How to use the .BAK files that RW Tools makes?

[Ericmopar]

I'm stumped.
I haven't had a need to use any of those .BAK, .BAK1 etc files before, and now I have no idea how they work.
I've tried to copy and paste the backup into the existing .bin file, but paste isn't allowed.
I thought maybe if I clicked around I could find a tool in the menu to use the .BAK files, but not that either.
I just found out that RW Tools will "open" them, but there is no visible code to work with.
I'm wondering, just how do you use those .BAK files?

Eric.

[buzz456]

They are the files automatically generated when you make changes. They have no use other than if you really mess things up you can go back to the bak file and use it. In other words they are the backup file to just before you made the last change or the change before that or.....well you get it.

[Ericmopar]

They are the files automatically generated when you make changes. They have no use other than if you really mess things up you can go back to the bak file and use it. In other words they are the backup file to just before you made the last change or the change before that or.....well you get it.

That part I understand, but how do you actually install the backup file?
I've tried a simple copy and paste/overwrite to no avail.
Neither can I find a tool for using those .BAK files. (or instructions on their use)

Normally I make a backup of my assets folder any time I install new assets, like the Challenger, but my brain went missing the other day and I started tinkering before I remembered I hadn't made a backup.

[Samwolf]

Not sure about others, but I just delete the "new file" and rename the .bak file to it's original name.

Class_47.bak becomes Class_47.bin

or

ScenarioProperties.bak becomes ScenarioProperties.xml

[Ericmopar]

Not sure about others, but I just delete the "new file" and rename the .bak file to it's original name.

Class_47.bak becomes Class_47.bin

or

ScenarioProperties.bak becomes ScenarioProperties.xml

I started out to do that yesterday Sam, but couldn't get the file to display in RW Tools.
I just figured it out... You open the .bak file first (which doesn't show any code! Ahaaaa!) but if a person goes to Files and clicks to "open file" it shows the backup and what is in it.
I then figured out to simply delete .bak from the file name and then "files" then the save file function.

What was confusing me, was the lack of visible code when I opened the backup .bin file.
When I open a standard .bin, it opens the code as soon as RW Tools starts. Not so with the .bak files.

Thanks, Eric.

[Ericmopar]

I should add, that Windows doesn't seem to want a person to rename a RWs file for some reason. It lets me rename most other files when playing around and backing up, but not .bin files.
Even with administrator privileges.
If anyone is renaming those .bak files with Windows, I'd like a quick how-to thrown in.

Eric.

[buzz456]

Usually the only thing prohibiting you from changing a bin file is if you have that object open at the time and then it should tell you that you can't do that because it is in use. Is that the message you got?

[Ericmopar]

Usually the only thing prohibiting you from changing a bin file is if you have that object open at the time and then it should tell you that you can't do that because it is in use. Is that the message you got?

No message like that, and I am familiar with the file is open error.
In this case, I actually had to open the .bak file with RW Tools so I could change the file name. edit;(I meant file extension not name.)
With most files, a person can just right click on it, then click on properties in the drop down menu, then change the name in the property window.
This doesn't work for me with the Train Simulator 2013 .bin or .bak files. I have to either double click, or right click then open with RW Tools. When it "opens" there is no code visible with the .bak files for some reason. I then have to open the .bak file a second time using the file option in the upper left corner of RW Tools window.
When I open a .bin file, it just opens up the code when RW Tools starts. That's what I had been expecting with the .bak files.
In any case I figured it out.
The whole thing was very frustrating, because I already suspected what Sam had said about just deleting the .bak file extension. I just was having to go in a round about way to do it.
I wonder why the Windows property box won't let you change the file extension with those .bak files?

For that matter, I haven't been able to change .rar to .zip either. I've been told that if you change .rar to .zip, Windows will extract a .rar file.

[buzz456]

I'm at work but isn't there a button on RWTools that says change all files to read write files or something like that. Maybe your system for some reason thinks these are read only files.

[Ericmopar]

I'm at work but isn't there a button on RWTools that says change all files to read write files or something like that. Maybe your system for some reason thinks these are read only files.

You know...
I did convert all RW files to read-write, but that was some time ago, so some files in my newer DLCs might not be converted??? Hmmmmmm.