Understanding Train Store

MrHillingdon · Post by **MrHillingdon** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 6:00 pm

I would be the first to admit I haven't been making the most of Train Store, but I'm trying to change that now.
I am starting to create activities by using Maintenance Mode to sort out all the stock I require first and then only having the necessary route unstored.
When I compile my Maintenance Mode stock list I notice that it doesn't include static consists, that is, consists that do not contain a driveable, AI loco or a dead steam engine. I am unable to locate the relevant information in the help section.
So what I would like to do is for my Maintenance Mode stock list to include dead diesels and static consists, e.g. a rake of coaches.
Any offers of help would be gratefully received.

Cheers,

Paul

salopiangrowler · Post by **salopiangrowler** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 6:11 pm

Try reading the bible that came with it im sure its in there about non drivealbe consists, or do it like me, if you know the cnsist name just copy and paste from trainstore to the cosist folder in the msts directory

MrHillingdon · Post by **MrHillingdon** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 6:47 pm

I've looked through the bible, that's what I meant when I said I'd checked the help section.
The consists I require (rakes of coaches, dead diesels etc) exist in my MSTS consists folder but do not appear in Train Store when I want to add more consists to my chosen routes list of Maintenance Mode consists.

jbilton · Post by **jbilton** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 7:43 pm

Hi Paul
I wonder if there is a filter that should be applied or not as the case may be.
Cheers
Jon

delticcity · Post by **delticcity** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 7:48 pm

Paul, I'm at about the same stage as you in trying to use trainstore more productively. If you click on Stock, then View All Stock Items..., in the stock filter box at the bottom check that you haven't got a tick in the 'driveable' box as this would prevent you from seeing all the dead diesels etc. Then repeat in the Consists list. Hope this helps, Cheers, Dave.

MrHillingdon · Post by **MrHillingdon** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:25 pm

Thanks Guys.
I've just had a dabble with the filters but with no luck. I'll go through the process again.

Thanks,

Paul

MrHillingdon · Post by **MrHillingdon** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:48 pm

Checked the filters and driveable isn't ticked. What I do notice is that under "Lot number" it is telling me I have some new consists. It says "New Consists" (Lot number 298). I definitely seem to have some kind of filter on or something else that is preventing all consists from showing.

Paul

TFormoso · Post by **TFormoso** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 10:23 pm

In the List Editor windows in Train Store, the Available List always tells you how many items you have, and how many are displayed. e.g. 'Consists Available (1000)' or 'Consists Available (386 out of 1000)'. It is therefore quite clear whether Train Store is filtering any items or not.

If you have all the filter selections clear, in Maintenance Mode, you will see all of the items in your installation in the Available list.

The message about New Consists or New Stock , does not in itself filter anything. It is just telling you that there are new items that were found, and tells you the Lot Number that has been allocated. It does this so you can easily filter for those new items (using the Lot Number filter), because you might want to assign them a different Lot Number category, if you are categorising all your items.

Perhaps you are mistaken by thinking that because there are loose stock items in some activities, there must be Consists there to describe them.

As is pointed out in the manual (P98) MSTS does not hold any Consist information for loose stock. Unless the activity author has specifically included [in the download] the consists that they created when setting up the activity, they may not be present. It's just the way MSTS works. You have to have every piece of loose stock in a consist when you add some loose stock to an activity, but MSTS immediately 'forgets' about the consist once the information is included in the activity. The MSTS Activity Packager will not include these consists (unless they are also included as Consists whch form part of a service), since MSTS does not need them.

Tony

salopiangrowler · Post by **salopiangrowler** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 10:35 pm

activity packer does include consists, all consists if that that are needed to run the activity.

Listern if your still having problems with the loose consists just open the trainstore folder click consists look at the ones you want copy right click cut close trainstore open msts directory trains consists right click paste. if there are consist i require that are not in the list thats what i do its quicker. ive not had a problem so far touch wood and i havent even read the manual.

TFormoso · Post by **TFormoso** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 10:52 pm

salopiangrowler wrote:activity packer does include consists, all consists if that that are needed to run the activity.

Activity Packer does include consists, but Loose Stock is not recorded in MSTS as a Consist. It is recorded as a a number of Stock Items. So, the Activity Packer cannot include the consists that were originally used to create the loose stock in the activity, as MSTS doesn't know what the consist was.

salopiangrowler wrote:Listern if your still having problems with the loose consists just open the trainstore folder click consists look at the ones you want copy right click cut close trainstore open msts directory trains consists right click paste.

This is completely unnecessary. If the consists exist. They will be in the Maintenance Mode Consist list in Train Store. If they exist, you can add them to a Maintenance Mode Consist list.

I think MrHillingdon is surprised that he can't find the consists that he thinks he needs. As pointed out MSTS does not record loose stock as consists. They are recorded as individual stock items.

Tony

salopiangrowler · Post by **salopiangrowler** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 12:33 am

thats strange as i have consists called MLH_Yardone.con with no driveable locos on and it shows up in conbuilder and AE thats how i know what im looking for a put my initials in front of it.

jbilton · Post by **jbilton** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 12:49 am

salopiangrowler wrote:thats strange as i have consists called MLH_Yardone.con with no driveable locos on and it shows up in conbuilder and AE thats how i know what im looking for a put my initials in front of it.

Hi
You may well have....but if you were to use that consist in an activity..AE would convert it into the act file.You can actually then safely delete it.
If you were to package an activity which used that consist, AE wouldn't include it in the package.
If you then sent it to someone else they would not have the consist on their system.
So it would not appear as a consist in their copy of TS, and would not be available to include as a loose consist in a new activity.
Hope this helps.
Cheers
Jon

salopiangrowler · Post by **salopiangrowler** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 2:14 am

oh right i understand

MrHillingdon · Post by **MrHillingdon** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:20 am

Thanks for the advice everyone. I shall have another look later today.
Just to confirm what I've done so far.
By using Conbuilder I have created some consists using just coaches or wagons and also just some dead diesels. Theses new cocsists show up in my MSTS consist folder. They are for use on the Swanage route which has it's own consists of just coaches or wagons for populating sidings. When I go in to Maintenance Mode so far I am unable to locate any of my created loose consists or the consists that are part of the Swanage routes own set of loose consists. Tony is right, at the top of the pane of consists that can be added it quotes, for example, 2000 of 2150 available. No doubt the consists that I am looking for are part of that missing 150.
Like I said earlier, I am just starting to try and make better use of what is unquestionably a "can't live without utility" that is Train Store.

Regards,

Paul

TFormoso · Post by **TFormoso** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 9:19 am

Paul,

I would check two things :-

1. You really are using the Maintenance Mode Consist list - the heading will include the text 'Maintenance Mode Consist List. (If you are using the Explore Mode Consist list then it will only show driveable consists, and it will also not show electric consists on a non electric route)

2. You really do have all of the filters cleared, so that nothing is being filtered. (As mentioned, in Maintenance Mode, with all the filters cleared, all the Consists will show up.)

Tony