Templot Club Archive 2007-2020                             

topic: 370Save settings for printing
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posted: 16 Mar 2008 00:29

from:

Simon Dunkley
 
Oakham - United Kingdom

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I am generally happy with the default settings for printing out whole templates, but I also like to use templot for layout design purposes, and print out to a much reduced scale, typically 1:16 or 1:20, to get an overall idea of how the scheme will look.
When I do this, I do not want or need track centre lines, or timbers which are both easy to switch off, but I like to do things such as show the grid as a dotted black line, have the transition curve markers in white, background shapes (in my case, putative baseboard outlines) in black and so on. Many of these require repeated trips to the pint menu.
Would it be possble to save the printing settings, with an option to restore all settings, so that I can simply re-load a file without having to go through several mouse clicks eah time?

Simon

posted: 16 Mar 2008 01:11

from:

Martin Wynne
 
West Of The Severn - United Kingdom

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Simon Dunkley wrote:
I am generally happy with the default settings for printing out whole templates, but I also like to use Templot for layout design purposes, and print out to a much reduced scale, typically 1:16 or 1:20, to get an overall idea of how the scheme will look.
When I do this, I do not want or need track centre lines, or timbers which are both easy to switch off, but I like to do things such as show the grid as a dotted black line, have the transition curve markers in white, background shapes (in my case, putative baseboard outlines) in black and so on. Many of these require repeated trips to the print menu.
Would it be possible to save the printing settings, with an option to restore all settings, so that I can simply re-load a file without having to go through several mouse clicks each time?

Hi Simon,

I'm working on a new more user-friendly Print Settings dialog at this moment, in connection with the new PDF output option. Or at least I would be, if I wasn't so busy with emails and user support. :( I haven't actually managed to do any coding for several days now, and Andy is still waiting for the n.g. customizing video which I promised. But a new Pug should appear eventually.

Also for small scale layout design purposes Templot will have a new simplified and colourful "diagram mode" option. See: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=303906#p303906

One of the reasons we have remained for so long with a menu structure for most settings is to maintain full compatibility with Windows 95, 98 and ME. Dialogs and property sheets demand far more system resources (and programming effort :( ). The only way round that would be to re-use resources, which risks introducing the traditional flakiness for which Windows is famous.

However, times move on. The next versions of Templot will still run on Windows 95, 98, and ME, but it may be necessary to close all other programs while you do it.
 
regards,

Martin.

posted: 16 Mar 2008 02:47

from:

Simon Dunkley
 
Oakham - United Kingdom

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Ta - was aware of the pdf function (from RMWeb), and am looking forward to it.

I don't have a problem with menus per se, just wondered if a file could be created for storing some settings - it is possible to save the printer calibration to file, for example. Whilst the pdf will be massively useful, I would still like to be able to do this, and I think I am not alone here.

Simon (aka Pigs)
Last edited on 16 Mar 2008 13:28 by Simon Dunkley
posted: 9 Apr 2013 17:56

from:

CoBo
 
North Of The Trent (just) - United Kingdom

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Martin

I'm getting slightly frustrated having to go through the print settings constantly telling Templot to print in black and white with blank sleeper infill and having to reload printer configuration settings every time I need a print out.
I found this old thread whilst searching for the answer and wondered if you ever managed to get 'remember printer settings' sorted?

Thanks. Mike

posted: 9 Apr 2013 18:04

from:

Martin Wynne
 
West Of The Severn - United Kingdom

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CoBo wrote:
I found this old thread whilst searching for the answer and wondered if you ever managed to get 'remember printer settings' sorted?
Hi Mike,

I will add them to the program preferences for the next program update.

Or at least, some of them. There are dozens of them. Which settings do you need?

For printing the program preferences currently contain only:

font and text colour for the small corner page numbers
track background colour (diagram mode)
track background width (diagram mode)

Have you tried Hibernating your computer when you shut it down? When you switch it back on Templot will resume with all your previous settings intact.

regards,

Martin.

posted: 9 Apr 2013 19:23

from:

Paul Boyd
 
Loughborough - United Kingdom

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Hi Martin

I nearly always use black and white with a blank timber infill as well, so I reckon those two are a must!  I always set a thin line so that would be great to be saved as a preference.

...and you go to such care to look after the colours when printing :?

