Chaining Tool

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Chaining Tool 15/02/2021 at 10:22 #137247
9pN1SEAp
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1189 posts 		All,

For those who use my Chaining Tool (you know who you are :)) this is to announce that it's now being completely reworked to be faster, more reliable, and able to cope with a new range of crazy arrangements!

EDIT: I done found a big bug :(

I've had to rebuild the configuration files for each chain, so bear with me as I work my way through the list (starting with WSSC area).

Thanks
Jamie
Jamie S (JAMS)
Last edited: 15/02/2021 at 22:53 by 9pN1SEAp
Reason: Tool on hold for a couple of days while I fix a whoopsie
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Chaining Tool 15/02/2021 at 11:18 #137248
Dionysusnu
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580 posts 		I'm not familiar with this tool. What is it, and where can I find it to use?
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Chaining Tool 15/02/2021 at 16:50 #137257
ajax103
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1123 posts 		Dionysusnu in post 137248 said:
I'm not familiar with this tool. What is it, and where can I find it to use?
Good questions, I wasn't even aware it existed - have I been living under a rock?
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Chaining Tool 18/02/2021 at 08:23 #137337
phil1044
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162 posts 		Hi Jamie, would it be possible to post on this thread which sims/chains you have done so far please, just so we know which ones can be used to check new TTs. I'm doing a few for the Midlands at the moment so will be great to be able to use the updated version to check them.
Thanks for all your work mate, muchly appreciated.

Thanks

Phil
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Chaining Tool 18/02/2021 at 16:07 #137338
Chrisrail
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384 posts 		tou have to much time now Phil ever since last week
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Chaining Tool 18/02/2021 at 18:16 #137339
andyallen4014
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373 posts
Online 		Chrisrail in post 137338 said:
tou have to much time now Phil ever since last week
I was very envious when I found out!!
User | Multiplayer Host | Timetable Writer
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Chaining Tool 18/02/2021 at 19:41 #137340
phil1044
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162 posts 		Sorry lads ! lol
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Chaining Tool 18/02/2021 at 21:48 #137343
9pN1SEAp
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1189 posts 		Hi all,

Still under development as I work through a number of arrangements, once it's been tested on a wider range of cases I am planning to reveal all!

At the moment the tool is doing: WFJ-WMB; the triangle CScot-EDB-NEScot; plus CScot-Motherwell. Having some fun with the Carstairs-Midcalder bit which means I need to do yet another code chunk!

Thanks
Jamie
Jamie S (JAMS)
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Chaining Tool 19/02/2021 at 21:44 #137358
9pN1SEAp
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1189 posts 		Hi,

The Chaining Tool is now mostly stable and just about behaving as it should.

You can find it at: https://SimSig-tools.project76.net/ttvalidate.html and it's primarily aimed at TT developers.

The tool takes timetables from each of two sims that chain, and compares the timings, entry paths and train characteristics to see if they match. Matching is based on UID if they exist, else on the TRN. It does the best it can, but if you find any mis-reportings let me know.

So far, only the green links in the attached PDF have been done, I'm working my way through all the possible chaining combinations. Let me know if you have any chains to check that show as "not available".

Usual blah about no warranty etc.

Thanks
Jamie
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Jamie S (JAMS)
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Chaining Tool 19/02/2021 at 23:26 #137359
postal
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5269 posts 		9pN1SEAp in post 137358 said:
You can find it at: https://SimSig-tools.project76.net/ttvalidate.html and it's primarily aimed at TT developers.

The tool takes timetables from each of two sims that chain, and compares the timings, entry paths and train characteristics to see if they match.
Very handy it is as well if you are trying to validate the TT data for the handover from one sim to another. Thanks for the original work and now the update.
“In life, there is always someone out there, who won’t like you, for whatever reason, don’t let the insecurities in their lives affect yours.” – Rashida Rowe
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Chaining Tool 20/02/2021 at 10:56 #137363
TimTamToe
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664 posts 		postal in post 137359 said:
9pN1SEAp in post 137358 said:
You can find it at: https://SimSig-tools.project76.net/ttvalidate.html and it's primarily aimed at TT developers.

