TS Classic dowloading all my DLC routes...yet again

[august1929]

I can't be alone in running TSC with a very pared down Routes folder. Mine typically, when Steam/DTG allows it, usually only contains about 15 routes, very nearly all non commercial. Yet again this morning, however, I am having to wait for the dozens of Steam acquired DLC routes to be reacquired, probably finishing in about an hour or so...

This was rarely a problem, I think the first time it happened to me was earlier this year, but this makes the 3rd time. As far as I am aware I have not altered any settings in the Steam interface with TSC. I have always run the sim online, and in any case I assume that the sim would just update anyway as soon as I went back online.

Anyone else suffering a similar fate...just concerned that this is now becoming a regular Steam trick...the irritating thing is that I will just be deleting the offending routes as I already have them backed up from last month...

Rod

[buzz456]

You have them unchecked and yet it D/L them anyway? All the stuff I have unchecked in my library never gets D/L. I would suspect something is goofed up in your Steam configuration. Anyone else know about what might cause this?

[wacampbell]

I also have most of my routes turned off and I don't see Steam redownloading them.

As Buzz says, are you using this screen to disable your unwanted routes?

[august1929]

Thanks Buzz & Wayne. If you turn off the routes does it not also remove the relevant assets from the Asset folders?

Probably doesn't matter though for most of them.

Rod

[wacampbell]

Thanks Buzz & Wayne. If you turn off the routes does it not also remove the relevant assets from the Asset folders?

Probably doesn't matter though for most of them.

Rod

Yes it does remove the assets. I see your problem, you want to keep the assets but not the route.

The solution may be to run the game out of a separate install. Just copy your Railworks folder from SteamApps\Common to anywhere you want on your hard disk. Like we used to do 'mini-routes' in MSTS. Run Railworks.exe from that folder. The advantage is steam leaves it alone. The disadvantage ( maybe actually an advantage ) is steam doesn't update it either. You have to periodically recopy the Railworks folder from SteamApps\Common when you want to do an update. I've been running this way for many years now. When I am working on a commercial route project, I create a separate Railworks install for it. It allows me to ensure that it doesn't have any stray dependencies on other routes since its the only route in the install. I also think it loads and runs better during development. Probably more info than you wanted ... haha.

Wayne

[Chacal]

Another possibility is to extract the assets you want to keep from the .ap files before you uninstall the dlcs.
Normally Steam should leave those files alone.
It sounds logical but I haven't tested it.

[august1929]

Mini routes in MSTS - Yes! ...Now that also takes me back to the very early days of Railworks, pre and just post Steam. I used to have about 5 installations of railworks that worked very well indeed. I think I did try that once in Steam, for a while, but found it a bit of a pain for some reason - abandoned the idea.

I am looking at a core of probably 15 US routes and around 20 UK routes, mostly non Steam DLC - Will follow up on your suggestion Wayne. To be honest, most of the Steam DLC, acquired on a whim, doesn't contribute towards anything else and I can use TS-Tools to identify what I do need. UK routes do tend to lean heavily on about 10 routes which I wouldn't object to being permanently on display.

Chacal, the extraction method could work - I think the only asset wipeout has occured in the past when routes have been newly placed inside .ap files (having previously been within a normal folder structure). Once inside a .ap the sim appears to ignore the rest.

Rod

[mindenjohn]

Chacal's suggestion does work but keep a copy of the extracted files as for e.g. "ShermanHillAssets" in the folder (as distinct from "ShermanHillAssets.AP") then if you should "lose" any you have the main body still there. If you should have any re-paints this ensures you keep them , provided you update this file as well as the RailVehicles\...\... etc file. It does work; Steam looks for the .AP folder not this one.

[august1929]

Well - thank you all!

Set up the base Railworks files in a separate drive (this one called Railworks_UK...others to follow), transferred one route across, checked TS-Tools for all route and scenario requirements (took some time but should get quicker as time goes on for other routes), made myself a .bat file to open Railworks64.exe with the only command line I use (-followaitrain) and with a shortcut to my desktop then...doubleclick and away I go!

Thank you Buzz, Wayne, Chacal & Mindenjohn - totally happy here

Rod