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Templot Update 2.17.a


Chris Dark
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Just a quick question...

 

I loaded Templot yesterday after it updated itself to the titled update and now if I try to join separate pieces of track they no longer link together. Meaning that i have to line them up by site.

 

It's a setting I have not knowingly changed in the past but wondered if anyone can advise how i can get it back? or whether it is linked to the update?

 

Sorry if this doesn't make sense.

 

thanks

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I loaded Templot yesterday after it updated itself to the titled update and now if I try to join separate pieces of track they no longer link together. Meaning that i have to line them up by site.

 

It's a setting I have not knowingly changed in the past but wondered if anyone can advise how i can get it back? or whether it is linked to the update?

 

Hi Chris,

 

That's called "F7 snapping". It is great for beginners, but for experienced users of Templot it is a damn nuisance.

 

I therefore made some changes. If you use the F7 key on the keyboard, or the menu item, you now need to hold down the SHIFT key to get the templates to snap.

 

If you use the "beginner button" at the top of the screen "SHIFT & JOIN F7", the snapping works as before.

 

regards,

 

Martin.

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Hi Chris,

 

That's called "F7 snapping". It is great for beginners, but for experienced users of Templot it is a damn nuisance.

 

I therefore made some changes. If you use the F7 key on the keyboard, or the menu item, you now need to hold down the SHIFT key to get the templates to snap.

 

If you use the "beginner button" at the top of the screen "SHIFT & JOIN F7", the snapping works as before.

 

regards,

 

Martin.

Excellent, thanks very much for the prompt response.

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Hi Martin, I use F7 join continually, so is there a way I can switch F7 join on permanently?

 

Rather than a mouse action each time, can it be a menu item that you switch on or off just once?

 

OK, it's not the end off the world, but when you are working on a large plan it's an additional action every time.

 

Edit: When I say an additional action, I meant I press F7 with my left hand and use the mouse at the same time. As it is now, I have to use the mouse for both actions, so it seems like two actions.

 

Not the end of the world as I said. Perhaps I need to reprogramme my brain accordingly......

Edited by gordon s
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Edit: When I say an additional action, I meant I press F7 with my left hand and use the mouse at the same time. As it is now, I have to use the mouse for both actions, so it seems like two actions.

 

Hi Gordon,

 

Having pressed F7 with your left hand, then rest it on the SHIFT key. The templates will then snap.

 

But the bigger question is, why are you using F7 snapping so much? If you watch this video, you will notice that templates are never snapped together. You will create a much better flowing design by extending and splitting templates, see: http://templot.com/companion/simple_track_plan.php

 

That's the originally intended way to use Templot. The F7 snapping was added later in response to requests from beginners. When working with partial templates it can be a great nuisance, which I why I changed the working of it.

 

Sorry it's an old-old video. On my list to be updated soon.

 

cheers,

 

Martin.

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Hi Martin, as a self taught beginner, I'm not sure how I can answer your question.  I watched the video on my Windows PC and do use many of the commands, so I'm guessing I'm doing nothing wrong, just coming at it from a different route.

 

I recall we had a conversation around ten years ago when I was struggling to get started with Templot and it was the F7 join key that helped me considerably and so I've used it ever since.  I'm sure we can talk about this for hours as I've no doubt many of us have different methods of achieving similar things.  

 

F7 join is only one of the dozens of keys I use and you only have to look at ET to see I'm using Templot to design quite complex layouts with flowing track work that couldn't be done with any other programme.

 

Just tried the F7 and then the shift key and that's fine. I guess by the time I'm 75, it will be second nature.... :)

 

Maybe this is what happens when you wander off piste......

 

Edit:  Sorry Martin, your post came in as I was working out how to watch the video on my Mac.

 

If it means what I think it does.....Thank YOU!

Edited by gordon s
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so I'm guessing I'm doing nothing wrong, just coming at it from a different route

 

Sorry Gordon, I didn't mean to suggest you were doing anything wrong. Templot is a tool for folks to use any way they find best.

 

But if you extend the first template and split it off, the new template is automatically following the same radius, and ready aligned without needing to snap it into position. There is a much better chance of creating a flowing effect than snapping on a completely new template, and then having to adjust the radius to match.

 

Did the video work ok on the Mac? Is that in Windows or Wine? After all these years I'm still not entirely clear exactly what happens when Templot runs on a Mac using the various options -- I don't want to have to buy one just to find out the exact details. I know what happens in Wine on Linux, but Apple tend to have their own quirks.

 

cheers,

 

Martin.

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No offence taken whatsoever.... :D

 

Of course this is only a gut feeling, but I suspect that 90% of us are 'beginners' in as much we only use Templot sporadically.  It's one of those programmes that is invaluable when you need it.  I'm guessing most of us pick it up, design a layout, tweak it from time to time and then don't use it again for several months.

 

The depth of the programme is immense and I know I only use around 50% of it's capabilities.  Even now there are terms I come across that I haven't seen or heard of before, but that doesn't matter as there is no better way of designing and printing layout plans full size.  I doubt if I could ever have built ET without Templot and your help at very turn.

 

I stopped using Templot on a Mac as I always struggled with the F keys. From memory, there were additional key strokes needed to make the F keys work and whilst it did work, it seemed to take twice as long, so I went back to my old XP machine, wiped it clean and then installed a new version of Windows 7 plus the latest version of Templot.  Nothing else at all and it now flies along and does everything I need.

 

Sorry, I can't answer your question re the video on a Mac.  As you would expect, iIt wouldn't work on it's own and I removed all my Windows programmes/simulators as they weren't needed.

 

"But if you extend the first template and split it off, the new template is automatically following the same radius, and ready aligned without needing to snap it into position. There is a much better chance of creating a flowing effect than snapping on a completely new template, and then having to adjust the radius to match".

 

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by this. It's not something I would do. There are many things I do with Templot without thinking and it would take hours to try and explain exactly what I do. All I know is that it works and works well, even though I'm sure I take different routes to get there....

 

Thanks again for that option in the next upgrade.  As always, you listen to what users want and react with alarming speed.  If only all suppliers were that attentive.... :good:

Edited by gordon s
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If only all suppliers were that attentive.... :good:

 

Hi Gordon,

 

I don't think of myself as a supplier. It is more than 6 years since I was a trader supplying Templot as a paid-for product. Nowadays it is just a hobby for fun. If it's raining I work on Templot. If the sun's shining I don't. A bit like your ET and golf. smile.gif

 

Martin.

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The way I work Templot, is to put in the mainline first and double it if required. I then start to add the turnouts, as you can only have one turnout in a template, I usually "make separate exit track " then insert a turnout in that. Occasionally I use the "make separate approach track " and insert a turnout in that. I use "make branch track " for loops and sidings. If I tweak things I usually resort to F7 and snap, to save redoing a lot of the other templates.

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Even managed to find my way into Programme Preferences and save it.....without outside help.

 

You see, I do read the attached notes and help info sometimes.... :biggrin_mini2: 

 

I'm full of cold and can't breathe which is why I'm on RMweb at 3.00am.  What's your excuse?..... 

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I'm full of cold and can't breathe which is why I'm on RMweb at 3.00am.  What's your excuse?..... 

 

I don't need an excuse. I'm always around at this time of day. smile.gif

 

Hope you're feeling better soon. Had a bad cold myself last month.

 

Martin.

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