shortliner Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Basic XTrkCad Tutorial by shortliner original page on Old RMweb __________________________________________ ??? posted on Sun Oct 26, 2008 5:05 pm Basic XTrkCad Tutorial Please note that this refers to the last Official version v3.2314 because that is what I use - the newer versions have some menus in different places. In this tutorial, -> means follow the menu link and [Okay] means use the button on screen. [K/B] means use button on Key Board If you are using this version for the first time you need to register (newer versions don't) Go to Files -> register and type open registration on the first line and 248890010702 in the second and hit [okay] Next step = Go to options on the top bar-> layout and set Room width to 48 Height to 12 and scale to HO (NB1) scale is HO because that is the scale of track used even for OO. (NB2) 12 inches is the smallest measurement the system will accept - if you would rather use metric go to Options->preferences-> and select Units to ???metric File-> parameter files and check that you have C:\Program Files\XTrkCad\params\pecoho.xtp showing - if not hit [browse and click on that file then [Open] Back to the main screen - you should have a screen showing a menu and three rows of icons at the top, a small black square showing XTrkCad map, and a box at the bottom with squares showing 1' high and 4' wide Top row icons - at the start of the 4th group is a button with straight track on it. left click with the mouse - move your cursor into the lower left of the block of squares at the bottom of the screen, left click and hold, and move cursor to the right and up to about half way at that end. A track will be drawn as you go, and when you are at the right hand side remove your finger from the left button - you have just drawn your first bit of track! Now up to the lowest row of icons that has turnouts in it left click on the leftmost (which is a small radius LH point) - down to the drawing area and left click and hold in the 2nd square on the track you drew - as you move the mouse across the line you will see the turnout move so that it faces one side or the other get it to face above the line, take your finger off the button and it will be positioned , if you want to move it left click and move it where you want it - when you are happy press [K/B ENTER]. You should now have a track with a turnout pointing upwards - if you want to place a second LH small radius turnout Left click with the mouse and do it - Go on do it anyway! We'll just get rid of that one by going to the words in the top menu, clicking on Edit -> Undo. Bingo, the turnout vanishes (an alternative method is to right click on the turnout, and from the menu that appears -> select and then left click on the turnout which will turn red, and hit [K/B Delete] - it will delete it but will also remove the track that was there originally, leaving a hole - we will sort that in a moment. Whilst we are talking about turnouts the [K/B Shift] key will select alternative ends of the turnout. Now about that hole - the 5th block of icons first icon has what looks like a bit of track with a blue square - left click on it, come down to the bit of track at the right hand side - Left click on the end nearest the turnout and holding the button down, drag the end left till it meets the turnout, and release. Okay we'll try another one - go to the bar with the turnouts and select the first diamond crossing with a left click, come down to the drawing area and left click and hold. A diamond crossing will appear, still holding the left mouse button down, drag it onto the end of the turnout where it will magically attach itself. Enter will fix it . Back up to the turnout bar, click on the second turnout and come back down. Left click and move the turnout down to the track - move the mouse to the lower side of the track, and drag the turnout so that it matches up with the diamond crossing - then [K/B Enter] Back up to the top to the button with the straight track on it left, click, back down to the top left of the crossing, position the cursor in the centre of the left end top track of the diamond crossing, left click and drag the track so that it lines up as an extension of the crossing. Drag it towards the left edge. Back up to the buttons and this time pick the one BESIDE the straight track one, which has a curve on it - back down to the top right of the diamond, and just as we did with the left side, position the cursor and move it to the right about an inch on the screen so that the track continues straight on - release the button and you will se a double ended red arrow appear - left click and move the end of the track so that it is parallel with the track below and release - you have just drawn your first piece of curved track. If it changes colour to red, it means your track is less than minimum radius specified - you can change that minimum radius by going to Options->Preferences-> Minimum Track Radius Back up the top - straight track button, left click, back down to the end of your curve, left click in the centre of the end and move the mouse right so that you have a parallel siding. That is probably enough to get you started - play with it - you can't break it. Experiment and find out what all the buttons do - if you want to save your efforts. File -> save as Oh, and what you have drawn should look like this tutorial.xtc (2.13 KiB) __________________________________________ ??? posted on Fri Oct 31, 2008 5:45 pm I have just discovered some more tutorial info on these sites - which might be helpful http://smallphry.com/eecore/index.php/s ... ial_part1/ http://www.mirrorservice.org/sites/down ... torial.pdf http://www.xtrkcad.org/Wikka/BeginnerTutorial __________________________________________ ??? posted on Wed Dec 17, 2008 3:41 pm Great News - the XTrkCad tutorials are back on line, but you will need to join the Yahoo XTrkCd group here http://groups.yahoo.com/group/XTrkCad/ when you have joined, go to Files and down near the bottom you will find this - they are zipped files __________________________________________ ??? posted on Sat Dec 20, 2008 8:25 am The XTrkCad tutorials are now on here too as .doc files. __________________________________________ Comment posted by JB on Mon Aug 10, 2009 4:20 pm I have opened the programme, and I have changed to my layout size, but I can't seem to find any track on the track bar at the top. Can you help me? __________________________________________ ??? posted on Tue Aug 11, 2009 11:10 am Sorry - only just noticed this - set layout scale to what you are using - NB for OO use HO (NOT OO - the prog is American and classes Peco track as HO - which is what it is!!!) then go to Files-> Parameters and tick the track(s) you want to use - click OK, and you should have the turnouts in your toolbar - email me if you have problems __________________________________________ Comment posted by JB on Tue Aug 11, 2009 12:28 pm Ah right... have done that now. __________________________________________ Comment posted by Dutch_Master on Sat Sep 12, 2009 2:31 am Quick question, before I'm off searching for something that doesn't exist: is it possible to scan a trackplan and use that as a base to work from? Or perhaps even have XTrkCad convert said trackplan to standard track sections (or otherwise) as specified by the scale and gauge, within the limits specified for the 'room' (in my case: a set of modules), is it that smart? __________________________________________ ??? posted on Sat Sep 12, 2009 2:10 pm Sorry, but "No!" __________________________________________ Comment posted by Dutch_Master on Sat Sep 12, 2009 3:59 pm D*rn! Thx anyway Jack! The ol'handwork it is then __________________________________________ Comment posted by EddScott on Wed Sep 16, 2009 8:37 am Very quick question - I've got XTrkCad measuring in metric and when I call up the parts list used for my current design the measurement of flexi track is 10898.153. Does that mean my design has 108 metres of flexi track? __________________________________________ ??? posted on Wed Sep 16, 2009 10:51 am Edd, the figure is probably centimetres - which is default - at least it is for setting up turnouts - so that looks as though you are right! Are you building a large-ish layout? try switching the measurements to "English and see if the result, when called up, looks like a direct conversion from metres - many US basement empires have a lot more track than that. If you are building a plank, I guess there is something slightly suspect! __________________________________________ Comment posted by EddScott on Wed Sep 16, 2009 11:08 am Its 19ftX10ft 4 mainline roundy round with a 10 line fiddle and large intermodal yard Probably a silly question but I was a bit shocked at 108 metres. Thats going to leave a dent in the Christmas presents fund __________________________________________ ??? posted on Wed Sep 16, 2009 2:46 pm Well You have around 230' of mainline for a start - so it probably is correct! __________________________________________ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=106277 cotains another tutorial which covers designing benchwork onwards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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