Help:Moving Content

Trainz stores additional content and user settings separately from the Trainz installation folder. A platform-specific default path is used, which can be accessed in your platform-specific file manager as described below. This folder may grow to a substantial size over time. If required, you may specify an alternate location for storing your content.

These instructions apply to TANE build 82340 and above. The same steps can be used for TRS2019, just replace 'TANE' with 'TRS2019' for folder names!

Locating your Local Data Folder

From the launcher of any Trainz installation, you can click the "Trainz Settings" button and then switch to the "Install" tab to see the full path to that installation's local data folder. You can navigate directly to that path using your system's file manager, however please keep in mind that the parent folders of the default location may be hidden on some systems so simply starting at the top level of your computer and working your way down may not work.

In order to navigate directly to the local data folder's default location, the following steps can be used:

Windows

In Windows, the local data folder is stored by default at a subfolder of "C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\N3V Games\TANE" (where "<username>" is the username of the logged-in Windows user account.)

You may access this location in Windows Explorer by entering the path "%appdata%\..\Local\N3V Games\TANE" into the Window Explorer address bar. At this location you will see one or more local data folders, corresponding with your various Trainz installations. The name of each folder here includes a random character string which has no meaning but simply allows for multiple installs to coexist without overwriting each other's data files.

You will also find a text file at this location named "userdata-redirect-map.txt" which lists the correlation between each Trainz installation and its local data folder. While it is possible to hand-edit this file using a program such as WordPad.exe, it is not recommended due to the potential for data loss.

Mac OS X

In Mac OS X, the local data folder is stored by default at a subfolder of "/Users/<username>/Library/Containers/com.n3vgames.tane" (where "<username>" is the username of the logged-in Mac OS X user account.) Trainz 2019 uses trs19 instead of tane. Similarly Trainz 2022 uses trs22 for the folder name.

You may access this location in Finder by using "Go To" (command-shift-G) and then entering the address "~/Library/Containers/com.n3vgames.tane/Data". At this location you will see one or more local data folders, corresponding with your various Trainz installations. The name of each folder here includes a random character string which has no meaning but simply allows for multiple installs to coexist without overwriting each other's data files.

You will also find a file at this location named "userdata-redirect-map.txt" which lists the correlation between each Trainz installation and its local data folder. It is typically not possible to hand-edit this file due to the way that Mac OS X encodes file paths.

Copy\Move\Archive your Local Data Folder

1. Open "Launcher > Trainz Settings > Install tab".

   • Note the path displayed in the "Local Data Folder" field (this is your current data directory where your user content resides).
   • Recommended...

   • Highlight and Copy this path to Notepad.
   • Verify all other tabs contain the settings you want, including your authentication credentials.
     

2. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the current data folder (you may paste the path from step 1 to open directly).
3. Open a second instance of Windows Explorer and create a new empty folder at the desired location (e.g. D:\TANE_Content)

   • Highlight and Copy this new path to your clipboard
   • Paste this new path into the "Local Data Folder" field

4. Close the Settings dialog

   • ...there will be a prompt telling you about restarting, acknowledge it.
   • ...close the Launcher

5. Focus on the first instance of Windows Explorer, copy all files\folders here into the new folder (the 2nd instance of Explorer).

   • i.e. folders like backup, cache, etc plus assets.tdx and keystore.tdx.

6. Start the launcher

   • If you're watching the new directory in Explorer you'll see some changes occur (files added).

7. OPTIONAL - Access "Trainz Settings".

   • All settings verified in step 1 should be present on all tabs.

8. Click "Start Trainz"
9. Application will launch as expected.

   • If content is missing, or if a database repair commences, or you're prompted to login, you have made a mistake and will need to re-check the settings above.

Benefits of this process...

• Provides a method for you to create data directories using naming conventions easily tracked by humans (as opposed to the machine name Trainz generates for its folders)
• Allows you to move content between builds and patches without resorting to CDP export\import.
• Allows you to work independently from your "source content" making changes without risk and...,
• Point back to your old folder anytime you need a reference or to check "how it worked" before you started modifying content.
• Creates a backup of the "old" content folder and optionally archive\delete the old folder to free up space.

WARNING:

• DO NOT ever delete the C:\Users\<pc name>\AppData\Local\N3V Games\TANE folder OR the userdata-redirect-map.txt file in that folder.

• This file is required by TANE to ensure the Local Data Folder is found.
• If the redirect file does not exist, TANE will create a new one and create a new local data folder in the default location and you are back to your starting point.

TROUBLESHOOTING:

• If a new unused /build xxxxxxxx folder is created in the default location upon restarting, you have not followed the steps correctly - please review the steps again.
• If you are asked to enter your username again, you have not followed the steps correctly - please review the steps again.

Creating a New Local Data Folder

Sometimes your Local Data Folder can end up with corrupt data. In this case, the solution is to create a new folder which contains no 3rd party content. From there, you can then IMPORT your old content and work out which items may be causing issues.

1. Open the Launcher > Trainz Settings > Install (tab).

   • ...see the "Local Data Folder" field, this is the path for your game data.
   • ...the default path is C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\N3V Games\<version>\build folder

   • The default build folder uses an alphanumeric system generated name. The next steps are important to make sure you are looking at the correct folder if you have more than one

2. Highlight the full path and use CTRL+C to copy it.
3. Open Windows Explorer and paste (CTRL+V) the path into the Explorer address dropdown (usually opens to "this PC")

   • Key-press <Enter>.
   • You are now in your games current data directory.

4. Navigate up one directory level (you can use the little "up arrow" on the left of of the address dropdown)
5. Create a new folder and give it a name
6. Now double-click into this new folder (it will be empty), and copy the path just like you did in the above step #2.
7. Now go back to Launcher > Trainz Settings > Install tab, paste the new path, replacing the current path, in the "Local Data Folder" field
8. Close the Trainz Settings form (a message will appear saying the game needs a restart, click OK, then close the Launcher too)
9. Restart the game. A few things will happen

   • ...(if TRS19), you'll see the "Trainz Performance Configuration" dialog. you can select an option or click "Skip..." on the lower right.
   • ...in Explorer you'll see the folder get populated with some new sub-folders and files.
   • ...you'll need to provide your user name\password in Trainz Settings > Internet (tab)

10. Click Start Trainz and complete the database build. Now your game is pointing to a "clean data directory".

NOTES:

• This process does not copy any of your local content across, this mirrors a first time installation with built-in content only. You may hear this referred to as "baseline".
• This is applicable to TANE & TRS19 (minus the performance config), and may be used to easily swap between testing & working folders.

Return to TRS19 Help Page
Additional Info: Importing Content