Shape File Manager Issue

Hi all,
Justin and myself have come across an issue with Shape File manager in Windows 7 that when you load it, you can't seem to Uncompress or doing anything else on the Options? Does anyone else have this problem and know of a work around for it?
But having delved deeper, I may have found a tool that appears to do something similar? Has anyone else come across this site? http://www.rail3d.net/
Under the Downloads section there is a tool that is called MSTS Converter. It may be useful for putting in the HFL section.
Thanks.

Hi Andy.

I had it working in Vista but I had to set its permissions and run as administrator before it would work, so it could be a permissions issue.

That rail 3D converter thingy looks quite interesting.

Hi Mark,
It just appears to be the Compress and Uncompress buttons that aren't working?? Everything else appears to work. If it helps; I'm using Version 2.4a.
Glad I have found/come across something else that may be useful.

Let me know how you get on with that converter program, if it proves to be useful to MSTS users I'll add it to the links list, thanks.

I have SFM located in UTILS\FFEDIT\ within my TS folder; i.e. C:\1MSTS\UTILS\FFEDIT, and I have W7 OS and it works! I have set the permissions up for Full Control.

I have Windows 7 64-Bit? I have checked all my settings and they are and have been set sae as yours Alec. The trouble is the Compress and Uncompress Options don't work!.  

Hi Andy,
I'm running Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit; my Shape File Manager (v2.4a) is located in the MSTS UTILS folder (NOT the UTILS\FFEDIT folder!)
As Alec, I have Security set as Full Control (Everyone).

Cheers,
Ged

Thanks Ged,
I've put it in that folder as well now and getting a little further. I'm now getting the following error message as the screenshot shows!



Thanks.

Also forgot to mention everyone has full Control/Access...

There's a tutorial on Steam4me about SFM, but not sure whether it addresses your problem!

Hi Andy,
Just an idea, because it's a long time since I did it!

Have you clicked on : Click here if FFEDITC_UNICODE.EXE is not in the default location and made sure it's pointing to the correct location?

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Everybody,
Ged, thanks but I have checked that and still getting the same error. 
Does anyone else have any ideas please?
Thanks.

35005CP wrote:
Does anyone else have any ideas please?

An obvious one - assuming you haven't tried this - is to uninstall current one and then reinstall?

Hi Alec,
Apologies for being pedantic, but Shape File Manager isn't installed! It is just placed wherever you want, but I find it's best in UTILS.

There is a new version (2.5) available at trainsim.com.

This is a note, based on the latest readme, but which, I believe, applies to all versions : SFM will look for FFEDITC_UNICODE.EXE in the same folder in which it is located.

Cheers,
Ged

Ged
No need to apologise as it's absolutely vital that advice is accurate. In placing it in FFEDIT in UTILS I was merely following the directions in the Steam4me tutorial, and it's worked perfectly fine for me - I have used it extensively in my FG DMU project. I shall pop over to trainsim and check out the latest version.

Hi Ged,
Further development Update;

I have downloaded the new SFM file v2.5 and although this seems to work better, it looks like it may be breaking .s files when I click on Compress or Uncompress.
I then have to use Route_Riter under the Misc. Options tab there is a button "Fix Bad .s file format'. I can go into SFM only once to Compress or Uncompress a file and to do any others, I have to come out and go back in again!!  
There is a work around if anyone is interessted?? You can do it in route Riter under the MSTS File Utils Tab and by selecting/highlighting all the .s files and clicking on either of the 2 options that are Compress S, T & W Files or Uncompress S.T & W Files.
Might be useful to others if they are experiencing these same problems as me.
Thanks

Hi Andy,
I have just tried v2.5 (only changed an ace file then changed back again!), but it seemed to work OK.
How do you know it's messing up the .s file/s? Is there some error message? After all, if there is a fault with this version, it should be reported to the update author. It's been available for just over a year, and although there have been a few queries, I think they were down to "finger trouble"!

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ged,
Because of the error I received in the screenshot Previously. Also now as few other .S files have gone belly-up! They are showing as 0kb in Unknown Format, which points to (From what I can tell) that they aren't in Unicode Format.
I hope this makes sense?
Cheers

Hi Andy,
Your previous screenshot appears to indicate that the program couldn't get access to a file in the FFEDIT folder, not that there's a problem with the .s file.

I have seen "Unknown format" before, but usually on other routes and before the file/s are uncompressed.

To prove if the file is OK but not in Unicode format, try and open it with NotePad, outside of SFM; if it looks OK (ie 'proper' numbers), use NotePad to save it as Unicode format. If, as I suspect, NotePad shows all sorts of characters, or even nothing much at all, the file is already compressed, but SFM doesn't understand it.

This is only a query - you've been using Route Riter for compressing / uncompressing - are the files it produces compatible with SFM??

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ged,
To your question regarding Route Riter and Compressing/Uncompressing with the files, yes it recognizes them as I have checked in SFM afterwards.
I will try opening the files in Notepad and come back to you later.
That error that I have found actually relates to a .s file, but doesn't give you an exact problem to which file/s.
Cheers

Hi Andy,
Yes, the message says it can't copy TO the TEMP*.s file in FFEDIT. Two temporary files are written, compressed (TEMPDPX.S) and uncompressed (TEMPDP.S) versions of the currently selected .s file. These files are not retained, and if a subsequent .s file is uncompressed, only its details are stored.

Thanks for the info on R-R/SFM - it was only an idea  

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ged,

I think this one may have us stumped! At least there is an alternative.  
I know it was an idea. And I welcome any ideas or something I may have missed? But to me it seems some of the .s files are corrupt and I will try doing as you said using Notepad and save it in a different format. Lets see if this resolves the problems. ;-)

Cheers

35005CP wrote:Thanks Ged,
I've put it in that folder as well now and getting a little further. I'm now getting the following error message as the screenshot shows!



Thanks.

Did anyone else scrolling through this thread get to Ged's pic and then click on the OK button in it out of instinct? DOH!