... a massively complex dialog and and an even bigger Help file. For partial templates in a tandem or slip for example, the complexity of the task falls off the scale -- no user is ever going to bother attempting it on-screen. When all that is needed during construction is to download one of the excellent Exactoscale templates, and use it as a reference for the typical chair types and positions. I think it is far better that Templot shows no chairing information, rather than wrong information. I'm still keen to develop the software for all this, and try it on a 3D printer. But purely for our own use, not as part of Templot. Otherwise the support load for users will grow far beyond what I can reasonably manage. And not yet, otherwise the next Templot update will never be ready. It already contains several new but as yet unfinished functions, so I need to spend time on those first. I have obtained the £9.75 offer of TurboCAD Deluxe V20 -- thanks Nigel. But so far I'm disappointed ...

... it. Are you sure it isn't an improvement that you made when you made some. It seems to be quite clear in the article that Mike has gapped as I did, opposite each other...? Have I misunderstood your meaning somehow? Kind regards Andrew posted: 24 Dec 2018 03:44 from: Andrew Duncan Hello Everyone I've not made much progress in the last few weeks electrics apart. But on this subject I've installed the Megapoints board for controlling the turnout and signal servos and here's there's been an interesting development. But before I get to that I've also decided to use the Megapoints relay board, as I had one in stock, to change the polarity of the crossings as previously did on the junction board. So in addition to the Servo control board there's the interface board for the relays and the two relay boards themselves. Anyway back to signal operation. I think I mentioned a little while ago a chap, John over on RMWeb, who's building an impressive layout of Leeds City the Midland side in EM. I noticed ...

... time and its users manage to adapt. The same can be said about Android as well,and Linux is just the same. The key factor is people becoming familiar with a particular piece of software by just using it. I find word processing applications are much the same across all platforms... Trevor. Hi Trevor Totally agree. Windows "style" is prevalent across most Windows personal applications, but once you get beyond that into serious applications then it tends to fall by the wayside. I became a professional software developer and implementer way back in 1969 and Windows only had marginal effects in many application areas. Over the last few years I've become involved in CAD software for my own uses, first for etching purposes, now for 3D printing applications, and in doing so have tried many CAD programs; very few could be said to have a Windows GUI, and most have a steeper learning curve than Templot. I think the way to lead people into using Templot is, as is the case with many programs, is to start with ...

... topic: 1701 ADMIN: Templot changes posted: 27 Nov 2011 18:41 from: Martin Wynne Dear all, The price of a Templot licence has remained unchanged for over 10 years. That means it is now much cheaper in real terms than it was, despite the many new features introduced over that time. I've allowed this situation to develop because I'm very aware of the deficiencies in Templot as a proper software product -- especially with regard to the confusing mess the user documentation is in. New users have been starting with the 10-year-old version 074b, despite the availability of much improved later versions, simply because 074b is the only version with a reasonably full set of user docs. But I've reached the end of my tether in trying to explain this over and over again in emails to users, despite the fact that it is fully explained in my order confirmation letter. If we carry on as we are I shall be ill. There is simply no way in the short term that I can find the time to ...

... topic: 1296 digital trends -- and Templot? posted: 27 Nov 2010 10:16 from: Martin Wynne 15 years ago many homes had an IBM-pattern Business Computer, desperately pretending to be a domestic appliance but in truth serving little recreational purpose and requiring a tame teenage geek to do anything remotely technical, such as connecting to the internet or printing a photograph. But it was an ideal gadget on which to plan a model railway, and I developed Templot for it. Go into PC World today and where are the desktop computers? All but gone. Instead there is a dazzling display of sleek must-have mobile devices, itouch raspberry padpod netphones with enough computing power in the palm of your hand to run a nuclear power station. It's almost impossible to come out without one. Perfect if you want to tweeter to your friends from the back of the bus, or get the closing prices on the London Metal Exchange while sitting on the train home. But run Templot? Several people have told me that Templot is now ...

