SwitchWithIt Version 1.7.4.7 is available on SourceForge.net. Just do a search on the SourceForge.net home page. Lots of changes included in this new version. Too many to list here. Make sure to read the README file before trying to start the program. It appears that the problem that people have been having with starting the program is related to the installer I am using. I am researching options for changing to a new installer. In the meantime, the program must be started in Administrator mode. This can be done manually or automatically. To set up the desktop icon so that it starts the program automatically in Administrator mode, read the step-by-step directions contained in the README file. To manually start the program in Administrator mode, just Right Click on the desktop icon and select "Run as administrator." The major change in this version is a change in approach to how cars are forwarded to get to their destination. The original design didn't care how many trains it took for a car to get to its destination. If a train was at the location of a car that needed to be picked up, an evaluation was made to determine if there was ANY routing using the current train that could get the car to its destination. If so, the car was assigned to the train. The routing could take 2 trains or up to 6 trains, it didn't matter. The new design looks for the shortest routing for a car. Shortest routing is defined as the fewest number of trains required. Distance is an unknown to the program. If a train is able to pick up a car but not deliver it to its destination, a check is made for the shortest routing. Again, the limit is up to 6 trains. If the current train is part of the shortest routing, then the car will be assigned. There is one exception to this shortest routing. For a car at an industry, even if there is a single train that could pickup and deliver the car to its destination, a check will be made to see if the current train is part of a 2 train routing. If so, the current train will pick up the car and deliver it to a connecting yard where another train can pick it up and deliver it to its destination. This is to prevent cars from plugging up industries waiting for that one train that may run infrequently. A lot of the problems fixed in this new version were identified by a new user with lots of questions. If you see something that you think is incorrect, please contact me. I will either explain how something works or I will fix the problem. The cause of most problems can be found in a day with a fix ready the next day. I want this to be the best switchlist program that I can make. Send your questions or comments to SwitchWithIt@zoho.com David Bond
David.. I am pretty stoked to find this software.. I was a huge fan of Interchange and spent hours these last two days trying to get it to work. So when I saw your post on the group discussion I downloaded this lickety split!.
Dave, Thanks. I had every hope that Interchange would be the ultimate operations program but Richard went in another direction. Because Interchange wasn't a viable program, I have spent the last 2 1/2 years working on SwitchWithIt. I hope the program works well for you. I have been to two different operating sessions over the past two day where the layout owners use the program. I enjoy using the switchlist that are produced. I have a new installer that I am testing. Hopefully it fixes the problem of people having to manually change the desktop shortcut to require administrative mode. Enjoy. David
David, So right now I've just finished planning out my layout. Would it be OK to pick your brain on how best to use your software with what I've designed?
I will look at the bug report. Yes, send me your questions regarding your layout at SwitchWithIt@zoho.com
