.RAL

Task 600: .RAL File Format

Task 600: .RAL File Format

thinkmelt@protonmail.com

• 7 min read

.RAL File Format Specifications

The .RAL file format is primarily associated with model railroad layout design software, such as WinRail by Span Software or Right Track Software (RTS) by Atlas. It is a proprietary binary format used to store detailed designs for model railway layouts. Based on available documentation and descriptions from software manuals, the format stores structured data for track configurations and related elements. However, no public detailed binary structure, header specification, or full technical documentation was found through searches. The format is not openly specified, and reverse engineering would be required for complete decoding, which is beyond the scope of this response without access to sample file contents for analysis.

1. List of All Properties of This File Format Intrinsic to Its File System

Based on descriptions from software documentation and file type overviews, the .RAL format includes the following key properties (data elements) stored within the file. These are intrinsic to the format's purpose in modeling railway layouts and are derived from how the software saves and loads the data:

  • Track Positions: Coordinates and placement data for railway tracks, including x, y, z (for 3D elevations) positions, rotations, and connections between track sections.
  • Article Numbers of Tracks Used: Identifiers or part numbers for specific track pieces (e.g., from manufacturers like Atlas or Märklin), referencing library items loaded in the software.
  • Buildings: Data for placed structures, including position, type, scale, and associated attributes like dimensions or textures.
  • Trees and Landscaping: Placement and type data for scenic elements like trees, bushes, or other vegetation.
  • Roadbeds: Information on base structures under tracks, such as ballast, roadbed shapes, and elevations.
  • Other Objects: Miscellaneous items like signals, bridges, tunnels, wires, gradients, layers, and custom elements (e.g., catenaries, electrical wiring, or benchwork).
  • Layout Metadata: Overall layout dimensions, scale (e.g., HO, N), layer information, height/gradient calculations, and potentially cost or materials lists.
  • Element Properties: For each item, attributes like fixed status, tags, colors, and grouping for editing.

Note: These are high-level properties based on software usage; the exact binary encoding (e.g., headers, offsets, data types) is not publicly documented.

Note: The second link is a ZIP containing the .RAL, as many samples are distributed this way. Extract the ZIP to access the .RAL file.

3. Ghost Blog Embedded HTML JavaScript for Drag-and-Drop .RAL File Dump

Since the exact binary format is undocumented, this script assumes a basic parsing approach based on common binary file patterns (e.g., looking for readable strings and assumed sections for properties like track data). It allows drag-and-drop of a .RAL file and attempts to dump identifiable properties to the screen using JavaScript's FileReader and DataView for binary parsing. For a real implementation, reverse engineering would be needed. This is embedded HTML/JS code suitable for a Ghost blog post (or any HTML page).

.RAL File Property Dumper
Drag and drop a .RAL file here

4. Python Class for .RAL File Handling

Without the exact spec, this class uses a placeholder parsing logic (e.g., reading binary, extracting strings as potential properties). In a real scenario, you'd define byte offsets, endianness, etc., based on reverse engineering. The class can open, read, "decode" (dummy), write (append dummy data), and print properties.

import struct
import re

class RALFileHandler:
    def __init__(self, filepath):
        self.filepath = filepath
        self.properties = {}

    def open_and_decode(self):
        with open(self.filepath, 'rb') as f:
            data = f.read()
            # Hypothetical decode: Look for signature (assume first 4 bytes)
            signature = data[:4].decode('ascii', errors='ignore')
            self.properties['signature'] = signature

            # Extract strings as properties (e.g., article numbers, object names)
            strings = re.findall(b'[a-zA-Z0-9\- ]{5,}', data)
            self.properties['extracted_strings'] = [s.decode('ascii', errors='ignore') for s in strings]

            # Placeholder for other properties
            self.properties['track_positions'] = 'Not decodable without spec'
            self.properties['article_numbers'] = self.properties['extracted_strings']  # Assume strings are these
            self.properties['buildings'] = 'Not decodable'
            self.properties['trees'] = 'Not decodable'
            self.properties['roadbeds'] = 'Not decodable'
            self.properties['other_objects'] = 'Not decodable'

    def print_properties(self):
        for key, value in self.properties.items():
            print(f"{key}: {value}")

    def write(self, new_data=b''):  # Dummy write: append data
        with open(self.filepath, 'ab') as f:
            f.write(new_data)
        print("File written (appended dummy data).")

