TSCT - Traffic Simulator Configuration Tool

[Stefan79]

This is the thread for the Traffic Simulator Configuration Tool which is introduced with the new NAM May 2010 and configures the NAM Unified Traffic Simulator (or NAM Simulator for short).



To run the tool you need JAVA Runtime Environment (JRE Version 6), can be downloaded here: http://java.sun.com


If you have problems starting the TSCT check this:
- Open a command shell and enter java -version. It will print your Java version and test, if the paths are correct.
- Go into the TSCT folder (cd <path to TSCT>) and then enter java -jar TSCT.jar. This should start the program or tell you what's wrong with your installation.
- Next version of program will have a TSCT.bat which will start the program even under Windows 64 Bit.


If you want to translate the program to your language, please send me a PM and I will tell you how to do this.

Any bugs, comments or ideas, please post to this thread and I will see what I can do.

Please post any things related to the NAM Simulator directly to the thread NAM Unified Traffic Simulator Development and Theory (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=5382.0)

[AliRemix10]

Hi, I have a problem with TSTC. When I installed it, it was OK, but when i tryed to run it, my dad's Nokia Ovi Suite launched instead of TSTC. Any ideas how to fix it? 

[Stefan79]

Hi, I have a problem with TSTC. When I installed it, it was OK, but when i tryed to run it, my dad's Nokia Ovi Suite launched instead of TSTC. Any ideas how to fix it? 

Do you directly start it double-click on the jar File or from the Desktop icon?
Check the properties of the Desktop icon of TSCT. Is it linked to %programs%/Trafic Simulator Configuration Tool?

[AliRemix10]

I did everything (desktop, jar file and setting the icon) and still nothink. 

[Stefan79]

Hi together,

I updated the tool and added some new things:
[ul]

• The Customers/Noise Coefficient can be modify
• The backup of files will be in temp folder instead of NAM folder to prevent errors
• The configuration of TSCT can be done within the program (Tools-Options]

[/ul]

If you have problems starting the program, try to start the program from the console. See the red text in the first Post of this thread.

Stefan

[vinlabsc3k]

Hi, I have a problem with TSTC. When I installed it, it was OK, but when i tryed to run it, my dad's Nokia Ovi Suite launched instead of TSTC. Any ideas how to fix it? 

It happens because the Nokia-Ovi Suite is associated with .jar files (this file are used as programs on Nokia or other Symbian-OS phone)
If you want to solve this, go in Control Panel -> Folder Option -> Tab "File Type", scroll to the jar extention select it and click on Change button; in the window select Java(TM) Platform Binary from the programs list or if don't appear browse to the program, and check the box under the list, then click OK twice and this should solve the conflict.

[vinlabsc3k]

Hi everyone, I've yet started the translation of TSCT in Italian with the permission of Stefan79, if any Italians will contribute is fine!

[ScottFTL]

I'm unable to launch TSTC since I downloaded and installed the 2010/08/09 update.  Sometimes I receive the language prompt twice then nothing happens, and sometimes just nothing happens.

Here is the troubleshooting information requested:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Scott>java -version
java version "1.6.0_21"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_21-b07)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 17.0-b17, mixed mode, sharing)

C:\Program Files (x86)\Traffic Simulator Configuration Tool>java -jar TSCT.jar
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: com/jgoodies/forms/layout/FormLayout
        at ssp.tsct.gui.tcpanels.MassTransitPanel.<init>(Unknown Source)
        at ssp.tsct.gui.TCMain.createMainPanel(Unknown Source)
        at ssp.tsct.gui.TCMain.createWindow(Unknown Source)
        at ssp.tsct.gui.TCMain.<init>(Unknown Source)
        at ssp.tsct.Start.main(Unknown Source)
Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: com.jgoodies.forms.layout.FormLayout
        at java.net.URLClassLoader$1.run(Unknown Source)
        at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
        at java.net.URLClassLoader.findClass(Unknown Source)
        at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(Unknown Source)
        at sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader.loadClass(Unknown Source)
        at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(Unknown Source)
        ... 5 more

Please let me know if you need additional information to find the problem.

[Stefan79]

Hi ScottFTL,

check in the program folder for the subfolder lib, if the library "forms-1.3.0.jar" is in it.
I've updated the FormLayout library to the newest version, so if you only change the TSCT.jar this error may occur.

Stefan

[CaptCity]

check in the program folder for the subfolder lib, if the library "forms-1.3.0.jar" is in it.

I was coming to the thread to post the same as ScottFTL. Checking in the lib folder, I have a file "forms-1.2.1" after running the installer. Should it be "forms-1.3.0.jar"?

[Tarkus]

Just checked on this end.  It looks like the updated Forms file didn't make it into the release version--it was in the build on SourceForge, though, and that one appears to work fine.

-Alex

[CaptCity]

...it was in the build on SourceForge, though, and that one appears to work fine.

Yes, it does. Thanks, Alex

[z]

Sorry - it was a build error on my part.  I've fixed it on the LEX and STEX.

[ScottFTL]

Sorry - it was a build error on my part.  I've fixed it on the LEX and STEX.

I can confirm that the LEX version does work now.  Thanks for the quick fix.

I'm seeing another problem.  I can't seem to disable backups now.  When I change the number of Backups to 0 under Tools > Options, it reverts to 5 when I reopen the TSCT program.  I actually don't think any of the options are being saved since I am prompted to choose a language each time the program is launched.  I also tried changing some of the other options, but all return to default on the next launch.

