Railfan Technology > Trains Magazine Complete Collection issues

I have the Trains Magazine The Complete Collection 1940 - 2010.  Had it running fine on Windows 8.  Recently installed it on a new Windows 10 installation and it ran fine as well.  But some middle of the night Windows Update (at least I think that is the cause) has broken it.  The error "Adobe Projector has stopped working."   I've tried various compatibility mode changes.  If all else fails I can try installing it inside a Virtual XP machine I have but hoping it won't come to that.  Any ideas?  Has Kalmbach ever issued an update?  I would love to see a better front end just keeping the existing data files.

Windows is good about installing updates which screw up your computer.   If possible, you could system restore it to before the update.

Yeah, I’ve since turned everything off that I could. One of the printers on this machine is an ancient Laserjet 6L via a USB to parallel / Centronics cable. One must jump through hoops to get it to work but I did and it was fine. Until Windows updated.

I had similar issues some years ago running on a Mac.

I think the problem started when Mac switched from 32-bit to 64-bit, and there was no update from Kalambach. Whatever the issue, it stopped working.

I did two things.

1. I have a headless MacMini with an operating system from the appropriate time era, on which I have the Trains collection installed. I can now access the Trains collection over my network, using a current machine.

2. I have an XP-era laptop, now running Vista Ultimate (I think thats it) which never connects to the Internet. I bought this machine years ago to run the FT-270 radio programming software. It is this machine’s sole reason for existing.

On this old Windows machine I installed a backup copy of the Trains collection.

It’s still got the clunky Kalambach interface, and it’s 2011-fast, but it works.

It’s kind of a pain to get out the Windows machine just to use the Trains collection.

Posted from iPhone

I also have the disc on an old laptop.

I hope the new owners of Trains mag offer an updated version.

Adobe Projector's primary purpose is to play SWF files, based on the now-obsolete Flash format. Since obsolete "technology" is neglected in newer operating systems, your guess that a recent update might have broken Projector is a good one.

To add to Frisco1522's advice, try to pinpoint which update caused Projector to break. Windows 10 has regular monthly updates, so if you can't pinpoint, do a system restore at least one month old.

Adobe Projector has been broken on Windows in past years (looked at Google), so there should be enough complaints to lead Microsoft to come up with another update to fix it, if you are willing to wait. But many developers (Windows AND Mac) disliked Flash and applauded when the popular browsers stopped supporting it, so you might be waiting longer than those who dealt with this ~10 years ago.

Don't expect any updates from Kalmbach/Trains Magazine anytime soon. It's not a knock on them, but it's not their fault that the software industry moves too fast.

Have you googled online, lots of threads but confusing.

Also looks like there could be an swf??  file converter program.

I assume you don't have an old laptop.  I threw out a Vista laptop which was actually nice but I have my Windows 8 sitting under my Window 10, if you network around could be very possible someone
has old laptop will to part as favor or a small amount, also pretty cheap at some local shop or online depending on how much you want

Bob

If you can locate the exe file of the program (the one the shortcut/icon points to) you can right-click on it and select "Properties" from the menu, then click on the "Compatibility" tab in the Properties window.  There you can set it to run in compatibility mode from several older editions of Windows.  This doesn't work for everything, but it is worth a try.  

Yes, I have done the compatibility thing.  I don't think that fixes "Projector".  The pages are, I believe, encrypted .pdfs so Flash being discontinued may not be involved.

Setting up a "virtual machine" on your computer using VMWare, or similar program is actually not a bad  option.  I have WIN XP set up on one of my laptops so I can continue to run the original Outlook Express and a couple of other programs that can't run on Windows.  Works like a charm.  I run WIN 10 apps / programs seamlessly at the same time on the same computer.  Upgrades on WIN 10 /11 don't affect the XP-based programs operating in the virtual machine.

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/24 00:58 by E25.

Looks like Trains and MR are gone with the wind .

Bob Wilcox
Charlottesville, VA
My Flickr Shots

filmteknik Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes, I have done the compatibility thing.  I
> don't think that fixes "Projector".  The pages
> are, I believe, encrypted .pdfs so Flash being
> discontinued may not be involved.

If it's just PDFs, encrypted or not, then Adobe Acrobat, and all modern web browsers support PDFs. The unfortunte barrier might be the password needed to decrypt the PDF.

I suspect there are videos or slideshows embedded within the PDFs where Adobe Projector is needed. And those video/slideshows might be using Flash (or more specific, older video codecs pre-H.264). That fits the timeframe of when the Collection Series was published (around 2010).
 

Download VLC Media Player, its freeware, and enjoy the magazines again.

 

Nice idea, but VLC doesn't solve the password protection issue.

Each edition of Trains is a PDF, and each one is password protected.

furious_toad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Download VLC Media Player, its freeware, and enjoy the magazines again.

 

Frisco1522 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Windows is good about installing updates which
> screw up your computer.   If possible, you could
> system restore it to before the update.

Don't get me started.....

Microsoft's Change practices are abysmal. And having worked in IT Change practice and process management professionally, I'm in a position to say so. A recent failed update on a perfectly tuned, otherwise fully up-to-date and previously perfectly running recent-model Windows 10 laptop has caused me no end of grief, and genuine loss. The consequential damages are real. I have (finally) completely lost faith in Microsoft, and joined the club of MS-haters here on TO and in so, so many places on the internet.

Some day one of their failed updates or Changes is going to be so large and so extensive and so damaging to so many people and entities that there will be an enormous class-action lawsuit against them - and it will succeed. Honestly, while I wish no ill or harm to any user as a result of their poor practice, something to discipline them in full public scrutiny can't happen soon enough. Something has to happen to bring them to heel by the consumer, and sooner rather than later. Like Boeing, they are a company that has completely lost their way, and forgotten any semblance of quality, service and commitment to basic soundness in their products.

Of course, Wall Street loves them, mostly. While raising a big middle finger to all of the rest of us. As usual. Just as with the PSR railroads they pump and will someday mercilessly dump when they have served their purpose as useful fools.

Rant over. I get the OPs concern with the Trains archive. I had the issue previously with something on CD or purchased and downloaded from Kalmbach and resolved it, but so long ago I don't recall how. Probably through one of the processes suggested in this thread. I still read all of the back issues, and enjoy doing so, but I do it through the full-bore online subscription to Kalmbach products that allows reading all back issues. It's a fairly spendy annual subscription option, but it works for me. And I'm never locked into some proprietary reader technology, since it is standard Web Browser-based. Kalmbach either has to keep that interface up to date, or they will tick off a huge portion of their subscriber base. Unlike any kind of CD or purchased download product using some Reader technology that can go bye-bye.

MC



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/03/24 13:06 by ironmtn.