Templot Club Archive 2007-2020
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posted: 10 Jul 2012 20:09 from: Martin Wynne
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This message has just been posted on the 3rd PlanIt email group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/3rdPlanIt/message/33748 There are obvious echoes there for the Templot help docs. I've heard the same thing several times over the years -- "I can't learn by reading, I have to see it". That was one of the reasons I changed to creating the videos instead of producing more static tutorials. But that message is excellently written and perfectly clear. Far better in fact than the many garbled posted messages I see on some forums. I'm really puzzled how someone who says he can't understand the written word can write so clearly. Has it perhaps been written by someone else on his behalf? It doesn't read that way. What can I learn from this about the way forward for the updated Templot docs? regards, Martin. |
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posted: 10 Jul 2012 20:15 from: JFS
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If I had to lay a bet, I would say it was written using dictation software. I am told that here are some first class packages available. My wife works at a hospital where all the Consultants dictate their notes into a computer. I hope that is a helpful answer! Regards, Howard. |
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posted: 10 Jul 2012 20:52 from: Paul Boyd
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Hi MartinI've heard the same thing several times over the years -- "I can't learn by reading, I have to see it". That was one of the reasons I changed to creating the videos instead of producing more static tutorials.Well, I'll stick my hand up and say that I don't learn best by reading but by doing. Probably why I was crap at school in theoretical subjects but did well in practical subjects, and why I'm working in the "doing" part of engineering! A very recent example - I've just bought the Turner jig for making Alex Jackson couplings. I read the instructions before it arrived on how to make the jig, and on how to make the couplings. I couldn't make head nor tail of it all. The jig arrived, I built it and could then see how it works and was turning out AJ hooks in the blink of an eye - I filed the instructions  But that message is excellently written and perfectly clear. Far better in fact than the many garbled posted messages I see on some forums. I'm really puzzled how someone who says he can't understand the written word can write so clearly. Has it perhaps been written by someone else on his behalf? It doesn't read that way.I know that some people quote "dyslexia" as an excuse for poor literacy skills, whereas genuine dyslexics often actually seem to have good literacy skills - I wonder if that's because they're aware of their difficulties and work harder to get it right. Incidentally, according to this dyslexia is a reading and learning problem, not writing. Assuming the guy really is dyslexic, I would agree with Howard in that he may well be using dictation software. I had a go with that a while ago, just for the novelty value, and it was actually pretty accurate - far better than it was years ago. |
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posted: 10 Jul 2012 23:04 from: Jim Guthrie
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Martin Wynne wrote: I'm really puzzled how someone who says he can't understand the written word can write so clearly. Has it perhaps been written by someone else on his behalf? It doesn't read that way.Martin, I don't think that the ability to write clearly necessarily goes hand in hand with understanding the complexities of a piece of software. I think some people don't know how to learn to use complex software, or don't want to expend the effort to learn how to use that software. For the last thirty years I've had to learn to use a lot of complex software for professional and personal use and I've found that my way was a mix of reading manuals and staggering through projects on the software until I learned enough to make good use of it. That learning process could sometimes be a pretty rough ride but at least I gained that experience that helped me stagger through successive bits of software. I think you are always going to run into the problem of new users who expect to use software to its fullest extent a short while after they have installed it, and that might not be because they are being bloody minded, but because they have not learned or appreciated the rigour that is often necessary to learn such software. Jim. |
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posted: 11 Jul 2012 09:41 from: Matt M.
