ConBuilder is dead, permanently

[gswindale]

and by the logic of Joe's posts on that topic, why should any of us here provide anybody with advice?

I'll assist users as best I can with any problems they encounter with any of my uploads. I've made no money out of them, but hopefully I've helped people to enjoy MSTS. If we were to all follow Joe's idea of not supporting anybody who hasn't paid for the software, then this forum would disappear pretty quickly.

[peterdore]

I too have 2.43 conbuilder which I downloaded a long time ago, made a back up of the software, it still works well and does the job!

Pete Doré

[gswindale]

That's not the point though - I don't and I have a more recent version for which I had to jump through hoops to activate and following a PC upgrade I can no longer use it as I can't be bothered to even attempt to convince Joe that it is a legitimate upgrade.

[dipper6]

I know of only 2 sites that closed, ConBuilder and the other whose name I cant remember, it was a few years ago.
We all know how Joe reacted in the past week or two, this other site was the complete opposite.
They used an activation scheme with - I think- either 2 or 3 activations.
When they closed they altered the program so it did not need activated at all, that indeed was very fair,
after all, the punters had paid their money.

Would Joe do that, nope, Joe does not give a toss about his buyers.
I can tell you this, I'll never buy anything from him again, that is, if he makes a comeback.

[steam4me]

I think a lot of the problem is Joe's style and his half-empty glass rather than half-full glass attitude to life.

I remember my father (as a Ukrainian immigrant in Australia post-WW2, pretending he didn't understand the nuances of the English language) used to ask in mock puzzlement "Why is it that when you tell a girl 'time stands still when I look into your eyes', you generally will have a good night out, but if you say 'your face would stop a clock' - essentially the same thing - she storms off in a huff?".

Joe seems to follow the latter option in his conversations with his customers.

I've supported Conbuilder since pre-payware days, but I confess I've often winced and cringed when I've seen him do his block over the years, thinking "this is NOT going to get the punters onside......."

I've only gone as far as CB 3.1.5 which I've found pretty much bug-free. I dismantle and re-mantle PCs every 3 months or so, so I'd be pestering him for an altered activation file 3-4 times per year - and I'll probably be branded a pirate after a few changes. I posted a comment on the secret Conbuilder forum: inter alia I said "I also don't believe copy-protection does anything positive for the software owner-end user relationship anyway. Case in point - how many of us downloaded and installed the web v1.4 update to get around the MSTS "must have disk in drive" aggravation? See, we all try to circumvent copy-protection: it doesn't mean we're pirates."

[rufuskins]

Case in point - how many of us downloaded and installed the web v1.4 update to get around the MSTS "must have disk in drive" aggravation? See, we all try to circumvent copy-protection: it doesn't mean we're pirates."[/i]

Precisely but I doubt whether Joe at al are reading this discussion, so it seems best for us all to move on, as we have done when people have removed their freeware items from this site.

Perhaps someone of Mike Simpson's calibre can create an alternative which is as good as or even better!

Sadly that excludes me!

Ruf

[dipper6]

As in the previous post Mike Simpson is the man who could
make an excellent program. Mike, you are very much held in high esteem.

What about it Mike ?

[douglee]

Hi All,
If Mike does attempt the above.

Maybe using the same method of security that eTOsoftware 'Activity Analysis' do, only one or two routes available untill a code is purchased. Could be used.
The only thing missing from Activity Analysis is Visuals of the stock highlighted.

Good luck
Doug

[mikesimpson]

Thank you for your kind words, but Carlos Gomes (original author of Conbuilder), followed by Joe and Charles Stagg spent about 8 years building up Conbuilder to what it is today, so how long do you think it would take me to do the same

If you do not have a usable version of Conbuilder (I have about 20 in my zip archives), then Convoi is a pretty reliable alternative and does much of what Conbuilder did.

Mike

[steam4me]

so how long do you think it would take me to do the same

Having collaborated with you on several enhancements to Route Riter over the years, I'd give you a week, tops

[mikesimpson]

In any case, apart from the ability to make consists, what is there in Conbuilder that RR can't do and is really needed?

Mike

[Easilyconfused]

You hit the nail on the head there Mike - it is making consists without using the MS activity editor. The checking facilities are secondary since I always use Route-Riter to check my stock anyway.

I feel really let down by the total lack of support from Joe especially since I donated before the payment regime came into place. As a long term supporter I am really cheesed off and it will put me off donating in future. I have sent a couple of payments for Route-Riter since after the first one you made significant extensions so I am not against the donation concept but again - it only takes one person to poison the well so to speak.

Never had a problem with Activity Analyser either - the payment was accepted and the author provides full support. I know that program is out there on P2P sharing sites also but Ernst hasn't spat the dummy and dumped on his customers.

[douglee]

Hi Mike,

In any case, apart from the ability to make consists, what is there in Conbuilder that RR can't do and is really needed?

You hit the nail on the head there Mike - it is making consists without using the MS activity editor. The checking facilities are secondary since I always use Route-Riter to check my stock anyway.

For me it's the abillity to view the stock I intend to use (via the Shape Viewer link). Because the naming of some models, as you know, is not ideal.
It will show Tenders on their own.
Along with a random consist creator.

Also. The ability to change couplings and/or edit the .eng/.wag file of the highlighted and pictured item without changing pages. Apoligies if RR can do this but it has eluded me if it can.

Good luck
Doug

[rufuskins]

I would echo Doug's sentiments on ConBuilder vis-a-vis the stock viewer, and it is quicker than the apparently longwinded entry to the consist creation area in MSTS RE.

However I will not worry too much and will carry on with RouteRiter as my main checking utility.

{As an aside CB did pick up several errors that weren't picked up by RR; in particular, several WAGon files had the Type as [ Passenger ] rather than [ Carriage ] which was not picked up by RR but was by CB.}

Ruf

[mikesimpson]

I am in the middle of testing the Fix .eng/Fix .sd etc buttons at the moment, funnily no one in 8 years has told me that the .wag file type sometimes does not get the Passenger/Carriage item correct.

RR has had the ability to change couplings for years now (long before Conbuilder). At one time we had a sort of gentleman's agreement that I did not include Conbuilder things and Joe did not include RR bits, but that has all become blurred over the years.

Mike