TrainPlayer-TrackLayer 3.3.1 Readme
Version 3.3.1.0, Feb 27, 2010
Welcome to Version 3.3.1!
TrackLayer version 3.3.1 is a hefty new revision with several great new features, filling some long-standing gaps. We now have stylish, functioning transfer tables as alternatives to turntables. Cars are now classified with proper AAR codes. Instant roadbed makes quick work of roadbed, streets, and rivers. The chooser system has been analyzed, reworked, simplified, and re-documented. Bugs have been fixed.
To see what's new in this version, look in the help system for "What's New in Version 3.3.1."
If you have been running an earlier version, you may see a new dialog when you start up 3.3.1 -- the "File Organizer." This is part of the simplification effort. It moves layouts and car collections so your local set will be arranged to align with that on the web, as well as deleting duplicate files and the now-obsolete "Standard" collection. Details below.
| Installation | Revision History |
| Installing from CD | License Agreement |
| Upgrading from a Previous Version | Where to Go for Help |
| 3.3.1 File Organizer | Contact |
| Feature Notes | Thank You |
Install directories
The installer delivers two groups of files to different locations on your disk:
Program files: executable, help files, supporting dlls. By default these files go into C:\Program Files\TrainPlayer 3.3, but you are given the opportunity to change this during the install.
Data files: layouts, car collections, scenery, sounds. These go into a TrainPlayer folder in yourApplication Data directory, a system-defined location for writable application files. You cannot change this location during install. The app data directory location differs depending on your operating system; to find out where yours is, use the new Open Data Folder command on the File menu. This calls up Windows Explorer and opens it to your TrainPlayer app data folder.
Troubleshooting Install Problems
Reasons for installation failure include:
Setup file not fully downloaded. After you clicked the Download button on the web, you chose Run, and the installer never started or gave an error message. Try again, this time choosing Save, and specifying a path for the downloaded setup.exe file. After the download completes, check the size of the file and make sure it is the same as that listed on the Download page.
Protection package hangs. The install has been known to hang inexplicably for unknown reasons having to do with the security system. What usually works is to reboot your computer, then download again.
Dll missing. If the program does not start, but instead gives a message about a missing DLL, you will need to obtain this component and put it in your Windows system folder. Check the FAQ on the support page for more information about certain dlls you may not have.
Insufficient privileges. The installation may fail if you do not have administrative privileges on your machine. You will need to log out and log back in as administrator before running the installation.
If the installer fails to run to completion for these or other reasons, please let us know about it and include any error messages you see.
If you have a CD from TrainPlayer, insert it into the drive, wait a bit, and you will see the TrainPlayer CD Installer, a little dialog with three big buttons*:
1. Install Program Files
Click this button to bring up the TrainPlayer 3.3 Setup wizard, which takes you through the same installation procedure as described above.
You may have already done this. If you downloaded the demo or program and went through the wood-grain screens of the setup wizard, then you don't need to do it again. The CD installer dialog helpfully informs you if this is the case.
2. Install Data Files
Click this button to bring up the TrainPlayer Data Installer, a different wizard for installing the data files -- layouts, car collections, sounds, and scenery.
On the first screen, you are given a choice of whether you want to install the layout files to the hard drive or leave them on the CD. (Other types of files are always installed to the hard drive.) Installing to the hard drive has several advantages: (a) the program starts up faster; (b) the layouts open faster; (c) you do not need to leave the CD in the drive; (d) layouts left on the CD do not appear in the Screen Saver.
On the next screen, if you opted to install layouts to the hard drive, you can choose which layout sets to install. You can install your favorites and leave the rest on CD for occasional use. Checkmark the sets you want to install and click Go.
3. Start Program
Click this button to launch the newly-installed program, TrainPlayer or TrackLayer. This automatically closes the CD Installer.
Other ways to start the program are (a) double-click the TrainPlayer 3.3 icon on your desktop, or (b) choose TrainPlayer 3.3 from the Start > TrainPlayer 3.3 menu.
* If the dialog does not come up automatically after inserting the CD, open Windows Explorer, navigate to the root of the CD drive, and double-click setup.exe.
Note: if you purchased a TrackLayer CD, it contains the full set of premium layouts and cars, almost. Not all of it would quite fit on a 700MB disk. The following layouts are not on the disk, but may be downloaded from the web tab of your chooser: Bruno sets FEC, Janesville, Port of Montreal, UK Sites, Umgeni Steam Railroad, and about twenty individual plans; Baustert, eight of the larger plans.
Upgrading from a Previous Version
If you have been running an earlier version of TrainPlayer or TrackLayer, the following is for you.
No uninstall required
You do NOT need to uninstall your current version before running the 3.3.1 installer. If your current version is 3.3, the installer will update your program and data files. If it is earlier than 3.3, the new install will go into a different location, so you can continue running the old version even after the new is installed.
Cost
Upgrading to 3.3.1 from 3.x is free. When you install 3.3.1, your existing license will continue to work and provide you the same features and content you had before. To add features, you can upgrade using the Purchase Upgrade dialog on the Help menu. Upgrades are priced from $29 to $59, depending on what license you have and what product you want.
Uninstalling an Earlier Version
If you have been running an earlier version, take heed before you uninstall it: in some older installers, the full set of layouts was included, so if you uninstall, these will be removed.
The recommended procedure is as follows:
Locate your older folder of layouts. This might be under C:\Program Files\TrainPlayer\Layouts.
