Revision as of 11:22, 18 September 2023

The information in this Wiki Page applies to TANE, TRS19, Trainz Plus and TRS22.
Note: The Bulk Update/Replace Tool is currently only available in the Surveyor Classic interface. It is not yet implemented in Surveyor 2.0. Those using Surveyor 2.0 (in Trainz Plus and TRS22 Platinum) will need to temporarily switch back to the Surveyor Classic interface to use this tool.

1 What is the Bulk Asset Update/Replace Tool?
2 Things it Will NOT Do
3 Selecting Assets and Options
4 Deleting Assets from the Lists
5 Setting the Scope
6 Setting the Options - for Non Texture Objects
7 Setting the Options - for Texture Objects
8 Sample Applications
- 8.1 Replacing Some Assets
- 8.2 Fixing "Texture Bleeds"
9 Trainz Wiki

What is the Bulk Asset Update/Replace Tool?

The Bulk Asset Update/Replace Tool allows the replacement, deletion and modification of multiple instances of one or more different assets, including textures

Notes:

The tool automates the tedious process of deleting and replacing objects one at a time, as well as other tasks.

It allow the mass:-

	deletion of scenery objects
	replacement of one or more scenery objects by another object
	random rotation of scenery objects
	movement of scenery objects from one layer to another

These processes can be performed over the entire layout, a single baseboard or in a selected area only

Deletion and movement between layers can be performed on a set percentage of the selected or replacement scenery objects

The replacement operation can be performed on textures

Things it Will NOT Do

The Bulk Asset Update/Replace Tool CANNOT be used on:-

	spline objects (tracks are not counted as splines so you can replace tracks)
	objects that are in a locked layer (easily fixed by unlocking the layer)
	bridge splines
	tunnel splines
	multiple track splines
	consists/trains
	objects of mixed types e.g. replacing non-splines with splines

Selecting Assets and Options

The tool is located in the Surveyor Main Menu in TANE (below left) and in the Surveyor Tools Menu in TRS19, Trainz Plus and TRS22 (below right).

	Notes:
	The large data box on the left of the tool window, the Assets to update list, is used to store the names of the objects that are going to be updated or replaced
	The smaller entry box on its right. the Asset to replace with list, is to store a single object that will replace the object or objects in the Assets to update list

Steps:

Select the Assets to Update:
There are two alternate methods of filling the Assets to update list

Steps: Use the Get tool:-
	Left Click on the Get Tool (shown below), then
	Left Click on the object in the Surveyor screen
The object will be added to the list, as shown in the example above.

OR

Steps: Use Drag-and-Drop:-
	Left Click and Drag an object from the Object Tool Selection Window as shown below

This can be repeated for multiple objects, using either or both methods, to build the list of Assets to update.

(Optional) Set Control Options:

Once the Assets to update list has been completed, the optional Rotate, Move to layer and Delete options can be used and the Scope can be set.

See the sections

Setting the Options - for Non Texture Objects,

Setting the Options - for Texture Objects and

Setting the Scope below for more details.

(Optional) Add a Replacement Asset:

The same method of Drag and Drop is used to add an object to the Asset to replace with list.

Notes:

Only a single object can be added to the Asset to replace with list. If a second object is dragged into the list it will delete and replace the first object

When objects are being replaced they must be replaced by objects of the same general type - both lists must contain:-

	non-spline scenery objects, or
	track (single track only and no bridges or tunnels), or
	track objects of the same type (e.g. signals), or
	textures

If you attempt to replace one type of object with a different type you will receive an error message.

Options: Choose one of:-
	Left Click on No to cancel the update, OR
	Left Click on Yes to proceed with the update but the mismatched objects will not be replaced

Perform the Update:

Once all required options and values have been entered, Left Click the BEGIN button to complete the process.

Deleting Assets from the Lists

Options: To remove items from the list choose one of:-
	Use the Drag and Drop method to remove individual objects from the lists. OR
	Left Click the icon to remove all the objects

Setting the Scope

Select the region of the layout where the updates, replacements or deletions will occur:-

Options: Choose one of:-
	Anywhere on the route - the entire layout
	In current section only - the current baseboard
	In selected area - a defined area (see below)

If the Selected area option is chosen, then...

