Reinstall RW3 Mods with 2-Clickz (Basic)

[up_8677]

What the batch file is doing is copying over a mirrored file structure to your railworks folder. For example lets say you have the SD70ACe horn from b737lvr. You would first unzip his files to a folder and read the readme...

[...]

Thank you!!!! Exactly what I needed to know. So I need to make an exact copy of the path(s) for each modification I make. Makes sense.


I'm more of a *nix bash/sh guy and I know only what I need to know about windows shell programming/batch files.

[Machinist]

Thank you Dan for helping understand how it works!

I didn't advance yet because DanteInvidia is creating a GUI tool based in the same concepts. I have a lot of tricks to add to the batch and mirrored folder, making it even more usefull (as the demo I sent to you).

The good thing is that you can merge all the RW Tools packs into the \reinstall easily. If SP1 had changed the folder structure of \Content (was announced but likely didn't happen, as I expected), both RW_AssetSetup.exe and RW_RouteSetup.exe would be broken until Mike issue new versions, which would have to replace the existing installers in each RW Tools pack.

And also, but no least, you can put into the \reinstall any rwp file (a slow install system, even if you join all rwp together in a single folder) using the basic steps in the "Manual", or (for advanced users) directly unzipping the rwp into \reinstall using WinRar or 7-Zip.

Cya around,
Doc.

[up_8677]

Thanks to Papa's directions I have a reinstall folder for all my custom sounds and the BritKits couplers for all the locos and rollingstock.

[mojo12012]

Hi Doc, a while since you first posted and I asked the first of my many questions. Now with the recent update, I need something else to be clarified. With the AP lighting and sounds packs, for example, you unzip them and get an exe. file which automatically installs the modifications. As I'm not familiar with where AP places these mods I didn't build them into the REINSTALL structure as I did with the copy and paste files, which work fine, or the rwp. files which I unzipped after renaming them. In your instructions you state that exe. files would come with a name such as setup.exe, and also a \railworks folder containing the expanded assets and content. This is where I get stuck as I can't find a \railworks folder containing the expanded assets and content with the AP packs. All that is presented is the exe. file which does the installation. Do I have to find where AP has installed the mods and then copy them back into the REINSTALL structure, or is there some more straightforward way? 2-Clickz has already saved me a lot of hassle but I'd like to be able to work this bit out. Hope this makes sense? Many thanks.

[Chacal]

This .exe may be a self-extracting archive, i.e. a program and data combined into a single .exe.
Usually these will, when executed, create a temporary folder and unzip the files in them. You can copy those files for your reinstall script.
ALso, it may be possible to open the .exe with an archive program such as Winzip or 7zip and copy the files from within the archive.

[mojo12012]

Hi Chacal, thanks for your suggestion. I tried with winzip and 7zip but all it gives me is set up. Would it unzip the assets/contents to the Windows temp folder do you think?

[Machinist]

With the AP lighting and sounds packs, for example, you unzip them and get an exe. file which automatically installs the modifications. As I'm not familiar with where AP places these mods I didn't build them into the REINSTALL structure as I did with the copy and paste files, which work fine, or the rwp. files which I unzipped after renaming them.... Do I have to find where AP has installed the mods and then copy them back into the REINSTALL structure, or is there some more straightforward way?

Pat,

It's simpler than you wonder ever!

When the .exe AP installer ask you which is the Destination folder to install the pack:
just change the default line "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\railworks"
browseing, for example, to your known (drive letter):\#REINSTALL\railworks folder, or whatever you named it...

That simple, huh?! It works also for any installer asking you where to install the pack... gotcha?

Cheers,
Doc.

Edit later: for instance, AP and 3DTrains stuffs (lightings, sounds, ToD, scenery, rails etc.) are outstanding, all must have, I have a lot of them (also in \#REINSTALL folder, of course).

[mojo12012]

Wow Doc, that simple, eh? I'll try it tomorrow. Thanks once again.

[mojo12012]

Hey Doc, a real work of art. Spent a long time installing the exe. files to REINSTALL, and changing the rwp. to zip files to access their contents, as advised. Once REINSTALL was loaded up I hit the button. As far as I can see, total success. Checked some random folders and scenarios, and the mods are safely installed. Once again, many thanks. With this working so well I wonder what else you could add to it to increase its function, as you mentioned previously: " I have a lot of tricks to add to the batch and mirrored folder, making it even more usefull (as the demo I sent to you)."
Railworks SP1 doesn't seem to have had any detrimental affect on its workings.

[Machinist]

Thank you, Pat.

Day by day 2-Clikz feature is becoming even more trick and usefull. And it has a good potential concerning to fast changes we can do, when RSC change folder's structure of game further, keeping \#REINSTALL folder fully usable, which basicly means a lot of time saved each update or verifying cache.

