Is the Theory About .ap Files Correct?

[buzz456]

I did an experiment of my own with this by opening the .ap with Win RAR and editing the F59PHI headlights to cast shadows, replacing the original .bin files. Sure enough, I got ap'ed and the files were reverted back to normal.

And you didn't verify? I am still pretty confuded about this. The switch change that I was talking about over on that other thread is staying fixed and I must have been in and out of the sim a half dozen times or so.

We need to get more input here. What I am seeing so far is seemingly different from what you are seeing. Can we zip these things back up after we change them so unless you verify it will stay changed and why did mine stay changed? Anyone else jump in here?

[latimers]

Phillip,

Exactly how did you do that?

Did you extract the files from the .ap and put them in the old folder structure and then make the modifications? Did you then run a Steam verify? Did you then run TS2014?

Or did you extract the files from the .ap, make the modifications and put them back in the .ap? Did you then run a Steam verify? Did you then run TS2014?

Bob.

[peterhayes]

Do you think that RSC did "plan it of the Aped"
pH

[buzz456]

Do you think that RSC did "plan it of the Aped"
pH

Groan..........

[pschlik]

I did an experiment of my own with this by opening the .ap with Win RAR and editing the F59PHI headlights to cast shadows, replacing the original .bin files. Sure enough, I got ap'ed and the files were reverted back to normal.

And you didn't verify? I am still pretty confuded about this. The switch change that I was talking about over on that other thread is staying fixed and I must have been in and out of the sim a half dozen times or so.

We need to get more input here. What I am seeing so far is seemingly different from what you are seeing. Can we zip these things back up after we change them so unless you verify it will stay changed and why did mine stay changed? Anyone else jump in here?

Phillip,

Exactly how did you do that?

Did you extract the files from the .ap and put them in the old folder structure and then make the modifications? Did you then run a Steam verify? Did you then run TS2014?

Or did you extract the files from the .ap, make the modifications and put them back in the .ap? Did you then run a Steam verify? Did you then run TS2014?

Bob.

I didn't unpack the whole .ap file, I copied files out of it and put them back in later. I would have extracted the whole thing, but it didn't seem necessary. I didn't verify, either, I'm not sure I follow at what I should be doing.

[buzz456]

How did you "put them back in"?

[mikesimpson]

You can put them back in with 7zip, but doing so will change the checksum for the .ap file and next time you verify it, or Steam has a reason to send a new version of the .ap file you will lose your modifications.

As far as I can work out, if the files are in the old type file structure outside of the .ap file, then they should be safe. Unfortunately that does not always seem to be the case. I did not do a verify, but got a new .ap file for one route which probably held a bug fix. When this was received, every file which I had completely unpacked for that route disappeared and only the folder names and the .ap file were left.

Mike

[buzz456]

So we are all in agreement that the game looks at the files outside the .ap and uses them if they are there. Right?

[artimrj]

So we are all in agreement that the game looks at the files outside the .ap and uses them if they are there. Right?

From what Mike is saying it looks that is correct unless the .AP in question gets re-downloaded because of a fix to it.

[buzz456]

So we are all in agreement that the game looks at the files outside the .ap and uses them if they are there. Right?

From what Mike is saying it looks that is correct unless the .AP in question gets re-downloaded because of a fix to it.

I'm trying to fill in the blanks here. And so it remakes the original ap. and just clears everything outside of the .ap.

[peterhayes]

Buzz
That is my understanding ie that any file outside the .ap file structure (obviously in the correct folder and file structure) will be used instead of the same file that is contained within the .ap file.

What we don't know is why a cache verification leaves such files "untouched" but as soon as TS2014 is started again those same modified files are overwritten/removed.

pH
( about the dreadful pun)

[artimrj]

If it was a new .AP yes. If you verify the cache and just get a replacement, then no it won't delete outside stuff. This is my take on it.

[artimrj]

I don't believe when TS starts it is doing it. Seems they are slowly making everything .AP files. The new stuff gets another .AP file if they fix the old making it different and this is what clears out the old folder structures. The creation of a new or fixed .AP file is the culprit.

[buzz456]

Wally pointed out to me one time that one of the reasons his stuff didn't get over written was because it had a different name. We have to find a way to get Steam to ignore this stuff. I suppose the two click idea can work here. I'm just a bit vague on how to do this.

[artimrj]

You would have to copy all of the stuff you want to keep into your 2 click folder structure. Then what we need is some genius here to write us a batch file that will run the 2 click then launch RW. Then every time you run RW you would be sure all your mods were in place.