RailPro > RailPro Specific Help & Discussion
Problem with RailPro Assistant Upgrade
Alan:
--- Quote ---I searched the directories and found a file called RailProAssistant Package.exe, which had a modification date of today. I booted this file and was given the error message that this file "is not a valid win32 application".
--- End quote ---
Assuming the install/update completed correctly, you can launch (boot in your terms) by double-clicking either "RailPro Assistant" or "RailProAssistant.exe" in the <Program Files / Ring Engineering / RailPro Assistant> folder. Both are highlighted below. The former is just a shortcut to the latter.
Interestingly, RailPro Assistant does not insert itself into the Start Menu list of installed programs on Win 10. At least it did not on my two machines. I believe it is the first installed program I've seen have that omission. Seems a little sloppy on Ring's part. It does place a desktop shortcut. Pinning "RailProAssistant.exe" to the Start menu was my workaround.
I mentioned earlier that I had submitted an exception report to Avast back when I installed RPA 1.0. It must have worked. This is the message Avast delivered when I updated to the latest RPA version:
melarson:
--- Quote from: G8B4Life on February 08, 2017, 07:41:32 AM ---Michael, I am able to replicate what your seeing trying to run the installer on my virtual Win7, though I haven't the foggiest idea why it's not connecting with the new RP server. I am investigating but if you still can't get it to load I can just provide the downloaded package and give you instructions to install it manually if you'd like.
- Tim
--- End quote ---
My apologies for forgetting to post last night after trying the install/upgrade at home. It worked, first time. It took a while but it completed, and I started RA and verified the rev: 3.00. So apparently there is something about my workplace network that disallowed this communication. Can't imagine why though. Once fired up at work I could see pictures, sounds, and light effects. Oh well, I'm just glad it's now working!
Thanks Tim for checking this out. I haven't the time to pursue it, especially at work, but it would be interesting to hear of anything you discover.
Michael
G8B4Life:
--- Quote from: Michael Larson on February 09, 2017, 01:48:01 AM ---Thanks Tim for checking this out. I haven't the time to pursue it, especially at work, but it would be interesting to hear of anything you discover.
Michael
--- End quote ---
Glad to hear you got it working. To tell the truth it seems I've been chasing a dead end; on my virtual Win 7 I can make the installer and the RPA program either both work or both not work depending on which network adapter (bridged or NAT) the virtual machine uses.
I can only theorise that your works firewall didn't like something about the way the installer communicated. RPA 3 and the installer communicate to Ring's servers using UDP and not TCP. It's possible that there was something about the packets that the installer was sending / trying to receive that got the firewall all hooked up where RPA itself doesn't have packet issues so RPA can communicate to RE's servers over your works network.
--- Quote from: Alan on February 08, 2017, 03:39:30 PM ---Interestingly, RailPro Assistant does not insert itself into the Start Menu list of installed programs on Win 10. At least it did not on my two machines. I believe it is the first installed program I've seen have that omission. Seems a little sloppy on Ring's part. It does place a desktop shortcut. Pinning "RailProAssistant.exe" to the Start menu was my workaround.
--- End quote ---
Ring's installer is not much more than a downloader that can run files. I haven't studied it much but given how simple the installer is the code to add a start menu entry is probably too convoluted to bother with.
- Tim
Alan:
Ring's installer is not much more than a downloader that can run files.
Son of a gun, you are spot on. Thanks Tim. That will teach me to pay closer attention. It is an IExpress extraction package that doesn't 'install' anything. There are no associated Registry keys. One assumes when a program says "Installing" and it places itself in Program Files on C: that it is a conventional installed program. Now, I completely understand why no Start Menu entry. This also confirms Ring's server must be terribly slow. My computer is a screamer and my ISP is blazing yet the install took a very long time.
Oh well, doesn't matter. It works and that's all that's needed.
G8B4Life:
--- Quote from: Alan on February 09, 2017, 08:21:50 AM ---It is an IExpress extraction package that doesn't 'install' anything.
--- End quote ---
Correct. A bonus of this method is clean up is very easy if one no longer needs RPA, it can be simply deleted. The USB driver would have to be uninstalled properly though.
To explain this for others that might be wondering what we're on about, All the RPA "installer" does is basically download an executable zip file and run it. It does the same for the USB drivers. You could do all this manually with about the same level of effort and one less file downloaded.
--- Quote from: Alan on February 09, 2017, 08:21:50 AM ---This also confirms Ring's server must be terribly slow. My computer is a screamer and my ISP is blazing yet the install took a very long time.
--- End quote ---
I've long maintained that Rings server is exceptionally slow. I've long had a sneaking suspicion about the server so I checked it out today and pretty well confirmed my suspicion; the server that serves RPA is probably sitting on a bench in his office. The IP address points to an adsl connection, not a web server. This means that the RPA server is most likely bound by whatever residential/business broadband plan he has.
I don't know much about broadband plans in the US but if they're anything like here then the upload speed (what the server is doing when it's sending us files) will be very slow. I really don't know why he can't put it all on the web server, the speed is more than frustrating when you realise that it takes 20 minutes or more to get a 2 megabyte file!!!!
Don't talk about your computer; it fills me with envy ;D ;D ;D
- Tim
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version