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Hi Martin. As there are several types of dyslexia there is no clear answer to your query over the quality of the request. Assuming it is the more common reading comprehension version, the chances are that it was typed by a friend or partner. After all, if it is a severe version of the affliction, someone will have to read the answer for Steven. As for the quality of expression shown in the message, dyslexics aren't necessarily verbally deficient. Depending on type and severity of this condition, (in which some versions can effect recall and correct grammatical word use), many dyslexics have excellent memories and aren't obviously educationally or developmentally delayed in any other area. I don't think that this issue has a lot to drive your updated Templot docs. Steven is looking for someone to take him through the software and bring him up to date in the most efficient manner he knows. This is a special case scenario. I avoided commenting the last time the subject of tutorials came up, for as you are not charging for this excellent product, you can hardly be expected to give the large amount of time required to creating "full on" tutorials. (Will do further donation in a few months). However this time some general comments on tutorials and manuals follow. As a music teacher I feel you can never beat one-on-one teaching by explanation, demonstration and emulation. That is why the video tutorials are always more effective. It is the closest thing to one-on-one, (though lacking the immediate feedback, which the "Templot Club" is providing). Written or diagrammatical tutorials are less effective, unless very carefully written, as there are more opportunities for misunderstanding. These things are commonly very badly done with most large software companies let alone the smaller provider with limited time and budget. It is the same problem with instruction manuals for household goods. It took me a year to work out all the functions of my PVR as the manual is unreadable. A general rule of thumb is the person who designed, programmed or built the item is not the person to write the manual. The problem is, they know how it works. (As an aside, NEC used to have all it's manuals done by it's Australian devision, then translated. They were the most useful and readable versions). The thing to remember constantly when teaching or writing a manual is, the other person probably has no idea what to do at all. (This is not a deliberate failing generally. People are just different from each other. Patience is the rule here). Regardless how you go about it there are always two caveats with any teaching/learning method. 1). The material must be structured. It must never assume that the student "knows" certain information. It must be streamlined. If there are 30 ways of getting the same result, you only explain the one method. The only method. (Lying to your student is an import ant part of teaching. Eventually you tell them the truth but until they are ready the KISS principle applies). Keep the number of new concepts to the absolute minimum. It must build in a logical order, adding new skills or information in easily worked segments. For maximum effectiveness there should also be a corresponding exercise set to drill these newly acquired skills. The student should be able to find the explanation/exercise/tutorial easily. 2). It requires practice! Regular working of the tutorial exercises, each tutorial more than once, to build familiarity. This is where most people come unstuck. It takes about 3000 hours to become proficient at most skill sets. Lack of structured practice is the main cause of failure to progress. It can be hard to find consistent time, but that is what it takes. Even three, one hour sessions a week will make a difference, as long as you approach it in a clear structured manner. Templot's manual is as we all know very broken up due to the continued development of the programme. (Not a complaint). This was the main thrust of the last discussion on the subject and what to do about it. As well Templot's innate learning curve is complicated by a need to understand the real permanent way. This adds to the confusion for some, and as we are all aware the information is scattered and at times hard to locate. Further problems arise with different terminology and practice between railway companies in the same period and country, let alone different periods and countries. Martin, I did your introductory Templot track plan tutorial sequence for version 0.74b several times till I "got it". I had it printed out, which is just a preference of mine, and repeated it until I was fluent. That gave me a reasonable grasp of the basics. I have also done a number of your video tutorials as well. These were exceedingly easy to follow and get an immediate result. Immediate results are good as they encourage one move on. This is the sort of thing that works. I have watched the push for indexing of the club pages with interest as there is a ton of information there. This is definitely a good move. Martin other than gradually updating the instructions to reflect the current state of play with Templot and continuing to pull it all together in an indexing system, I can't think of much more you can do without creating an exceedingly heavy workload for yourself. Regards, Matthew. |
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posted: 11 Jul 2012 16:01 from: jeffthom
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Well said, Matthew! I wish my attempts at manual writing for software I had written were half as clear as your description of the best practices. I agree with Matthew's conclusion that you, Martin, can really not afford to add much effort to the documentation issue under discussion here. A bit of gathering of the bits and pieces, plus organization by one of us who is reasonably good at it would pay largest returns, IMHO. Also, as stated previously, a user must be willing to put in some continuing, preferably scheduled and organized, time and effort to get past the "hello world" level of expertise. Jeff Thompson |
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posted: 12 Jul 2012 07:28 from: Mark C
