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<td>[[file:DotPoint.JPG|link=]]</td>

<td>'''Driver Characters''' are '''avatars''' that can be assigned to locomotives in sessions. They play the role of train drivers and can be moved between locomotives<td>

<td>[[file:DotPoint.JPG|link=]]</td>

<td>'''Driver Character Icons''' are small graphic icons or images that can be selected to represent locomotive drivers in the [[file:WikiLink.PNG|link=]] '''[[How to Use Driver Setup Rule|Driver Setup Rule]]'''<td>

<table>

<table> <!-- BEGIN Nav Buttons Table -->

<td width=729><span id="stepCreateImage"></span>&nbsp;</td>

<td width=46>[[file:BackToTop.png|link=#top|alt=Top|Top]]</td>

<td width=75>&nbsp;</td>

<td width=75>[[file:NextDown.png|link=#stepCreateAsset|alt=Next Down|Next Down]]</td>

<td width=75>[[file:BackToBottom.png|link=#bottom|alt=Bottom|Bottom]]</td>

<table cellpadding=4 bgcolor=#c1e7e7>

<td>[[image:DotPoint.JPG|link=]]</td>

The image can be easily created and resized using your favourite image editor. It can start with a photograph, as shown in the example below, a piece of clip art or a drawing. Make sure that there will be no copyright issues so something of your own creation, such as a photograph, would be ideal.<br>

 

<table>

The clip art can be added as layers to the image which makes them easier to manipulate (resize and move).</td>

<table>

 

Crop the image to a square with the same number of pixels on each side with the minimum size being 64 pixels. Multiples of 64 (such as 128, 256, 512) would be ideal but not absolutely necessary as long as both the height and the width are the same size.<br>

 

After cropping, reduce the image size to 64 pixels wide (and therefore 64 pixels high).

* '''.png''' (best choice)

* '''.tga''' (2nd best choice but do not use compression)

* '''.jpg''' (3rd best choice)

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<td width=729><span id="stepCreateAsset"></span>&nbsp;</td>

<td width=46>[[file:BackToTop.png|link=#top|alt=Top|Top]]</td>

<td width=75>[[file:NextUp.png|link=#stepCreateImage|alt=Next Up|Top]]</td>

<td width=75>[[file:NextDown.png|link=#stepConfig|alt=Next Down|Next Down]]</td>

<td width=75>[[file:BackToBottom.png|link=#bottom|alt=Bottom|Bottom]]</td>

<table cellpadding=4 bgcolor=#ffffff> <!-- BEGIN Step table -->

<tr>

<td>[[file:Steps.PNG|link=]]<br><br>

<span style="font-size: 17px; font-weight: 700;">Steps</span></td>

<td>[[file:DotPoint1.JPG|link=]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 17px; font-weight: 700;">Create the Asset:</span><br>

<td>[[file:NewAsset.PNG|link=]]<br><br>

[[file:NewAssetCreated.PNG|link=]]</td>

<td>From the '''Trainz''' Launcher

#select <span style="color: white; background-color: black; font-weight: 700; font-size: 15px;">&nbsp;Manage Content&nbsp;</span>

#in '''Content Manager''' open the '''Developer''' menu

#select '''New Content'''

This will create a new asset and open it for editing.

<br><br>

A message window will appear that will (hopefully) report on the successful creation of a new asset.

</table> <!-- END Step 1 table -->

<tr>

----</td>

<td>&nbsp;</td>

<td>[[file:DotPoint2.JPG|link=]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 17px; font-weight: 700;">Find the New Asset:</span><br>

<table> <!-- BEGIN Step 2 table -->

<td>[[file:NewAssetSelectOpen.PNG|link=]]</td>

*Set the CM Search Filter to '''Open for Editing'''

This will display only those assets that have been opened for editing (hopefully only your new and as yet unnamed asset will be shown)

</table> <!-- END Step 2 table -->

<tr>

----</td>

<td>&nbsp;</td>

<td>[[file:DotPoint3.JPG|link=]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 17px; font-weight: 700;">Open the Asset in Windows File Explorer:</span><br>

<table> <!-- BEGIN Step 3 table -->

<td>[[file:NewAssetShowExplorer.PNG|link=]]</td>

#Right mouse click on the entry '''New Asset'''

