MSTS requires at least one vaild activity

[chriswillis81]

I'm downloading a load of rolling stock required to run an activity i have downloaded. As i slowly progress through the 15 downloads i require i am running each train as i install it just to make sure i have done it correct.

This is the process i am going through....

Download the required file
Save to a new folder
Extract the file and read the readme file
Download any additional files (cab/sound)
Open Trainstore
Select Westcoast Express (not sure why this route but its the first i came to)
Choose explore mode
Select the train i just installed
Run MSTS

i've been following this process for 2 hours now with no problem, but now when i go to run MSTS trainstore gives me the following error...

****MSTS requires at least one vaild activity for you to be able to explore the route***

I have the required route unstored, i even unstored everything to see if that helped.

Why does it suddenly come up with this error?

Thanks,

[chriswillis81]

An update...............

If i select a different train then that works no problem. But if i select the Virgin Pendalino Class 390020 that i have downloaded i get the above error. I'm confused because i am in explore mode so activities do not come into it!!

[chriswillis81]

Further update......

If i select the VT Pen 390020 in a different route, i get the same message appear. So now i know its specific to this train.

When i downloaded the train and installed it i ran it fine on explore mode but forgot the cab, so obviously i was faced with a working train and no cab. I then went and downloaded and installed the Class 390 cabview, replaced the cabview folder and the .eng files as requested in the readme, and now i get the above error.

[cilperiswh]

Have you sorted this issue with the Pendolino now?

Regards

Matt

[chriswillis81]

No, all the acts for Westcoast have vanished, so its not a train issue. Very strange how they have all just disappeared. Have sent an email to firstclass sim for a new download link so i can re-install.

[slipperman12]

Hi Chris,

Very strange how they have all just disappeared.

Are the acts still in the ACTIVITIES folder?
Are you running Train Store? If so, have you unstored everything?

Cheers,
Ged

EDIT : Looking at your earlier post, I see you are running Train Store, so the third question applies. If the activities don't have .act as the file suffix, they won't show up!
As an extra note, when dealing with MSTS, always ensure that suffices for known file types are shown.

[chriswillis81]

Sorry for the delay.....

I've unstored everything and the activities now appear in the activities folder (didnt realise everything had to be unstored) but this has not resolved it. When you say they all need to have the .act suffix do you mean each activity file name has to finish with .act because looking at the other activites folders for other routes they are exactly the same and are working fine.

[chriswillis81]

I've just tried selecting the pendelino in explore mode for London South Coast and the same error comes up, so back to my original theory, its the train not the route, but why? how can a specific train cause an error relating to an activity?

[lateagain]

Are you using Easy Train Store or Classic Train Store? Tabs top left under the "File Edit View Routes etc" bar. I seem to remember that the Easy Train Store works even if there isn't an activity present? Just a stab in the dark as I've gone down the Mini Route path with all my routes now so that I can track errors easier and keep stock relevant to each route in the right place rather than having to let Train Store find it each time.

I'm a huge fan of Train Store but I also check everything new out with Route Riter and the now no longer available last freeware version of Con Builder.

Not sure if Conbuilder is available at all now but it was good at finding errors in .engs, .wags, cabviews and sounds....oh and consists.

You have a PM.

Geoff

[markpullinger]

Hi, you say you swapped the eng files as well?? Only asking as this will mean that the consist contents are different to that specified - you will need to open the new and original eng files in wordpad and check that the names are the same in both eng files - or alter the consist file contents to match the new eng files.... or run it through a consist checker - I think the later versions of routeriter include this - others will tell me if I'm wrong!

Good luck

[chriswillis81]

Progress has been made. I dont know what i was talking about when i mentioned replacipng .eng files, i must have got that mixed up. I've re-installed the class 390 and now it works, my only issue is i aliased the cab to the 390 that comes with WCML but i cant get the train to move, i can select forward/neutral/reverse but cant apply any power or take the break off becuase there seems to be no option to.

[markpullinger]

Hi Chris, if you have linked it to a different cabview you need to check whether it is set up to use a combined control or seperate throttle/ brake keys. I do remember though that there was 1 pendo in the library I couldn't get to move no matter what I did, but there is also 1 that works. I haven't got the full instal in at the moment as only running Bedford to Hitchin - very nice! so can't tell you off the top of my head which one it was but I think there was a patch to fix

[michaelhendle]

Have you tried pressing the Z key some eletric's need that to get tem to move also the obvious make sure the panto is up,if you have bin patch 1.8 that should over come the panto problems

[chriswillis81]

Starting to lose the will to live now. As it takes 2 seconds to install the class 390 i deleted it and re-installed it, but now we have a new problem. when i have re-installed the class 390 i dont have a consist (which is mental because i had a consist earlier) so off i trot to MSTS editor to creat a consist.

So i create a consist for the class 390020 then go back to easy train store and select the 390020 and there is still no consist showing up.

[chriswillis81]

Just for the record, pressing Z or pressing P for the panto did not solve it.