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Hi Guys, I am a newbie to Templot from Florida, USA (Hi Jeff) and am very excited to have found this marvelous software. I am just getting into hand-laying HO track. So, I have little or no experience in that department. However, I have used lots and lots of computer software programs. When I attempt to learn a new piece of software, I start by skimming through the User Manual, watching a startup video and/or do a startup tutorial to learn the basics. Then, I move on to the school of "learn-by-doing". To aid me in my "doing", I utilize help files and experiment with Menu choices. I try to push the envelope and try new things until I get to know the software pretty well. This process has worked well for me over the years. I was quick to recognize the potential usefullness in Templot and dove in head first in my usual manner. I was quickly frustrated beyond anything I had ever experienced, but I have no intention of giving up. There are several things that lead to my frustration. There is a slight problem due to the language difference. Most of the tutorials and help files are written by folks from the UK and put sentences together slightly differently than we do here in the states. More of a problem is difference in the railroad terminology. In the US we use terms such as Frog, Points, Stock Rail, Closure Rail, Guard Rail, Lead, etc. Few or none of these terms are the used in your documentation. These problems manifest themselves by making the Menu Choices very un-intuitive to someone not from the UK. There probably is not much that can be done about this. I just need to learn your terminology, which I will attempt to do. Further to this is the unit of measurement difference. Again, I understand that you use exclusively metric. However, it would be great to have a ( mm / ft-in ) choice Preference. I can dream, can't I? These problems, however, pale by comparison to the largest problem which is the documentation matching what I see on the screen in Templot2. I watched a "getting started" video and got the gist of how the program worked. But, when I tried to do even a basic tutorial, I threw my hands up in frustration at rarely being able to find the Menu or Menu Option mentioned. I know you are working hard at trying to update the documentation. If there is anything I can do to help in this process, I would be glad to donate my time. I mention all this in hopes that it will further your appreciation for the frustration felt by new users, especially those not from the UK, in trying to learn your software. It has littleto do with time spent trying to learn. Thanks for all your hard work. Mark |
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posted: 12 Jul 2012 12:50 from: Alan Turner
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Mark C wrote: Further to this is the unit of measurement difference. Again, I understand that you use exclusively metric. However, it would be great to have a ( mm / ft-in ) choice Preference. I can dream, can't I? Not quite - S scale is still 1:64 and hence 3/16 to the foot. However we tend to use daft scales such as 4mm to the foot or 7mm to the foot giving 1:76.2 and 1:43.54. We have even metricated Gauge 1 to 10mm to the foot rather than the original 3/8" to the foot. But life would be so boring otherwise. Alan |
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posted: 12 Jul 2012 13:24 from: Martin Wynne
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Many thanks for the thoughtful replies to this topic.  Some useful ideas there, although mostly applicable to all users. I was really wondering what changes, if any, I should be making specifically for this apparent comprehension difficulty. I can understand someone not being able to recognise the individual words, but recognising the words but not being able to extract the meaning from a string of them is a bit baffling. Does a lot more white space between paragraphs help? Narrow columns? Is it better to have lots of small individual bits of a screenshot, or one large screenshot with numbers and arrows pointing to each item? Is text on numbered callout panels on a screenshot or diagram easier to understand than plain text in paragraphs? Does a lot of text formatting (different fonts, colours, emphasis) and inline linking make it easier to understand, or become a distraction? Or are any changes a waste of time, and almost anything text-based is rejected and only full video is acceptable? The problem there is that video is so incredibly time-consuming to produce, at least for me. A 5-minute video can take me several days to get just right. Matt M. wrote: It must be streamlined. If there are 30 ways of getting the same result, you only explain the one method. (Lying to your student is an import ant part of teaching. Eventually you tell them the truth but until they are ready the KISS principle applies).Thanks Matt. The idea of actually lying to a beginner has never crossed my mind, but I can see that it could be helpful at times. The difficulty surely is that anything written for beginners is just as likely to be read by more experienced users, who are going to be a bit confused if it doesn't match what they know to be the case. It must never assume that the student "knows" certain information.This is a constant difficulty, because it is impossible to write the docs for Templot if I can't assume that the user is at least familiar with Windows, and has some basic knowledge of trackwork. If I have to begin at the level of explaining what "right-click" or "navigate to a folder" or "track gauge" mean, I'm afraid I just don't have enough lifetime left to write a manual for Templot. What really prompted me to start this topic, is the nagging feeling that my time spent on this will be wasted because so few users will ever actually read it. The message on the 3rd PlanIt group simply confirmed that. Quite often when I have posted a link to a page which has been on the Templot web site for 10 years, the response from many users indicates that they have never seen it before. The task facing me now, of updating the entire docs for Templot2 and remaking all the screenshots and videos, is so great that I'm not sure I can manage it.  regards, Martin. |
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posted: 12 Jul 2012 17:13 from: Matt M.
