220hotwheels

Hi Simon Well you're right it does work brilliantly. Hmmm, so much for the auto routing system. No doubt as I begin to tweak things on my layout it will be possible to mix and match but for now your solution is Numero Uno. I have a few thoughts that might help with the poor driver behaviour so if I get those to work then I'll let you know. Otherwise I plan to sell all of my shares in the 3D Train Studio driver insurance company and set up a vehicle repair shop!!! Once again many thanks for your assistance. Pete

Hi Neo In that case all I can do is wait until it happens again and then see if I can locate the errors log at that time and send it through to you. Kind regards Peter

Hi Neo I've worked through the directories as your suggested and got to 3-Modellbahn Studio V7 but the only sub directories are Cache, Catalog and settings.xml plus of course my backup file and mbp file for the layout. Would you be so kind as to advise where I might find the errors.log please. Kind regards Pete

Hi Simon Just picked up your solution so will give it a try tomorrow. By the looks of it it should solve my problems so many thanks for that. Pete

@Neo Hi Neo I have been experiencing occasional program crashes since upgrading to V7, in much the same way that I did with V6 after upgrading to that version. I have sent an explanation via the site but thought the attached screenshot might help. When it has appeared before I have not been quick enough to capture the screenshot. I had been working in the program, saved what I had done and updated my *.mbp file, so nothing lost. I simply minimized the screen so it sat on my task bar and went into Google to sort out some emails etc. When I closed Google I had the error message that I replied to and after sending that I clicked on the 3D icon in the task bar and was greeted with the info as per the screenshot. Back in the program everything is fine, nothing lost but clearly there is an issue somewhere. Unfortunately I would be unable to send you my mbp file as it is now around 5200kb unless there is some other way that I can send it to you. I do also run a regular backup copy as well but that is now over 6000kb Your thoughts on this anomaly would be very much appreciated. Kind regards Peter

Hi Goetz That's absolutely no problem. Only when it fits in will be absolutely fine. I am in no particular rush, just like to solve problems at some point. For now I need to spend some time on the airport taxiways, and much more to achieve a more realistic airport. Your advice at some point, when it is convenient, will be brilliant. I hope you enjoy your visit with your Dad. Kind regards Pete

@GoetzHi Goetz I have another issue that I would like your help with please. Having introduced an airport into my layout I am in the process of sorting out passenger parking. The layout itself seems straightforward, setting the test route seems straightforward. The test car stops in the appropriate parking bay and after a given period of time will reverse out of the bay ready to continue on it's way. However instead of continuing it simply goes back into the parking bay. I have tried several different options but all to no avail. Clearly with V6 it would simply be a case of set the switch for parking bay D4 from 1 to 0 but that does not seem possible with V7. I have tried my Hercule Poirot bit within EV but nothing seems to solve this issue. Clearly there is a solution but I cannot find it . Would you be so kind as to point me in the right direction please. Kind regards Pete

Hey, don't worry. I can take it. I do so appreciate your guidance in these matters. I have been pondering on and off during the afternoon and come to the conclusion that MBS is a bit like a murder mystery movie or book. The obvious is never the answer, you need to dig deeper and use the "little grey cells" more. Perhaps that's one reason there is no detailed manual, we are all being trained to be investigators!!!!! That so then it's not a bad thing. Kind regards Pete

Many thanks for that. I tried all sorts to try to get the same wording on that particular section as in the example from Brummi but all I got was either target speed or automatic deceleration but not both. Obviously I did not know where else to find the right wording. Now I do. I am most grateful. I take your point too about looking for the new rather than concentrating on the old. The more knowledge I gain the wider will be my search method, so onwards and upwards, as they say. Progress can be very addictive once you have mastered the overall concept. Kind regards Pete

Hi Goetz There is always something no matter how careful I think I've been. Anyway many thanks for spotting that. I've made the relevant change, if that is all I needed to do, but still nothing works. Perhaps I have upset the railway unions!! or just plain clumsy somewhere else in my EV. Now that won't be the first time!! I have taken the liberty to attach my updated version. As you can see my traffic lights are working perfectly. My next experiment in that area will be to try to ensure there are no pushy drivers wanting to cross lanes at the junction and thereby incurring the wrath of the insurance companies but before that perfect level crossings await. Pete traffic light and level crossing test layout.mbp

@Roter Brummerand @Goetz Good morning to you both As seems to be the way with me, I feel I have completed my current learning task regarding the level crossing aspect by accurately following the example supplied by you, Brummi, but clearly there has to be something that I have either got wrong or totally overlooked. The only bit that I know for sure that is not quite as shown in your example refers to the "set property/variable" for both closing and opening the barriers. In your example the property shows as "automatic deceleration (target speed) =0 or automatic deceleration (target speed)=50" but I have been unable to get this precis wording. I can locate either one or the other from the drop down menu but not both. Could this be the reason for things not working or is there something else. I have attached my result thus far and would appreciate you taking a look and letting me know what I am not seeing please. Many thanks Pete traffic light and level crossing test layout.mbp

Your comment about loosing patience with V7 does surprise me. Whilst I can concur that nothing is ever perfect my impression of V7 thus far is nothing but positive. For the element that I am most interested in, layout design first and technical aspects second I find it a vast improvement on V6 offering much greater flexibility. Even the technical elements that I have started to get involved with, in particular the routing of road vehicles along with the implementation of traffic lights at junctions has proved to be more straightforward than I had thought, albeit with the invaluable assistance of members in the forum. Overall I personally think V7 is absolutely great. If I had any less positive comment to make then it would not be directed at V7 but at every version and that is the lack of an informative manual that might provide a learning platform that would leave one feeling more independent and less reliant on the expertise of others. However, that said, the forum does provide a brilliant platform from which to secure new friends and at the same time move forward with problem solving. Sometimes, as in my case, advice offered can take several attempts to sink in but then I have found that most members seem to have infinite patience with we less knowledgeable folk. Anyway that's my opinion for what is might be worth. I'll now get off my soap box, take the dog for a walk ang get some breakfast. Stick with it Simon I'm sure you will benefit in the end. You have expertise to offer that we lesser mortals need. Pete