# Example usage:
# handler = RALFileHandler('example.ral')
# handler.open_and_decode()
# handler.print_properties()
# handler.write(b'\x00\x00')  # Dummy write

5. Java Class for .RAL File Handling

Similar placeholder logic in Java. Uses ByteBuffer for binary reading.

import java.io.*;
import java.nio.*;
import java.nio.file.Files;
import java.nio.file.Paths;
import java.util.*;
import java.util.regex.*;

public class RALFileHandler {
    private String filepath;
    private Map<String, Object> properties = new HashMap<>();

    public RALFileHandler(String filepath) {
        this.filepath = filepath;
    }

    public void openAndDecode() throws IOException {
        byte[] data = Files.readAllBytes(Paths.get(filepath));
        ByteBuffer buffer = ByteBuffer.wrap(data);

        // Hypothetical decode: Signature
        byte[] sigBytes = new byte[4];
        buffer.get(sigBytes);
        properties.put("signature", new String(sigBytes));

        // Extract strings
        Pattern pattern = Pattern.compile("[a-zA-Z0-9\\- ]{5,}");
        Matcher matcher = pattern.matcher(new String(data));
        List<String> strings = new ArrayList<>();
        while (matcher.find()) {
            strings.add(matcher.group());
        }
        properties.put("extracted_strings", strings);

        // Placeholder properties
        properties.put("track_positions", "Not decodable without spec");
        properties.put("article_numbers", strings);
        properties.put("buildings", "Not decodable");
        properties.put("trees", "Not decodable");
        properties.put("roadbeds", "Not decodable");
        properties.put("other_objects", "Not decodable");
    }

    public void printProperties() {
        properties.forEach((key, value) -> System.out.println(key + ": " + value));
    }

    public void write(byte[] newData) throws IOException {  // Dummy append
        try (FileOutputStream fos = new FileOutputStream(filepath, true)) {
            fos.write(newData);
        }
        System.out.println("File written (appended dummy data).");
    }

    // Example usage:
    // public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
    //     RALFileHandler handler = new RALFileHandler("example.ral");
    //     handler.openAndDecode();
    //     handler.printProperties();
    //     handler.write(new byte[]{0, 0});
    // }
}

6. JavaScript Class for .RAL File Handling

Node.js style class (requires fs module). Placeholder parsing.

const fs = require('fs');

class RALFileHandler {
    constructor(filepath) {
        this.filepath = filepath;
        this.properties = {};
    }

    openAndDecode() {
        const data = fs.readFileSync(this.filepath);
        // Signature
        this.properties.signature = data.slice(0, 4).toString('ascii');

        // Extract strings
        const strings = data.toString('ascii').match(/[a-zA-Z0-9\- ]{5,}/g) || [];
        this.properties.extracted_strings = strings;

        // Placeholder
        this.properties.track_positions = 'Not decodable without spec';
        this.properties.article_numbers = strings;
        this.properties.buildings = 'Not decodable';
        this.properties.trees = 'Not decodable';
        this.properties.roadbeds = 'Not decodable';
        this.properties.other_objects = 'Not decodable';
    }

    printProperties() {
        for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(this.properties)) {
            console.log(`${key}: ${value}`);
        }
    }

    write(newData = Buffer.from([0x00, 0x00])) {  // Dummy append
        fs.appendFileSync(this.filepath, newData);
        console.log('File written (appended dummy data).');
    }
}

// Example usage:
// const handler = new RALFileHandler('example.ral');
// handler.openAndDecode();
// handler.printProperties();
// handler.write();

7. C Class for .RAL File Handling

In C, using struct for class-like behavior. Placeholder logic.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <regex.h>  // For string extraction (may need -lregex)

typedef struct {
    char* filepath;
    char* signature;
    char** extracted_strings;
    int string_count;
    // Placeholder for other properties
    char* track_positions;
    char* article_numbers;  // Point to strings
    char* buildings;
    char* trees;
    char* roadbeds;
    char* other_objects;
} RALFileHandler;

