Martin Wynne
Admin
- Location
- West of the Severn UK
- Info
With the new forum running quite smoothly, and the old one now archived and accessible, at long last I can get back to the long-overdue next program update.
I mentioned that I was adding a new symbols function (suggested by Ian) to add feed droppers and isolation gap marks to the templates.
It's very useful to have these marked on the template at construction time. Especially if you want to prepare for them, for example by drilling holes through the rail web to receive the feed wires. It's 100 times easier to do that before the rail is fixed in place! It's also easier to leave neat narrow isolation gaps if you remember to make them during construction rather than cutting them afterwards.
Most folks would mark up the printed templates with felt-tip pen, but having them planned in advance means you can print duplicate copies of the template if needed, and create circuit diagrams on-screen. Another handy idea would be to print a mirror-image template which can be attached to the underside of the baseboard to aid identification of the connections.
I have now made some progress with this function. The symbols can be added by sliding a blue target marker along the rails by mouse action, and clicking a button to add the desired symbol at that location. There is an option to put a dropper on an adjacent check rail if desired (improves pickup if using plastic chairs):
Symbols can be any desired colour. It's likely that you would want to choose a colour for the droppers to match the connecting wires. Each dropper can be given an ID label to reference your circuit diagram. The dropper symbol resembles a solder tag below the rail.
Gaps don't need an ID or any special colour. I imagine they would usually be red or similar, but can be any colour. The gap symbol resembles the H-section locking plastic fishplates available from C&L, Exactoscale and others.
In addition there are sticker symbols which can be attached to the template with any important reminders (max 12 characters). A sticker is very similar to a background label shape, but is attached to the template rather than the background, and can be in a variety of different colours.
Each symbol can be in any of 4 sizes as preferred.
In addition to being useful on the printed templates, these symbols can be used on the sketchboard to prepare colourful circuit diagrams, by linking the droppers with coloured lines.
The dropper symbols can of course be used to mean anything you like. For example if placed directly over a timber in some designated colour, the symbol could indicate the position of L1 bridge chairs, as a reminder when threading the chairs.
Thanks to Ian for the original suggestion: https://85a.uk/templot/archive/topics/topic_3704.php
Will be in 227a as soon as I can get it released. But don't hold your breath -- I post details of new features in advance like this so that there is time for me to respond to any feedback and suggestions.
cheers,
Martin.
I mentioned that I was adding a new symbols function (suggested by Ian) to add feed droppers and isolation gap marks to the templates.
It's very useful to have these marked on the template at construction time. Especially if you want to prepare for them, for example by drilling holes through the rail web to receive the feed wires. It's 100 times easier to do that before the rail is fixed in place! It's also easier to leave neat narrow isolation gaps if you remember to make them during construction rather than cutting them afterwards.
Most folks would mark up the printed templates with felt-tip pen, but having them planned in advance means you can print duplicate copies of the template if needed, and create circuit diagrams on-screen. Another handy idea would be to print a mirror-image template which can be attached to the underside of the baseboard to aid identification of the connections.
I have now made some progress with this function. The symbols can be added by sliding a blue target marker along the rails by mouse action, and clicking a button to add the desired symbol at that location. There is an option to put a dropper on an adjacent check rail if desired (improves pickup if using plastic chairs):
Symbols can be any desired colour. It's likely that you would want to choose a colour for the droppers to match the connecting wires. Each dropper can be given an ID label to reference your circuit diagram. The dropper symbol resembles a solder tag below the rail.
Gaps don't need an ID or any special colour. I imagine they would usually be red or similar, but can be any colour. The gap symbol resembles the H-section locking plastic fishplates available from C&L, Exactoscale and others.
In addition there are sticker symbols which can be attached to the template with any important reminders (max 12 characters). A sticker is very similar to a background label shape, but is attached to the template rather than the background, and can be in a variety of different colours.
Each symbol can be in any of 4 sizes as preferred.
In addition to being useful on the printed templates, these symbols can be used on the sketchboard to prepare colourful circuit diagrams, by linking the droppers with coloured lines.
The dropper symbols can of course be used to mean anything you like. For example if placed directly over a timber in some designated colour, the symbol could indicate the position of L1 bridge chairs, as a reminder when threading the chairs.
Thanks to Ian for the original suggestion: https://85a.uk/templot/archive/topics/topic_3704.php
Will be in 227a as soon as I can get it released. But don't hold your breath -- I post details of new features in advance like this so that there is time for me to respond to any feedback and suggestions.
cheers,
Martin.
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