# Trainz/refs/Content Configuration

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* Trainz Annotated References
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    For a new-user walk-through explaining how to create various types of content, see the How-To-Guides index page instead.

## Overview of Trainz Content

This page acts as reference manual for all Trainz content, and its legal asset-oriented data types (KINDs) and other aggregate data structures (generally, containers as computer science defines such).
Every Trainz asset from the mighty collection of assets contained in a route to the lowliest scenery item such as imitation grass, the color of a rock or field—all have two things in common: The list of common legal keyword names (tags, kinds and containers) which begin the definition of the asset found in the TrainzBaseSpec and the satisfactory completion of their applicable requisite data elements in a config.txt file.
Unlike the N3V Games controlled Trainz Wiki with the narrow focus mainly intended to provide accurate and concise description of the capabilities and configuration of Trainz current-version content, this work, the TWBK aims to cover the relations of the older data forms to the new and the rationales in their evolution, regrouping, or inception. To the new user, particularly those with no familiarity with programming language practices, the information on this page can become a starting point to understanding.

## Structure of a Trainz Asset

    Main basics are covered in: Anatomy of an asset, the beginners and AM&C Config.txt files pages linked (respectively) in the paragraph below:
Each item of Trainz content ("an asset") is created as the contents of a single operating system folder, containing a config.txt file and some number of supporting files and/or folders and their files. Files located in the content folder must obey the Filename character restrictions and each item should be directly relevant to the asset in question. When committed or as in newer Trainz releases, tested for validation before commitment, the asset's folder contents and the config.txt file will be validated against one another, the ideal minimum definitions will be bounced against those and each must be in balance and correct with respect to one another.

## Content Types

Each asset built for the Trainz environment follows a preset template, which defines what tags can be included in the config.txt file, what capabilities the asset will have, and how the user can manipulate the asset in-game. The following types of custom content are supported by Trainz:

## Kinds of KINDs

All Trainz defined data (content) has three required elements: A config.txt file to organize the data, an identity meaning a kuid (username alone will do you no good, a legal asset however can be created without a name!) and last, a legally defined kind tag. The kind is in charge, the conductor of the orchestra, the Platoon Sargeant or CEO giving directions — setting up the requirements for everything that gets processed after. In short, the kinds' value, a small select tightly defined members-only group — tells Trainz software what is to be rendered and displayed in the virtual worlds we create, and how (or where) to find the other parts needed to make those parts of the asset linked together in that config.txt file.   Each of the below Child Classes are considered to have the TrainzBaseSpec as their 'Parent Class' of data. A few kinds listed below, those which are underlined, are legacy kinds antedating changes to the Trainz data model in the release of TS2009 (i.e. since late 2008), with only gradual (incremental) changes imposed since by the N3V programmers.   Details for fixing assets based on these legacy kinds can currently be found in the Content Creator's Guide section of the N3V Trainz Wiki TrainzOnline site here with illuminating examples of legacy Kinds here. Perusal of the CCG is highly recommended to any users of the Trainz Download Station or anyone contemplating creating content. The insights gained from understanding of the background history of how older content was defined can then be contrasted with the current TrainzOnline coverage of the same data type and compared, for often this kind of then-vs.-now provides valuable insights to fixing, altering and customizing assets. More to the point, the writing in the CCG was professionally produced and is far more tautological—it will often give you insights as to extended effects if this or that is altered, which the Trainz Wiki just doesn't provide. The CCG put up on TrainzOnline is the TC1&2/TC3 version — the last published of several booklets printed dating back to Trainz in 1999; the TC3 CCG contains the altered Enginespecs Locomotive assets from the TRS2004/TRS2006 AND UTC data models need to be properly updated.
| TrainzBaseSpec Child Class KINDs (type asset groups) |
| kind achievement-category  kind achievement-group  kind activity - scenarios kind  kind asset-group  kind behavior  kind bogey  kind buildable  kind controlset  kind consist  kind drivercharacter  kind drivercommand  kind engine  kind enginesound  kind environment  kind fixedtrack  kind gameplaymenu  kind groundbrush - undef'd  kind groundtexture | kind hornsound  kind html-asset  kind industry  kind interior  kind library  class library  kind map - Route kind  kind mesh  kind module - undef'd  kind mocrossing  kind mojunction  kind mosignal  kind mospeedboard  kind pantograph  kind product  kind product-category  kind profile - session kind  kind region | kind scenariobehavior - undef'd  kind scenery  kind scenery-trackside  kind scenerywithtrack  kind servlet  kind steam-engine  kind texture  kind texture-group  kind track  kind trainzbasespec  kind tracksound  kind traincar  kind turntable  kind water2 |

