Not new but still a problem, AM error Options

[prr4ever]

As has been discused here before I can not get AM to open on any activities. I simply get the "input past end of file when loading". I can generate and run an activity with AG but when I wish to use AM to change out rolling stock I get the above error. At present I have templates on three routes which AG has generated activities for and which run fine. This is getting very frustrating....I see others create folders outside of Program Files. Due to the number of utilities I have for MSTS I do not wish to change the path on all these things nor install MSTS on another place in the HD. I am wondering if Steve might be able to somehow program out this apparent bug when using Vista and Win 7? I do not say it is a bug in his program, it seems that the latest MS OS's simply work differently. As has been stated for example the programs always default to read only. Apparently AM is seeing something it does not like. I have version 1.6.2 installed. Is there some fix that can be done without having to edit my hard drive as a work around? I can edit the consists with CB, RR but one of the reasons for purchasing AM was to do this all easily with no fooling around. I spend more time troubleshooting than running MSTS. At this point AM is of no use because it simply will not load.

SYSTEM SPECS
Dell Studio XPS 9100
INTEL I7-920 PROCESSOR
WINDOWS 7 HOME PREMIUM 64 BIT
12 GB TRI CHANNEL DDR3 SDRAM AT 1333 MHZ
ATI RADEON HD5670 1GB GDDR5
1 TB 7200 SATA 3.9 GBS 16 MB CACHE
CREATIVE SOUNDBLASTER X-FI

Dave K.

[jrmeindl]

As has been discused here before I can not get AM to open on any activities. I simply get the "input past end of file when loading". I can generate and run an activity with AG but when I wish to use AM to change out rolling stock I get the above error. At present I have templates on three routes which AG has generated activities for and which run fine. This is getting very frustrating....I see others create folders outside of Program Files. Due to the number of utilities I have for MSTS I do not wish to change the path on all these things nor install MSTS on another place in the HD. I am wondering if Steve might be able to somehow program out this apparent bug when using Vista and Win 7? I do not say it is a bug in his program, it seems that the latest MS OS's simply work differently. As has been stated for example the programs always default to read only. Apparently AM is seeing something it does not like. I have version 1.6.2 installed. Is there some fix that can be done without having to edit my hard drive as a work around? I can edit the consists with CB, RR but one of the reasons for purchasing AM was to do this all easily with no fooling around. I spend more time troubleshooting than running MSTS. At this point AM is of no use because it simply will not load.

SYSTEM SPECS
Dell Studio XPS 9100
INTEL I7-920 PROCESSOR
WINDOWS 7 HOME PREMIUM 64 BIT
12 GB TRI CHANNEL DDR3 SDRAM AT 1333 MHZ
ATI RADEON HD5670 1GB GDDR5
1 TB 7200 SATA 3.9 GBS 16 MB CACHE
CREATIVE SOUNDBLASTER X-FI

Dave K.

Dave,

You might want to read this posting. There were some issued discussed regarding the x86 Program Files folder etc.

http://skylinecomputing.com/forums/index.p...p;hl=input+past

Jim

[prr4ever]

Dave,

You might want to read this posting. There were some issued discussed regarding the x86 Program Files folder etc.

http://skylinecomputing.com/forums/index.p...p;hl=input+past

Jim

Yeah Jim, I read that before posting. It gets rather complex and would require a lot of time plus mess up how much else I don't know. I would prefer to have the program function without all this fooling around. I am not trying to be sarcastic or anything but I have already spent countless hours on AM and AG trying to get some activities working. So far I have two. The same tempate that worked before now AG says it is missing a car. AM does not open to rename any cars. ConBuilder does not show any cars missing, nor engines. Route Riter checks everything ok. Perhaps Steve needs to update the program for Win 7/Vista??

Dave

[sgdavis]

Yeah Jim, I read that before posting. It gets rather complex and would require a lot of time plus mess up how much else I don't know. I would prefer to have the program function without all this fooling around. I am not trying to be sarcastic or anything but I have already spent countless hours on AM and AG trying to get some activities working. So far I have two. The same tempate that worked before now AG says it is missing a car. AM does not open to rename any cars. ConBuilder does not show any cars missing, nor engines. Route Riter checks everything ok. Perhaps Steve needs to update the program for Win 7/Vista??

Dave

I am sorry that you are getting frustrated. The challenge for me is, I didn't write Vista or Windows 7 and I didn't know that they would make everything in the Program Files folder read-only by default! Activity Master and Activity Generator can't work if the folder is read only, since they CHANGE your MSTS activity files and thus must WRITE to those folders.

I'm afraid I can't fix that for you. You need to go in and set your \Train Simulator folder (and all sub-folders), and your \Activity Master and \Activity Generator folder (and, again, all sub-folders) to read-write. It shouldn't take any time. Just right-click on those folders and uncheck the "read only" flag. It will NOT mess anything else up. Everytime you load a new piece of rolling stock or activity you are overwriting files. For some reason Widows allows file deletion and replacement, but just not CHANGES, by default - I guess because some viruses would change your files without your knowledge. As long as you do NOT change your \Windows folders you will be safe from viruses etc.

If you are a new user and have not enjoyed Activity Master email me directly at SkylineComputing.com and I will refund your purchase price since this appears to be a big concern. I only do this for a hobby and want everyone 100% satisfied.

Some day I may do a rewrite that will do all of this in the user's Documents folders which will solve the problem. But that is a pretty significant rewrite and will take some time to do. So since I can't change the way W7 and Vista work on your machine, I'm afraid I can only tell YOU how to fix it, or offer you a refund.

Thanks and sorry,

Steve Davis

[jrmeindl]

I am sorry that you are getting frustrated. The challenge for me is, I didn't write Vista or Windows 7 and I didn't know that they would make everything in the Program Files folder read-only by default! Activity Master and Activity Generator can't work if the folder is read only, since they CHANGE your MSTS activity files and thus must WRITE to those folders.

I'm afraid I can't fix that for you. You need to go in and set your \Train Simulator folder (and all sub-folders), and your \Activity Master and \Activity Generator folder (and, again, all sub-folders) to read-write. It shouldn't take any time. Just right-click on those folders and uncheck the "read only" flag. It will NOT mess anything else up. Everytime you load a new piece of rolling stock or activity you are overwriting files. For some reason Widows allows file deletion and replacement, but just not CHANGES, by default - I guess because some viruses would change your files without your knowledge. As long as you do NOT change your \Windows folders you will be safe from viruses etc.

If you are a new user and have not enjoyed Activity Master email me directly at SkylineComputing.com and I will refund your purchase price since this appears to be a big concern. I only do this for a hobby and want everyone 100% satisfied.

Some day I may do a rewrite that will do all of this in the user's Documents folders which will solve the problem. But that is a pretty significant rewrite and will take some time to do. So since I can't change the way W7 and Vista work on your machine, I'm afraid I can only tell YOU how to fix it, or offer you a refund.

Thanks and sorry,

Steve Davis

To expand on what Steve wrote and add to what I posted earlier regarding the folders. If you plan to leave the install in the Program Files (x86) folder, you need to alter the security of the folders for Train Simulater, AG and AM and any other program associated with TS that you use. One of the things with Windows 7 was to make it tougher for rogue programs alter your installs etc. To start, right click each of the folders and select properties. Click on the 'Security' tab. You will need to 'Edit' the security that has been set for the folder. Check the check box to allow 'Full Control' of the folder for all entries. That should allow the read/writes to the folder. Just don't do this across the board for the Program Files folders, only the individual folders.

Jim