Trainz/Version And Build Numbers
Trainz Versions
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Trainz Versions Overview
[edit | edit source]Trainz software releases or equivalently Trainz Retail releases or Trainz retail versions follow the common software industry practices of assigning releases version numbers paired to 'Marketing Names' as Major Releases of Retail base packages (to draw a parallel case, consider another more familiar family of software: {each of Microsoft Windows Operating system Retail Releases: Windows 1.0, Windows 2.0, Windows 3.1, Windows 95, ..., Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 & Windows 10}), any one of which per industry practices, might also then have applicable bug fix 'Hot fixes' and other less urgent change patches (generally adding capabilities and/or also making operational tweaks or fixing additional lesser serious bugs and those providing additional user feedback generated 'new' features) called Service Packs. To manage a series of such software & dependent (supporting) data files collections, programmers use a serial number system, in Trainz called the code build number, build number, or Code Version number. Note that both each element in a software system (DLL, EXE, supporting data files such as images, scripts) each have some sort of serialization, or their own code build numbers, and the resulting overall distributed collection, a 'build', is given an overall code build identifier for the entire mix.
All the changes to these products' retail releases (retail versions) collectively are known as software upgrades' and it is a side of computing with which the average lay computer user has little experience, sheltered as most are in a business environment by an IT department or an IT consultant. These days, internet based or enabled software often are written expecting to be updated periodically, numbing our sensitivity and inuring the computer user community to such instabilities in software. [note 1] Home computer packages—including virtually all download obtained software these days, with massive distribution numbers, often have built-in update coding within to check for updates and either update automatically, or when well designed, alert the user, and update when commanded. Auran Holdings[note 2], the holding company with all the Trainz rights and their partner N3V Games, currently managing the development and marketing of the properties, has only recently in 'Trainz-version timespans' (2011, finally debugged in TS2009 SP3 and TS2010-SP2) mastered the later techniques.
Versions terminology and meanings
[edit | edit source]Each named product release (retail version) as well as each successive upgrade level (Hot fixes and other patches generally have to be added in order of release) has a multi-digit 'build' number that is definitively unique to the build as defined by the software publisher. In Trainz, these are known formally as the code build numbers or Trainz build versions, and as their own IT department, 'Trainzers' have to keep these things straight, for not all can be done automatically, and every new retail release requires a new Installation step.
In Trainz, until one understands the contextual meaning it seems the word 'version' becomes a bit over used:
- First, there is the Trainz version (slang: meaning Trainz Retail Version),
- Secondly, the 'code version' and 'Trainz asset version' numbers, formally known as a '"Trainz-build tag" values or Trainz-build version numbers[1][2]
- which like the code build number or 'Trainz_build_versions' or sometimes 'code build version'[3] has an exact technical meaning— a final compiler run against a version controlled make file and subsequently released by Quality Control as the next official 'code set' advance.
• If you have problems with a installation, this code build number is the one N3V customer support want reported. In TS2009-SP4 and later releases it appears in both the bottom right corner of the Launcher Menu and the Main Menu. In prior releases, it appeared only on the Trainz 'Launcher' screen, and was easy to overlook in some.
• Each of the other types of versions derive from this stable set of software source code; a plateau in the change cycle signifying stability and reliability insofar as such things can be tested. - When QA testing fails, N3V issues a software upgrade of three sorts:
- A. patches for really bad bugs or an adjustment to features, usually come out fast after a release event, once the complaint storm hits the help desk and forums.
- B. Hotfixes for bugs and adjustments of several things, not usually to make the whole work, but instead to make the whole work better after an interval of additional testing and while the programmer's are fixing one or more other minor bugs or adding an extended feature. Some of these, such as TS12-SP1+hf4 should have incremented the trainz-build or technology version. Auran & N3V's management has seemingly been inconsistent in their rationales and actions. Basically, a new trainz-build represents a technology plateau, wherein some heretofore unavailable capability has been added.
• Some of this is within the programmer's experiences—the internal changes within the run time packages; others, mainly involving asset capability, features, scripts, or interactivity are obvious to the community and to content creators, inasmuch as new tags, practices and containers in config.txt files or asset source folder grouped data elements (asset parts) are affected.
• Trainz is a highly cooperative joint development COMMUNITY at its heart. Content Creators often drive software development with requests for a capability. The programmers and/or N3V management approve the notion, prioritize it, and the programmers thence define parameters (data types); at that juncture, the likely first software modifications are to the error testing screening software which vetts uploaded assets before allowing them onto the DLS—and to a TBV step release enabling its software to not burp on the heretofore unfamiliar new data elements. Content Creators behind the features then provide assets with the theoretical capability, the programmers work on getting it into a future package of software updates and eventually — everybody gets to see whether the data and software have the desired effects... or whether alterations in data definitions or the run time software implementation need adjusted. This all takes a lot of people working together. - C. Service packs —these are more extensive and larger changes for bug fixing, feature or behavior upgrades, and involved changes to eliminate some source of complaint.