[Stefan79]

@ScottFTL:

The program created a subfolder named data in which the file TSCT.conf is saved with the stored values.
If it can not create this folder/file it will start from scratch.

Maybe you use Windows 7 and the folder has not the rights to write in it?

[cogeo]

Hi,

Really liked the TSCT, allows you to make a Traffic Simulator matching your own needs. I would like to ask some questions, though they are not stictly TSCT-specific (concern Traffic Simulators in general), however I think they aren't irrelevant:
- How does the Noise parameter work? A higher value means higher or lower noise? Or the effect of noise maybe?
- What do the Highway Bus Lanes and Park & Ride parameters affect? What do they require?
- I have tried to build a satelite city (to a lerger one), however it suffers from long commute times (as reported in the queries). This city has jobs too, but sims prefer to commute to the large city, rendering the commute as "long". If I destroy connections, sims find jobs in the satelite city, and commite time drops an awful lot. Of course this is not correct: if commuting to the big city makes commute "long", this should be taken into account for the job/route selection (not just for the calculation of the commute time, and this AFTER choosing the job/route), and thus sims should prefer the joibs in their own city. Any way to fix this?

Thanks

[z]

Hi Cogeo!

- How does the Noise parameter work? A higher value means higher or lower noise? Or the effect of noise maybe?

It determines the effect of noise on businesses and residences.  A full explanation of how it works can be found in the User's Guide, under Help.

- What do the Highway Bus Lanes and Park & Ride parameters affect? What do they require?

Highway Bus Lanes increase the speed of buses on highways by 10 kph, generally making them more attractive to Sims.  Park & Ride changes the traffic simulator so that cars cannot transport Sims all the way to work, in the same way that mass transit can't.  As a result, you have to build suitable parking for Sims, so that they can switch to mass transit, as the only way to end up at their jobs is on foot.  There's a little more on this in the User's Guide as well.

- I have tried to build a satelite city (to a lerger one), however it suffers from long commute times (as reported in the queries). This city has jobs too, but sims prefer to commute to the large city, rendering the commute as "long". If I destroy connections, sims find jobs in the satelite city, and commite time drops an awful lot. Of course this is not correct: if commuting to the big city makes commute "long", this should be taken into account for the job/route selection (not just for the calculation of the commute time, and this AFTER choosing the job/route), and thus sims should prefer the joibs in their own city. Any way to fix this?

Unfortunately, no.  The game is hardwired so that commutes to other cities are always considered long.  However, as you noticed, this is not taken into account very much for the job/route selection, although it does have some effect.  You can increase the preference Sims have for jobs in their own city; this is where desirability comes in.  Sims will travel a bit farther to get to desirable jobs in their own city rather than cross a city border that's a little closer.  The more desirable you make your in-city jobs, the more likely the Sims are to go to work there.

As for the commute time, it's just plain broken when you start to factor in inter-city commutes.  It rises way more than it should for these commutes, completely throwing off the average commute time.  To some extent, the average commute time in this case is just a measure of how much inter-city traffic you have.  Again, this behavior is hardwired into the traffic simulator, and we have no control over it, other than adjusting the scale on the Commute Time Graph, which is of very limited usefulness.

[cogeo]

Thanks for the prompt reply Steve!

So the hwy bus lanes increase bus speed on hwys. I don't think I'll be using this, first of this requires a big busstop network, and a lot of highways, along with a relative lack of other MT types. eg subways or GLR, to be attractive. Quite unlikely for a large city (to have a need for hwys). And I'm afraid you will see lots of buses on the hwys (uhhh). And the park & ride feature would require a totally different city building strategy (lots of parking and MT everywhere). ie it wouldn't be attractive to most players.

Of course my most important question in ths post was about the commute/cross-city-borders thing, but indeed this is broken in SC4, as you said. Connections are needed, to raise demand caps and export industrial freight, but sims too seem to prefer them. I think the best one can do is a different city layout: build industry at the city edge; I usually zone I at the corners, to minimize the pollution effect but often sims are reluctant to work there because... they're far away (they prefer the neighbour city although commuting there is finally longer); but you can expect that they will finally work in their home city too, esp if you zpne more R zones closer. Also some C along their route to the neighbour city can be a good solution: not only it can act as a "trap" for the outgoing sims (it's closer than crossing the city border) - although it is often occupied by sims from... the other city - it will also prosper due to the high traffic (I often get more development there, than in the CBD!). However all these just ease the problem a little, don't solve it. I have even considered extreme measures, like using traffic blockers (so that you have the benefits of connections, but not the traffic), but these look just funny (havng a connection AND a blocker). Careful city planning is rather the best workaround (not a "solution" unfortunately)...

[ScottFTL]

Maybe you use Windows 7 and the folder has not the rights to write in it?

Thanks, Stefan!  You were right as always.   

Just in case others have this problem, you need to change the security on the \Program Files (x86)\Traffic Simulator Configuration Tool under Windows 7.  The Users group needs to have Full Control.

[adampj]

I'm not sure whether this question is more appropriate here or in a RHW thread, but my guess is that those who are experts in TSCT are also RHW experts.

My question is that the RHW does not seem to have any maintenance cost attached to it.  I changed the value in TSCT from the default of $0.35 to $5.00, then went back in the game.  I dragged out multiple stretches of long RHW, and the total for monthly expenses did not change.

Looking at the details of the budget window, I do not even find a line for RHW.  Maybe there is some other Mod or a NAM or RHW option I missed during installation?

I realize this question is not 100% related to the TSCT, but cuts across multiple facets of the game.  Feel free to move it if it would make more sense in a different thread.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!