TransDEM Forum

Hello guys!

I've been working on a DEM today, and unfortunately it seems like it was unsuccessful in exporting. I opened the DEM in surveyor, and the entire screen was black; so I decided to meddle with the day/night cycle, and it looks like outer-space when I have it set to night time. I opened the mini-map module and there is only one baseboard. I'm dumbfounded. It doesn't look like there is anyone who's had this problem yet. I can lay track down, and place objects, but they are all 'black' in nature. I opened up a few other routes(mostly the built in ones and a couple downloaded ones) and they are all fine.

G'day isaacg,

...that certainly is a very strange one and one I have never come across before. I was going to suggest a problem with the texture set (not correctly installed or not at all) but If I read your post correctly, you imply that EVERYTHING is black (including the sky and all the objects that you are able to add to the terrain), which, as far as I am concerned have nothing to do with the TransDEM process and which implies something amiss in Trainz, itself, yet somehow only related to this route (since you say that others load and 'run' properly)...


...this will need some real thought (and perhaps an image or two from you to help shed some light, so to speak)...

Jerker {:)}

Jerker, hello!

This was the initial situation I was speaking of:



However, I had re-exported the route into Trainz, and the sky was there as well as the black land. Unfortunately I did not take a picture of it. I had opened the mini-map and Trainz had closed unresponsive. I reopened Trainz, and this is what came up:



I closed the route out of surveyor and returned to the menu. I went back to open the route and this came up:



I did the same thing again, and the layout returned to pure pitch-blackness:



And here's a freelance layout I've started, all of the other layouts work just fine as well.



I don't think it's entirely Trainz' fault, however it probably isn't TranzDEM's either. As to WHY? I am uncertain. Perhaps something to do with the export process may explain it. Granted, the DEM I've been working on covers a large amount of geography, covering 3 small Balkan countries; the entirety of Albania, south Montenegro(around Podgorica), west Macedonia(around Skopje), soutwest-central Kosovo(Pristina), and Northern Greece(Larisa and Ioannina). All are areas near the Albanian border and that of their respective countries. Perhaps I should re-export, use the 'lasso' tool, and divide the DEM into smaller regions?

This is the DEM; there are 4 DEMs at N39, 3 at N40 and N41, and then 4 more DEMs at N42; so 14 DEMs in total; 11 raster maps that make up the entire route area.



As you can see, there are numerous lines throughout the DEM, connecting some of the main cities I spoke of (e.g. Podgorica, Skopje, Larisa, Pristina, etc.) as well as Vlore, Durres, Tirana, Ioaninna, Elbasan, etc.

Yes, this is being done on a Mac via Parallels. I have created a DEM before this way, so I doubt it has to do with the fact I'm working on a Mac via Parallels.

If anyone has ever encountered this problem before, or perhaps has some kind of solution or idea towards a solution, it would be greatly appreciated! I'd like to keep the current setup I have, with the entire network on the current geographical area; however if push comes to shove, I am willing to downsize the layout.

It reminds me of the psychedelic times in pop music in the early 70s.

TransDEM does not create any colours when exporting to Trainz. The only 3D graphics colours that exist in conjunction with TransDEM are those of the ground textures and the UTM tile textures.

Did you check the TransDEM ground textures in the Trainz asset data base from Surveyor? Do they look and behave normally?

G'day isaacg,

Roland's thoughts reflect my own (as I would expect). Something has gone 'amiss' with the export of this specific route. A setting or option has been changed (or removed) to produce the result. This, however, does not explain the 'reaction' from Trainz. It is certainly possible that the "...Mac via Parallels..." process may be the cause of your issue but previous attempts using this process have been successful (so you say)...

...having given it some thought, the only suggestion I can make is to ask you if you would be prepared to sendtp me (or even to Roland - if you are more comfortable with that) your TransDEM files for this route (all of them), to see if I/he can reproduce the problem?...

Jerker {:)}