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Posted: 10 Jan 2005 11:38
by 96smitro
Thought so, I just wanted to check, as I don't want to upset the MSTS modellers.

Just tried to install LocoTSGfx, it does not want to work on my computer :(

Either it does not work on 2000, or it is clashing with Shape viever 1.3 which I have installed...

Posted: 10 Jan 2005 12:33
by qzdcg8
96smitro wrote:Thought so, I just wanted to check, as I don't want to upset the MSTS modellers.

Just tried to install LocoTSGfx, it does not want to work on my computer :(

Either it does not work on 2000, or it is clashing with Shape viever 1.3 which I have installed...
What error are you getting? I only tried it on Windows XP - thats why its beta. The issue may well be ShapeViewer - I tried to get my copy of the OCX to install into the LocoTSGfx folder but youcould try creating an empty file called LocoTSGfx.EXE.Local in the same folder as LocoTSGfx.EXE - this might help - let me know.

Posted: 10 Jan 2005 12:41
by decapod
There should be no clash with shape viewer 1.3
(though you could try installing 1.4.157 just in case - available from steam4me or train-sim.com)

wow

Posted: 10 Jan 2005 18:21
by Hamish McTycoon
I presume you are working on one that will convert striaght to PNG file? If you could do that, and get the gradients sorted, this would be OFFICIALLY (according to me) the best piece of anything, ever, created for Locomotion. Ever.
Whoever made that, you are a genius. (i cant get it to work, but i can see the potential. Just imagining all my MSTS stock rolling around the map in lomo makes me feel faint)
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
By the way you know the train you made still looks like its slightly 'off the tracks'. i presume the bogeys are in the wrong position. try coupling it with some standard carriage and it looks wrong.

Posted: 10 Jan 2005 19:13
by 96smitro
This is what happens in as much detail as I can...

When I unzip (using winzip 9.0) and install LocoTSGfx, the following message appears in a error window...

'Setup cannot continue because some system files are out of date on your system. Click OK if you would like setup to update these files for you. You will need to restart Windows before you can run setup again. Click cancel to exit setup without updating system files'

When I click OK, my computer restarts, but when I try setup again, the same message appears :evil: . Clicking cancel cancels setup completely.

I will try your suggestion later with the 'dummy file', at the moment I'm supposed to be writing a 3000 word essay for tomorrow :shock:

Posted: 10 Jan 2005 20:46
by Illegal_Alien
Error loading shape:

- WinXP sp2 Full patched
- No MSTS

Posted: 10 Jan 2005 21:46
by decapod
Illegal_Alien wrote:Error loading shape:

- WinXP sp2 Full patched
- No MSTS
Looks like Steve forgot to load a few dependant DLL's - If you install the shape viewer first, this contains zlib.dll...

http://www.railpage.org.au/steam4me/tra ... viewr.html

Paul

Posted: 10 Jan 2005 21:53
by qzdcg8
Doh - thanks Paul - it was a bit rushed - i felt a little pressure being applied and didn't compare dependencies with Shapeviewer and TSCM!

Now - how to convert BMP's to PNG's on the fly - you can batch convert them in one foul swoop with Paint Shop - but really I need to poke the palette at the same time...

Time to trawl the net for a freeware image convertor with source..

Posted: 10 Jan 2005 22:14
by qzdcg8
OK that step is now almost automated too!

Here's how you do it.

Use LocoTSGfx to generate your 136 BMP files called 000.bmp to 135.bmp

Then use PaintShop Pro to batch convert to GIF's to get the palette down to 256 colours

Go to the fCoder site at http://batch.fcodersoft.com/2png/index.htm and download the demo version of 2PNG - this can batch convert BMP files into 2PNG files AND better than that, can apply a PAL file to the PNG files as it is generating them (use lomo.pal provided on this thread or the copy I included in the install). The DEMO version works fine because even though it applies a fixed demo watermark - this appears in the bottom right hand corner of the 240x240 image and doesn't damage the bit we need. (if you can't get it, let me know and I'll work out how to make my copy available to you)

I assume you will install it inthe default location C:\Program Files\2PNG

Then start a command window and change directory to the folder where your .BMP and .GIF files were generated (the LocoTSGfx folder - defaults to C:\Program Files\TNF\LocoTSGfx - make sure you have lomo.pal in there too) and issue the following command:-

"C:\Program Files\2PNG\2PNG" s="*.gif" "-palfile0=lomo.pal"

and watch it generate 136 PNG files with the correct palette...

Then you can craft your XML file to go with your images....

P.S. Anybody want to guess what this fellow is?

