Explanation Please !

Can anyone explain what is wrong here please, it seems to come up when I try to restart a saved game ?

 Thankyou.  Neanderthal.

Hi Roger,
If you're a member, it'd be much better to post this sort of query over at elvastower.

Also, it's essential that you attach the Open Rails log to your post.  That way, the experts over there will have a better chance to give you a 'good' answer

The message seems to indicate that a file can't be found due to invalid characters in its path (this is not, usually, a Path as used in an activity!).  Have you been changing any sound (.sms) or cabview (.cvf) files?  If so, I could suggest that you run my MSTS_Check on the errant installation.

Cheers,
Ged

Hello Ged, no I have not done either as far as I'm aware, though last week I did add some acts from UKTS in which I was asked to overwrite some files. Maybe thats it !The word ILLEGAL was what worried me most. The Act is 4 hours long, so I don't think I'll be likely to run it without making any Saves. Oh well I live and learn   . Thank you Neanderthal.

Just a quick reply, I ran your MSTS Thingy and found   - 443 Sound errors - 98 Cabview errors. I'm surprised it runs at all.      Cheers Neanderthal.

Hi Roger,
Things might not be as bad as they seem!
The program checks ALL sound and cabview files in the installation, and there's a chance that not all them are used.

Although it might not help, may I suggest that you also run MSTS_ActMan on that activity. It will show up any problems with the paths for loose consists files and those in 'real' consists files.

Cheers,
Ged

Right before anything else am I on the right track,and if so what am I meant to do !

Regards Neanderthal

HI Roger,
First of all, mate, thank you for identifying a bug!  In this message, the Service file name isn't shown!

Secondly, you don't need to do anything about that error (first character is whitespace)!  Under certain conditions and with certain files, MSTS seems to object to file names with leading spaces; it does not apply in this case.  Neither MSTS nor Open Rails complains, so please ignore the message.

The Path ID you indicated on the screenshot is not the one with the leading space!

Cheers,
Ged

O dear, it goes to show my excellence at anything to do with PC's,   Thank you Ged.

Hi Roger,
No problem, mate
Without communications like these, I wouldn't be aware of small bugs in my programs.  BIG bugs, like if a program falls over, I soon get told about!!

Dating from last December there are a couple of minor fixes to be made in MSTS_ActMan, so, with one, or, maybe, two, new ones identified, it's time for me to get my finger out and create a fixed version!  It won't be immediate because I've got to further investigate the 'leading space' problem.

Cheers,
Ged

One last question Ged, you said to report my problem to OR, which I will do, but how do I copy the Log onto the Message. Do I open the Log and copy and Paste the contents, or what..? Roger

Hi Roger,
To answer your question, the best way is to make a .zip file of the log and attach it to your post or message.

But, first, as it may not be an Open Rails bug, but a data error, can you tell me if the error occurred immediately on starting the activity, or some time into it?  If the latter, about how long?

I'm asking this because the OR team will need to have full details of the route, activity and stock, together with the conditions which lead to the error; this can, sometimes, be difficult to determine!

If WE can find the exact cause of the error, we'll have a better idea as to whether it is a bug or not.

I'm assuming that you've not made any changes to the activity, or stock used, in which case, I should be able to run the activity under the same conditions.  Which version of Open Rails are you using?

Cheers,
Ged

Hello Ged,that's not such an easy question to answer, and now its also happening on other Routes.I can pause the games,and then carry on,its just after making a save (Tea Break) that when I come back the game will not resume ,BUT ITS ONLY AFTER MAKING A SAVE .

So the one that I first discovered it on was NWE v3 "Rails from Workington" which had resumed the day before.as per usual.its four hours long
So it was saved at about 2 hours. When it failed to resume yesterday I decided to start again from the beginning, but just out of Curiosity I made a save 30 mins in it would not resume.

I must admit that had me wondering so i tried an Act on my Bala Hub, no alterations or add on's ,ran for 5 mins, made a save, refused to resume.

I think maybe this is a PC faulf, so today I will "Unstore " everything  from Open Rails and do a full deep Virus Scan of all my MSTS , and see what happens when I put them back into OR.

PS...I had a very large Windows update ,not sure what effect if any that may have had. Thanks for your input, maybe worth me re-installing all my MSTS from Scratch without including anything that doesn't come on a Disc ? Roger.

Isn't it funny that I have TS whatever year it is now, and the DMU Sim:, but always want to use the oldest one (it's still the Best) Roger.

Hi Roger,
Thank you !
You'll be pleased to know that it's not your system!
Last night, I thought I'd run the activity you first reported the problem with and saved when I got to Arenig (because it was getting late!!).
Tried resuming just now and got the 'invalid characters in path' message.