#Select '''Open'''

#Select '''Show in Explorer'''

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<td colspan="2">

----</td>

</tr>

<td>&nbsp;</td>

<td>[[file:DotPoint4.JPG|link=]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 17px; font-weight: 700;">Open Config.txt File in Notepad:</span><br>

<td>[[file:NewAssetOpenExplorer.PNG|link=]]</td>

<td>There will only be a single item in the asset, its config.txt file

*Double click on the file to open it in Notepad</td>

</table> <!-- END Step 4 table -->

<tr>

----</td>

<td>&nbsp;</td>

<td>[[file:DotPoint5.JPG|link=]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 17px; font-weight: 700;">Edit the Config.txt File:</span><br>

<td>[[file:NewAssetOpenNotepad.PNG|link=]]</td>

<td>You will need to edit the contents of this file.  

*The next section, [[file:PageLink.PNG|link=]] '''[[#The Config.txt File|The Config.txt File]]''', identifies the changes you will need to make.  

*The new name you give to the asset will not take effect until after it has been committed.

*After editing, save the changes and exit Notepad.</td>

<table bgcolor=#ff0000> <!-- BEGIN Step 5 warning table -->

<table bgcolor=#fcbcbc>

<td>[[file:Stop.PNG|link=]]</td>

<td>Unless you know '''exactly''' what you are doing'''*''',&nbsp;<span style="color: white; background-color: red; font-weight: 700; font-size: 17px;">&nbsp;DO NOT ALTER THE KUID NUMBER&nbsp;</span>&nbsp;that has been added to the file<br>

</table> <!-- END Step 5 warning table -->

<tr>

<td colspan="2">

----</td>

</tr>

<td>&nbsp;</td>

<td>[[file:DotPoint6.JPG|link=]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 17px; font-weight: 700;">Add Any Extras:</span><br>

<table> <!-- BEGIN Step 6 table -->

You will need to add:-

*a thumbnail image as described in the section [[file:PageLink.PNG|link=]] '''[[#The Thumbnail Image|The Thumbnail Image]]'''

*the icon image as described in the section [[file:PageLink.PNG|link=]] '''[[#The Icon Image|The Icon Image]]'''

*a texture text file as described in the section [[file:PageLink.PNG|link=]] '''[[#The Texture File|The Texture File]]'''

<br>

These files do not have to be added immediately but must be present before the new asset can be used. You can reopen the asset for editing later to add the files before it is committed.</td>

<td>[[file:DriverIconFiles.png|link=]]</td>

<td><span style="font-size: 17px;">'''THIS IS AN EXAMPLE ONLY'''</span><br><br>

<tr>

<td colspan="2">

----</td>

</tr>

<td>&nbsp;</td>

<td>[[file:DotPoint7.JPG|link=]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 17px; font-weight: 700;">Finish Up:</span>

<table> <!-- BEGIN Step 7 table -->

<table width=604 bgcolor=#000000> <!-- BEGIN Step 7 Notes table -->

<table width=600 bgcolor=#ffffb0> <!-- BEGIN Step 7 Notes table -->

<td>[[image:NotePad.PNG|link=]]</td>

<table cellpadding=4 bgcolor=#ff0000> <!-- BEGIN Step 7 errors table -->

<td>[[file:Bug.png|link=]]</td>

<td>Some of the most common errors that can occur when creating and committing a new asset are:-

*no '''''thumbnail image''''' in the asset

*typing errors in the config.txt file

*poorly formatted tags in the config.txt file

*incorrect file types added to the asset folder

*files missing from the asset folder

*incorrect '''kuid''' value (despite the warning you changed it in '''Step 5''')</td>

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<td width=729><span id="stepConfig"></span>&nbsp;</td>

<td width=46>[[file:BackToTop.png|link=#top|alt=Top|Top]]</td>

<td width=75>[[file:NextUp.png|link=#stepCreateAsset|alt=Next Up|Top]]</td>

<td width=75>[[file:NextDown.png|link=#stepThumbIcon|alt=Next Down|Next Down]]</td>

