Error Mesage, "Input past end of file encountered while loading" Options

[Bear]

I keep getting this error on ANY activity file I try to open after the first successful creation of an activity.

"Input past end of file encountered while loading" When you click"OK" on the error message...you are then returned to AM with no file loaded. (You get the same result when trying to load a template act as well).

I'm using Window7x64 Home Premium edition.
I have taken ownership of all files in the MSTS file structure.
I have made all files read/write able.
I have full administrative rights.
I am running AM as the admin.

Re-installation of the program will allow you to successfully create an activity. (However, you will have to re-assign all unknown types and give meaningful type-names to all your car type files again).

One follow up question,
When I do create a successful activity...what/were do I put cars that I have to pick up but have no drop-off point?

This post has been edited by Bear: Dec 5 2009, 09:13 AM

[nbeveridge]

I keep getting this error on ANY activity file I try to open after the first successful creation of an activity.

"Input past end of file encountered while loading" When you click"OK" on the error message...you are then returned to AM with no file loaded. (You get the same result when trying to load a template act as well).

I'm using Window7x64 Home Premium edition.
I have taken ownership of all files in the MSTS file structure.
I have made all files read/write able.
I have full administrative rights.
I am running AM as the admin.

Re-installation of the program will allow you to successfully create an activity. (However, you will have to re-assign all unknown types and give meaningful type-names to all your car type files again).

One follow up question,
When I do create a successful activity...what/were do I put cars that I have to pick up but have no drop-off point?

Okay, are we talking Activity Master (AM) or Activity Generator (AG)? You refer to AM twice, and talk about giving type names to car, which are AM. But you talk about templates and creating activities, which are AG.

I will assume AG.

I have seen this error when someone has modified the SWLACT or SWLTDB files. These are .csv files, and if you unknowingly add a little something into the file, it simply will not work correctly and will give this error. Often this is done unknowningly, and usually a reload of the template corrects this. This seems to be the case from what you say above.

So let me say to everyone -- monkey with the SWLACT and SWLTDB files at your own risk. You can always download the template again, or course.

As to the last question, you can choose what ending you want. The activity can either end when you make the last pick up or set out, or it can end when you reach 20 MPH after finishing the work, or it can end when you assemble the final train. It sounds like you are using the last set out or pick up option, which is the default. If your final train is longer than the destination track(s), then you will end up with cars left in the train. You can either be careful to pick destination tracks with more than the final train length, or just accept that not all cars will be spotted when the activity ends.

[Bear]

Okay, are we talking Activity Master (AM) or Activity Generator (AG)? You refer to AM twice, and talk about giving type names to car, which are AM. But you talk about templates and creating activities, which are AG.

I will assume AG.

I have seen this error when someone has modified the SWLACT or SWLTDB files. These are .csv files, and if you unknowingly add a little something into the file, it simply will not work correctly and will give this error. Often this is done unknowningly, and usually a reload of the template corrects this. This seems to be the case from what you say above.

So let me say to everyone -- monkey with the SWLACT and SWLTDB files at your own risk. You can always download the template again, or course.

As to the last question, you can choose what ending you want. The activity can either end when you make the last pick up or set out, or it can end when you reach 20 MPH after finishing the work, or it can end when you assemble the final train. It sounds like you are using the last set out or pick up option, which is the default. If your final train is longer than the destination track(s), then you will end up with cars left in the train. You can either be careful to pick destination tracks with more than the final train length, or just accept that not all cars will be spotted when the activity ends.

OK, I'm talking strictly Activity Master. I only refer to activities as those are the activities that I wish to replace/rotate stock in.
I have done NO alterations of files outside of updating unknown file types with the correct naming, or list creation within AM.
I've done a clean install and like I mentioned; after the first successful creation of an SLG(?) activity, and updating all "unknowns" with their proper nomenclature...I have run a successful session in MSTS.
However when using the program again (Activity Master), I get the error.
Am I correct in thinking that AM is supposed to allow me to replace the default rolling stock of ANY act file with what is currently available in my MSTS setup?
To be as clear as possible; I can run AM once on any act, but subsequent attempts to Load ANY act file results in the error above. (this may sound like I can run it once on all acts, let me explain a bit more),
For example...clean install, I can load any particular act file...make all the changes and updates to the stock, generate(replace), and then run that act in MSTS...perfectly. ANY attempt thereafter to load ANY act file gives the error.
Hope this clears up some of the confusion.

Sorry, I just realized that last question may have confused you...that it obviously a Activity Generator question and probably should have been posted in the proper category in the forum.

