Signal Linking

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eolesen
Posts: 57
Joined: 28 Feb 2021, 02:39
Hi Goku... finding an issue when trying to link signals on a complex interlocking....

Under US rules, the second head of an interlocking signal will indicate an approach (yellow or white) if there's a diverging path set. It doesn't specifically identify *which* path is diverging.

To manage this in the signal script, that head has a check Route_Set(). If it's TRUE, signal state remains STOP; if it's FALSE, the signal state gets set to APPROACH.

Code: Select all

A [-----------3\--------/6----------------- ]
B [-------/2----\4----5/------7\----------- ]
C [-----1/----------------------\8--------- ]
For a two-headed interlocking signal on Track B, the first head will default to node 2-4.

For certain signalling rules, the second head needs to be linked to node 7-N (where N is the next junction in the vector)

If the next junction is in a tile that's actively loaded, it will link just fine for 7-N.

If junction N is not visible, TSRE won't link to that node. The only node I can select would be 4-5 or 5-7.

There seems to be a restriction that only links if the red poles are visible, which won't always be the case.

Is this fixable, or do I have to insert a fake node within view?...

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Goku
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Posts: 363
Joined: 15 Jan 2019, 18:10
Location: Poland
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It should work. Maybe you are clicking the wrong way.

eolesen
Posts: 57
Joined: 28 Feb 2021, 02:39
Nope, clicking is just fine... Enable, link, set link, click on track...

It's very hit or miss. 90% of the time, it works fine. And it doesn't appear that distance matters. I'm getting the problem on junctions within the same tile.

On some of these that won't link at the exit of the interlocking, I've been able to link by traveling and clicking closer to junction N.

On others, nothing will work to get a link with a trailing point switch on the exit of the interlocking into a facing point, which seems to be the common factor (node 2-3 below).

Code: Select all

Works 6-8, doesn't work 2-3, and 4-3-7-8 are over 7 tiles away
----1\-------------/4-----
------\2---------3/-------
----5\-----------7\-------
------\6-----------\8-----


Another common factor so far is that the track is elevated.

I'm moving to some other areas which aren't elevated, so it will be interesting to see if cursor location in relation to the track is part of the issue.


Question for you: if red poles 7 and N are known visually, could there be a way to add the signal link manually by keying in those two junction references? You already have those two items exposed in the SubObj Link Info on the Show List widget.

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Goku
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I don't see any reason causing it to not work.

eolesen
Posts: 57
Joined: 28 Feb 2021, 02:39
I do believe you can't find it, but am wondering if you've tested this scenario below. I know it doesn't appear logical to link a signal *after* a trailing point switch, but that's needed to be able to do a true/false test and see if a path is lined all the way thru an interlocking without diverging; the signal script changes aspects when this test comes back false.
tsre-signal-linking.png
tsre-signal-linking.png (7.74 KiB) Viewed 8938 times
Any chance of being able to allow a manual keying in of the junctions? That may handle this use case without needing to change your clicking logic...

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Goku
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It won't work because MSTS won't allow that kind of a link.
Links are stored not the way TSRE shows it to you A->B->C, but as a pair of two values: Junction trackNode ID and Junction exit Left or Right (0 or 1). So, link must point to a junction exit.

In case of your red point, you can try to link the signal to the next switch after the red point. I know that it may be annoying to go to the next station if it is very far away, but it will work.

eolesen
Posts: 57
Joined: 28 Feb 2021, 02:39
Yeah, I did some messing around in the TDB and came to the same conclusion that the direction couldn't be set to a negative value.

I'll see if one of the ORTS guys who know signaling can think of a workaround, and maybe allow exit -1 to work....

What I've been doing is linking the previous node, which does what I need for the most part. A zero node beyond the junction might also work.

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