(a) The most important goals of the SrrTrains project have been reached.

(b) The efforts that would be necessary to achieve the full set of goals, are too much for a single-person hobby project.

(a) and (b) ==> stop the project is the “ultima ratio”.

First, not to forget:

• We will do an exhibition in March/April 2012 – see Demo 2012

Here is a summary of the project:

http://simulrr.wordpress.com/simul-rr

Reached Goals
– A basic concept has been developed for SMUOS and for SrrTrains
– Naming rules have been defined
– Models and objects were implemented experimentally
– Modules (static and dynamic) were implemented experimentally
– Example SRR objects were implemented experimentally
– A tracer was implemented experimentally
– A console interface can be provided by SRR Objects
– Modularity of the SRR framework
– Documentation of the concept
Missed Goals
– Dynamic models
– Handover
– Moving modules
– Real multibrowser capability
– Authoring support

Have a nice day
Christoph

Download the software at http://sourceforge.net/projects/simulrr/files/

For all who are new to the topic: a setup point is in the software SrrTrains an object that defines a location within the track layout.

This location can be used to create vehicle models at it. However, this is not finished yet.

First you have to register a vehicle type:
E.g.:

• MyCoach;1435mm,persons;http://myhomepage/models/my_coach.x3d
• MyWagon;1435mm,goods;http://myhomepage/models/my_wagon.x3d

would register two vehicle types, one coach and one wagon. Registering the vehicle type makes the URL with the model accessible for loading the model, when the vehicle is actually created at a setup point.

Second you can create a concrete vehicle from a vehicle type at a setup point (this is not yet implemented)
E.g.:

• MyCoach;SecondModule-FirstSp;true

would create a concrete vehicle from the vehicle type “MyCoach”, at the setup point “SecondModule-FirstSp” (this is the “extended object ID” of the setup point, i.e. the name of the parent module and the objId of the setup point) in “forward” direction (the FBI – forward backward indicator – is “true”)

Have fun
Christoph

Now the re-design of the models of tracks and turnouts has been finished – step 0033.05bf1 of the sourceforge project has been published (http://sourceforge.net/projects/simulrr).

Regarding tracks and turnouts there is no big difference to previous versions (“step 0032″), so if you want to get the overview information, then you can refer to old posts:

If you just want to have a short look at the principles of modeling tracks in SrrTrains, please have a look to following blog post from 2009/06: Tracks and Turnouts.

If you want to take a closer look to the ideas of SrrTrains, it is still worth to have a look to the old(!) and obsolete(!) concept papers. However, only some details are out of date in those papers, but the basic ideas are still valid:

• Old (obsolete) Concept Paper (Base Module)
• Old (obsolete) Concept Paper (Train Manager Extension Module)

So have a nice week and have fun
Christoph

This contains the “modularity of SRR Framework”, which is the first step of getting closer to the re-design of the “Train Manager Module”. Then we will have tracks and vehicles again (in a few months).

All this will happen within “bugfix releases of step 0033.05″, i.e. “0033.05bfxx”.

Enjoy
Christoph

Proudly presenting the “official pre-alpha” release of some X3D prototypes that could help in implementing network sensor based multiuser scenes.

OK, it’s experimental and it’s pre-alpha, but it is open source (LGPL) and if you are interested in the network sensor of VRML/X3D, then it could be worth reading the following few lines and following the links.

OK, what is it:
I tried hard to compile some useful and concise information in following release paper:
ReleasePaperPreAlpha.pdf

Alternatively, you could go to youtube and have a look to the demo video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6yws7zBP4c.

Basically, it is a set of X3D prototypes that have been tested with BS Contact/BS Collaborate (in single-player-mode and in multi-player-mode) and with Instant Player (in single-player-mode) and that should help the modeller to use the network sensor easily.

Additionally, an “MMF-Architecture” (model/module/frame) has been defined, to state clearly: “Models and Modules that are used in the layouts (i.e. scenes) may come from different authors, but using the SRR Framework (and VRML/X3D, of course) guarantees interoperability”.

Some additional intentions are explained on the SMUOS blog, especially on the post http://smuos.wordpress.com/smuos-and-the-ietf.

Have fun
Christoph

So, the “official pre-alpha release of SRR Framework + SRR Tools” (step 0033.04) will arrive soon (in a few weeks) (Update (2011-07-26): It has arrived today).

For those, who followed up the latest test session, here is a list of

1. Functions that are still missing
2. Errors that were detected + some comments

Black: final information
Blue: unfinished information
Red: latest information

Functions still missing (to achieve pre-alpha release)

A. add self-made avatars to a test layout
Update (2011-07-02): Done, this has been implemented
B. export/import of a test layout to/from .zip file
Update (2011-07-02): Done, this has been implemented

Errors currently known + some comments

1. X3D syntax error: in C:\ProgramFiles\SrrTools\TestframeBS\..\DemoLayout\FirstModule/Hill.x3d:
ExternProtoDeclare Field should not specify a value for field ‘globalModule’
this is a well-known problem. It is caused by different interpretation of “ExternProtoDeclare” by BS Contact player and Octaga player. I had to decide, what I preferred: Octaga crashing or BS Contact throwing syntax errors.
Update (2011-06-18): The support of Octaga player has been discontinued, so it may happen soon this problem could become solved
Update (2011-07-26): Last Octaga specific syntax was removed, this error does not occur any more

2. some transparencies/mixages on the green hill.
This is well-known, too. In fact, this problem was the reason, why I began to support Octaga Player in addition to BS Contact in spring 2009. I’m sure, an experienced modelleur can avoid this problem. I decided to ignore this problem, because the main purpose of the demo layout is to test the SRR Framework, but not to provide a nice game.