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TANE
[edit | edit source]- Trainz: A New Era (TANE or T:ANE), the full release...
Trainz: A New Era was officially released on May 14, 2015[25] as an alleged full version overcoming lacks of TANE CE. TANE's Driver, Surveyor, and Content Manager modules each had their issues. Most lacked operational hotkeys users were used to having. Its CM user interface has many more powerful pluses, but wastes search specification screen space needlessly, and its overall implementation mysteriously changes terminology in the oddest places (Common Trainz operational terms, most with hotkeys before hand which were in place and well known in the community since Trainz 0.9 Beta release, and other operational menus, and especially the important mini-maps in Driver and Surveyor operated very differently. As of the SP3 release (TBV 4.5), many of these shortcomings are still disgruntling the community.
Various 'finishing touches' have been added through a succession of hotfixes, patches, and service packs with a rumored fourth service pack supposed to be nearly finished as of 12 March 2019, even while the program is being supplanted by TRS19, a new release of TANE, without the New Era tagline. One major improvement instantly popular with users was the facility allows the user to directly control where local content is kept, and to change it as desired, allowing content creators and users to customize their experience and sequester data—say separating British routes and assets from North American, enabling both less clutter in selecting and managing content in CM and Surveyor.[note 8] There have been numerous upgrades, starting from the original zip downloaded installer (Code build: 78667), SP1 (Code build: 80201), SP1 Hotfix 1: 81190, SP1 Hotfix 2: 82149 to TANE SP3 (Code build: 94916)
TANE MAC
[edit | edit source]The Mac version of TANE was also released on May 14, 2015 as an alleged full version overcoming lacks of TANE CE. The MAC user interface from Trainz Mac is alleged to be used for CM and Surveyor screens, giving the Trainz software an alien look, see, and feel for the first time since Trainz 1.0 on the one hand, and TRS2006's CM on the other.
Notes, Footnotes & References
[edit | edit source]Beginning in August of 2009, Auran/N3V Games began a Technical reference and user interest wiki called TrainzOnline. Most of the data on the site was put up by the official staff of the company.
Notes
[edit | edit source]- ↑ Worse, it's evident sloppy programming and validating practices have proliferated because software companies count on such a safety net and place less emphasis on quality control—all but discounting the damage to company reputation such instability did once create. Once anti-viral software required periodic updates, the flood gates were open allowing any software to be updated automatically.
- ↑ Auran Holdings, Pty Ltd, The Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia is the holding company with all the Trainz rights and their partner N3V Games, Pty Ltd who bought in (2007) during Auran Games and Auran Developments' bankruptcies in 2007-2009 currently manages the development and marketing of the properties
- ↑ Build 3335: 'The Complete Collection' TCC release build as noted above in TRS2006.
- ↑ The patching messages still leave much to be desired for one doesn't know whether a change will take moments or hours. An occasional upgrade sometimes goes alarmingly slow as the software transitioned to harness multi-core CPUs, better Graphical cards and Coprocessors, better graphics models and with the last release of TS10 and the entirety of TS12 fully utilize and embrace 64 bit operating system memory addressing mode capabilitiess and move into the 32-bit product one-step further into the future.
- ↑ The upload filter is enforcing the latest 'supported' versions TBV number, even when the technology of the asset does not need such a level.
- ↑ One tendency has been Content Creator's are revisiting older content source files and upgrading them, thereafter, promoting their TBV#s on the DLS and so making the asset conformal to the DLS upload filter then in-effect[note 5] for any changes, including minor cosmetic texture replacement, since the whole file needs re-edited from tags and data structures which work perfectly well since Trainz 0.9 to a more complicated generalized structure (Sets of parameters and tags) unneeded by most common assets—in effect, the fancy feature used in a few places is placing a time charge on all content creators (unpaid volunteers donating time, knowledge, and expertise whilst giving up their intellectual copy rights!) and the casual user. Hence less and less is backwards compatible for those of us who keep up multiple Trainz releases that might also want to bring in that new cool looking bridge, unless one locally edits the asset from the DLS. Together, the DLS software and N3V originated (newer Trainz releases) also jointly have prevented downloading assets with a more advanced TBV automatically, so the user may need to manually download such an asset before adapting a updated asset in-retrograde fashion to an older Trainz release
- ↑ With the introduction of version creep discussed elsewhere, this figure is impossible to keep up to date as it changes daily as revised upgraded assets are improved to current TANE & TRS19 (TBV of 3.6) standards.