The tool takes timetables from each of two sims that chain, and compares the timings, entry paths and train characteristics to see if they match.
Very handy it is as well if you are trying to validate the TT data for the handover from one sim to another. Thanks for the original work and now the update.
Echo John's words, was extremely useful when I was writing all my Southern tt's and seeing if they would chain ok. Thanks Jamie
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Chaining Tool 21/02/2021 at 21:36 #137391
9pN1SEAp
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1189 posts 		The tool is now being coded up with chains in the North-West - see progress in attached.

Wigan proved to be challenging with mirrored workings on the Crow Nest to Wallgate line, and I suspect the BagFold/PhilPark loop is going to send the code into a tizz...!

And some bugs with multiple workings with the same UID e.g Sandite to sort out one day.
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Jamie S (JAMS)
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Chaining Tool 22/02/2021 at 00:38 #137396
postal
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5269 posts 		For those who wish to use Jamie's TT comparison, I have just submitted for approval an Excel spreadsheet file that takes a copy and paste from Jamie's HTML output and then highlights the trains which are not consistent from one TT to the other. It is the first public release of the file. I have been developing it for a while and think that it works as intended but at the risk of hi-jacking Jamie's topic about his excellent piece of work I'll be happy to follow up any complaints or problems if they are reported here.

I should add that I have previously sent Jamie a copy of the file and he has no objection to me posting the file as an add-on for his app.

Edit: Now approved and available for download from https://www.SimSig.co.uk/File/Details/2559.
“In life, there is always someone out there, who won’t like you, for whatever reason, don’t let the insecurities in their lives affect yours.” – Rashida Rowe
Last edited: 22/02/2021 at 14:35 by postal
Reason: None given
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Chaining Tool 24/02/2021 at 10:10 #137435
postal
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5269 posts 		Minor problem with the uploaded Comparison spreadsheet. I didn't clear things down properly and there is some data left at the top of Columns A to G of Sheet1. This needs to be deleted or over-written with new data. My bad.

Edit: Worse than that. Wrong copy of file put into uploaded zip. New version of zip submitted for clearance.

Goes to hide his face in the corner.
“In life, there is always someone out there, who won’t like you, for whatever reason, don’t let the insecurities in their lives affect yours.” – Rashida Rowe
Last edited: 24/02/2021 at 15:42 by postal
Reason: None given
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Chaining Tool 27/02/2021 at 14:49 #137497
9pN1SEAp
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1189 posts 		Most of Scotland and the North is now configured in the chaining tool, there'll be a pause before I work Southwards as I have a plan to improve the matching algorithm further, especially for "re-entrant" trains e.g. Gascoigne Wood Jn to Church Fenton.

Some weirdness on the KGX/PBO fringe to look at where down trains have a last location Biggleswade, but that isn't a mandatory timing point in the Up direction!

Thanks
Jamie
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Jamie S (JAMS)
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Chaining Tool 10/03/2021 at 19:36 #137732
9pN1SEAp
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1189 posts 		Hi,

A significant rework has now been completed to the tool at https://SimSig-tools.project76.net/ttvalidate.html - it's about 20% quicker and somewhat less prone to error where multiple trains with the same TRN exist. A new "Unsure" status occurs when a match is not quite made.

Almost all of the North-East, ECML, North-West and Scotland is programmed in (see attached diagram).

Note that for some locations, especially Gascoigne Wood where trains loop out and back in to sim, it still gets a bit confused! And Stockport suffers from the signalling choosing whatever the heck it likes with respect to fasts and slows!

There's also a new tickbox to assist with importing Postal's excellent spreadsheet.

Lastly, a tool for getting the properties of a single TT is available at https://SimSig-tools.project76.net/ttdump.html - this is a slightly older tool which may well get updated if any improvements are suggested.

Thanks
Jamie
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Jamie S (JAMS)
Last edited: 10/03/2021 at 19:41 by 9pN1SEAp
Reason: pdfile
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Chaining Tool 10/03/2021 at 19:57 #137733
postal
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5269 posts 		And an updated version (v1.2) of the Comparison spreadsheet has been submitted to replace the version in the Downloads section.