Since one month ago, I'm working directly with \#REINSTALL folder. What I mean? Instead of install a mod directly into the game (re-paint, sound etc.), I install the mod into the \#REINSTALL and then launch the batch. Batch makes the job to install into the game, so I saved time: one single install operation to get mods installed and ready to be re-installed at any time further: 2-Clickz and yep done! Of course I use to do this when I'm sure I'll use that mod. If I initially I wanna only check the mod (if is good and worth a definitive installation), I install it in a kind of "Test" \railowrks back up folder, and only then into the game's "normal" \railworks folder.

Cya around,
Doc.

[mojo12012]

Hi Doc, I have held off updating to TS2013 while all the bruh hah settles down. I have decided as a compromise to keep my current TS2012 on a separate drive, copy it over to a new drive and update that one. Will 2-Clickz work for the new version, presuming the file structure hasn't changed around too much? I presume I need to adapt the REINSTALL folder to point to my new TS2013 folder?

[Machinist]

Hi Mojo,

I am too much busy this week to test extensively the 2-Clickz but in my first attemp (in a copy of a clean TS2013 installation, couple days after the release) it worked so far I could test. I have more than 200 mod assets almost 5GB file size, they were installed in less than 3 minutes, so it's quite impossible to know if everything is still OK. Some problems I noticed are simer4 and krellnut engines sounds, but that was in my very early attemp when not all default scenarios of RW3 were fixed yet, but that looks like a change in TS2013 when playing sounds.

Since the file's structure seems hasn't change too much, it is (was) expected to work. The problem is that almost every day a new silent (or ninja, as Chris from Arizona uses to say) update comes with no previous warning, so I'll wait till next week to reinstall everything again, in another clean copy of TS2013 instalation.

So in fact the problem is check what changed or not with TS2013, seems to be there are a lot of small and detailed changes, and unfortunely there is no helpfull information from RSC about them. And also check how each modification has affected your previous mod (that's seems to be the case of engines sounds). The risk is you override a new subtle feature/detail with the old mod settings, but that has nothing to do with the 2-Clickz feature, the purpose of the feature is build the REINSTALL Folder once, and forget about reinstalling each mod after a veryfing of game cache, and in this concern the feature is still usefull, at least for me.

Wheter a certain old mod was changed, or not, it is up to every mod creator update the mod if the case, and then you can include into the REINSTALL Folder the new mod's version. Even in this case the feature reaches its purpose: build the folder to (re)install once, and then only 2-Clickz to go.

However one thing is being very helpfull is the "CLEAR Cache.bat" that comes along with the pack, it is still working flawlessly, you can run it whilst in game (yes!), all you need to do is exit the scenario, run the .bat, and start scenario again with no need of relaunch/restart the game (countless save of time, you bet!). The first time you clear cache it takes a bit more of time (1.5 minute or so in my rig), but from second time ahead (because the files paths are now in Windows cache memory) it takes only 3-4 seconds.

Cheers,
Doc.

[Chacal]

Some problems I noticed are simer4 and krellnut engines sounds, but that was in my very early attemp when not all default scenarios of RW3 were fixed yet, but that looks like a change in TS2013 when playing sounds.

Someone mentioned in a different thread that 2013 no longer loads Kuju assets by default. Thay have to be enabled in the scenario editor. If that's true, this pretty much screws up a lot of mods, including the sound mods, that put references to Kuju assets in blueprints.

[Machinist]

Yeap, Chacal.

I've just read you talking about in another thread, and this is a very sad news for mod users. Sometimes that's the price to pay for improvements in game, you never get a new result whether you continue to do the things in the same way.

Not always is at a loss though, I've just checked the following:
1) Starting the game automatically loads the cache for the \Kuju\RailSimulatorCore folder, as was used to happen before with RW3, nothing new here.
2) Openning Sherman Hill route is loading only the cache for the \RSC\ShermanHill folder, but not for the \Kuju\RailSimulatorUS folder, as was used to happen when you were using any US route.
3) However, openning Horseshoe Curve route (and probably other US RW3 routes) loads cache for the \Kuju\RailSimulatorUS folder (and many others), as used to happen.
4) Openning London to Brighton route happpens the quite the same of #2, ie is loaded the cache for the \RSC\BrightonMainLine and also \RSC\UKLEDSignals01 folders, but not again \Kuju\RailSimulator folder (used for UK assets).
5) Openning SDJR route (and probably other UK RW3 routes) loads cache for the \RSC\Bath Temp and the \Kuju\RailSimulator folders (among others).

Bottom line (more or less): In order to speed up and not overload memory with not needed stuff, thay are now only loading cache of related route. Therefore many mods will no long work with new TS2013 routes (I mean those that come along built-in only with TS2013), but the old RW3 routes weren't not affected, yet. For the TS2013 routes (doesn't matter if they had RW3 versions) many old mods will not work unless you use scenario editor to check the related blueprint pack in the flyout, once now thay are not being checked by default by route's creator.

An unwarned change in game, unfortunately.

Good luck, for you.
Doc.

[mojo12012]

Maybe a bit beyond my expertise but would it not be possible to copy over the Kuju folder from TS2012 and merge it with the current one? Would the old scenarios then work?