- ↑ Deleting all BI assets is not recommended, but disabling the asset set is quite achievable, hence eliminating the asset from new surveying.
Footnotes
[edit | edit source]- ↑ Trainz-build Tag table
- ↑ Revision as of 10:22, 2010 March 4 by Windwalkr, [{{{url}}}]—1st draft to present, all immediately discussing code build number, Chief programmer Chris Bergman (aka Windwalkr)
- ↑ Used by chief programmer Windwalkr himself in Trainz_build_versions / code build number
- ↑ [online.ts2009.com/mediaWiki/index.php5/Trainz_SP3 Trainz SP3]
- ↑ a b c d Lear, Charlie. "A Brief History of Trainz". Retrieved 02 March 2015.
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(help) - ↑ Trainz SP3, apart from bugfixes, saw the introduction of the Trainzscript programming language and scripted user activities called "Scenarios"., Charlie Lear (cjlear), former Auran developer.
- ↑ My copy, purchased in May is shown on the introduction collage of Trainz versions. IIRC, as recently as Aug 2015 I saw 'new' & unregistered CDROM versions on the internet. - Fabartus
- ↑ Mercom games url: [1], various distributed TRS2006 releases in North American markets. URL valid on 2015-0815
• Trainz Railroad Simulator 2006 on PC February 2, 2006
• Trainz Railwayz on PCs October 8, 2007
• Trainz: Driver Edition on PC September 19, 2006
• source and dates by Merscom at url given. - ↑ Paradox Interactive, 'Trainz Routes' bundled as 3rd DVD part of 'Trainz: The Complete Collection' with cover art copyright date of 2008.
- ↑ Trainz: The Complete Collection (Trainz TCC) a three DVD omnibus release and the first Trainz franchise release published by N3VRF41L Software (Now N3V Games), distributed by Paradox Interactive. verified 2013-1018 by box and build code of installed version.
- ↑ Cover Art, publisher, title, and TBV v2.6 of USA's BC Version 3337 all confirmed verbally via Skype with RRSignal, 2015-0815.
- ↑ "Trainz TRS 2007 Service Bereich" (in German). Halycon Media GmbH Co.KG.
- ↑ a b c d Thread: TS12 Patch 2 (48249) is live., July 28th, 2011, 02:42 AM, Shadowarrior, N3V IT staff.
- ↑ a b c Known build numbers for TS12: July 31st, 2012, 04:05 PM Scottbe8
- ↑ Thread: TS12 Patch 1 (47059) is live., shadowarrior, N3V Games Sys-Op; This patch turned out to be corrupted and was taken off the web and replaced by patch 2
- ↑ Trainz TS10 and TS12 Hot-fix Patches released,Later annotated: "Note: To be able to install Aerotrain and any future DLC packs, you will need to install this patch for your Trainz build.", Last edited by shadowarrior; November 17th, 2011 at 08:27 PM.
- ↑ Trainz TS10 and TS12 Hot-fix Patches released,sub-titled: "Patch for TS12 build 48249 will take the build to version 49922", by N2V's Shadowarrior
- ↑ Trainz 12 Service Pack 1, by aronc, Published on April 10th, 2013 12:47 AM
- ↑ a b c d e f TS12 SP1 Hotfix 3 and Auto-patch Now Available, by WindWalkr, Published on June 6th, 2013 02:00 AM.
- ↑ TS12 SP1 Hotfix 2 now available, by GPavlich, Published on April 30th, 2013 07:38 AM
- ↑ a b TS12 SP1 Hotfix 1 now available, by GPavlich, Published on April 18th, 2013 02:00 AM
- ↑ Auran forum post: Trainz Railroad Simulator 2019 has arrived!, Published on December 18th, 2018 09:16 PM by N3V CEO Tony_Hilliam.
- ↑ TrainzOnline trainz-build number encyclopedia page.
- ↑ At the time of this composition, there were well over 250,000 assets listed as separate DLS assets on the TRS2009 Content Manager, a number which increases almost daily.
- ↑ TrainzOnline article: T:ANE "Release Version", which also lists features improved since pre-release Beta testing releases.
Sources
[edit | edit source]- www.auran.com auran store links (historical 'release' names, albeit, ephemeral)
- TrainzOnline Trainz-build tag wiki page
- TrainzOnline Trainz Code build version wiki page