In Windows Explorer, rename the old Layouts folder to something else, say "Older Layouts."
Now you can safely uninstall the older program without deleting the layouts.
Add the older layouts to your 3.3 chooser tree by (a) dragging the folder into the tree from Windows Explorer (this does not move the files, it just adds pointers to them), or (b) in Windows Explorer, drag the folder into the Layouts folder on the disk, then refresh the chooser tree or restart the program.
If you have any trouble with the merge or upgrade process, please let us hear about it.
3.3.1 File Organizer
If you have been running an earlier version of TrainPlayer, chances are you have some layouts and car collections not in optimum locations. The system works best if you have the same arrangement on your local disk as on the web.
For example, on your machine you may have a car collection at the root level, like "Cartypes\Amtrak." On the web this is located under "Cartypes\Standard\Amtrak." The Organizer fixes this problem by moving your local collection from one folder to the other.
If you already have a copy of the web version -- that is, you have both Amtrak and Standard\Amtrak -- then the Organizer takes a different action: it deletes one and leaves the other in place. In this situation, you are warned before the deletion and given the chance to skip it, which leaves both collections where they are.
Finally, the Organizer deletes the "Standard" collection if you have it. In 3.3.1, this collection is called "Default," and a new copy is delivered by the installer.
If you see the Organizer on starting the program: it tells you what it is going to do. Read what it says, then:
- Click Yes to perform the indicated actions. You will be prompted for any duplicate layouts or collections to be deleted.
- Or click No to skip the process and continue to the program. If the box "ask me again next time" is checked, then you will get the alert again the next time you start up.
- Once you run the procedure successfully, or click No with the box unchecked, or manually arrange your collections so that no changes are needed, then you will not see the dialog again.
The TrainPlayer Screen Saver is included with all licensed products. It is installed automatically, but before it will show up, you need to activate it. Here's how for Windows XP. The steps are the same for Vista and Windows 7 but the command names are not quite.
Activating the Screen Saver
Right-click your Windows desktop. From the context menu, choose Properties. This brings up the Display Properties dialog.
Click the Screen Saver tab.
In the "Screen saver" drop-down list, choose "trainplayer." After a short delay, the sample screen should show you the Turtle Creek.
Click Preview if you want to see it in action. To stop, click the mouse button.
Click Settings to view and adjust screen saver preferences.
Choose other screen saver properties, such as wait time.
Click OK. When the specified wait time elapses, the screen saver will start.
For more info and operating instructions (yes, you can operate it), see the Screen Saver chapter in online help or the user manual.
New features in 3.3.1 include the following. The manual has been updated to include these topics -- see the What's New in 3.3.1 page near the beginning of the manual.
Transfer tables: slow-motion lateral tables for transferring locomotives from one track to another. Customize and decorate to suit, using scenery tools.
AAR codes: official codes for classifying car types. All our web car collections have been updated with the new codes -- re-download the sets you use and get proper car classes.
Instant roadbed: convenient shortcut for making perfect track roadbed, streets, roads, rivers. Draw some track, click once, and you have scenic roadbed fitted to the track.
Open Data File: no longer do you have to wade through Windows Explorer trying to find your TrainPlayer data files -- now one click takes you there.
Chooser revamp: Version 3.3.1 features a significant rework of all web and local choosers, with a simplified system for handling files and trees. You can read about it in the manual, or just give it a try and see if it doesn't make things easier.
3.3.1.01, Feb 27 2010
Friendlier welcome dialog
Clear old paths in installer
Fix problems with missing Standard car collection; reinstate Standard on web in case needed
Fix crash on draw of faulty car top image
3.3.1.0, Feb 22 2010
Initial release of 3.3.1
-- TrainPlayer License Agreement --
Thank you for downloading TrainPlayer software. This agreement says: enjoy the program on whatever computers you have, and don’t give away your license key.distribute the installer freely. Without a license key, the installer is a free demo version.
use layouts as delivered with the program or downloaded from the TrainPlayer web site, in accordance with your license. You will not be able to download layouts for which you are not licensed.
request support by e-mail.
If you have not purchased a license, you may use the trial version free for the extent of the trial period. The trial version does not have the full set of features of the licensed version, and comes with only a small set of layouts. After the trial period expires, you must purchase a license or request an extension by e-mail.
You may not:
distribute, post, or make public any license key we provide.
modify the software or documentation.
distribute, post, or make public images, tpg files, or screen captures of any Kalmbach layout.
make copies of the distributed CD, except for your own personal use as backup.
Track plans from "101 Track Plans for Model Railroaders," "Model Railroader," and "Model Railroad Planning" are copyright (c) Kalmbach Publishing Co. You are permitted to use the images within TrainPlayer and TrackLayer only.
-- Disclaimer of Warranty --
This software and the accompanying files are sold "as is" and without warranties as to performance or merchantability or any other warranties whether expressed or implied. Because of the various hardware and software environments into which this software may be put, no warranty of fitness for a particular purpose is offered.
The program is not without bugs. If you find one, we encourage you to report it, and we will do our best to fix it in an upcoming ver
sion.If you have problems, suggestions, complaints, ideas, or bug reports: send e-mail.
| web | www.trainplayer.com |
| info@trainplayer.com | |
| forum | groups.yahoo.com/group/TrainPlayer |
| 4200 Arcadian Dr., Castro Valley, CA 94546 | |
| phone | 707 320-4246 |
for your support.