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Martin, comprehension difficulties can have many causes. Look at the misunderstanding with your post re receiving direct emails recently. I got what you were complaining about, but a number of people didn't. Not because they have learning difficulties, but due to a whole set of issues, such as, say for example, their emotional state when reading the post. All sorts of things can have an effect on your comprehension at any time. There is very little you can do for highly dyslexic people in this case. Structural reading comprehension issues, like wise. They can have deep educational reasons and sometimes medical reasons including physiological ones. Most of us had times when we "zoned out" at school during the bits we didn't like or understand. 12 years of training ourselves to "turn off" when it was hard… I do feel that has a lasting effect. With the best will in the world, all manuals give off that feeling where your eyes glaze over and you mind starts to wander. Even if it is something you want. It usually means that you are not ready to take it in. Either because you are too tired, (when do most of use get the time to do these things?), or you are too eager. (I wonder how many Templot downloaders do so because they plan to start building a layout next week. An impossible time constraint is the kiss of death to any structured study. Too much pressure and panic is hardly conducive to learning). I didn't get a very good result the first few times I tried the tutorial. But after a short break, due to work pressures, I had the tutorial printed it out and bound at my local printers. Being able to read it off screen and really work out each section without moving windows around to find things helped me. To have the instructions and the work open at the same time and easily accessible was the difference for me. The other thing that slowed me down is I run it on the Windows side of an Apple MacBook Pro. Using Bootcamp. I have to boot out and into the new OS every time I want to use it. But in general day to day computer use use this suits me. Does cause some problems with keyboard short cuts though. (Not a complaint Martin. I can't expect you to cover every possible combination of computer and OS). Your layouts are fine. They are generally easy to read and to the point. Paragraphing new ideas and concepts is mostly a good idea, but you do that already. The updating of the index seems to be going well and I would point all beginners in that direction. I don't think you have done anything poorly in the tutorials. They just need updating to match what is currently on the screen at some time, when, and if, possible. I have to say the support given by yourself and others in the Templot club is generous and some of the best around. "Lies-to-children" is an expression coined I believe by Ian Stewart Professor of Mathematics and Jack Cohen a reproductive biologist, both, at the time of my references, of the University of Wariwck. I first met it in a book they did with Terry Pratchet "The Science of Discworld" The esteemed and honourable position of "Liar to Children" is the teaching profession. The point is, if you want to get some one from 'a to z' you don't talk about 'x' first. You work through things as though 'x' does not exist till you need it. Most of what you learn in school particularly in science and math is out of date, incomplete, or just plain wrong. But it allows you to grab hold of concepts that give you tools for further study. In music there are similar times when you simplify what is going on. It's not right, but allows the student to grab fundamentals without distraction. It is the KISS principle. You do have to come back later and say "Well actually, it is really like this…" With never assuming a student knows certain information there is a base line. In teaching piano I require the student to have the concept of reading sorted. They don't have to be good readers, but must understand the idea of a symbol on a page having a meaning. I'm not here to teach that concept, though I can. Martin, I don't think you have write a manual that includes an instructional section on how to use a computer. If they managed to download the program, then one can safely say, to the most part, the basics of that skill set are sorted. Occasionally people need help due to particular problems they haven't meet before. The recent posts re Norton stopping Templot loading, or my enquiry re Adobe and PDF sizes are two examples that come to mind. The Club input has helped with those issues and the new indexing will hopefully make these items easier to find. It was possible to get lost navigating the Templot site at times but the indexing seems to be ironing this out. Nor do I think you have to provide wheelchair access for Templot, so to speak. You have enough on your plate and do a