .s, .sd or .eng files, or change the names within the .eng file, I get an error message in the activitiy editor when I try to set up the consist. For example, after making a new folder, re-naming it F7B_GN, pasting in the files for F7B1_ATSF from the 3DTrains_ATSF, or whatever it's called; changing the names of the .eng, .s and .sd files, and editing the appropriate lines within the .sd and .eng, the activity editor prompts that it can't find the .eng file for the ATSF! The only way I can imagine it would know to prompt for the ATSF .eng is if it's referenced in the .s file - it's not referenced anywhere else.I wonder if it could possibly have to do with the fact that there are four units in the folder.

bud

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Hmmm, ok, I think I got it.......there is an area in the s file listing all of the ace files.........perhaps if you change that list it will work........Never done it so don't know.....but I think you will find it easier working with the latest route riter.....I never could get ffedit to work right for me either........Good luck, and let me know if that works.......I might have to do it sometime myself..........Tim
The Spur Line
http://tahunter.net/thespurline
Appalachia RR

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Mind telling me which repaint you got to work with the new 3dtrains ATSF? I'd at least like to have a try at duplicating what you did - maybe it's my error and there's a less involved remedy.

bud

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>I am trying to do the same thing you did, as far as I can
>see, except that I never had the original 3dtrains demo B
>unit,3DTrains has nevered offered a demo F7B-unit. That might be your problem.
There was an F7B-unit made by someone else. Maybe the GN F7B by Ron Paludan, was that one. If that's the case, the textures won't be compatable with an F7B from 3DTrains.comKen Martello
Kenm62's MSTS Website3D Train Stuff
http://www.3dtrainstuff.com/

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LAST EDITED ON Jul-29-02 AT 00:47 AM (EDT)

Thanks for your input. Actually, I don't think demo v. commercial issue is the point, though in all the time I've put in trying to solve this with Ron P., with 3dtrains and with anyone who'd listen, you're the first who's raised the issue, and maybe it has some bearing. The re-skins I'm trying to use are definitely intended for the 3dtrains model, as you'll see if you look at their install instructions. I know some builders have skinned B's for Skip's Railroad - you, possibly? - while others, like dadbill and Jasper Burmester, have built on TA's F7. But these really are for 3dtrains. I believe I was told by somebody, could have been Mark, could have been Ron, that there had been a 3dtrains demo B, but it doesn't matter: the skins were produced for an earlier version - demo, commercial, whatever. That doesn't mean they can't be made to work with the current one, but so far I've been stymied - and spankied and alfalfed. Interestingly (at least to me), as I tried to explain above, I DID get Ron's GN put onto the 3dtrains B unit, but ... oh, well, that's in the earlier post. Understand, I'm not trying to keep from paying for a model for these skins. It's just that I thought I had already.By the way, I have a question about the SD24 on the other string.

bud

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Hi Bud,In order to use the skins from Ron, you'll have to either 1) change the names of the ACE files to suit; or 2) change the 's' file's internal reference to the new ACE files...Once the 's' file's been decompressed, you'll need to change the ACE references as listed in the images line. An example (not exact, but you'll get the idea):1) Rename the ASTF 's' file to one for GN.
2) Open the decompressed 's' file in Wordpad and find the "images" line:images (5
image ( F7A1a_ATSF.ACE )
image ( F7A1b_ATSF.ACE )
image ( F7A1c_ATSF.ACE )
image ( F7A1d_ATSF.ACE )
image ( F7A1e_ATSF.ACE )
)...should be changed to...images (5
image ( F7A1a_GN.ACE )
image ( F7A1b_GN.ACE )
image ( F7A1c_GN.ACE )
image ( F7A1d_GN.ACE )
image ( F7A1e_GN.ACE )
)...or whatever the ACE files happened to be named...3) The next step is making a copy of the ENG and SD files.
4) In the ENG file, replace all instances of F7A_ATSF with F7A_GN. Make sure that the 'Wagonshape' entry correctly points to the newly named shape (F7A_GN.s or whatever).
5) Edit the 'Name' line to reflect the new name for the unit "Great Northern F7A." The B-Unit is similar, but if the 'Name' line isn't there then no big deal.
6) Finally, edit the SD file, changing the name of the 's' file to the GN one.That should do it. Email me if there's a problem. Cheers!
Marc - 3DTrains
http://www.3dtrains.com

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I just got done doing this exact same thing this afternoon, exactly the way that Marc describes it and it worked out fine........no problems.......Just make sure you back everything up first.....and make sure that the amount of images is reflected in the appropriate line if you change that number in the s file........oh and make sure you recompress the s file, but you probably know that......
Very simple really.........Good luck!Tim
The Spur Line
http://tahunter.net/thespurline
Appalachia RR

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Cool deal, Tim - I was worried I lost it somewhere in the example. As for the compression, the 's' file need not be compressed to function - it's simply a HD-space-saver feature.Cheers!
Marc - 3DTrains
http://www.3dtrains.com

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LAST EDITED ON Jul-30-02 AT 03:05 AM (EDT)

You had to post that just as I was going to bed, Marc! Man, I've GOT to get to sleep, yet I'm dying to try that! I've been fighting this for a month - knew you'd have an answer when you had a minute to work on the problem. I really appreciate your help; and thank you for your input as well, Tim.But here's the thing - I can't decompress files because I still can't get FFEDIT to work, which was why I started this string in the first place. Has nobody else ever had this happen? I click on the FFEDIT exe file, or click on the bat file in the download FFEDIT utility (for idiots?), or go to the windows explorer "open in" options box and click the FFEDIT ikon -- and either way the FFEDIT box pops open for a split-second then disappears!It probably doesn't bear on the problem, but I've been able to open some .s files in car downloads in wordpad without decompressing them; I was editing their textures settings to reduce blurring, on a tip from "rockisland". I imagine they just hadn't been compressed before uploading, right?

bud

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Hi Bud,To use FFEDIT, you'll need to have it, and the 's' file in the same directory. The program works through a series of command lines entered from a DOS prompt - open a DOS (or command) window, locate the directory where FFEDIT and the 's' file are, and then enter the needed commands (posted in another thread...me too tired to find)....or, you can wait 'til I release the next version of the demo. Getting ready to finish it off for beta. Hopefully, it'll make this whole skining/renaming issue go away. Cheers!
Marc - 3DTrains
http://www.3dtrains.com

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AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!

bud

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Success at last! Uncompressed the .s file in Route_Riter, edited the "images" files to match the re-skin .ace's, and off we went!Thanks to those who helped me out on this - Marc, Ron, Tim, Ken; I've been coming to the forum for help for about a month now and I'm really impressed with all the generosity and good will. I know this exchange has been going on for many months and that my problems are old news - yet I'm sometimes surprised, too, when a "charter member" joins in a string to say he's having the same problem I am. So far no one's ragged me for asking a dumb question, but some have probably bitten their tongues.

bud

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