<td width=75>[[file:BackToBottom.png|link=#bottom|alt=Bottom|Bottom]]</td>

This file should follow the same (or a similar) format as the example below.<br>

*entries in&nbsp;<span style="background-color: red; color: white; font-weight: 700;">&nbsp;red&nbsp;</span>&nbsp;must not be changed

*the indenting of the lines and the spacing ("tabbing") between the "tags" on the left and their contents on the right are purely to make it easier for humans to read

*the use of the '''{}''' braces is to group tags into common "containers". These containers must not be broken up and the number of '''{''' characters must match the number of '''}''' characters

*the order of the "tags" is not important

  '''kuid'''                                    <span style="background-color: red; color: white; font-weight: 700;"><kuid: this is an auto-generated number ></span>

  '''description             "Icon for train driver Lillian"'''

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<td>[[file:Gears.PNG|link=]]</td>

'''For the above example:'''<br>

*The&nbsp;<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-weight: 700;"> kuid </span>&nbsp;is unique to every asset so it is&nbsp;<span style="background-color: red; color: white; font-weight: 700;">&nbsp;not a good idea to choose your own&nbsp;</span>. This will be automatically generated by the '''Content Manager''' program when a new asset is created

*The&nbsp;<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-weight: 700;"> kind </span>&nbsp;identifies the ''type'' of asset and the types of files that '''Trainz''' will expect to find in the asset. It also tells '''Trainz''' how to render and error check the asset. A list of asset kinds can be found at [[file:WikiLink.PNG|link=]] '''[[KIND_TrainzBaseSpec#KIND_Hierarchy|KIND Hierarchy]]'''

*The&nbsp;<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-weight: 700;"> texture </span>&nbsp;is the name of the assets '''texture''' file. This will be a simple text file and will have the name '''<span style="color: black;">asset_name</span>.texture''' where '''<span style="color: black;">asset_name</span>''' will be a name you have selected for this asset - e.g. "'''driverlillian'''". The actual texture file itself will be named '''<span style="color: black;">asset_name</span>.texture.txt''' (e.g. "'''driverlillian.texture.txt'''") but the filename ending "'''.txt'''" is not added to the name in the '''texture''' tag so it would appear as "'''driverlillian.texture'''"

*The&nbsp;<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-weight: 700;"> username </span>&nbsp;is your name for the asset and the name that other users will see. It is also the name that will appear in the '''Driver Setup Rule''' when the driver is being selected. It is a good idea to make it short and meaningful.

*The&nbsp;<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-weight: 700;"> category-class </span>&nbsp;identifies the ''intent'' of the asset and is important in classifying it for filtering and searching. For '''driver character''' assets, the category class is "'''OHD'''". A list of category classes can be found at [[file:WikiLink.PNG|link=]] '''[[Category-class]]'''

*The&nbsp;<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-weight: 700;"> trainz-build </span>&nbsp;identifies the ''minimum'' Trainz version needed for this asset. A list of asset trainz-build numbers and their corresponding Trainz versions can be found at [[file:WikiLink.PNG|link=]] '''[["Trainz-build"_number]]'''

*The&nbsp;<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-weight: 700;"> thumbnails </span>&nbsp;container holds the ''preview'' images of the asset shown by the '''Content Manager''' program, the Web version of the ''DLS'' and, for '''some assets''', the Surveyor main menu image(s) and in this case the asset texture itself. Information on thumbnails can be found at [[file:WikiLink.PNG|link=]] '''[[Thumbnails]]'''

**The first thumbnail&nbsp;<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-weight: 700;">&nbsp;Default&nbsp;</span>&nbsp;is the '''container ID''' or '''placeholder''' for the thumbnail used by CM and the Web based DLS. While its ''exact label'' (or number - eg. "Default", "00", "01", etc) is not important, it must be different from any other labels. '''Default''' and '''0''' are commonly used placeholder labels for the 240 x 180 thumbnail image

***The '''image''' is the name of the thumbnail image. It does not have to be called '''thumbnail.jpg''' but it '''must''' be a JPG format image

***The '''width''' of the image in pixels must be <span style="background-color: red; color: white; font-weight: 700;">&#160;240&#160;</span>

***The '''height''' of the image in pixels must be <span style="background-color: red; color: white; font-weight: 700;">&#160;180&#160;</span>

