How to Extract .ap files

[oakpalms]

I have downloaded a caboose that uses the copying of folders to the RW Asset folder and then it requires that I go to a folder under Feather River route to obtain a file and copy/paste that file into the folder of the caboose that I am installing. However, I am using RW 2017 and it looks like the .ap files are not required to be extracted as in previous version of RW and so when I go to the Feather River Route folders they have nothing in them. I know that there was a program to extract files from .ap files, but I am not seeing that program available...at least I can't find it. It would seem that if all of the files for various routes, engines, etc. are buried inside .ap files then that might mean that we will not be able to have repaints made of a lot of new products that will be coming out. Is that a fair assumption?

I am told that the Feather River route .ap file is 16 megabites long. Would it be significantly larger if extracted? Do you know how I can extract the .ap files?

Thanks.

Bob Edwards

[Chacal]

.ap files are zip files. Open them with 7zip or other suitable program. I suggest you associate the .ap extension in Windows with 7zip.

Usually the files are marked read-only inside the .ap archive, so you will need to remove this restriction after extracting if you need to modify the files.
RW-Tools (free) does all this for you with useful functions for managing .ap files.

BTW, .ap were never required to be extracted. Only if you need access to the individual files inside.
And there is no problem with repaints at all, don't worry.

[ET44C4]

7zip or Winrar are good programs to have. I personally use Winrar. (Free download)

[mikesimpson]

Although you can extract files from .ap archives using 7zip or Winrar. The extracted files are then Read Only and must be converted to Read/Write.

If you use my freeware RW_Tools, it extracts the files correctly into their correct folders and renders them Read/write automatically.

See http://www.rstools.info for details, there is also a tutorial on .ap files on the site.

Mike