I used the ORNYMG .119.

I'm going to do some checks and will come back.

Cheers,
Ged

Ged Mine doesn't say "Invalid Characters" it says Illegal... dont know if that makes any difference though
.
I've been waiting for the Police to come knocking !
PS; what is ORNYMG.119..?

Hi Roger,
My apologies - I tend to use 'invalid' and 'illegal' to mean the same thing!

To clear one thing up - ORMYMG is the MonoGame (MG) version of Open Rails; the current revision is 122.

This problem is turning out to be a bit of a pig!!
First of all, I tested with the v1.4 Stable version and the latest Testing version, T1.4-450.  Neither of these failed when resuming from a save!
From this, I have to assume that you are using the MG version - could you please confirm?

I did three separate tests, one without any Loose Consists, then removed all the AI Services, then removed all the wagons from the Player consist.  Only then, did it resume without an error!  
To cut a long story a little shorter, I restored one of the wagons .....  and got an error, although this time it was different - not illegal character but index out of range.  Very peculiar!
I replaced the contents of the "HeavyFreight" consist with a default Class 50 and two Mk1 coaches.  This time, I got no errors on 'Resume' so can only put it down to something in the original wagons, but there don't seem to be any problems with the sounds used by them.
That's where I am at present, still digging!!

You may have noticed a message on-screen when you start the activity regarding "Tender coal supply is empty".  This refers to the "Prince" loco; its tender has  Type ( Freight ) which should be changed to  Type ( Tender )  to avoid that message appearing.
Also, you'll probably notice that the driving wheels of "Prince" revolve very slowly - this is the result of a fix for the old MSTS problem of "speedy wheels"; the solution is to change the wheel radius in the .eng file, but I've not yet sorted out what it should be.

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Roger,
Oh dear - age must be affecting my memory!!

Back in February, I reported a very similar 'resume' problem with the Woodhead route.
It only affected a vacuum-braked loco hauling unbraked wagons, again, not a problem with v1.4 Stable or Testing versions, only with the MG version.
For now, the solution is to uncheck 'Simple Controls & Physics' in the Options > Simulation tab.
If you've got access to Elvastower, this is the link :  http://www.elvastower.com/forums/index.php?/topic/35983-resume-error-message-the-path-is-not-of-a-legal-form/

MG 119 was concurrent at the time and no fix has yet been applied (as far as I know!)

Cheers,
Ged

Crikey Ged , you lost me in the first sentence. I'm in single player Mode if that's what you mean, and as for Prince surely thats on the Ffestiniog Route,not Bala.

As to your latest post I had altered over to simple controls as all the Trains (even the ones you cannot release the Brakes on) seem to work then. I will turn off Simple Controls and see what happens.
EDIT
Well; you can knock me down with a feather, CURED. I was having trouble the other week with a Train that wouldn't stop (No Brakes at all) and was told to try it using "Simple Controls" and while I still could not stop the train in question I found that certain Trains that wouldn't start (could not release the brakes)  could now be driven . So it cured the one problem, and only now through you the connection has been made.So thank you very very much ,you've made my day

Hi Roger,
I don't know about my "first sentence" confusing you - I can't see anything which might suggest I'm NOT in single player mode!!

Regarding the current activity, as you're waiting to depart, "Prince" rolls by with some wagons on the narrow gauge track - haven't you noticed it?!
Also, on another track is "Taliesin", with the same problem and, in the opposite direction, another copy of "Prince".

If you wish to make them display correctly in Open Rails (and MSTS with Bin Patch), make the following amendments :
Folder : UKNG_BH_Prince     File : #UKNG_BH_Prince.eng      Line 144 = WheelRadius ( 2.0213m )    Change to  WheelRadius ( 0.305m )
Folder : UKNG_BH_Taliesin  File :  #UKNG_BH_Taliesin.eng   Line  181 = WheelRadius ( 2.2148m )    Change to  WheelRadius ( 0.405m )
The replacement values are 'real' and taken from the appropriate website.

There are 3 other narrow gauge locos which, from looking at their .eng files, will have the same problem.  They should be changed similarly.

CHeers,
Ged

Well Ged ,what can I say, Terrific. All done. No I hadn't noticed Prince sneaking up on me, though I had seen the two on the far line. Nothing for it I'll have to go to Specsavers.

Started my 4 hour trip made 3 saves 20,30 and 45mins,all resumed with no problem. Thank you so very much ..Roger.

You've got to be impressed with NG engines that have 7' 3" radius wheels!

Hi Alec,
I hope you're keeping well in these, still, very uncertain times.

It's amazing the solutions that were found to get around the problems with the original MSTS!!

Cheers,
Ged