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XML Timetable Import tool Documentation

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XML Timetable Import tool Documentation 02/10/2022 at 19:55 #148229
rfw
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Please could someone point me towards the documentation for this tool

I just end up with either Quote:
Exception in TXMLTimetableLoader.LoadFromFile
or Quote:
Exception in TXMLTimetableLoader.Load
errors
How complete should the XML be?
If I make reference to a train <Category>, should I include the full xml detailing that train category's characteristics?
Do I need headers?
How is it functionally different to the open (merge with current) function?


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The train now standing on platform 2, should be on the rails
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XML Timetable Import tool Documentation 02/10/2022 at 20:27 #148230
Meld
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The documentation about the TT xml is https://www.SimSig.co.uk/Wiki/Show?page=usertrack%3Attuse%3Axml_timetable

I'm sure the boss will be along after the weekend to answer your questions.

The open merge with current is for merging .wtt files together and will not work with pure xml files.

Passed the age to be doing 'Spoon Feeding' !!!
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XML Timetable Import tool Documentation 03/10/2022 at 15:44 #148242
headshot119
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To the best of my knowledge there's no public facing documentation about the XML import tool, and what we have internally is quite sparse, mainly as we have a tool which spits everything out in the required format. It uses a different XML schema to the .WTT XML schema which Meld has linked to in his post.

It's totally different to the open (merge with current), that is for merging another .WTT into the simulation, the XML import tool takes an XML file which has zero or more train categories, and zero or more train schedules, and converts the required parts in the TT.

For a simple example, let's say I export just 1O04 (05:11 Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth) from our webtool. The XML file has every timettable location for the entire journey, and the train category information at the start of the journey, plus any changes along the way, as well as any associations during the journey.

I can import that file into Manchester Piccadilly and it gives you that train as far as Manchester Piccadilly is concerned, I can then do the same in Manchester South, Crewe, Staffordshire, Wolverhampton, New Street, Coventry, Leamington, Marylebone, Oxford, Swindon and so on.

"Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer
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XML Timetable Import tool Documentation 04/10/2022 at 18:27 #148265
rfw
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So, in effect it is the SimSig half of a tool to build chain or stand alone timetables from a full journey XML (That I guess you pull from Open Data or a WTT through your private webtool)? This sounds like a pretty cool functionality to utilise

The different XML format makes sense as to why the tool is needed, if it was SimSig WTT XML you could just put it in the WTT wrapper and use the merge tool.

With regards to the future of this feature, will it ultimately be a full feature or will it remain to be an only internal tool.
If it is to stay as a full feature, are you able to share the schema for this new 'importer' XML format, such that it can be used without the complimentary webtool?

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XML Timetable Import tool Documentation 04/10/2022 at 18:34 #148266
headshot119
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rfw in post 148265 said:
So, in effect it is the SimSig half of a tool to build chain or stand alone timetables from a full journey XML (That I guess you pull from Open Data or a WTT through your private webtool)? This sounds like a pretty cool functionality to utilise
That's it exactly, it saves time as instead of sitting down in each sim for a train and typing all the timing points in manually you can just run an import, and it knows what train type to give a train in each sim.

rfw in post 148265 said:
With regards to the future of this feature, will it ultimately be a full feature or will it remain to be an only internal tool.
If it is to stay as a full feature, are you able to share the schema for this new 'importer' XML format, such that it can be used without the complimentary webtool?
The web tool itself will likely remain private, I'll have a chat with Geoff and see what we can do about making the schema available, as I said previously even the internal documentation is sparse as the webtool generates everything you need, not that I do much timetabling work but I've never had to delve into the raw XML.

"Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer
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XML Timetable Import tool Documentation 04/10/2022 at 19:53 #148267
GeoffM
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The original intention was to have it public, but 2-3 things came to light when it was being tested by developers:
1. It puts a lot of strain on the web server as the datasets are very large and the queries intensive.
2. Even with a small group of developers, not everybody could agree on details like naming conventions for stock types, or what to do about obvious platform clashes, or "runs as required" (low, high, never?), or where carriage working notices don't match NROD. Opening that up to the public would involve a lot of moderation/supervision.
Partial issue 3: Over-midnight is not fully developed. This is where a train starts on day 1 but enters a sim on day 2 (eg London origin sleepers in the Motherwell sim). Also, train arrives on day but forms a new train on day 2. These situations are currently "fixed" manually.

I don't have an objection to publishing a schema though.

SimSig Boss
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