TURNING ROUTES ON & OFF USING BATCH FILES
By Cyndi Richards
I would like to thank my good friend Otto Wipfel (OTTODAD) for the idea of
using batch files. I have only expanded on his original idea by creating a comprehensive step by step guide. In my guides I
like to stay with the KISS principle: KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID! Thus, these batch
files are the bare minimums to get you started.
This
step by step will show you how to create batch files to turn your individual
routes on or off. The starting portion of MSTS will load up much faster. The
length of time you have a black screen before the route selection screen will
remain the same. This is when MSTS is loading the engines and wagons.
TWO METHODS
Method
1 will allow you to turn individual routes "ON" and "OFF".
Method 2 will allow you to turn all routes "OFF" at once, and turn "ON" routes individually.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Grab
a pencil & paper and open the ROUTES folder. Write down the name of
the ROUTE exactly as it appears on the folder, including spaces,
underscores, etc. Now open the ROUTE folder and look for the file that ends
with .trk . Write down the file
name exactly as it appears. Do this for each route in the folder.
For MSTS to function properly one route must always be "ON".
Scratch your favorite route from the list so it will always be "ON".
For this example we will the route USA2, so wherever you see USA2, use
the appropriate route folder name or .trk file name.
METHOD 1
1. Open WordPad, < NotePad in XP >.
2. Type:
@ECHO OFF <ENTER>
3. Type:
CLS <ENTER>
4. Type:
C: <ENTER> note:
if MSTS is installed on a drive other
than
"C" then enter drive letter in
place of
"C"
5. Type:
CD\"PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT GAMES\TRAIN
SIMULATOR\ROUTES\USA2"
<ENTER>
6. Type:
REN "USA2.OFF" "USA2.TRK" <ENTER>
7. Type:
CLS <ENTER>
8. At the top of the screen click on FILE,
then SAVE AS.
9. In the FILE NAME window type: USA2-ON.BAT
10.
In the SAVE AS TYPE window click on the triangle at the right
side.
11.
From the drop down menu select and click on,
TEXT DOCUMENT - MS-DOS FORMAT
12.
Save file to location of your choice. When clicking SAVE a window
will pop up with a message about
formatting. Just click YES.
13.
Congratulations! You have just created a batch file.
Your original file should still be on the
screen.
DO NOT CLOSE IT!
We now have to create a batch file to turn
the route "OFF".
14.
Go to the line that begins with REN.
15.
Change "USA2.OFF" to "USA2.TRK" move the
cursor to the right and
change "USA2.TRK" to
"USA2.OFF". The line should now read:
REN "USA2.TRK"
"USA2.OFF"
This is just the opposite of the original text for that line.
16.
Now follow steps 8 through 12. In step 9, name the file
USA2-OFF.BAT
17.
Repeat steps 1 through 16 for each route. Since the saved file is
still on the screen all you have to do is
change the Route Name
from USA2 to the next Route name
and .trk file name
(USA2.TRK and USA2.OFF) and
save.
18.
Once you have ON-OFF files for your routes done, go to where
you have saved them. Create a new folder
with your choice
of name and place all the batch files in
there.
19.
Individual routes can now be turned on or off using the appropriate
batch file. When clicking on a batch file
your screen will turn
black for an instant. Not to worry, just
the .bat doing its thing.
METHOD 2
20.
Follow steps 1 through 13 above to create "ON" batch files for
each route.
21.
Now to create a Master "OFF" batch file.
Open WordPad or NotePad (XP).
22.
Type: @ECHO OFF <ENTER>
23.
Type: CLS <ENTER>
24.
Type: C: <ENTER> See note in step 4
25.
Type:
CD\"PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT
GAMES\TRAIN SIMULATOR\ROUTES\USA2"
<ENTER>
26.
Type: REN "USA2.TRK"
"USA2.OFF" <ENTER>
27.
Repeat steps 25 & 26 for each route before going to step 28.
28.
Type: CLS <ENTER>
29.
Follow steps 8 through 13 to save. In step 9 name this file:
ALL-OFF.BAT
30.
You can now turn OFF all routes with one click and turn ON the
route(s) you want.
Cyndi Richards
BNSFLADY2081@aol.com
ALTERNATE METHOD
Download Richard Shirey's version of the batch file.
