Changing Bell Toggle

[jfritz]

Hi all!

I posted the following message in the MSTS General Forum. It was suggested that I re-post it over here. Hopefully someone will know the answer and help out.

I really like the way the bell works on the Train Artisan 4-8-2 USRA Light Mountain. Hit the "B" key once and the bell rings constantly. Hit it a second time and it stops. With some other engines, the bell stays on only as long as you hold the "B" key down. Each to his own, of course, but I'd like to edit my other engines to operate in this fashion.

The question is how to do this.

Let's take two examples. First is the Train Artisan 4-8-2 which toggles the bell as I describe above (hit the "B" key to turn on the bell, hit it again to turn it off). Second is the Train Artisan F7B where you must hold down the bell button continuously.

In looking at the Train Artisan 4-8-2 "ta_mount_So.eng" file, I see the line:

BellToggle ( 0 1 0 )

However, in looking at Train Artisan F7 "taf7bSFWB.eng" I see the same thing:

BellToggle( 0 1 0 )

Does anyone have any idea how to change, say the Train Artisan F7 bell to work like the Train Artisan 4-8-2? Do I need to edit the bell in another file instead of the .eng files?

Thanks for any help.

Jeff

[jfritz]

Looks like I get to answer my own question! According to the folks at Train Artisan, "For whatever reason the bell works differently on steam and diesel locos in the sim. The bell is on/off on the steamers and momentary on the diesels. The code in the .eng is the same."

(Thanks to Conn McCarthy, Train Artisan Team Member, for responding to this on the Train Artisan BackShop Talk forum.)


Jeff

[dvdhoven]

LAST EDITED ON Dec-30-01 AT 04:39AM (EST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Dec-30-01 AT 04:30*AM (EST)

[GaryG]

Hi

There is a way to ring a Diesel's bell continuously.

I'm not taking credit, this info was previously posted...

Press the 'b' key and hold it down then press a shift key.
While the shift is pressed, release the 'b' key then the
shift. Sounds complicated but isn't and works well.

GaryG

[jfritz]

Thanks, Gary.

Happy New Year!

Jeff

[TOPDOG5184]

yes but if you take the dash 9 for a ride and blow the horn the bell stays on. or if you just hit the bell B key it will stay on till you hit B again. I have been poking around with sounds lately and I found that the sound files for the bell are in the sms folder. there is a line in there on how to turn the bell on and off also to make it loop and so forth. what engine do you want the bell to stay on on? let me know. I'll hopefully check back here if I don't forget. If I don't answer in a day then e-mail me.

Craig Shortino

[jfritz]

>yes but if you take the
>dash 9 for a ride
>and blow the horn the
>bell stays on. or if
>you just hit the bell
>B key it will stay
>on till you hit B
>again. I have been poking
>around with sounds lately and
>I found that the sound
>files for the bell are
>in the sms folder. there
>is a line in there
>on how to turn the
>bell on and off also
>to make it loop and
>so forth. what engine do
>you want the bell to
>stay on on? let me
>know. I'll hopefully check back
>here if I don't forget.
>If I don't answer in
>a day then e-mail me.
>
>
> Craig Shortino

That's terrific news, Craig.

I'd really like all my engines to have this feature, but how about we start with theTrain Artisan F7 Santa Fe. I believe the eng file is called "taf7bSFWB.eng"

I'll look forward to hearing from you.

Jeff

[TOPDOG5184]

Hi Jeff. Sorry for coming back so late. As I said in my last post if I don't come back right away just e-mail me. I don't stray from the route, skinning, and MSTS forums much so I tend to forget I was in this forum. I'll try it out now. I'll post my results soon. TA Santa Fe Warbonnet ehh? You drive the same engine as me. Love that paint scheme. I'll see what I can come up with.

Craig Shortino

[jfritz]

LAST EDITED ON Jan-25-02 AT 10:31PM (EST)[p]Any word yet, Craig?

Jeff

[TOPDOG5184]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-04-02 AT 07:52PM (EST)[p]Hi jfritz. Sorry for not posting this sooner. As I said I'm not in this forum much. I didn't find anything in the .sms files but did find in the .eng file for the Dash 9 that the bell is attached to the horn and is set to stay on when the horn is touched. i.e. When you hit the spacebar or press the horn button in the cab the bell goes on and stays on until you hit the bell key again. If you want you can e-mail me the .eng files for the engines you want to make the bell stay on for and I'll configure it like the Dash 9. My e-mail is TOPDOG5184@pikeonline.net Yes it's long I know.:-) Again sorry for not responding sooner. I'm not in here much as I only know the basics of editing sound files so I'm not of much help in the .sms areas.

Craig Shortino

P.S. I have also been looking at the Acela .sms and .eng files to see if there is any way to make the bell stay on. The Acela's bell stays on when you hit the B key so there must be a way to make it so for diesels. But for now if you would like the bell to stay on after hitting the horn just send me the .eng files for the engines you want it for.