Cheers

posted: 9 Apr 2013 20:22

from:

Martin Wynne
 
West Of The Severn - United Kingdom

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Hi Mike, Paul,

As a matter of interest, why do you use black & white rather than grey shades? That uses very little more black ink and provides a much clearer template print.

regards,

Martin.

posted: 9 Apr 2013 21:10

from:

Paul Boyd
 
Loughborough - United Kingdom

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Hi Martin

I set my ancient Canon i850 to use Fast mode by default.  Grey shades gives a dithered, fuzzy output whereas B&W still gives a crisper print, although the inline, low-res image may not be that clear.

105_091601_090000000.jpg105_091601_090000000.jpg

Grey on the left, B&W on the right.  I haven't changed the rail infill setting, but on the B&W image there is no infill (which is what I want), whereas on the grey image I would also have to remember to change the rail infill to blank as well as the timbers.

It has to be said though that with my newer Canon MP495, also on Fast mode, the difference between grey and B&W is far less pronounced as far as the rails go (neither are infilled, despite not changing that setting, and on the next scan, I forgot to change the timber infill to blank - it was left as solid.

105_091607_280000000.jpg105_091607_280000000.jpg

The bottom line is that I simply prefer the crisper B&W prints :D

posted: 10 Apr 2013 08:18

from:

CoBo
 
North Of The Trent (just) - United Kingdom

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Hi Martin & Paul
Settings - I like B&W, no timber or rail infil and a config setting it remembers.
If I was framing it and hanging it on the wall then I might use colour but otherwise, call me old fashioned, but a plan looks more professional in B&W.
Why not grey? Failing eyesight...
Thanks for your time and trouble, don't know where I'd be without Templot and look forward to the next update...

posted: 10 Apr 2013 12:25

from:

Martin Wynne
 
West Of The Severn - United Kingdom

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Paul Boyd wrote:
I set my ancient Canon i850 to use Fast mode by default. Grey shades gives a dithered, fuzzy output whereas B&W still gives a crisper print
Hi Paul,

Many thanks for taking the trouble to scan and upload those. I can see what you mean about the fuzzy grey-shades output. The strange thing is that on my Epson printer it is the other way round -- the grey-shades output is the crisp and clear one. :?

It seems all printers are a law unto themselves, which is why Templot needs so many print options and settings. :)

I have now added the following to the program preferences
print in colour / grey-shades / black & white

grid lines solid / dotted
          
line thickness settings

rails infill style

timbers infill style

platforms infill style

The above preferences do not apply to the trackpad, they are for the print/PDF/exported image files/sketchboard trackplan item outputs (colour/grey-shades/black & white is for print only).

Will be in the next program update. :)

p.s. In testing the above I have found a bug in the PDF engine -- if the grid lines are set dotted, the timber outlines in PDF are also dotted. I will see if I can fix this.

regards,

Martin.

posted: 10 Apr 2013 17:50

from:

CoBo
 
North Of The Trent (just) - United Kingdom

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Thanks Martin.....

posted: 10 Apr 2013 18:47

from:

Paul Boyd
 
Loughborough - United Kingdom

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That's great, Martin, thanks!

Thanks you Mike for bringing this back to the fore.  I can throw away my little Post-It soon with the printer settings I need to remember to change!

posted: 18 Apr 2013 10:33

from:

Richard Spratt
 
Stockton-upon-Tees - United Kingdom

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I wish that Templot would save the page origin at the end of each session so that when you come back to print the next part of a large layout you don't have to spend ages remembering what the page origin was last set to.

I'd also like Templot to stop renumbering the templates every time as it gets confusing having two with the same number when you find a sleeper or something minor that needs editing half way through printing a large diagram.

Currently working on a real P4 layout that is being built that is nearly 20 metres long and 4.5 metres wide.

Thanks

posted: 18 Apr 2013 11:00

from:

Martin Wynne
 
West Of The Severn - United Kingdom

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Richard Spratt wrote:
I wish that Templot would save the page origin at the end of each session so that when you come back to print the next part of a large layout you don't have to spend ages remembering what the page origin was last set to.
Hi Richard,

In the end I want to add everything to the program preferences but there are hundreds of settings and it represents hours and hours of work to add them all.

I will add the page origin to the program preferences for the next update. Thanks for the suggestion.

In the meantime, have a look at output > page origin > set page origin > number of pages . By referring to the last printed page number it shouldn't be too difficult to restart them where you left off.

See also  output > page origin > multiple output runs > menu options. It should take only 2 or 3 clicks there to cover a 20m layout, even with small A4 pages. 

I'd also like Templot to stop renumbering the templates every time as it gets confusing having two with the same number when you find a sleeper or something minor that needs editing half way through printing a large diagram.
To avoid the numbers changing, click wipe to the control instead of delete to the control before making changes to a template. The edited template will gain a new number when stored again, but all the other template numbers will remain unchanged.