Steps: To define a Selected area:-
	Left Click the Red icon, and
	Left Click and Drag out the area to be used

Setting the Options - for Non Texture Objects

Option 1: Randomly Rotate Scenery Objects

The first option controls the rotation or orientation of the original OR the replacement scenery objects.

Settings:

	If no Replace with object is entered then the objects in the Assets to update list will be randomly rotated to new orientations
	If a Replace with object is entered then the replacement objects in the Replace with list will be randomly rotated to new orientations
All the layers containing the objects must be unlocked. Objects in locked layers will not be rotated

Steps: To Randomly Rotate Scenery Objects:-

	a Ticked checkbox will randomly rotate each replacement (or original) scenery object when it is placed an Unticked checkbox will keep the original orientation of each scenery object as it is replaced (this will have no effect if there is no Replace with object)
	Left Click the BEGIN button to complete the process

Option 2: Move Scenery Objects to Another Layer

The second option allows the original OR replacement scenery objects to be moved to another layer.

Splines are not classified as scenery objects and cannot be moved to another layer by using the Bulk Asset Update/Replace Tool

To move a spline to another layer set the layer property in the spline property window to the new layer. You will have to do this on every spline segment.

Settings:

	If no Replace with object is entered then the selected percentage of the objects in the Assets to update list will be moved to the selected layer
	If a Replace with object is entered then the selected percentage of the replacement objects in the Replace with list will be moved to the selected layer
	All the layers containing the objects must be unlocked. Objects in locked layers will not be moved

Steps: To move objects to another layer:-

	Tick the check box to randomly move a set % of the replacement (or original) scenery objects to another layer, OR Untick the check box to keep all the replacement scenery objects in the same layer as the original scenery objects. This has no effect if there are no objects in the Replace with list
	Select a percentage figure from 0% (none) to 100% (all)
	Select the layer for the objects to move to (the layer must be unlocked)
	Left Click the BEGIN button to complete the process

CAUTION:

	When moving track or track objects (signals, switches, etc) to other layers always make sure that no track objects end up in a layer that is above the layer containing the track they are attached to
	Moving objects between the Route Layer Group and the Session Layer Group will change where they are saved - in the route or the session

Option 1 and Option 2 CAN both be checked ON at the same time to produce a combined effect

Option 3: Delete Scenery Objects

The third option allows the deletion of scenery objects from the layout.

Settings:

	Select a percent figure from 0% to 100% in steps of 5%. Values other than 0% and 100% will be approximate, not exact. Selecting 0% will delete none of the objects, 100% will delete them all
	All the layers containing the objects must be unlocked. Objects in locked layers will not be deleted

Steps: To Delete scenery objects:-
	Tick the check box to randomly delete a set % of the objects
	Select a percentage figure from 0% (none) to 100% (all)
	Left Click the BEGIN button to complete the process

	Notes:
	Option 2 and Option 3 CANNOT both be checked ON at the same time
	Option 1 and Option 3 CAN both be checked ON at the same time to rotate all the scenery objects before deleting a set percentage of them.

Deleting "Stubborn" Objects:

Some objects simply will not delete, for example some non track splines. The workaround for deleting these objects from a layout is:-

Steps: To delete "stubborn" objects:-

Warning:

This method is an All or Nothing approach. ALL instances of the selected asset will be deleted from your layout

exit Surveyor and start Content Manager

locate and select (highlight) the stubborn asset

Left Click the Content menu and select Disable or Hide (depending on your version of Trainz). This will not delete the object from your layout or from your Trainz installation

start Surveyor and reload the route. It will now have a missing dependency

from the Main Menu (in T:ANE) or the Tools Menu in (TRS19/Trains Plus/TRS22) select the Delete Missing Assets option

save the route and exit Surveyor

The disabled asset will no longer be present in your layout. It should now be restored for other uses

start Content Manager

locate and select (highlight) the now disabled asset

Left Click the Content menu and select Enable

Setting the Options - for Texture Objects

Notes:

	You cannot rotate or move textures. The only available texture setting controls the scale and rotation of the replacement texture
	You can select multiple textures to be replaced by a single texture
	Select the texture assets by using either the "Grab Tool" or by "dragging and dropping"
	Textures can be deleted by using the workaround for Deleting Stubborn Objects described in the section Delete Scenery Objects above

The image below shows a region painted with one texture asset but with different scaling and rotation settings.