3. Console interface and dynamic module “Dunes” do not work sufficiently with Octaga Player nor with Instant Player
According to my investigations, this is definitively a bug in Octaga Player and Instant Player (funny, both have the same bug).
As soon as I find time, I will further investigate, input this information to the appropriate fora and request a solution.
Update (2011-06-18): The reality is sometimes more complicated than we think: it is different bugs, why Octaga player and Instant player do not handle this. For Instant, it was possible to find the reason in my own code, and I am confident that the problem will be solved completely soon. For Octaga, the problem disappears, because support of Octaga has been discontinued.
Update (2011-07-26): Console does now work with Instant Player (it was my fault), dynamic module still cannot be loaded – I more or less gave up with this issue, any hint welcome.

4. Navigation with arrow keys does not work with Instant Player – please use the mouse
This has been discussed on Instant Player forum, it is a problem in the key sensor and it will not be corrected by the people from Instant player.
First idea for a workaround is, to replace the HUDs of the “official” demo layout by a Java application, but maybe there is a better solution, ideas welcome.

5. “SRR Test Frame” program does not run on Vista/Windows 7
The problem should be solved by using BS Contact 7.212 (instead of 7.206) and by using the latest installer of the SRR Tools (available soon on the download area). However, this has not been tested yet.
Update (2011-06-18): the latest version of the SRR Tools has been corrected. See link to installer below.

6. Chat output can be locally edited (deactivate the text box)
Done, text box has been set to “read only”.

7. Beamer destinations in dynamic modules are only accessible, when the module is loaded
Accessibility of beamer destinations of unloaded dynamic modules would cause some major changes in the paradigms of the Srr Framework.
Please indicate your interest, before I will take any steps.

8. “SRR Test Frame” has problems with “right mouse click”->”full screen”
SRR Test Frame is not intended for use with BS Contact’s full screen mode. Solution could be to simplify the user interface of BS Contact (hiding the “full screen” selection) with the “setUiMode()” function.
I think, the SRR Test Frame is a testing tool and should not hide too much of BS Contact’s user interface, therefore I chose to do nothing regarding this error and leave it as it is.

9. sometimes the chat input is not transmitted (sporadically!)
I made some changes in the SRR Test Frame, but I’m not sure, if I really found the reason for the problem or not. Please report, if you still have problems.

10. sometimes dynamic modules are not loaded/initialized correctly (sporadically!)
On one of the next weekends, I will try to systematically reproduce and analyse the error, taking the traces from the test session as a starting point.
Update (2011-06-18): I found an error in my code, which could have been the reason for this behaviour. However, we would need another multiplayer test session to be sure the effect does not occur any more.

11. initialization of SRR objects takes several seconds (sporadically!)
This is currently accepted as a known weakness of the SRR Framework. I’m sure the problem can be solved, once the base module of the SRR Framework will be migrated to a lower layer.

12. current version of SRR Object Base doesn’t function with Instant Player
On one of the next weekends, I will try to systematically reproduce and analyse the error.
Update (2011-07-26): this error has been corrected.

Update (2011-08-13): the installer of the “official pre-alpha release” of the SRR Tools (v0.3.9, using SRR Framework 0033.04bf14) can be found here: SrrTools_0.03.9(0033.04bf14).zip
Attention: this .zip file does not contain BS Contact (needed), it does not contain BS Collaborate (needed) nor is it pre-licensed (take the license from OTS1 or send an e-mail to receive a license file)

Update (2011-07-02): A short demo video (with voice)

Have fun
Christoph

Currently the “Base Module” of the SRR Framework is (nearly) finished. With this test session, we hope to find last errors and potential for optimization.

Of course, SrrTrains is still experimental, and we can discuss potentials and weaknesses on the online test session.

We will use a test version of a collaboration server and we will use Skype for the voice chat. Some experiments have shown that sharing the plain screen does not work with Skype, if you have a conference with more than 2 participants.

Hence all we will have, will be
– voice
– 3D collaboration within the demo layout (currently no tracks, no turnouts, no vehicles)

If you would like to participate
– on Sun, 29th May, 2011, 15:00 – 17:00 CEST (GMT + 02)
– or on Tue, 7th June, 2011, 19:00 – 21:00 CEST (GMT + 02)

please feel free to send us an e-mail via http://simulrr.wordpress.com/about.

I will need your Skype Id
You will need a Windows PC with .NET (I used Windows XP for my tests) and an Internet access.

Have fun
P.S.: the experiences of the users will be collected in this blog post

Port forwarding is an easy stuff!

Additionally I updated the pages of the blog.

http://simulrr.wordpress.com/project-x/: the paper http://simulrr.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/project-x13.pdf has been updated.

http://simulrr.wordpress.com/simul-rr/: the presentation http://simulrr.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/srrtrains_online_0-01_8.pdf has been updated.

Some additional small updates

Thats it

Christoph

One goal of “step 0033″ was to implement multiuser mode for other – open source – frameworks, but not only for native BS Contact / BS Collaborate.

There are several reasons, why this goal won’t be reached.

So, I hope, you will agree, when I proceed with the project “based on the test versions of BS Contact and BS Collaborate”, for the time being.

Kind regards
Christoph

Any support needed