**The second thumbnail&nbsp;<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-weight: 700;">'''&nbsp;01&nbsp;'''</span>&nbsp;is the placeholder label for the 64 x 64 icon image used by the '''Driver Character''' for this asset. Its ''exact label'' does not matter but it must be different from the first thumbnail image placeholder label

***The '''image''' is the assets '''<span style="color: black;">asset_name</span>.texture.txt''' file (but without the ".txt" at the end)

***The '''width''' of the image in pixels must be <span style="background-color: red; color: white; font-weight: 700;">&#160;64&#160;</span>

***The '''height''' of the image in pixels must be <span style="background-color: red; color: white; font-weight: 700;">&#160;64&#160;</span>

*The&nbsp;<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-weight: 700;"> description </span>&nbsp;provides more details for users than the '''username'''

<table bgcolor=#ffffe0>

<td>[[file:PencilTips.PNG|link=]]</td>

<td>All Trainz assets have a language facility built into their config.txt files that allows other language translations to be added for certain tags, such as the '''username''' and '''description''' tags. A full description of the process can be found on the Trainz Wiki at [[file:WikiLink.PNG|link=]]&nbsp;'''[[HowTo/Localize_an_Asset|Localize an Asset]]''' and a list of all the supported languages with their two character codes at [[file:WikiLink.PNG|link=]]&nbsp;'''[[Localization_code|Localization (country) Codes]]'''.<br>

<table> <!-- BEGIN Nav Buttons Table -->

<td width=729><span id="stepThumbIcon"></span>&nbsp;</td>

<td width=46>[[file:BackToTop.png|link=#top|alt=Top|Top]]</td>

<td width=75>[[file:NextUp.png|link=#stepConfig|alt=Next Up|Top]]</td>

<td width=75>[[file:NextDown.png|link=#stepTexture|alt=Next Down|Next Down]]</td>

<td width=75>[[file:BackToBottom.png|link=#bottom|alt=Bottom|Bottom]]</td>

<table cellpadding=4 bgcolor=#c1e7e7>

<td>[[image:DotPoint.JPG|link=]]</td>

*must be in '''JPG''' format.

*must be '''240''' pixels wide by '''180''' pixels tall.

*'''does not''' have to be named ''thumbnail.jpg'' as long as the name used is in the '''Thumbnails''' container in the '''config.txt''' file.

 

<table cellpadding=4 bgcolor=#c1e7e7>

<td>[[file:DotPoint.JPG|link=]]</td>

<td>[[file:DotPoint.JPG|link=]]</td>

<td>See the [[file:PageLink.PNG|link=]] '''[[#Create the Driver Image|Create the Driver Image]]''' section at the top of this page for an example</td>

<table>

<td>[[file:Texture64Pixels.PNG|link=]]<br>

<table cellpadding=4 bgcolor=#eeeeee>

<td>[[file:Gears.PNG|link=]]</td>

*64 pixels wide and 64 pixels tall

*bit depth ''should'' be 24 (no '''alpha channel''' or transparency) or 32 (if an '''alpha channel''' is used)

*image file format can be any of:-

**bmp

**jpg (jpg '''does not''' support transparency)

**png

**tga (tga compression '''should not''' be used)</td>

<table bgcolor=#000000>

<td>[[file:PencilTips.PNG|link=]]</td>

*convert the background to a transparency or

*remove the background and add a transparent layer to the image as its background

than it is to use a format that does not support an '''alpha channel''' and have to create a second image for the '''alpha channel'''. See [[file:PageLink.PNG|link=]] '''[[#The Texture File|The Texture File]]''' below.