With the check box ticked, the following is the result of a Left Click on the BEGIN button.		With the check box unticked, the following is the result of a Left Click on the BEGIN button.
The scale and rotation settings that were used in the original have been replaced with the default scale and rotation settings of the replacement texture.		The same scale and rotation settings that were used in the original have been used with the replacement texture.

Sample Applications

Replacing Some Assets

The Problem:

A forest has been created using three different trees. A number (30%) of the two smaller tree types are to be replaced with a larger tree of a different type.

The Solution:

The Bulk Asset Update/Replace Tool does not have a feature that will allow the replacement of only some assets (it is all or none), so a slightly more indirect approach is needed.

Steps:
	A new layer, named Trees is created
	The Bulk Asset Update/Replace Tool is used to move 30% of the two smaller tree types to the new layer

For information on creating new layers, see the Trainz Wiki Page at:-

How to Use Layers

	The original layer is then locked - this prevents the replacement of those trees that were not moved to the new layer (note the warning about the locked layer on the bottom left of the Bulk Asset Update/Replace window)
	The replacement tree is added to the Replace With list
	The Bulk Asset Update/Replace Tool is used to replace the two smaller tree types with the new tree type

For information on how to lock layers, see the Trainz Wiki Page at:-

How to Use Layers

The final result

To complete the process:-
	The original layer is unlocked
	The Trees layer is merged with the original layer

For information on unlocking and merging layers, see the Trainz Wiki Page at:-

How to Use Layers

Fixing "Texture Bleeds"

The Problem:

Sometimes when adding new baseboards or merging a route containing blank baseboards onto a route containing textured baseboards, there can be a "bleed-over" where a texture from the painted route will flow along some of the baseboard boundaries of the unpainted baseboards as shown in the image left.

As strange as it may seem, this is actually "expected behaviour" and its purpose is to resolve other long standing problems that can occur when baseboards are added.

The unwanted texture can (usually) be painted over by another texture and this will resolve the problem but there may be a lot of it to paint out and you may prefer a simplier solution. The Bulk Asset Update/Replace Tool can provide such a solution.

The Solution:

1: Grab the Grid

Use the Grab Tool to Left Click on one of the bare grid lines to place the Grid texture into the Assets to update list

drag the Grid entry from the Update list into the Replace list. This will still leave a copy in the Update list
drag the Grid entry from the Update list out of the Tool box. This will delete the Grid entry from the Update list

2: Grab the "Bleed Texture" and Clean

use the Grab Tool to select the "bleed" texture and place it into the Update list
IMPORTANT: change the scope setting to Current section only otherwise this texture will be replaced by the grid throughout the entire layout
Left Click the BEGIN button to complete the process

If more than one baseboard needs this treatment then

move the Surveyor cursor to the next baseboard and Left Click the BEGIN button to complete the process
repeat as necessary

Trainz Wiki

More Tutorials and Guides to Using Trainz

This page was created by Trainz user pware in June 2018 and was last updated as shown below.

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How to Use Bulk Asset Update/Replace Tool

Revision as of 11:22, 18 September 2023

Contents

What is the Bulk Asset Update/Replace Tool?

Things it Will NOT Do

Selecting Assets and Options

Deleting Assets from the Lists

Setting the Scope

Setting the Options - for Non Texture Objects

Option 1: Randomly Rotate Scenery Objects

Option 2: Move Scenery Objects to Another Layer

Option 3: Delete Scenery Objects

Setting the Options - for Texture Objects

Sample Applications

Replacing Some Assets

Fixing "Texture Bleeds"

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