very good job. The program just been getting better and better as you have gradually sorted things out and added some very useful features. Martin, Steven's message on the 3rd PlanIt group is a special case. It is a medical condition which most sufferers work around. That is what he is doing. He did it before, but left it too long and can't remember where everything is. Hopefully there is someone close geographically to him with the time to go through the program. Please don't base your worries on that message. Everyone who uses Templot has to do the tutorials otherwise they just won't be able to use the program. You are definitely not wasting your time doing these, and it is greatly appreciated. Regards, Matthew. PS. Apologies for any errors it's two in the morning here. |
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posted: 12 Jul 2012 17:15 from: Matt M.
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Hi Mark. Being in New South Wales, Australia, we sort of sit between the UK and the US for terminology. And the terminology used in Victoria, our neighbouring State is different. What can I say. You end up building a glossary. Once you understand how the real permanent way is laid out you can usually make the required conversions to your chosen prototype, if you can find the relevant information on the 12" to the foot stuff. There is no way I'd expect Martin to cover all the variations from around the world. It changes from country to country, company to company, period to period. Modellers are poorly served when it comes to permeant way information. It's there, but with one or two exceptions, very scattered and not always easily obtained. I don't know anyone modelling in England or Australia who uses metric exclusively. In both the 12" to the foot stuff, and your chosen modelling scale you are constantly moving from one to another. This due partly to historical modelling requirements, (we went "measurement" metric in Australia during the late 60's early 70's), and to material supply issues, (we get American modelling supplies here). You get very use to moving between both systems. The thing to remember is certain imperial measurements are different between American and English versions. I think they are mostly volume issues from memory. Knowing Martin there will possibly be an update at some point but until then there is a good metric/imperial converter in the information panel. The only way forward with the tutorial at the moment is to do a page at a time and hunt down the menu items. It doesn't take that much time and you will find it worth the trouble. If you print it out like I did you will have room to put some notes on the pages to assist you. Regards, Matthew. |
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posted: 12 Jul 2012 17:20 from: Nigel Brown click the date to link to this post click member name to view archived images |
Hi Martin I don't think you should worry about the style of the tutorials. Just plough through them correcting the factual issues; that's the main thing. If you think something is redundant, or could be added, then do it. Minimising the effort is important. Cheers Nigel |
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posted: 12 Jul 2012 18:17 from: Mark C
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Martin, Here are my recommendations on going forward with documentation for Templot2. 1) For newbies, like I was last week, it is very important to have a few relevant and accurate videos and/or tutorials. Every time there is a substantial update that changes menus these "getting started" docs should be updated along with the new release. These docs will most likely only be used once for each user. However, their importance cannot be stressed, from my own experience. 2) The rest of the docs would be classified as reference materials to be used by more experienced users to refresh their memories or learn a new more advanced skill. a) I would suggest rank the more advanced concepts by importance and popularity then update them to sync with the new version in that order. b) To make it easier to for users to find what they need, I would suggest creating an Help Index with a keyword Search function. 3) One of the most important things I've noticed with documentation, or any instructions for that matter, is consistency of terms. If you call something a "widget" one time, don't call it a "trammel" somewhere else. 4) As for Operating System terminology, there is no way you can or should cow-tow to the lowest level of knowledge here. Assume that users have a moderate knowledge of how the the most common Windows OS and associated hardware works. 5) I think the style of your tutorials is fine for the most part. For someone who is terminology challenged, I would appreciate more visual references between text and items in diagrams. Number callouts and/or arrows are very helpful. There you have it... shouldn't take more than a few moments to accomplish all that. (LOL) Thanks, Matt M. for the comment on metric vs. imperial measurements. I can see that working primarily in mm with the converter is really the only way to go. However, there is one comment I would like to make on the Converter. When I copy and paste a dimension from the Converter I have to Hide/Close it, paste into the Dimension Dialog then reopen the Converter again the next time. Can't the Converter window be left on-screen to be activated by a mouse click in the appropriate entry box? That way I could see the conversion and just enter the value without having to remember or copy it. Mark C |