Also, I think I may have found the source of my problem; there are a lot of extraneous template files and such left in my East Metro RR activity directory...that I may not have cleared out when I did my re-install of AM.

SLG-EMRRNB-ARCHIVE
WORKORDER-SLG-EMRRNB.txt
WORKORDER-EMRRNBII.txt
WORKORDER-EMRRNB.txt
EMRRSBTemplate.pro
EMRRNBTemplate.pro
WORKORDER-SLG-EMRRNB.csv
WORKORDER-EMRRNBII.csv
WORKORDER-EMRRNB.csv
SWLTDBEMRRSBTemplate.csv
SWLTDBEMRRNBTemplate.csv
SWLACTEMRRSBTemplate.csv
SWLACTEMRRNBTemplate.csv
SLG-EMRRNB-RSUsedAndFound.csv
SLG-EMRRNB-RollingStock.csv
EMRRSBTemplate-RSUsedAndFound.csv
EMRRSBTemplate-RollingStock.csv
EMRRNBTemplate-RSUsedAndFound.csv
EMRRNBTemplate-RollingStock.csv
SLG-EMRRNB.asv
SLG-EMRRNBII.act
SLG-EMRRNB.act


It's hard to determine what is original EMRR template info...and what is added/used by AM. (I believe the SLG extension is used by either AM or AG). Do these need to be removed when/if I do a re-install of AM?

This post has been edited by Bear: Dec 5 2009, 09:50 PM

[sgdavis]

OK, I'm talking strictly Activity Master. I only refer to activities as those are the activities that I wish to replace/rotate stock in.
I have done NO alterations of files outside of updating unknown file types with the correct naming, or list creation within AM.
I've done a clean install and like I mentioned; after the first successful creation of an SLG(?) activity, and updating all "unknowns" with their proper nomenclature...I have run a successful session in MSTS.
However when using the program again (Activity Master), I get the error.
Am I correct in thinking that AM is supposed to allow me to replace the default rolling stock of ANY act file with what is currently available in my MSTS setup?
To be as clear as possible; I can run AM once on any act, but subsequent attempts to Load ANY act file results in the error above. (this may sound like I can run it once on all acts, let me explain a bit more),
For example...clean install, I can load any particular act file...make all the changes and updates to the stock, generate(replace), and then run that act in MSTS...perfectly. ANY attempt thereafter to load ANY act file gives the error.
Hope this clears up some of the confusion.

Sorry, I just realized that last question may have confused you...that it obviously a Activity Generator question and probably should have been posted in the proper category in the forum.

Also, I think I may have found the source of my problem; there are a lot of extraneous template files and such left in my East Metro RR activity directory...that I may not have cleared out when I did my re-install of AM.

SLG-EMRRNB-ARCHIVE
WORKORDER-SLG-EMRRNB.txt
<snip>

It's hard to determine what is original EMRR template info...and what is added/used by AM. (I believe the SLG extension is used by either AM or AG). Do these need to be removed when/if I do a re-install of AM?

First, all of the files you list are related to Activity Generator except the Archive files. You can safely delete al the archive files but leaving the template files won't cause you any problems (MSTS doesn't read them, only AG does).

To be as clear as possible; I can run AM once on any act, but subsequent attempts to Load ANY act file results in the error above. (this may sound like I can run it once on all acts, let me explain a bit more),
For example...clean install, I can load any particular act file...make all the changes and updates to the stock, generate(replace), and then run that act in MSTS...perfectly. ANY attempt thereafter to load ANY act file gives the error.

That seems clear but it is so strange that I am not sure I am following you still. Are you saying you can download an activity, and change the rolling stock in it using Activity Master just fine, and then run the activity in MSTS just fine? But, if you load any other activity again in Activity Master, you get an error in Activity Master? Also please confirm that the error is in Activity Master not in MSTS, right?

This may be a Windows 7 compatibility problem. No other users have reported this issue with Activity Master. Activity Master creates some files that it uses to track how you have used it in the past: the types you've assigned to locos, etc. I apologize that I don't know much about W7. I will install it one day and then will be able to troubleshoot these things better. One guess is that AM needs to read, and write, files in your \Train Simulator\ folder and also in the \Program Files\AcivityMaster folder (that's where it keeps the internal configuration files). Can you be sure AM has full rights to those folders? You mentioned giving "ownership" of all the files in the MSTS file structure. Can you do the same with \Program Files\ActivityMaster? That may fix the problem (it sounds like AM may be creating a file that it later can't read or modify, or it may be TRYING to create a file that never gets written out.)

If not I will send you a refund for AM until I can test it and confirm it works (or fix it so it works) with Windows 7.

