1) Divide my single templot layout in different layers/segments/sections, so that I can potentially show/hide each of them, and print each of them individually?
@riccardo palombella
Hi Riccardo,
There are 2 ways to do this, depending on how often you want to toggle between the different sections of your trackplan.
A. If you want to work on only part of the trackplan for the session, print it, etc., the easiest way is to put each section in its own BOX file. To do that:
1. Group together all the templates comprising the section:
There are several ways to do that -- you can draw a fence rectangle round them, or click on each one and press G, or group all the templates having the same marker colour, for example.
2. Click group > save group templates... menu item. A BOX file will be saved containing only those templates. Then either group > ungroup menu item, or group > delete group templates menu item if you no longer need to refer to them in this session:
3. Repeat the process to save file(s) containing the other section(s). A template can be in more than one section if you wish.
When you want to work on the templates, you can
files > load whichever file you need. Or to load more than one section, load the first one, and then
files > add file to add another one.
You can print (or export) any part of your trackplan at any time by creating a group and then
group > print group templates menu item.
If you have only 2 sections, or 2 different trackplans, you can toggle very quickly between them by loading each one separately, and then clicking the
files > undo reload button -- each click will swap to the opposite one, without losing any changes you have made to each one:
Don't forget to save both files when finished.
B. If you want to toggle quickly from one section to another while working, you can use the
prefix tags functions.
1. Group together all the templates comprising the section, as before.
2. Click this menu item:
Enter a prefix tag for the template names. It can be any text or number you like, but it's best to keep it short. For your trackplan you might call them
upper and
lower. Templates can have multiple tags if required.
Then click this menu item to
wipe group templates from the trackpad:
They will then become
unused templates -- in the file, but not part of the visible trackplan on the trackpad.
It's best to then click the
group > ungroup menu item, so that any subsequent work with groups doesn't change them.
When you want them back, click this menu item and select the required tag:
Then go into the
storage box and click this:
The unused templates having the selected tag will then be copied back to the trackpad.
If you create new templates in a section, don't forget to tag them:
There is more about prefix tags in this old topic:
https://85a.uk/templot/archive/topics/topic_2098.php
Some of the menus have changed, but the function is the same.
C. If the section levels are not overlapping you might find it easier to leave them both showing, and give them different
marker colours rather than toggling them on and off. We can go through all this in the Zoom meeting on Wednesday if anyone wants?
2) Tell Templot the tracks are on an incline?
Templot is a 2D program. There are no functions to support variations in trackplan Z dimensions. The trackplan is a 2D projection onto a single horizontal plane.
For a typical model railway this is of no significant consequence because gradients are very gentle -- typically 1:50 or flatter. This means that the extra template length needed when laid on an incline is very small, and easily accommodated during construction and track-laying. Templot is a workshop tool, not a CAD drawing program.
The only 3D functions in Templot relate to the DXF/STL exports for 3D-printing of plug track and chairs -- all still very experimental.
cheers,
Martin.
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