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posted: 12 Jul 2012 18:19 from: Paul Boyd
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HI Martin Just some of my thoughts. Does a lot more white space between paragraphs help? Yes Is it better to have lots of small individual bits of a screenshot... Yes. The aforementioned AJ instructions had clear step by step pictures, and if only they were on the same page as the text that referred to them it would have been much clearer to follow. Is text on numbered callout panels on a screenshot or diagram easier to understand than plain text in paragraphs? I would prefer the latter, but supported by the aforementioned screenshots. Does a lot of text formatting (different fonts, colours, emphasis) and inline linking make it easier to understand, or become a distraction? Definitely a distraction. The danger with linking is getting lost within a labyrinth of pages. Keep it all on one page, and keep the MRJ "style" in mind! Lots of different fonts and colours just gets confusing, especially for the colour-blind. This is a constant difficulty, because it is impossible to write the docs for Templot if I can't assume that the user is at least familiar with Windows, and has some basic knowledge of trackwork. If I have to begin at the level of explaining what "right-click" or "navigate to a folder" or "track gauge" mean, I'm afraid I just don't have enough lifetime left to write a manual for Templot.You just have to assume a certain level of knowledge as far as Windows goes. It's daft for people to expect you to explain to them how their anti-virus software works, or how to find their files. If anyone asks how to work Windows, point them at the various "Windows for Dummies" books (that wasn't meant to sound derogatory - that's what the series of books are called and they're often fairly good!). Prototype trackwork is a bit different, but I wonder if people actually realise that that's what Templot is for designing (or at least, models of!) I know it's abundantly clear everywhere you look within the Templot site, but some questions asked make me wonder. The P*co word seems to have popped up a lot lately! You shouldn't have to explain what is meant by "track gauge" to someone coming into Templot. Making people aware that the crossing nose width can be changed, for instance, to suit the prototype is something that falls into your court, but not what the actual width should be for 1917 G&SWR P&C work - that's for the user to find out for themselves! The problem is where the line is drawn. But even then, if it's in the wrong place, there's this forum to ask! You have to provide some written documentation, and if people choose not to read it then that's their problem. If the answer is in the M, then tell them to RTFM! Matt M. wrote: "It must be streamlined. If there are 30 ways of getting the same result, you only explain the one method. (Lying to your student is an import ant part of teaching. Eventually you tell them the truth but until they are ready the KISS principle applies)."Thanks Matt. The idea of actually lying to a beginner has never crossed my mind, but I can see that it could be helpful at times. The difficulty surely is that anything written for beginners is just as likely to be read by more experienced users, who are going to be a bit confused if it doesn't match what they know to be the case.My feeling is the same as Matt's - just explain one method. Not sure why you need to lie to them though. Experienced users are less likely to be confused simply because they're experienced, and they may well have developed their own ideas anyway simply by playing with the software. What really prompted me to start this topic, is the nagging feeling that my time spent on this will be wasted because so few users will ever actually read it. The message on the 3rd PlanIt group simply confirmed that.If it's not written they can't read it. If it is written, tell them to RTFM! Quite often when I have posted a link to a page which has been on the Templot web site for 10 years, the response from many users indicates that they have never seen it before.That's come up before when we were talking about the website layout! Have fun! |