Posted: 10 Jan 2005 22:19
by ChrisCF
Surely not tube stock :shock:

That still leaves the question of all-important company colours. Why should I put up with Rail Blue when the rest of my fleet is brown? ;)

Posted: 10 Jan 2005 22:42
by qzdcg8
Sadly 2PNG is still not doing the palette right - I'm getting all the PNG's in a flash now but the 900K Dat file generated by LocoTool is blowing up Locomotion on start...

Yes 59 tube stock!

Posted: 10 Jan 2005 22:54
by Steve
decapod wrote:Looks like Steve forgot to load a few dependant DLL's - If you install the shape viewer first, this contains zlib.dll...

http://www.railpage.org.au/steam4me/tra ... viewr.html

Paul
I did? Please refer to people usernames, especially when Steve is a VIP (moderator)

Posted: 10 Jan 2005 23:43
by qzdcg8
Ok scratch all the stuff with 2PNG - now I've got something to work.

Having generated all the BMP's with LocoTSGfx you need to apply the lomo.pal to them

I'm now using PaintShop Pro and Palette Express (http://sunshine.ezthemes.com/software/d ... 78&id=1912)

In Palette Express demo mode it does 5 files at once and no more but this is better than nothing - just do 5 at a time. Set the input type to BMP AND the output type to BMP in another folder. On the Palette tab select Load Palette and select the lomo.pal file.
Click on Go to generate the new 136 BMP files.

In PaintShop Pro then do a batch conversion of the new BMP files to PNG files. These PNG files can then me matched up with the XML file AND the combination WILL compress down to 250Kb DAT file AND load

Attached is a screenshot and the LUL 59 stock train for people to play with - it does not seem to be able to handle passengers at the moment - there's something missing from the XML file I don't know

Posted: 10 Jan 2005 23:46
by qzdcg8
Steve wrote:
decapod wrote:Looks like Steve forgot to load a few dependant DLL's - If you install the shape viewer first, this contains zlib.dll...

http://www.railpage.org.au/steam4me/tra ... viewr.html

Paul
I did? Please refer to people usernames, especially when Steve is a VIP (moderator)
Now thats being a bit picky! Me (qzdcg8) and Paul (decapod) have only dropped on these forums to help you guys out to source some high quality train models for use in Locomotion - if you want we'll disappear again?

Posted: 11 Jan 2005 03:33
by Jose
Great work with the london undgeround train, I sorted put the xml so it carried 90 passengers 10 mail fairly easyly.

Posted: 11 Jan 2005 05:21
by spaceman-spiff
qzdcg8 wrote:
Steve wrote:
decapod wrote:Looks like Steve forgot to load a few dependant DLL's - If you install the shape viewer first, this contains zlib.dll...

http://www.railpage.org.au/steam4me/tra ... viewr.html

Paul
I did? Please refer to people usernames, especially when Steve is a VIP (moderator)
Now thats being a bit picky! Me (qzdcg8) and Paul (decapod) have only dropped on these forums to help you guys out to source some high quality train models for use in Locomotion - if you want we'll disappear again?
Now now, let's not be so jumpy everyone, don't go away for such reasons
Please continue the work you're doing

Posted: 11 Jan 2005 07:58
by qzdcg8
Jose wrote:Great work with the london undgeround train, I sorted put the xml so it carried 90 passengers 10 mail fairly easyly.
Also Top speed of these should also only be about 45mph - maybe you could repost your new DAT file.

I notice that the default stock has very small image files - all the dutch stuff (and hence that produced my LocoTSGfx) seems to use 240x240 - apart from size, you get a little flicker sometimes as the resultant stock goes behind stuff in Locomotion

Posted: 11 Jan 2005 14:10
by Illegal_Alien
I created a train from MSFT to Locomotion, putting in the sprited etc.. but i cant see him ingame (scenario editor) the Metro tube is visiblein the selection but if i am gonna start a new game he is not there : :?

Posted: 11 Jan 2005 16:27
by qzdcg8
Illegal_Alien wrote:I created a train from MSFT to Locomotion, putting in the sprited etc.. but i cant see him ingame (scenario editor) the Metro tube is visiblein the selection but if i am gonna start a new game he is not there : :?
You can only use it in new games created from the new scenario you created in the scenerio editor (in the advanced option, you can check the London Underground train)

Posted: 11 Jan 2005 16:39
by Illegal_Alien
qzdcg8 wrote:
Illegal_Alien wrote:I created a train from MSFT to Locomotion, putting in the sprited etc.. but i cant see him ingame (scenario editor) the Metro tube is visiblein the selection but if i am gonna start a new game he is not there : :?
You can only use it in new games created from the new scenario you created in the scenerio editor (in the advanced option, you can check the London Underground train)
I know, and i select him, satart the new scenerio: No london Metro; and i am making a metro from rotterdam, im have made the sprites like you say but Loco still crashes :(