</td>

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<td width=729><span id="stepTexture"></span>&nbsp;</td>

<td width=46>[[file:BackToTop.png|link=#top|alt=Top|Top]]</td>

<td width=75>[[file:NextUp.png|link=#stepThumbIcon|alt=Next Up|Top]]</td>

<td width=75>[[file:NextDown.png|link=#stepUsing|alt=Next Down|Next Down]]</td>

<td width=75>[[file:BackToBottom.png|link=#bottom|alt=Bottom|Bottom]]</td>

<table cellpadding=4 bgcolor=#c1e7e7>

<td>[[file:DotPoint.JPG|link=]]</td>

<table cellpadding=4 bgcolor=#eeeeee>

<td>[[file:Gears.PNG|link=]]</td>

<td><span style="font-size: 17px;">'''Settings:'''</span><br>

*the '''Texture File''' is a standard '''text''' file

*the filename is composed of:-

**a user selected '''asset_name''' followed by a period ('''.''')

**the word '''texture''' followed by a period ('''.''')

**the letters '''txt'''</td>

<table cellpadding=5>

<table cellpadding=4 bgcolor=#eeeeee>

<td>[[file:Gears.PNG|link=]]</td>

<td><span style="font-size: 17px;">'''Settings:'''</span><br>

*'''primary''' - this is the name of the icon image file that contains the '''RGB''' colour image. Any '''alpha channel''' in this file will be ignored

*'''alpha''' - this is the name of the icon image file that contains the '''Alpha Channel''' (transparency) image (see '''Notes:''' below)

*'''tile=st''' - instructs '''Trainz''' to tile the image both horizontally and vertically. This has no effect on the Driver Character icon but must be included for validation purposes

</table></td>

<table cellpadding=4 bgcolor=#ffffb0>

<td>[[file:NotePad.PNG|link=]]</td>

There are 3 general "scenarios" for the structure of the '''Texture File''' in a '''Driver Character''' asset.<br>

<td>[[file:DotPoint1Blue.png|link=]]</td>

<td>If the icon has a transparency (an '''alpha channel''') and is saved in a format that supports the '''alpha channel'''</td>

</table>

<td><br>

*the '''primary''' and '''alpha''' images are the same file, as in the example shown left

*the image must contain '''<span style="text-decoration: underline;">both</span>''' the '''RGB''' colour data and the '''Alpha Channel''' (transparency) data (it must have a '''depth''' of '''32 bits''')</td>

<td>[[file:DotPoint2Blue.png|link=]]</td>

<td>If the icon needs to have transparency (an '''alpha channel''') but an '''alpha channel''' is not available (e.g. it is saved in the jpg file format) or is not suitable</td>

</table>

*two different files (different file names or different image file formats) must be used as in the example shown left

*both images must be the same size (64 pixels x 64 pixels)

*both images must have a '''depth''' of '''24 bits''' - so no '''alpha channel''' must be present in either image

*the '''alpha''' image file ''should'' be a greyscale image or even just black and white</td>

<td>[[file:DotPoint3Blue.png|link=]]</td>

<td>If the icon image does not have a transparency and no '''alpha channel''' is needed</td>

</table>

<td><br>

*the '''alpha=''' line in the '''.texture.txt file''' is not needed, as in the example shown left

*the '''primary''' file contains the '''RGB''' colour data and can be in any supported image format. If it also has '''alpha channel''' data then the alpha channel data will be ignored so the icon will be shown without any transparency</td>

Image file formats supported by '''Trainz''' that have an '''alpha channel''' are:-<br>

*bmp

*png

*tga

Image file formats supported by '''Trainz''' that DO NOT have an '''alpha channel''' are:-<br>

*jpg</td>

<table cellpadding=4 bgcolor="Aquamarine">

<td>[[file:LinkWiki.PNG|link=]]</td>

* '''[[Texture_file|Texture File]]'''</td>

<table> <!-- BEGIN Nav Buttons Table -->

<td width=729><span id="stepUsing"></span>&nbsp;</td>

<td width=46>[[file:BackToTop.png|link=#top|alt=Top|Top]]</td>

<td width=75>[[file:NextUp.png|link=#stepTexture|alt=Next Up|Top]]</td>

<td width=75>&nbsp;</td>

<td width=75>[[file:BackToBottom.png|link=#bottom|alt=Bottom|Bottom]]</td>

<table>

<td>[[file:DriverIconSelect.png|link=]]</td>

<table cellpadding=4 bgcolor=#ffffff>

<tr>

<td colspan="2">

----</td>

<td>[[file:Steps.PNG|link=]]</td>

<td><span style="font-size: 17px;">'''Steps:'''</span><br>

Open the '''Session Editor''' (see [[file:WikiLink.PNG|link=]] '''[[How to Use Session Editor|Session Editor]]''') and open it for editing.