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[quote user="jeep35"]Well guys, thanks for the help and imput. You've actually answered my original question. " Is there a simple program that will randomally sort cars for me", and the short answer is no. So I can either drop the idea and move on to something else or I can invest time in trying to figure out how to make it work[/quote] Ah, Jim. No no no.  I am sorry I must butt in again.  I am a former secondary school instructor and can't let misapprehensions get in the way of your success!  As part of my job I often had to write long form instructions for using computers in school library and lab.  What you are seeing on the JMRI page is the unfortunate fact that an incredible number of steps need to be written for the simplest procedures.  And the fact that JMRI does so much, you also need to see when to ignore parts of what you are reading. [C'mon forum, is no one else a JMRI fan?  I can't believe that writing one's own excel program would be the way.....that is really reinventing the wheel!] If I could sit beside you and a computer at your layout, we could have JMRI doing what you want in 15 minutes or less. Don't give up. Read through the JMRI pages on the Operations module and keep in mind that you do not have to worry about 90% of what you read....but you will have to discover the basics.  And yes, there are places where help is very easily had. These are some of the only pages you will have to work with.  Your system will be especially easy if you do not wish to enter locomotives for your trains.  The whole random allocation will still proceed as you wish, and switch lists generated. ONE OF MY LOCATIONS <img src="http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u172/dcrane_2007/location_zpsf6856a30.jpg" alt=" " /> DETAILS OF THE SPUR AT THAT LOCATION <img src="http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u172/dcrane_2007/spur_zps5a480fe6.jpg" alt=" " /> THIS IS THE TRAIN BUILD PAGE.  YOU WOULD HAVE VERY LITTLE TO DO HERE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ONLY ONE OR TWO TYPES OF CARS AND NO LOCOMOTIVES.  JUST HAVE TO SELECT THE ROUTE FOR THE TRAIN <img src="http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u172/dcrane_2007/train_zps75e3c25e.jpg" alt=" " />   A ROUTE PANEL SHOWING 9 LOCATIONS.  EACH ONE OF THESE COULD BE MADE A MINE...AND I NEED DEAL WITH ONLY A FRACTION OF THE BUTTONS AND GIZMOS YOU SEE ON THIS PAGE...JUST ORDERING THE LOCATIONS AND SETTING THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF CARS TO BE SPOTTED AND PICKED UP.  TRUE THIS IS AFTER I HAVE ENTERED SOME PARAMETERS ABOUT THE LOCATION....NUMBER OF SPURS....LENGTH OF SPURS....TYPES OF CARS PERMITTED ETC.. <img src="http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u172/dcrane_2007/routes_zpsb7d2436e.jpg" alt=" " /> HERE IS A RATHER LONG SWITCH LIST SHOWING PICK UPS FOR A 20 CAR OR SO TRAIN.  THIS IS AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED BY THE PROGRAM.  THE LOCATIONS SHOW FOR PICKING UP ALL OF THE CARS IN THE LIST ARE FAKE SPURS THAT ARE REALLY MY DRAWERS OF ROLLING STOCK WAITING FOR RANDOM SELECTION. <img src="http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u172/dcrane_2007/manifest_zps08374b9b.jpg" alt=" " /> PART OF THE SPOTTING LIST FOR THE SAME TRAIN <img src="http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u172/dcrane_2007/manifest2_zps2d0ae069.jpg" alt=" " /> THIS PANEL IS JUST ONE OF THE ONES DONE IN THE SET UP WHERE YOU ENTER YOUR CARS, AND EDIT THEIR FEATURES.  THE CAR WEIGHT IS CALCULATED BY THE PROGRAM WHEN YOU ENTER THE LENGHT...USING AVERAGES FOR EMPTY ROLLING STOCK.  Here this would take some time for you, entering 100 cars, but I assume many would be identical in several respects which would speed things.  I have 326 of many many roads and it does take some time, since I entered most in one month having bought all earlier.  Entering new ones is a snapl <img src="http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u172/dcrane_2007/cars_zps0ba9181e.jpg" alt=" " />  Now, it is true that many many other things can be added to the type of operation that you want.  It certainly sounds like it will do all that you want.  You can enter loads, customize the decription of them.  When you run the train and later pick up the car from the spur the program will either load or unload the car for you depending on whether you were obtaining goods or delivering them on that spur/location.  And there you get into more detailed useage, but it might even be appealing later. And that's the end of my intrusion.
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