Hi to both @Goetzand @simonjackson1964 Not too sure if I have posted my relies to you both correctly but I hope you both pick up my thanks for each of your bits of advice. Pete

Hi Goetz Thank you for both explanations. Sometimes I tend to overthink things and in doing so overlook the obvious. Pete Thanks Simon. As they say every little helps. It was from your example for carriage door opening that I was first drawn into the world of iteration. That example was so straightforward to follow it made me feel like a pro quite quickly. The same can be said for Goetz traffic lights solution so if I can do the same with level crossings then I shall feel as though the sky's the limit. Pete

Hi Brummi As always there seems to be yet another question to ask. The iteration 'wdh'. What does this refer to please. The only time I have thus far got involved with iterations is to use them to open and close train carriages and for that the word "carriage" seems quite obvious. Kind regards Pete

Hi Brummi What can I say other than brilliant. I do so very much appreciate you having done this for me. A few days ago Goetz very kindly pointed me in the right direction for sorting out traffic light systems at junctions and so I have been busy taking full advantage of my newly found knowledge. I can now set up lights at T junctions and crossroads with 30 minutes, which is absolutely great. Best still they work!!! I hope I might be able to say the same for level crossings in a day or so. Once again many thanks. Kind regards Pete

@Roter Brummer Hi The layout that I am working on at present is one that I started back in 2019 in V4. It has grown quite large with many level crossings, some I have completed and others await completion. Some that I thought were complete, work some of the time and not fully on other occasions. Having done a little investigating I came across your ME05 Level crossing with car traffic. As the title was in English I immediately jumped at the possibility of further investigation. Whilst I can follow the basic principle of the operation I cannot fully understand how to implement this on my layout. I'm only just starting to see the wood for the trees with variables let alone inters!!! What I can say quite categorically is that I do find your solution to be immensely more straightforward than the one I have been using, a screenshot is attached to give you an example. My hope therefore is that you might be so kind as to provide me with an EV in English. I'm afraid I am a typical Brit, no ear for languages or as some might say just too lazy to learn another language. I leave you to decide which of these to be most appropriate. The basic principle is clear, a train comes and the crossing barriers go down, vehicles stop until the barrier is lifted after the train has passed and then continue. All very simple until you try to put it as simply as possible into the EV. Anyway, any assistance that you feel able to offer will be greatly appreciated. Kind regards Pete

Hi Simon I've been between meetings and just thrown together a brief mountain scene. I started off with a small piece of track, raise it to the height that I want the mountain, adjusted the terrain and applied, then just keept doing that to create a rough mountain range. Angle the rail track to assist in the different angles. Once you have the rough outline then use the size and strength tools to achieve your desired look. Throw on some paint and in doing so adjust the size, opacity and scaling to suit. The attached took me around 6 minutes and clearly needs much work to finish it off but it should provide the basics. When painting I have found that applying the lighter colours first and then overpainting with other, darker textures is best. Hope this helps Pete Mountains with V7.mbp

Hi Simon I have created quite a lot of different scenery in V4 then V5 and V6 but I will admit that I think V7 is the best for such tasks. It does take a little patience but by playing around with both the size and strength it is possible to create some very realistic hills, valleys, mountains etc. Think of moulding with clay. You create a basic shape and then mould it by changing tool size. Later today I'll create a mountain range for you to take a look at but it will not be until later as Monday's are a busy day for me. Kind regards Pete

Hi Goetz EUREKA ---- I've made the necessary amendments and hey presto all is now working well. I am most grateful for your guidance. Now to have some fun in the actual layout whilst at the same time being more careful with my EV. Pete traffic light test layout.mbp

Well I'm glad I hadn't got any further yet, just dealing with replies to very kind members for their advice. Now I'll make inroads into your recommendations Goetz. Many thanks once again Pete

Hi Douglas Many thanks for your input. Between Goetz and you I might just get the hang of traffic lights. Dare I hope for a final eureka moment just round the corner.

Well now I don't feel quite such a fool, still rather clumsy but not so bad. I'll apply each of your solutions and see if it all works OK. To be absolutely honest I could have looked at the EV for sequence B and never in a month of Sundays spotted my error. Just goes to show how careful one needs to be. Fingers crossed that it will all work fine now. Once again many thanks. If I have got to grips with this one junction then many more await. Kind regards Pete

Hi Goetz Dobby's back I've followed your example, I feel sure accurately. I've even tried my magic wand but all to no avail. If the lights are on green then vehicles go, if on amber then they go but a bit slower, if on red and amber they wait and if on red they stop but clearly they only do so providing I change them manually. Nothing works automatically. The only element that I have not used is the "random destinations" as the two vehicles on this test junction are set on a fixed course. Surely this is not my problem!! Clearly I am missing the magic dust needed kick start the auto element but I haven't been able to find it yet. Might I therefore intrude on 'Dumbledore' once more for what I hope to be final guidance on the element. I have attached the relevant mbp file which I hope will enable you to point out the errors of my ways. Kind regards Pete (Dobby) traffic light test layout.mbp

If I didn't know better I would think you had a camera installed in my study. How else could you possible come up with such an accurate analogy!!