When printing is over, any unwanted unused (wiped) templates can be deleted from the storage box.

Currently working on a real P4 layout that is being built that is nearly 20 metres long and 4.5 metres wide.
That sounds good, any pictures? :)

regards,

Martin.

posted: 18 Apr 2013 14:12

from:

Tony W
 
North Notts. - United Kingdom

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Hi Richard.
An alternative method that I use when I know I are going to want printouts with a shifted page origin is to make a written note of the X Y coordinates after they have been shifted with the mouse action. This can then be entered directly via the Output > page origin > set page origin > mm menu.

Tony.

posted: 18 Apr 2013 15:02

from:

Martin Wynne
 
West Of The Severn - United Kingdom

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Tony W wrote:
make a written note of the X Y coordinates after they have been shifted
Hi Tony, Richard,

Or alternatively: :)

2_180943_520000000.png2_180943_520000000.png

Or even:

2_180943_520000001.png2_180943_520000001.png

then tools > jotter... menu item (CTRL-J):

2_180943_530000002.png2_180943_530000002.png

And in the next session, right-click on the jotter:

2_180943_530000003.png2_180943_530000003.png

If you open the jotter while in the data-entry form (CTRL-J), you can copy and paste between the two to avoid mistakes.

:)

regards,

Martin.

posted: 18 Apr 2013 17:45

from:

Martin Wynne
 
West Of The Severn - United Kingdom

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Martin Wynne wrote:
I'd also like Templot to stop renumbering the templates every time as it gets confusing having two with the same number when you find a sleeper or something minor that needs editing half way through printing a large diagram.
To avoid the numbers changing, click wipe to the control instead of delete to the control before making changes to a template. The edited template will gain a new number when stored again, but all the other template numbers will remain unchanged.
Hi Richard,

I've been giving some thought to this while cutting the grass.

At present the template number simply represents its position in the storage box list, so the number changes as templates are inserted, deleted, etc., or the list is re-ordered on the storage box.

I can see the advantage of giving each template additionally a fixed ID number which wouldn't change, and which could be printed as part of the timber reference instead of the list number. In principle this is not different from the template name, but it would be much shorter and created automatically without user effort.

Thinking about it. :)

regards,

Martin.

posted: 18 Apr 2013 17:49

from:

LSWRArt
 
Antibes - France

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Richard Spratt wrote:

I'd like Templot to stop renumbering the templates every time as it gets confusing having two with the same number when you find a sleeper or something minor that needs editing half way through printing a large diagram.
I agree with Richard about the template numbering. 
If I design the layout logically, then the numbers follow in successive areas, but if I edit something, then the numbering changes and I lose all my organisation. 
It is even more confusing on complex things like slips, because you cannot make a note of what all the bits are, because they keep changing.  I think this is one of the most confusing things in Templot.
Thanks,
Arthur  

posted: 18 Apr 2013 18:31

from:

Martin Wynne
 
West Of The Severn - United Kingdom

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LSWRArt wrote:
the numbering changes and I lose all my organisation.
 
It is even more confusing on complex things like slips, because you cannot make a note of what all the bits are, because they keep changing. I think this is one of the most confusing things in Templot.
Hi Arthur,

You won't lose your organisation if you make use of the template names and/or the tagging system, and templates can then be sorted by name or tag on the storage box (box > sort... and box > find... menu items). Or re-ordered manually using the up/down buttons.

For complex formations such as slips, prefix tag all the templates as "slip1" or whatever, so that they will then keep together when grouped or sorted. :)

More about prefix tags: topic 2098

regards,

Martin.

posted: 22 Apr 2013 15:50

from:

Richard Spratt
 
Stockton-upon-Tees - United Kingdom

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Martin Wynne wrote

Currently working on a real P4 layout that is being built that is nearly 20 metres long and 4.5 metres wide.
That sounds good, any pictures? :)

regards,

Martin.

I suppose I could post a photo of thin air.  Track construction was supposed to start this weekend at Scalefour North as part of the demonstrations; but Dave's father went into hospital on Friday so he couldn't go.  Instead I went with the Skinningrove stand and spent most of both days talking about Templot, although I did do a bit of talking about Skinningrove.

Martin I think your grass needs cutting more frequently!  That's a good idea.

posted: 1 May 2013 12:23

from:

Martin Wynne
 
West Of The Severn - United Kingdom

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Richard Spratt wrote:
Martin I think your grass needs cutting more frequently!  That's a good idea.
Hi Richard,

Some further thoughts here: :)

 topic 2208

Martin.



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