... that you don't want them -- at the very least for 24 hours. They are not difficult to delete, you can do it without leaving Templot by right-clicking in the File dialogs. Of course it's your computer and if you want to overwrite existing files when saving data, that's up to you. But Templot is not going to do anything to facilitate that. Programs such as AJC Active Backup (highly recommended) have been created to get round the shortcomings of the Windows way of working, but I can't develop Templot on the assumption that everyone is running such software. I know the BOX-FILES folder can get a bit cluttered, but at least you know all your work is there if needed. The recent files list is the way to quickly find your current work, and the button for that is the first on the left on the program panel window (formerly the control room) at start-up. Even if I didn't feel so strongly about it, it would be difficult to implement in practice. In Templot ...

... topic: 2720 About the docs yet again posted: 3 Jul 2015 20:36 from: Martin Wynne Dear all, Long-standing members will sigh to see yet another post in which Martin agonises about the Templot documentation. We have been here before with numerous false starts and second thoughts, and we are no further forward. Today I have been surveying all through the Templot web site, and really it is an awful mess, having developed piecemeal over 15 years or more. There is no overall structure or plan at all, and great swathes of it are out of date. It is not surprising that beginners find it so difficult to find information. For me creating the Templot program itself is a piece of cake compared with the task of writing and maintaining the documentation for it, and I have to concede that I have failed miserably in that regard. My only consolation is that nowadays no-one is paying me for any of it. Here is a run through the present state of affairs: 1. First there is the ...

... Dear all, Today I'm working on John Watt's irregular diamonds, and I'm very aware that the code I'm using -- both for the diamonds and for mouse-action adjustment of check rails -- is now 5 years old since it was written, and it still hasn't made it into a Pug release. I'm beginning to despair that it ever will. I've written about this problem several times before, but I'm no nearer a solution. In recent months I have been able to spend almost no time at all on program development. All my Templot time has been spent on user support, not only on here but also on RMweb and elsewhere, and in emails. I recently turned 60, and I'm getting genuinely worried that the grey cells will fail on me before I can get everything done in Templot that I want to do. Already there are areas of the code which were crystal clear when I wrote them 20 years ago, but are now getting distinctly foggy. I'm worried that in 10 years time I will have forgotten how Templot works ...

... at random angles. The bright colours in the screenshots are simply to make the details more visible. *not when crabbed. cheers, Martin. posted: 30 Jul 2018 17:34 from: Rob Manchester Martin Wynne wrote: I'm making some progress, as discussed on the 3D printing topic. Chairing works for equalized timbers or square-on, and the chairs remain on the rails when timbers are shoved: cheers, Martin. Hi Martin, Thanks. Yes you are making great progress, interesting to watch the the development of this even if much is way over my head Rob PS...Ha Ha, Surely you need to take the chair screws out of the chairs before you can shove the timbers otherwise the rail will get slewed over? posted: 30 Jul 2018 18:01 from: Martin Wynne Thanks Rob. The 3D printing stuff is going over my head too. I'm still writing DXF code the same way I did in the 1980s. That's why I started this separate topic to cover the track design aspects. Here is something ...

... 20 Aug 2014 06:45 from: Ade Please move this if I'm posting in the wrong place. The videos found here are all Windows EXE files. Why is this, please? It's a real pain in the proverbial to try to run these on a Mac, even with Crossover. I appreciate that there is no intention to make a Mac version of Templot itself, but why oh why does it have to be so difficult to access the training materials? I really, really like Templot and- as a software developer myself- appreciate very much the efforts of Martin to create and maintain this (let alone provide support), but why does it have to be so difficult to access the tutorial videos? [/ rant] Thanks! posted: 20 Aug 2014 07:00 from: Matt M. Hi Ade. In what way are these a pain to use? I run Templot in Bootcamp on a Mac. The videos run in a web browser without problems. They also run on the Mac side in Safari or any other ...