I’ve run a file integrity check daily this week, and every day I’m told that 500 odd files need replacing, and I’m left wondering what of earth is happening to cause such corruption? But also when I’m in the menu, I constantly get notices that workshop items are being added. I’m left wondering if there’s some sort of ‘file battle’ going on. Are these workshop items that are constantly needing updated, making changes to the default files, and then when I do an integrity check, Steam just puts the defaults back? So next time I’m on I get yet more ‘Installing Workshop items’ notices? Why else would file integrity checks constantly identify hundreds of files needing rewritten on a daily basis when I haven’t been on much this week?
You might have subscribed to a particular creator so each time something by that person is released it uploads it for you. Silly question. If you have extracted a *.ap file to get the scenarios or loco files do you then ignore it? And you don't change it in any way? Some people have been extracting and then Deleting the *.ap file thinking it was not required So Steam noticing it was missing sets about replacing it. Other people have been modifying their *.ap files so Steam sees the file but because its size and date are wrong it replaces it. But why do you run the file integrity check? I have not run one for over a year now and that was only because of a Workshop problem Peter
Apart from scenarios that might have come with an AP product or JT route, all other scenarios have been as part of Steam routes, DLC, or subscribed workshop scenarios. I’ve never deleted any AP file, or modified one. I don’t think I’ve subscribed to any creator, but will check. I’d just read threads where people with issues have been told to do a file integrity check as a first port of call, and thought it was the first thing on the list to do to sort out problems.
Interesting. I get the same but it's 3,000 files that need to be acquired. There is no workshop or any alteration whatsoever and the all DLC is from Steam. I used to get one file needs acquiring but this is what I am constantly getting.
Do you reinstall any of your 3rd party (non Steam) stuff like AP sound packs after doing the checks? Because I think they can over-write default files which would trigger this warning.
No I don't. So if I've been doing file integrity checks, I've been overwriting all my AP sound packs?!
Any of the old Pro ones that over-write default files, yes. I don't believe the enhancement packs do this though. Same with any other default files you have over-written, e.g. branding packs.
The reason that during game file verification that you REACQUIRE several hundred files is for whatever reason is because in the majority of cases the dates AND/OR times/Attributes on your DTG files on YOUR computer are different to those in the master database on steam. Unless TS is not starting for whatever reason it is unlikely that any file is "corrupt". Verifying the gaming files does NOT check Workshop content or 3rd party content, or reskins, patches (unless they modified an .ap file) as they are not in the master database. It does NOT overwrite any 3rd party file unless that file actively modified an .ap file (or possibly it could happen for addons pre .ap file introduction circa 2014?). File verification can only reacquire files in the master database that are different to the same files on your computer. Game file verification is based on a type of checking algorithm that is not always in accurate in what it reports or does, ie it is not infallible. I have not verified the game files since 2013 - never had the need to do so.
Thanks Peter - I know now to ignore the clarion calls of "run a file integrity check" for the slightest problem in the Steam forum!
I tend to more and more. There’s only so much of ‘waah my train won’t move, this is a stupid game’ you can take. Miss Jean Brodie would say that the DTG forum is the ‘creme de la creme’ of the TS community!
I’ve a question Peter. I’ve no idea how it works, so you’ll put me right, but I presume for any train there’s a sort of master template/directory of files that has a default name for the sounds folder/file. Say you install an AP sound pack: how does that get recognised by the ‘loco template’ - does the AP installation process change the location or file name of the sound files listed in the ‘template’ or do existing DTG sound files get overwritten by AP files of the same name, so no changing in where the template ‘points’ needs to be name? Unless it’s an entirely different set up, I can’t see how running file integrity and redownloading ‘correct files’ won’t actually undo changes made by AP. Given what you said, this is not the case, so I’m keep to learn how they are kept separate.
I This my supposition: There is an audio folder for each DLC Loco/wagon/coach) that uses sound. That audio folder is inside the \Assets .ap folder for a particular DLC (May be different if sounds are accessed via KUJU.) I believe that sounds that AP installs (in some cases) may be aliased for the DTG locos they are applied to and as they are outside the .ap file structure, hence, Steam doesn't know that they exist. (Peter749 has some experience with AP sound files.) It depends if the AP sound files actually edit the appropriate .ap file and they don't, as far as I know. If they did then that .ap file would be reacquired, - no files outside the .ap file structure would be reacquired. That is to say that any file outside the .ap file structure (post 2014) is not as far as I know checked or reacquired by Steam. In the early days of TS pre .ap files (circa 2014) yes a AP sound file might be overwritten by a game file verification as Richard may have changed the base file in some instances. But if you look now in the Assets folder there is a sub-folder called AP and the files there will NOT be removed by a game file verification. My oldest one there is 2012, with several in the range 2013 - 2016. All the AP sound/enhancement files post .ap are still there. You see if file verification removes sound files why doesn't it remove scenarios, track enhancements, weather enhancements and reskins. I still have all the R Fletcher reskins installed from DPS (Darren may comment here) pre and post .ap files and they have not been removed. (I have a test rig (an exact duplication of the working copy) where I test out things like file verification, .ap file structure, etc). My main rig has never experienced a game file verification since eons ago. pH
I find the only reliable file integrity checker is to delete the Railworks folder and then let Steam reinstall everything followed by manual reloading of just the 3rd party stuff I'm currently interested in. Brutal, but effective. A slightly gentler version is to delete just the Assets and Contents folders.
Once everything is working perfectly... make a back up. If you ever install anything new... check it is still working perfectly, then make an incremental back up. This way, you always have a perfect working copy of TS. If something goes wrong, for whatever reason, just restore from your back up.