RALFileHandler* createRALFileHandler(const char* filepath) {
    RALFileHandler* handler = (RALFileHandler*)malloc(sizeof(RALFileHandler));
    handler->filepath = strdup(filepath);
    handler->signature = NULL;
    handler->extracted_strings = NULL;
    handler->string_count = 0;
    handler->track_positions = strdup("Not decodable without spec");
    handler->buildings = strdup("Not decodable");
    handler->trees = strdup("Not decodable");
    handler->roadbeds = strdup("Not decodable");
    handler->other_objects = strdup("Not decodable");
    return handler;
}

void openAndDecode(RALFileHandler* handler) {
    FILE* f = fopen(handler->filepath, "rb");
    if (!f) return;

    fseek(f, 0, SEEK_END);
    long size = ftell(f);
    fseek(f, 0, SEEK_SET);
    char* data = (char*)malloc(size + 1);
    fread(data, 1, size, f);
    data[size] = '\0';
    fclose(f);

    // Signature
    handler->signature = (char*)malloc(5);
    strncpy(handler->signature, data, 4);
    handler->signature[4] = '\0';

    // Extract strings (simple loop instead of regex for simplicity)
    // Note: For real regex, compile and match [a-zA-Z0-9\- ]{5,}
    // Here, dummy extraction of printable strings
    char* p = data;
    while (*p) {
        if (strspn(p, "a-zA-Z0-9- ") >= 5) {
            char* str = strdup(p);
            handler->extracted_strings = (char**)realloc(handler->extracted_strings, (handler->string_count + 1) * sizeof(char*));
            handler->extracted_strings[handler->string_count++] = str;
            p += strlen(str);
        } else {
            p++;
        }
    }

    handler->article_numbers = "See extracted_strings";

    free(data);
}

void printProperties(const RALFileHandler* handler) {
    printf("signature: %s\n", handler->signature);
    printf("extracted_strings: ");
    for (int i = 0; i < handler->string_count; i++) {
        printf("%s ", handler->extracted_strings[i]);
    }
    printf("\n");
    printf("track_positions: %s\n", handler->track_positions);
    printf("article_numbers: %s\n", handler->article_numbers);
    printf("buildings: %s\n", handler->buildings);
    printf("trees: %s\n", handler->trees);
    printf("roadbeds: %s\n", handler->roadbeds);
    printf("other_objects: %s\n", handler->other_objects);
}

void write(RALFileHandler* handler, const char* newData) {  // Dummy append
    FILE* f = fopen(handler->filepath, "ab");
    if (f) {
        fwrite(newData, 1, strlen(newData), f);
        fclose(f);
    }
    printf("File written (appended dummy data).\n");
}

void destroyRALFileHandler(RALFileHandler* handler) {
    free(handler->filepath);
    free(handler->signature);
    for (int i = 0; i < handler->string_count; i++) {
        free(handler->extracted_strings[i]);
    }
    free(handler->extracted_strings);
    free(handler->track_positions);
    free(handler->buildings);
    free(handler->trees);
    free(handler->roadbeds);
    free(handler->other_objects);
    free(handler);
}

// Example usage:
// int main() {
//     RALFileHandler* handler = createRALFileHandler("example.ral");
//     openAndDecode(handler);
//     printProperties(handler);
//     write(handler, "\x00\x00");
//     destroyRALFileHandler(handler);
//     return 0;
// }

Note for 3-7: These implementations are placeholders since the full binary spec is not available. They demonstrate basic file I/O and string extraction as a starting point for reverse engineering. For accurate decoding, analyze sample files with a hex editor to identify headers, data types, and offsets.## .RAL File Format Specifications

The .RAL file format is primarily associated with model railroad layout design software, such as WinRail by Span Software or Right Track Software (RTS) by Atlas. It is a proprietary binary format used to store detailed designs for model railway layouts. Based on available documentation and descriptions from software manuals, the format stores structured data for track configurations and related elements. However, no public detailed binary structure, header specification, or full technical documentation was found through searches. The format is not openly specified, and reverse engineering would be required for complete decoding, which is beyond the scope of this response without access to sample file contents for analysis.