Live Departure Boards (SimSig)

No promises but if you need something else through the Gateway directly, post it here and we'll see if it can be done.

Release v.0.2.0 - User Interface Update/TIPLOC Translation

I have released a new version which replaces the command line interface with a standard graphical one. Where possible, the 7 digit location codes are now translated into a name. There are various other visual changes based on feedback from this thread.

Download is here.
Please note that the entire zip file must be extracted before running it - you cannot run the Application directly from the zip file.

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The codes previously used on the Location List came from the WTT Timing Points and are only in TIPLOC form. However, with the use of Network Rail data around 90% can be translated into a full name. Some, as mentioned by Geoff, exist only in SimSig so cannot be translated.
Unsurprisingly given that this data is presumably extracted from the punched card-era TOPS system, just like the punched cards it is ALL UPPERCASE and my program has to guess at the capitalisation, hence why some look slightly odd.

Timetables with a TIPLOC Origin and Destination for every train seem to be quite rare, but "Carlisle GH Day" is one, in this case these are also all translated where possible.

If anyone wants to add SimSig-specific codes to the translation table I can provide instructions on how to do so.

GeoffM in post 143671 said:

No promises but if you need something else through the Gateway directly, post it here and we'll see if it can be done.

Thanks! I don't know if it's a really a good idea since the timetable can be modified during play, but for this programme it would be useful if the path to the timetable loaded at startup could be retrieved. A way to request a snapshot dump of current delay and last passed timing point of all trains in the simulation would be helpful too.

It's far from an essential part of the data provided by the Gateway, but it seems like the platform in train_location messages is not always correct. For instance, in the Peterborough "Peterborough 2009-10-15 SX" timetable, 1P37 is reported as using Platform 1 even through it is in Platform 3. I'm also pretty sure I saw a report of a departure from Preston Park Platform 6 at some point!

Thanks! I don't know if it's a really a good idea since the timetable can be modified during play, but for this programme it would be useful if the path to the timetable loaded at startup could be retrieved. A way to request a snapshot dump of current delay and last passed timing point of all trains in the simulation would be helpful too.

jonathanp in post 143778 said:

Thanks! I don't know if it's a really a good idea since the timetable can be modified during play, but for this programme it would be useful if the path to the timetable loaded at startup could be retrieved. A way to request a snapshot dump of current delay and last passed timing point of all trains in the simulation would be helpful too.

As gateway ports can be forwarded just like the ports for multiplayer games, they can potentially be accessed from across the internet. This means that you need to be careful passing 'internal' information from the host system for security reasons. Hence I'm not sure passing full paths is a good idea (they wouldn't even work if the client runs on a different computer); it might be better to use file names and then look for that file in the SimSig timetables folder on the client system.

Loving the update. Is it possible for a train to show delayed if it doesn't enter the sim on time? Also is it possible that if we select the train to pass in the timetable that it can show as cancelled?

Im reloading a game that i have previously saved but it doesnt seem to want to work. any ideas?

Thanks for this amazing feature - I've just done a little test on Kings Cross, if a train has not moved for more than 5 minutes it comes up showing it as cancelled. And then when it moves off past next reporting location it stays as cancelled until it arrives into Kings Cross where it just drops off the board.

I also see that the clock has been fixed but one tiny comment and I'm not sure if it's possible but the actual SimSig clock in the sims shows hours:minutes:seconds - can the tool do the same please?

i26 in post 143814 said:

Loving the update. Is it possible for a train to show delayed if it doesn't enter the sim on time? Also is it possible that if we select the train to pass in the timetable that it can show as cancelled?

Thanks!
Neither of those are trivial, unfortunately. The tool relies on the train running reports from SimSig, and as far as I know if the train isn't in the sim area there are no reports. Information on the timetable comes only from the timetable file, there's no way to find out about changes made within the simulation.

Couldn't you check the timetable file for the planned entry time of the train, and if it's past that, show the train as delayed by that amount? Granted, it wouldn't work if the train has been intentionally made to enter later, or has a high dwell time en-route before the station, but that could be seen as true to real life.

Here's a quick update to try and prevent overzealous cancellation:
SimSig Departure Board v0.2.1

If it makes things worse, please go back to the previous version :)

Quote:

Couldn't you check the timetable file for the planned entry time of the train, and if it's past that, show the train as delayed by that amount? Granted, it wouldn't work if the train has been intentionally made to enter later, or has a high dwell time en-route before the station, but that could be seen as true to real life.

That's a nice idea. My original vision was just to display exactly what SimSig reports in terms of train running. Certainly it would be possible, as they do in real life to add logic to make an educated guess of the actual delay, but I don't want to make it too complicated.

jonathanp in post 144874 said:

Here's a quick update to try and prevent overzealous cancellation:
SimSig Departure Board v0.2.1

If it makes things worse, please go back to the previous version :)

Quote:

Couldn't you check the timetable file for the planned entry time of the train, and if it's past that, show the train as delayed by that amount? Granted, it wouldn't work if the train has been intentionally made to enter later, or has a high dwell time en-route before the station, but that could be seen as true to real life.

That's a nice idea. My original vision was just to display exactly what SimSig reports in terms of train running. Certainly it would be possible, as they do in real life to add logic to make an educated guess of the actual delay, but I don't want to make it too complicated.

There is a "Delay" box on the front tab of the train's TT showing the delay before entry randomly added by the core code. Can you read through from that?

Albert in post 143818 said:

jonathanp in post 143778 said:

Thanks! I don't know if it's a really a good idea since the timetable can be modified during play, but for this programme it would be useful if the path to the timetable loaded at startup could be retrieved. A way to request a snapshot dump of current delay and last passed timing point of all trains in the simulation would be helpful too.

As gateway ports can be forwarded just like the ports for multiplayer games, they can potentially be accessed from across the internet. This means that you need to be careful passing 'internal' information from the host system for security reasons. Hence I'm not sure passing full paths is a good idea (they wouldn't even work if the client runs on a different computer); it might be better to use file names and then look for that file in the SimSig timetables folder on the client system.

There is no need to do this. if the host runs the departure board.exe. and opens port 8090 on their router the clients can open a web page and type the Hosts ip address xyz.xyz.xyz.xyz:8090 that will take you to the Station select page for the sim running departure board. DO NOT TYPE THE ADDRESS IN GOOGLE, IT MUST GO IN THE ADDRESS BAR AT THE TOP OF THE WEB PAGE. I will be doing it on Sunday for the Yorkshire chain

Si
PS This is a fantastic addition, well done Jonathanp.

As the timetable is loaded into the departure board program separately, this won't work. Even if the field is saved, the delay randomisation occurs when the game is started or re-started and won't be saved back into the .WTT file.

This is phenomenal. Thanks so much!

On the Wimbledon sim, using the timetable that came with it, Wimbledon station itself is titled "South West". Is this coming from the timetable - or perhaps the sim uses the wrong TIPLOC for the station…?