If you've downloaded an add-on, they should go into a common Content folder. Some people organize all of their routes and trains into a single folder, while others might organize them into regions or time eras.Many have installers, but it's also common to simply have a set of folders that get copied within your content folder.
I'll be using C:\ORTSContent for this tutorial, but your content folder can really be named just about anything and located almost anywhere provided it's not a system managed folder (see next section below).
- Routes should be saved as unique folders located under C:\ORTSContent\Routes
- Each route folder will contain a number of subfolders, including EnvFiles, Lo_Tiles, TD, Tiles, Terrtex, Shapes, Textures, and World
- Files for Activities will be saved in folders titled Activities, Paths, Services, and Traffic
- You may also have optional folders for OpenRails, TrackProfile, and possibly documentation for the route
- Trains have folders and files which go in folders located under C:\ORTSContent\Trains
- Locomotives and other rolling stock should be in unique folders located under C:\ORTSContent\Trains\Trainsets
- Within each unique folder, you may find a combination of shape (.S), texture (.ACE or .DDS), and configuration files (.WAG and .ENG)
- Your add-on may also include subdirectories for the Cabview and Sounds
- Some add-ons also include an OpenRails folder with OpenRails specific files
- Consist files (.CON) should be saved to the C:\ORTSContent\Trains\Consists folder
It's important not to install content like Routes or Trains into any of the protected directories controlled by Windows and User Access Control. These include:- Desktop
- Documents
- Downloads
- Program Files
- C:\Users\{username}
Installing in a folder which is synchronized under Onedrive is also not recommended, as files may be removed from the local copy and placed into cloud storage (folders replicated to DropBox and other cloud backups do not seem to have this issue)
Third party Utilities (e.g. Route Riter or ConBuilder) should also avoid those locations, and installed in or grouped into folders located outside the Windows protected directories:- C:\TSRE
- C:\ConBuilder
- C:\RouteRiter
- C:\TrainUt il ities\TSRE
C:\TrainUtilities\ConBuilder
C:\T rainUtilities\RouteRiter
C:\TrainUtilities\TSUt ils
C:\TrainUtilities\ShapeViewer
C:\TrainUt ilities\Blender
C:\TrainUtilities\{your favorite unlisted application}
The naming convention and locations are entirely up to you. Some people prefer to keep utilities grouped and organized, while others prefer individual folders grouped off the drive root.
Some older 16 and 32 bit applications are unable to recognize symbolic links or aliasing where a folder is given a unique drive name (e.g. using the SUBST command to map U:\ to C:\TrainsimApps\Utilities )