Please remember to check the box that you will be using Jamie's comparison in an Excel spreadsheet otherwise the download will start putting in rogue rows and cells when you Paste Special > Text into the spreadsheet.
“In life, there is always someone out there, who won’t like you, for whatever reason, don’t let the insecurities in their lives affect yours.” – Rashida Rowe
Last edited: 10/03/2021 at 20:11 by postal
Reason: None given
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Chaining Tool 13/03/2021 at 23:50 #137803
9pN1SEAp
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1189 posts 		All,

A quick note to say that another new feature's been popped in, to compare trains only on their TRNs. This is useful when one of the two TTs only has a few UID's in it, but don't use it if the TT might re-use the same TRN multiple times.

We have now reached the magic 100 completed chain configurations too (see attached)!
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Jamie S (JAMS)
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Chaining Tool 14/03/2021 at 18:11 #137828
GeoffM
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6380 posts 		Good work. Oh, the joys of matching TIDs and UIDs, and the exit/re-entrant schedules. Squirties like Sandites and weedkillers are fun (not).
SimSig Boss
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Chaining Tool 14/03/2021 at 20:27 #137837
y10g9
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895 posts 		GeoffM in post 137828 said:
Good work. Oh, the joys of matching TIDs and UIDs, and the exit/re-entrant schedules. Squirties like Sandites and weedkillers are fun (not).
Especially when it re-enters the sim for the 6th time
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Chaining Tool 15/03/2021 at 12:13 #137842
9pN1SEAp
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1189 posts 		I've just pushed out a fix where matching was confused for a train, where another identical train is actually the one entering the sim from its chain. This should hopefully improve matching of re-entrant trains.

Also fixed an issue between Wigan and Preston(!) with trains timetabled in both sims when approaching Crow Nest Jn. Plus code updates to make matching from Wentloog E Jn and Clapham Jn bay platforms work as intended, and up to six fringe points.

Now to untangle the confusion at W/(T)VC,(T)VS/L especially where some paths aren't in typical use!

Thanks
Jamie
Jamie S (JAMS)
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Chaining Tool 24/03/2021 at 14:16 #138079
9pN1SEAp
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1189 posts 		I think all the available sims are now testable in the Chaining Tool - diagram as per here.

The next version of the tool was released this evening, with the following enhancements:
* Able to cope with more fringes - including all 7 between the Victorias!
* New tri-state option for handling UID's, either first 6 chars, all chars or ignore completely
* Where trains are likely to pass through a third sim e.g. Piccadilly to Crewe via Stockport, these are indicated as "inferred via another sim" rather than "unsure"
* The back-end is restructured to be 60% fewer lines of code with duplications removed
* The matching for each fringe is done in parallel in the back end, and only when required, leading to 20-50% speed improvement
* The HMTL rendering is now offloaded to the client browser, avoiding script execution timeouts.

You will for some of the larger TT's occasionally get "page unresponsive" on your browser, this is due to the XML-HTML transformation being offloaded to the client. No need to be alarmed, if you wait the data will appear as soon as it's ready.

Thanks
Jamie
Jamie S (JAMS)
Last edited: 24/03/2021 at 19:01 by 9pN1SEAp
Reason: Now live!
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Chaining Tool 24/03/2021 at 14:33 #138080
andyallen4014
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373 posts
Online 		Thanks Jamie, will soon give it my first go for Sheffield & Huddersfield that i'm working on.
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Chaining Tool 25/03/2021 at 09:28 #138090
postal
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5269 posts 		Just a quick note about the spreadsheet after a couple of comments about the format (font size, colours etc.). The sheets should be all protected to stop me accidentally changing or deleting a formula or conditional rule (unless I've uploaded a pre-release version!) but there is no password set. When the instruction to Unprotect Sheet is clicked no password is required and the user can make whatever edits they wish in their copy of the file.
“In life, there is always someone out there, who won’t like you, for whatever reason, don’t let the insecurities in their lives affect yours.” – Rashida Rowe
Last edited: 25/03/2021 at 11:11 by postal
Reason: None given
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Chaining Tool 20/01/2022 at 19:23 #143698
broodje
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184 posts 		Hi Jamie, I wanted to try your tool tonight, but I'm running into a parsing error:

XML-parsefout: geen hoofdelement gevonden
Locatie: https://SimSig-tools.project76.net/cgi-bin/ttvalidate.php
Regelnummer 3, kolom 1:

^

Sorry, running a Dutch browser (Firefox 96.0.1). It says something about a lacking 'head element'? on row 3 column 1.

Edge just gives a blank page as a result. Am I doing something wrong? I'm trying to compare a PBRO/KX link
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