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posted: 12 Jul 2012 18:37 from: Martin Wynne
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Paul Boyd wrote:just explain one method. Not sure why you need to lie to them though.Hi Paul, Well the lie would be that this is the only and official method. For example, take F7 snapping. This is the best and quickest way for a beginner to make some tangible progress. But it's the worst possible way to create prototypical flowing pointwork. The AnyRail program now includes the Exactoscale P4 turnout kits. So you can now create a P4 track plan using AnyRail's pick-and-place methods just as easily as for 00 set-track. When someone then arrives in Templot from AnyRail, do you show them how easily they can do the same thing using F7 snapping? Or immediately try to move them away from such methods? And explain why? Or not? I just don't know the answer to this, and I suspect there isn't one -- it depends what the individual is looking for in Templot. But it does make it almost impossible to write a basic tutorial. regards, Martin. |
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posted: 12 Jul 2012 20:31 from: Paul Boyd
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Hi MartinWell the lie would be that this is the only and official method. For example, take F7 snapping. This is the best and quickest way for a beginner to make some tangible progress. But it's the worst possible way to create prototypical flowing pointwork.Hmmm... I see what you mean. But isn't the aim to create prototypical flowing pointwork? What's the best way to achieve that? Should someone coming from AnyRail or whatever expect to find the same thing in Templot? Isn't that person coming to Templot because they want to do something more prototypical? All rhetorical questions, of course! AnyRail makes model railroad design so easy Templot - Precision track design for model railways Different programs, different purposes, different user base. Mind you, I do like AnyRail's website design and the format they've chosen for the user manual. Maybe annotated screenshots is the way to go after all  |
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posted: 12 Jul 2012 23:35 from: Matt M.
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Hi Martin. This is exactly the situation I mean. You would no more expect a beginner in Templot to recreate the complexities of the station throat of a major metropolitan railway terminus than I would start a beginner with Rachmaninoff. It's a recipe for frustration and abandonment. Users do need to be patient and do some practice. Snapping may not be beautiful but it is fast and removes a layer of complication from the task at hand. Yes, that task is two fold with Templot. Learning where the "basic menu functions are and what they are for", and "understanding and reproducing prototypical practice". You won't get to "understanding and reproducing prototypical practice" unless you have the "basic menu functions are and what they are for" sorted. What are the core menu items needed to create a track plan? Generation, manipulation, storage and retrieval. Hell, even a quick print instruction so they can stick an A4 copy of their first finished plan to the refrigerator. Results do help keep people motivated. Encourage the user to do tutorials multiple times to familiarise themselves with the menu layout and command requirements. You can't beat rote learning for speed and recall. (I'll be practicing the three way tandem turnout video in the next few weeks so when I come to do it on the 30 foot track plan I'm sure of the process). Then a tutorial with next most needed menu command items, or, eventually, the more refined method of getting a prototypical result. Updating and perhaps grading in complexity aside, in reality your tutorials are very good. And I agree with Paul Boyd. What AnyRail does and how it does it is not the point. You still need to learn what Templot does and how it does it. The final results are two different animals. Or maybe one is a vegetable? Regards, Matthew. |
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posted: 12 Jul 2012 23:55 from: Alan Turner
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Martin Wynne wrote: Paul Boyd wrote:just explain one method. Not sure why you need to lie to them though.Hi Paul, Martin, you are confusing two different concepts here. F7 snapping is for snapping two templates together. The manual explains how that is done (and what to do to stop it if you want to). Creation of flowing track work is done by laying down your primary length of track and inserting turnouts. Yes you can create a sort of plan by snapping various templates together but that's not how you create a flowing layout. Regards Alan |
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