System.NullReferenceException at ORTS.SignalWorldObject..ctor

[Pedro Almeida]

The following error appears when I try to load the Czech "Trat 321" route. Its a payware route.
Attatched goes the ORTS log file.

[r.roeterdink (r-roeterdink)]

Can you please attach the sigcfg.dat file, and the required sigscr files for this route?
Which sigscr files are used is detailed at the end of the sigcfg.dat file.

Thank you.

[Pedro Almeida (comboio1930)]

I can indeed. Here goes the Sigcfg file.

[Pedro Almeida (comboio1930)]

Here goes the Sigscr file.

[r.roeterdink (r-roeterdink)]

Attached zip-file contains test version of RunActivity.exe with additional information in log-file to try and find the reason for the crash.
Also, changes have been made to the processing of the sigscr.dat file to process the use of 'NOT' (instead of '!').

Rename the existing file, and unpack the zip-file. Run OpenRail as usual.
The RunActivity.exe file is located in the Trunk\Program directory.

Regards,

   Rob Roeterdink

[Pedro Almeida (comboio1930)]

Hello Rob. I have tried with this attatched version of the RunActivity but it still doesn't work, giving me the same error as before. I'll attach the log file of this try.

[r.roeterdink (r-roeterdink)]

It has not been possible to determine the cause of this crash.
However, for other routes with similar problems it has been found that these problems were caused by spurious world files in the WORLD directocy.
These spurious world-files often also contain signals which have references to tdb-entries within the valid range, but which are double as these tdb reference actually refer to signals in other world-files that are still valid. These double references causes severe errors as various cross-references will either point to invalid items or not be set at all. This invariable causes a program crash.

To change the program in order to be able to handle these errors would require extensive changes to the processing and probably even to the data structure itself, which would lead to more extensive changes being required throughout the signalling process.
In view of the limited resources in the project team and given the fact that very few routes are affected and the cause of the problem is within the route data rather than with the program, it has been decided that no effort will be made to resolve this problem.

So, no fix will be provided for this crash for the foreseeable future.

[r.roeterdink (r-roeterdink)]

Regarding this problem, the following remark was made on the Elvas Tower forum :

"As for the Czech Trat 321 route, I have made one crazy "hack" which was putting the sigcfg and sigcr files that didn't belong to this route, and although signals appear rather incorrectly, I was sucessfully able to do my main purpose which was just taking some screenshots on OR, so all in all it worked on replacing these files with ones that I knew it worked on other Czech routes. "

No further action will be taken regarding this error.

[Pedro Almeida (comboio1930)]

Although it was you who said it wasn't going to be fixed "in a foreseable future" before anyways...
Remember that, although I have only used it for screenshooting, it doesn't mean that others (including me, even!) don't enjoy to play a bit more on the route with all the signals working properly. I would honestly prefer to see the route work working signals. Its a pitty that you won't be going to fix this one... it would be really great.