Activity Changer Problem

[Col1948]

Just had another thought, when I go in the Java program via Control Panel and click on the icon, I get a box with tags at the top, one of the tags is labeled 'Advanced' is there anything in there that needs to be checked?

[slipperman12]

Hi Col,
I've never had to do anything with the Control Panel entry - I'll advise you not to make any changes!! Except - select the Java tab and make sure the "enabled" box is ticked.

The only other suggestion I have is to uninstall Activity Changer, using the Control Panel Add & Remove, reboot, then re-install it. The idea of this is that, maybe, Activity Changer expects Java to be already installed.

Cheers,
Ged

[Col1948]

Hi,

I just tried removing it and re-installing but still no luck, even re-booted before I tried the install.

Also just got an email from Torbin the guy who owns the changer, he just asked me what version of Windows I was using, I expect he might get back to me shortly, so we will see what he comes up with.

[Col1948]

I sent an Email direct to the Java help section explaining the problem, I also did a search in the Internet and it seems fairly common with lots of others saying certain programs and even their PC's cant or don't recognise Java even though it is well and truly installed.
Hopefully they might (fingers crossed) come up with a solution.

Col.

[lateagain]

Following this with interest as I have the same problem. Only just installed it this weekend.

RR 's Java problem is fixed so I know I've got the programme.

The read me in Activity changer links to a "SUN" site but Java is now available from Oracle so that link must be ancient.

It worked straight off on SWMBO's Vista Laptop but my Win7 64Bit Home Premium is the problem. Just checked and both Vista and the Win7 machine seem to have the same version of Java installed.... unless I'm missing something?

Geoff

[slipperman12]

Hi Geoff,
Is Vista on the laptop 32 bit or 64 bit?

Cheers,
Ged

[lateagain]

Hi Geoff,
Is Vista on the laptop 32 bit or 64 bit?

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ged, The Vista is 32 bit.

Anyway here's how I got the Windows 7 installation to work.

Just so anyone else trying to follow this knows where I started.

1) I had the Java problem with the latest install of Route Riter so followed the fixe outlined above. i.e. IMHO I already had a working copy of Java installed.

2) I downloaded and installed Activity Changer. Firstly on the 32 bit Vista Laptop and then on the Win 7 64 bit desktop.

3) The Vista machine worked "out of the box".

4) The win7 64 bit install acted as the original poster described.

5) Searched TS.com and found the same issues being discussed there. Followed the advice there (from here ).

I don't know WHY this worked but it did.

1) went to http://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp

2) and download the Windows 7/XP 64bit offline installer.

3) I installed this to the program files (x86)\Java folder on the same drive as my MSTS

4) Clicked on Desktop icon for already installed Activity Changer ....Zilch. Same as before.

5) Went into Explore and into the Activity Changer Folder (within the MSTS Folder) and clicked "run_ac.bat"

6) BINGO It works! It leaves the black Cmd.exe. box open and sits over it ...which is cosmetically rather Naff but it works.

7) Went to Desktop and created NEW shortcut for "run_ac.bat" THEN deleted the one that the programme itself had put there.

Now the desktop shortcut works OK.

Next task is to see if it works with Mini Loader.

To sum up all I really did is choose the download link above and Re-Install Java to a folder in the same program folder as Microsoft Games. Why I had to do this when RR happily acknowledged and ran from my previous (latest update) installation of Java I don't know. Programmers feel free to speculate/explain. Bottom line is the programme worked and I've succesfully changed the Season start time of a 2hr 20 minute activity with 33 sets of AI. ...Hmmm lets say (as I haven't completed that act yet ) I APPEAR to have succesfully changed it.

Good news is that AC actually renames and keeps the original act in the route.

Question is can this be renamed and still function as the original act?

If so I'm sure we've all enjoyed acts and thought they'd be fun to try at a different time in a different season too?

Geoff

[Colr48]

Hi Geoff,

Good news there on the AC working for you, unfortunately mine still doesn't, but the poster who told us how to get RR working by putting the classes file in Java got me thinking, I wonder if there is a file in AC that can be put in Java.
I did toy with a few but it made no difference but also I may have been doing it wrong or not putting the file/s in the right place, just a thought.

[abclare]

We are now on to RR and the problem is with AC!!!!! So confused

[Easilyconfused]

We are now on to RR and the problem is with AC!!!!! So confused

You are not the only one.

I am still puzzled why my initial input about getting the path environment variable set correctly has been passed by in favour of complicated file copying.

I have never had problems with Activity Changer / Route Riter / Activity Analyser / JMRI and numerous other programs that need Java but then again I have the environment variable set.

You can lead a horse to water and all that .....

[abclare]

Thanks John.

I think that it is only a small probiem to most of you but a frustratimg one to me.

[lateagain]

Thanks John.

I think that it is only a small probiem to most of you but a frustratimg one to me.

What exactly are you having a problem with?

There are/have been two recent issues with Java.

1) there was an issue with Route Riter not recognising Java when it was installed. A well documented and clear fix was posted by Tony (?) and it's simple to implement.

2) A few of us here have done that and RR works fine but now Activity Changer still reports missing Java.

That was my situation and what I did above worked.

The trouble is that MSTS is so old now there are people running it in several versions of several Operating Sysytems, all of which have their peculiarities.

There's also a Windows 7/XP 32bit offline installer at the same location as the 64bit one I mentioned.

More to the point has anyone heard back from the creator yet with a solution?

Geoff

[michaelhendle]

Hi
I have the same with route riter, with Java not installed which it is, I just ignore it,as route riter still works fine,no problems

Mike

[slipperman12]

Hi Mike,
I believe it is only the TSUtils part of Route Riter which requires Java.

Cheers,
Ged

[lateagain]

From Steam4Me

Problems with the Java/TsUtils installation
As TsUtils is now used for all compress/uncompress operations within Route_Riter, it is imperative that a working Java setup is running on your PC. The latest version can always be downloaded from Java Manual Downloads for All Operating Sytems. Make sure you download the 'Manual Download' version as Windows XP SP2 and higher have been found to block installation of the automatic version.
From v7.0.23, Route_Riter automatically runs a java script on startup, and will advise you if Java/TsUtils are not working. At which time Route_Riter will close.

TsUtils is normally installed in the Route_Riter\TsUtils folder, but if you have installed Java and it still does not work, you should go to the Java folder, normally at c:\Program Files\Java, under which there may be several sub-folders like jre1.4.0 and jre1.6.0 - The one with the highest number is the latest version. Open this folder and you should see sub-folders bin and lib make a new folder 'classes' which will then appear between these two and copy the contents of the TsUtil folder into this new Classes folder. After which TsUtils should run OK. You may then remove all older versions of Java (they occupy about 114MB per version) using the Start | Settings | Control Panel | Add/Remove Programs option.

It takes seconds to fix.