Any others: have you used Activity Master with Windows 7 and if so what results have you had?

Thanks,

Steve

[Bear]

First, all of the files you list are related to Activity Generator except the Archive files. You can safely delete al the archive files but leaving the template files won't cause you any problems (MSTS doesn't read them, only AG does).

Thank you.

That seems clear but it is so strange that I am not sure I am following you still. Are you saying you can download an activity, and change the rolling stock in it using Activity Master just fine, and then run the activity in MSTS just fine? But, if you load any other activity again in Activity Master, you get an error in Activity Master? Also please confirm that the error is in Activity Master not in MSTS, right?

Exactly, and the error is only in AM, correct.

This may be a Windows 7 compatibility problem. No other users have reported this issue with Activity Master. Activity Master creates some files that it uses to track how you have used it in the past: the types you've assigned to locos, etc. I apologize that I don't know much about W7. I will install it one day and then will be able to troubleshoot these things better. One guess is that AM needs to read, and write, files in your \Train Simulator\ folder and also in the \Program Files\AcivityMaster folder (that's where it keeps the internal configuration files). Can you be sure AM has full rights to those folders? You mentioned giving "ownership" of all the files in the MSTS file structure. Can you do the same with \Program Files\ActivityMaster? That may fix the problem (it sounds like AM may be creating a file that it later can't read or modify, or it may be TRYING to create a file that never gets written out.)

I will try this, you may be right here. Windows7 is very adverse to making changes within the C:\program files(x86)\... file structure. (a real headache, MS's way of trying to tell you were and when you can make file changes).

If not I will send you a refund for AM until I can test it and confirm it works (or fix it so it works) with Windows 7.

Thanks but I'm not giving up just yet.

Ok, I took ownership off and removed all "read-only" attributes on ALL files in both, the Activity Master Directory, and MSTS Directory tree. (I do this as often as I make changes or add routes or stock). No Joy!

- However, we may have stumbled into the MS "black hole". As I mentioned earlier, Windows7 has instigated a new policy in regards to files that can be changed. MS/Windows7 want to keep all files in the C:\program files\...ext as read only by default. This means (I think), that even if you take ownership of all files in a directory under C:\program files OR the new C:\program files(x86), you still have to contend with the fact that MS/Windows7 is going to allow a change but then mark the file as "read only" the min your done. (I'm not 100% certain on this, because when you click on the properties of a directory in the "protected zone" IE:under C:\program files OR the new C:\program files(x86),...it's still shown as read only, even though you have removed all the read only attributes for all files in that Dir. So, any user program trying to access the "read/write-able" data inside that dir is shown that the dir is "read-only". I've been out of the systems analysis/programing field for a few years now so I cant swear this is happening.

I'm going to try a fresh install and try to see if I may have somehow opened one of AM's csv files by mistake and created this or not.
Thanks for you patience in this Steve.
Dave

UPDATE- RESOLVED
Uninstalled AM, Re-installed AM into folder OTHER THAN C:\program files\...OR the new C:\program files(x86)..., I have had NO problems since. I have created/edited act files and ran them with no errors whatever.
I created a new folder called "changeable" outside of the "protected files zone" and all seems well.
Thanks again Steve for all your help and a great product too.

[nbeveridge]

- However, we may have stumbled into the MS "black hole". As I mentioned earlier, Windows7 has instigated a new policy in regards to files that can be changed. MS/Windows7 want to keep all files in the C:\program files\...ext as read only by default. This means (I think), that even if you take ownership of all files in a directory under C:\program files OR the new C:\program files(x86), you still have to contend with the fact that MS/Windows7 is going to allow a change but then mark the file as "read only" the min your done. (I'm not 100% certain on this, because when you click on the properties of a directory in the "protected zone" IE:under C:\program files OR the new C:\program files(x86),...it's still shown as read only, even though you have removed all the read only attributes for all files in that Dir. So, any user program trying to access the "read/write-able" data inside that dir is shown that the dir is "read-only". I've been out of the systems analysis/programing field for a few years now so I cant swear this is happening.

Uninstalled AM, Re-installed AM into folder OTHER THAN C:\program files\...OR the new C:\program files(x86)..., I have had NO problems since. I have created/edited act files and ran them with no errors whatever.
I created a new folder called "changeable" outside of the "protected files zone" and all seems well.
Thanks again Steve for all your help and a great product too.

I am glad that you found this. This is the first thing that I would have tried, noting what you said in the first paragraph here. Not that I am a computer genius -- I'm the farthest from it. Thanks for sharing this with everyone!!!