Replacement for TSUnpack

Hi All,
I'm now in the final stages of developing and testing a program called APKExtractor, which will unpack .apk (MSTS activity) files. A key advantage of it is that it doesn't need MSTS to be installed to run, which makes it very useful for Open Rails-only installations. The only mandatory requirement is that the Route folder name must match that included in the .apk file.

Although I've got some very good testers already, I believe they are primarily MSTS users; I would like a couple of testers who don't have MSTS installed to check the program out. If you'd like to volunteer, please send me a PM with your email address.

Many thanks,
Cheers,
Ged

Hi,
This program, APKExtractor, has now been uploaded to the UKTS and trainsim file libraries. Provided I've done everything correctly, it should become available for download soon - as file ID 34386 on UKTS.

Many thanks to Alec, Andy, Bob, David, Mark and Jeffrey for their patience, help and suggestions. As a result of a suggestion by one of my testers (you know who you are!), there might be another version of this program to incorporate it, but I need to learn more about C# coding, so there are no promises

Cheers,
Ged

Hi All,
I have discovered a circumstance where APKExtractor gets it completely wrong!! Fortunately, it doesn't happen very often, but might become more frequent. It occurs when a matching Route folder is in the same folder as the apk file being unpacked. An example is Stephen's S&DJR activity in UKTS file ID 34432. The fault is due to me leaving some of the original author's coding, for which I apologise

A new version of APKExtractor (3.03) will be uploaded this week to correct this problem.

I have also found a Windows / Registry problem which affects any program in the following scenario :
A new program is installed and the appropriate file type is set to automatically open with that program. If it is subsequently desired to re-install that program to another location, it is not possible to set it to open the same file type automatically. This is because the Registry is still pointing to the program's original location.

This problem only affects XP, Vista and Windows 7 and may be resolved, for APKExtractor, by running APKEx_RegFix, which will be found in the v3.03 installation folder (default C:\MSTS APKExtractor v3), followed by the re-association of the file type, which should now be successful. These instructions have been added to the full readme.

Cheers,
Ged

Hi,
Version 3.03 is now available in the UKTS library, under the same ID as before, 34386, and may be installed over the previous version. Please see the readme for details of the changes.

A new version is being prepared which will allow an apk file to be installed into any one of multiple installations of the same route; this, obviously, only applies to Open Rails users!

As usual, any suggestions, or complaints, are welcome

Cheers,
Ged

Hi All,
The latest (and possibly, final!) version of this program is now available from the Elvastower and trainsim file libraries. The main "guts" of the program haven't changed, but a couple of enhancements (suggested by my testers - thanks, chaps) are included. Full details are included in the ReadMe.  There are some users who are averse to using ReadMe files , so to them, I'd like to suggest the following to avoid possible difficulties :

Unpack the zip file into a temporary folder and run the installer found there-in. The name of the executable and of the default installation folder are the same as for the previous version.*** NOTE : It is recommended that the previous version is NOT uninstalled and that this version is installed into the same folder, otherwise it will be necessary to re-associate .apk files with this version of APKExtractor3.exe

It has been submitted to the UKTS library and is awaiting approval; it will have the same ID as the previous version (34386).

Cheers,
Ged

Many thanks for providing an excellent utility for MSTS, and I am very appreciative of the effort that you have put into this.

I like the latest enhancements to v3.04, It's great that it now lists all instances of a route that are installed, EG: I have NWE v3 installed in my main MSTS and also in a miniroute, now I can choose which one to install an act into, before the update it only gave me the option to install into the route installed in the main MSTS installation, the program is much more flexible now.

Thanks Ged.

Hi Mark,
Thanks, mate - I'm pleased you like it

Cheers,
Ged

Hi All,
This program has been available for some time now and I'm pleased with the number of times it has been downloaded. I've had very little feedback, which usually means that either nobody's using it/doesn't like it or it's working without any problem. I hope it's the latter, because I've been working on another enhancement!

The current version is of most use to Open Rails users because it uses its Profile List. These days, more users are creating their own mini routes to enable large routes (eg NWE3) to run more efficiently in MSTS. This is great, but it makes installing apk files awkward if the user doesn't have Open Rails installed. APKExtractor allows the creation of a zip file, or the installation into any user-specified folder, but there's no validation to ensure the activity is being installed into the correct route.

This enhancement adds the facility to perform a search of specified drives on the user's PC, locating all MSTS installations on those drives and using that information in conjunction with the Open Rail Profiles, if any are present. Duplicates, if any, are eliminated. This will be of most use to MSTS-only users with own-made mini routes, but will also be useful to Open Rails users who don't include all their MSTS routes in the installation profiles. The search does add a very small delay to the whole procedure of installing an apk file.

Although I have a team of excellent testers (many thanks chaps ), as far as I know, only one of them is an MSTS-only user. If possible, I would like a couple more to help test this version - please send me your email address by PM if you'd like to help. I expect it to be available for testing in the first part of next week.

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ged,

Just a quick feed back - I have your MSTS APK Extractor v3 as a desktop shortcut and using it is simplicity itself and so much easier than the original MSTS version.

Thank you,

Stephen

Hi Stephen,
Many thanks for your kind words

Cheers,
Ged

Hi All,
Version 3.05 has now been uploaded to the file libraries at UKTS, trainsim.com and Elvastower.com and should be available very shortly.
Details are as described in my post of 10 Sept. above.

Cheers,
Ged