How to Use the UDS Interface

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Revision as of 21:09, 28 June 2021 by Pware (Talk | contribs)

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This is a Work In Progress
The information in this Wiki Page applies to TRS19 Platinum Edition and Trainz Plus. T:ANE and TRS19 (standard) do not have the UDS feature described in this document.

Contents

What is the UDS Interface?

DotPoint.JPG The UDS provides a means of quickly switching from Driver mode to Surveyor mode and back to Driver again without having to restart a running session after each switch. It is only available in TRS19 Platinum Edition and Trainz Plus


UDS stands for Universal Driver Surveyor and is an "interface' or option built into TRS19 Platinum Edition and Trainz Plus that allows you to jump seamlessly from Driver into Surveyor and then back into Driver again to resume a session at the point where you left it. There is no need to restart a Driver session from the very beginning.

The Scenario:
You are in Driver mode testing out a route and session when you discover a problem.
UDS-Scenario1.png Previously (before UDS) your only options would be to:-
  1. ignore the problem (if possible) to continue the session in Driver and fix the problem later, or
  2. immediately halt the session to fix it now

In both cases you would have to:-

  1. load the route into Surveyor and try to recall exactly where the problem is located
  2. fix the problem
  3. restart the session in Driver from the beginning (a bit tough if you were 2 hrs or more into a 3 hr session)

The UDS interface allows you to halt the Driver session (press the  P  key) and then switch, via a menu option, to Surveyor without having to stop and exit Driver mode first.

The Scenario (continued):
Using UDS you switch from Driver to Surveyor with the currently active Driver consist still as the focus and at the place it was located when you switched into Surveyor from Driver.
UDS-Scenario2.png All the Surveyor tools and options are available for you to use, including the Session Editor (more on that later).
UDS-Scenario3.png You use the Surveyor tools to fix the problem, such as deleting, moving or adding a scenery object (as shown left).

You can then (if you wish) save the edited route and/or session (again there will be more on that later).

UDS-Scenario4.png You then switch back into Driver to continue driving the session with the problem fixed.


Switching Modes

DotPoint.JPG When in Driver Mode Switching to Surveyor  
  UDS-DriverToSurveyor.png Open the Edit Menu and select Surveyor Mode
DotPoint.JPG When in Surveyor Mode Switching to Driver  
  UDS-SurveyorToDriver.png Open the Edit Menu and select Driver Mode


Saving

Warning:
Stop.PNG If you decide to save your Surveyor edits and select the option to

UDS-OverwriteExistingSession.png
then you will "overwrite" (a nicer way of saying destroy) your starting or original session


Most of the problems users seem to be experiencing with the UDS, judging from the posts in the Trainz Forums, is when saving their edited Driver session after switching to Surveyor mode.

DotPoint.JPG Using Driver Mode involves driving consists (either manually or through the AI) and activating rules. These will change the session parameters
DotPoint.JPG Overwriting the Session will save the consists and Session Rules in their new positions/conditions


When you are in Driver Mode at least one of the consists will probably be moving. Some of the Session rules may have already been completed while others may still be running or waiting for events (e.g. triggers to be activated).

If you then choose to save using the Overwrite existing session option then you will be replacing your original starting Session with a new one with the consists saved in their new positions and the Session rules saved in their new states. So when you later load and restart the Session things will not be the same. This is particularly true if you follow N3Vs recommendation for using TRS19 and Trainz Plus.

PencilTips.PNG In TRS19 Platinum Edition and in Trainz Plus it is recommended that all consists should be placed into a Session Layer and become part of a Session instead of the Route


Unless you have a particular reason for overwriting the Session, then the recommended save options are:-

DotPoint1.JPG  Do not save session

UDS-DoNotSaveSession.png
This will only save the Route using its existing name. Since most or all scenery and track objects should be in the Route Layers and not the Session Layers, this will save any scenery edits that you have made.

DotPoint2.JPG  Create new session

UDS-CreateNewSession.png
This will save the Route using its existing name. It will also save the Session using a new name you enter in the text box below the option (Stage 3 in the example shown). The original Session will not be altered. This is useful when you want to test out changes to consists, industry settings, Rules, driver commands, etc but do not want to destroy the original Session.


Editing the Session Rules

As mentioned in the section above, when Driver Mode is running and you switch to Surveyor Mode, some of the Session rules may have been completed while others may still be running or waiting for events (e.g. triggers to be activated). When you restart Driver Mode these rules may not be in a predictable condition.

This is a Work In Progress



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This page was created by Trainz user pware in June 2021 and was last updated as shown below.


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