Raildriver and RW2 in Win7 64 bit

[Fodda]

Having had a fairly good trawl through the forum it would seem that some people have RailDriver consoles working with RW2 and Win7 64 bit and others are having problems with it all.

Is there a known good way of getting my console to work in Win 7 64 bit? Which version of the software is most reliable to use? And are there any hints and tricks I need to learn to get it all talking to itself?

Thanks for any help in advance.

[bigphill2]

Hi Fodda
I have RD working perfectly in win 7 64 bit . Download the lateset installer from pi engineering and once installed use the orig,blue, icon for launching the software . Only thing now is to edit the report config to direct the rd to your install of rw. If you search here you will find all the info needed . Any probs I'll try and sort out for you . Good luck
Phill

[LoneWolfDon]

I don't have a RailDriver controller, though it would be nice (I'm not that rich to afford such a luxury ), so I don't know the specifics about it.
But I thought I might throw out a suggestion that could still make it work on systems where the RailDriver software doesn't work properly with RailWorks. That is to perhaps use a utility such as Pinnacle Game Profiler: http://pinnaclegameprofiler.com/ , or other similar such utility. This utility will recognize most any type of game-controller you plug into your computer and will let you "re-map" in-game key and mouse commands over to a controller of your choice.
I use it with good success for a lot of games that don't inherently support game-controllers. In fact, I use Pinnacle to drive trains in RailWorks with a typical hand-help game-controller, so I can sit back comfortably and drive trains without need to hunch over the keyboard and mouse. Works good for me, and may be a work-around for allowing you to use your RailDriver controller with RailWorks if it doesn't seem to work otherwise.

[Kromaatikse]

It doesn't look like Pinnacle supports the RailDriver, which has a unique internal interface.

[Fodda]

Thanks Phill. I know about the editting, I did it before for RS when I was still able to use the RD unit. Now I've gone 64 bit, I just couldn't get it sorted. RW2 has been reinstalled and all previous bits of RD software remopved ready for a try at getting it going.

[LoneWolfDon]

It doesn't look like Pinnacle supports the RailDriver, which has a unique internal interface.

Oh. Okay, I wasn't sure as I don't have a RailDriver. But I guess it was worth a try. They have a free trial of that particular utility anyways, so no loss. It does work with any other controller I plug in though, but like you say, RailDriver has some unique internal interface that doesn't work with it.

[johnan]

Thanks Phill. I know about the editting, I did it before for RS when I was still able to use the RD unit. Now I've gone 64 bit, I just couldn't get it sorted. RW2 has been reinstalled and all previous bits of RD software remopved ready for a try at getting it going.

I have Raildriver working fine in RW2 in Windows 7 64bit, but I could only get it to work (after doing the required editing, of course) using the "older" version of the installer.
The one that puts a red icon on the desktop wouldn't work for me in RW and RW2 for some reason, but the installer that gives the blue icon seems to work OK.
If that makes sense!

[j72fan]

johnan wrote

I have Raildriver working fine in RW2 in Windows 7 64bit, but I could only get it to work (after doing the required editing, of course) using the "older" version of the installer.
The one that puts a red icon on the desktop wouldn't work for me in RW and RW2 for some reason, but the installer that gives the blue icon seems to work OK.
If that makes sense!

Both versions (red and blue) work fine (and appear functionally identical) but when installing the red icon verson, the red icon placed on the desktop by the installer does something diabolical (tries to re-install it I think). It should be carefully deleted as soon as possible without activating it, and a new red icon sent to the desktop pointing to the RDMWII.exe application using a right mouse click on this file and "send to", "Desktop (create shortcut)". Then all that is required is the editing of the ReportConfig.txt file for 64 bit systems only and it should all work.

Dave

[bigphill2]

Hi Dave
Theres two red icons. Ones the installer and ones the launcher . Easily confused
Phill

[j72fan]

Hi Phill,

I was referring to the red icon that the installer generates and places on the desktop. What that does I still don't know, it certainly doesn't seem to run/start the program. I had to uninstall and delete everything, switch off and start all over again the last time I clicked on it! I still don't know what the 'launcher' does. The downloaded installer (rd.rsrw,exe) installs the application. The 'launcher' generated by the install just seems to cause problems for me. I seem to remember a post from a Raildriver person saying not to use the launcher. Anyway, it all works fine if I steer clear of both the installer generated desktop red icon and the launcher file. If you can enlighten me as to what the launcher does I would be most grateful.

Dave (slightly confused)

[OrpheusRocker]

The launcher supposedly enables seamless RailDriver switching between RailWorks and its predecessor RailSimulator. It doesn't work too well.
The best thing to do, as previously advised, is to delete the launcher shortcut and replace it with a shortcut to RDMWII.exe (RailDriver MacroWorks II).
One other thing (though strictly off topic), if you have to edit any RailDriver keys - make sure RailWorks is not running and after running RailWorks, Exit then restart RDMWII. This gives more predictable results.
Andy

[j72fan]

Thanks for clarifying that Andy, I am now going to launch the 'launcher' into my recycle bin where its desktop icon resides.
I cannot understand why the installer puts this troublesome pair of items onto people's systems, it must cause endless problems for people struggling to get their RailDriver's working. If the installer put a correct RDMWII.exe start icon onto the desktop all the people with 32 bit systems would be operational straight away and all the people with 64 bit systems would have to do is edit their config files to get it working after installation.

Dave

[OrpheusRocker]

It is a pesky thing for sure but it was written by PIE in the paleolithic period to cover both versions - RS and RW.

I understand that Macroworks III is in the pipeline but over the last year all I've seen at PIE's site is tumbleweed.
I'd love to see us RD owners have the ability to customise the analogues too but I'm not holding my breath.

Andy