SSS Betton Grange

[Auscgu]

I find all this semantics about how to complete the install process quite amusing
The most important thing here is the Product and what is being achieved by British Preservation Societies
Creating new engines is really terrific and on that level has my support and money
The produce is quality and I have enjoyed running the engine in scenarios and reported my findings
I was using the engine and feeding water into the boiler and as the pressure rises I believe you hear the injector start stuttering so you need to add more steam to keep the water going into the boiler. Love that
The linage of the engine is from the EK engines is there to see and all the controls come to hand very easy
All the different livery are great and while not strictly correct with GWR livery as the engine is a new build
The engine will run in GWR livery so more than appropriate even the bright and shinny approach is terrific as that is how they run in preservation and reflect the care and attention these engine now receive
See the charming photos of the preservation sheds captured today with over 200 engines in steam in the UK is way more important than if you use the 7-Zip standard tools or understand that you can drag and drop
You go on about duplicating the file, just have a look at what this whole process is about Duplicating a shape file
The key point is lets not promote extracting the .ap Archive file
The batch file approach is very easy and a great way for the provider to ensure the process is controlled
Following the manual file method is more than acceptable as well and will continue the understanding of the process
GPTech thanks for clarifying that the files are packed and not compressed, appreciate that
Let get back to the purpose of the thread and promote your experiences and support for a fine cause and addition to the Train Simulator engine shed

Cheers Ausc

[gptech]

This creates a new folder with the .ap file name and puts the extracted files in it.

A possible problem, if you were either a route or a scenario creator, would be if the files were inadvertently not deleted and were accidentally later referenced and used from that new extracted location

Why build in possible issues/problems? If you want a copy of all the extracted files for quicker and easier access when needing to swap stuff with RW Tools (as one example) you could simply extract into a dummy Assets folder outside of the game. We're all very careful to delete stuff when we no longer need it of course, but can anybody here say that they've done that 100% of the time?...the phone rings, you go to the loo, dash off to the shop 'cos you've run out of milk...we all get distracted and very easily forget the little outstanding tasks.

There's no perfect, one size fits all, strategy that we all should be using ad we'll go with what feels best for us, but there's a tendency to then tout our methods as the best rather than beig open to alternatives or even just simple refinements.

The main points we should be battling with are the misconceptions about the .ap system that still regularly crop up---only recently have we seen the case of a member being under the impression that .ap archives simply must have their contents extracted in order for the game to 'see' them.

[gptech]

Pedantic moment....(again)

just have a look at what this whole process is about Duplicating a shape file

Once that file is in it's new directory (for a reskin) it's not strictly a duplicate of any file in the .ap archive--there's no folder of that name inside the archive!
If a file is extracted for the purposes of editing to improve the supplied stock, once again once edited it's strictly not a duplicate---same name, same location, but no longer a straight copy/duplicate of the archived file.

The only files that could be classed as duplicates are those .bin files we extract to enable RW Tools to recognise them for the purposes of swapping.

[Lumpy]

Chrisonline wrote...

Just open (i.e. view) the .ap contents, and you can drag the required files (e.g. usually the Geo files) out, either onto the desktop or directly into the required location. It doesn't delete them from the .ap file, so no damage done to the master files, and no extra level of folder creation and deletion

Simples!

[Lumpy]

gptech wrote...

There's no perfect, one size fits all, strategy that we all should be using ad we'll go with what feels best for us, but there's a tendency to then tout our methods as the best rather than beig open to alternatives or even just simple refinements.

Hmm.

Regards
Mike.

[black8]

I never extract to 'here' no matter what the instructions say. I always use the [name of .ap file\] in parentheses option, example: Extract to "BR185pack01Assets.ap\". This creates a new folder with the .ap file name and puts the extracted files in it. You can now copy-paste the file(s) you need from this folder, s.a. a .GeoPcDx file, and when finished delete the folder again. No addtional/duplicated files that you don't need.

Even that isn't necessary. Just open (i.e. view) the .ap contents, and you can drag the required files (e.g. usually the Geo files) out, either onto the desktop or directly into the required location. It doesn't delete them from the .ap file, so no damage done to the master files, and no extra level of folder creation and deletion

With 'view' you mean right-click on the .ap file, go to 7-zip and then 'open', right? Good idea Chris that is even easier, thanks for that.

Jos

[gptech]

Hmm.

Crash Test Dummies?....go on, elaborate a bit

[chrisonline]

I never extract to 'here' no matter what the instructions say. I always use the [name of .ap file\] in parentheses option, example: Extract to "BR185pack01Assets.ap\". This creates a new folder with the .ap file name and puts the extracted files in it. You can now copy-paste the file(s) you need from this folder, s.a. a .GeoPcDx file, and when finished delete the folder again. No addtional/duplicated files that you don't need.

Even that isn't necessary. Just open (i.e. view) the .ap contents, and you can drag the required files (e.g. usually the Geo files) out, either onto the desktop or directly into the required location. It doesn't delete them from the .ap file, so no damage done to the master files, and no extra level of folder creation and deletion

With 'view' you mean right-click on the .ap file, go to 7-zip and then 'open', right? Good idea Chris that is even easier, thanks for that.

Yes, as opposed to "unpacking" it, I meant. In fact I don't have to right click, I just double click on it, as I have mine set up so that .ap files automatically open with 7zip - you may as well do that to save yourself a few clicks. I also have .rwp files set up the same way.

[Lumpy]

gptech wrote...

go on, elaborate a bit

I was just humming an Alanis Morissette song.

[gptech]

I was just humming an Alanis Morissette song.

Well isn't that ironic?

The batch file approach is very easy and a great way for the provider to ensure the process is controlled

That's been known to be flawed though Auscgu, many have found that the batch files aren't able to complete the task(s), possibly due to local security/UAC policies, particularly if the user has the game installed in what Windows *sees* as a "system area"