## Category Tags

A list Category in content manager (CM) are implemented as an aid to sorting and selecting appropriate content varieties which are classified into groups by N3V loosely based on category-class and Kinds.
Category-region and category-era are classification tags identifying assets that would be found in a time or place—note they are not searched by using the category dropdown list, but are separate line entries. Each of these tags have the job of classification, which are used in narrowing down a particular sort of asset search when running Content Manager or such searches can be used to group assets, which are then useful mainly in filters inside Surveyor.
| category-class tags | For Asset by enumerated categories search. The 'CM search by Category' is defined by N3V's programmers, and does not directly correspond to all asset Kinds and category-class tagses. |
| category-region tags category-region | For Region (country or countries) searching |
| category-era tags | For Era Searching |

## Feedback

Content Configuration Feature Requests - ask here for new config.txt files features

## Categories

Categories are the sometimes overlooked superhighways of getting around in a Wiki project, and the user will find these listed are index pages to finding things faintly remembered efficiently and effectively:
* Category:Trainz Asset KIND
* Category:Trainz Config Container
* Category:Config Tag
* Category:Trainz Content configuration

## See also

The following category pages will list and index Trainz specific articles throughout this Wikibook
* Category:Book:Trainz — Trainz by divisions. Sub-categories will list knowledge-area grouped topics. Parent category for Wikibook readers.
   * Category:Introductory Trainz — From Windows setup management and creation of a good Trainz install to options for video and memory configurations, then a program of high interest step by step from introduction to intermediate-skills mastery.
          Trainz Assets related how-to topics from running and using Software tools, repairing faults, to making progress as an world builder and modifying assets to suit your needs.
          Trainz Assets related how-to topics from running and using Software tools, repairing faults, to making progress as an world builder and modifying assets to suit your needs.
   * Category:Trainz AM&C — Trainz Asset Management and Creation Division
          Trainz Assets related how-to topics from running and using Software tools, repairing faults, to making progress as an world builder and modifying assets to suit your needs.
* Category:Trainz fundamentals pages — Introductory to intermediate references and tautology.
* Category:Trainz fundamentals pages — Introductory to intermediate references and tautology.
* Category:Trainz references — Trainz Assets data definition needs
* Category:Trainz content creation — Intermediate and Advanced Trainz Assets how-to topics
* Category:Introductory Trainz — Introductory to intermediate references and tautology. This reference page may be based on or adapted from portions of freeware (Public Domain) assets used as examples and/or from the TrainzOnline Wiki under the CC-BY-SA 3.0 License. This page will likely include more textual explanations, exposition, history, and/or examples than the source page on the same material.The TrainzOnline Wiki is for the most part maintained by the programmers or knowledgeable content creators and may have newer more up-to-date information on the current trainz-build code standards, which have some tendency to change as features are added to the software.
* ↑ Note: This list is 'wikified' on the N3V TrainzOnline Wiki, meaning the first letter has been capitalized after the word 'KIND', whereas actual data tag names in config.txt files are all lower case text. That wiki also uses double quotes in quite a few terms, a practice which we'll spare you from experiencing herein.
* ↑ The 'kind consist' is not often seen directly, it sort of only lives in menus and the Content Manager lists.