Is there a user manual?

[Franco]

Thanks a lot Martin!
A maybe silly question, but does it exist a "user's manual" somewhere? and if not, have you ever thought at something like it?

 

[Martin Wynne]

have you ever thought at something like it?

@Franco

Hi Franco,

Over and over again, for at least 25 years.

I have come to the conclusion that it is hardly possible to write one, especially after being disillusioned by some of the tutorial videos posted by well-intentioned others recently.

1. There is an embryo Beginners Guide here:

https://85a.uk/templot/companion/templot_explained.php

It has been waiting for me to write some more pages for several years, but short of devoting every waking hour to Templot I don't know when I will ever get back to it.

2. There is about 3 hours of screen video with my commentary here:

https://85a.uk/templot/companion/live_screen_archive.php

3. There are several hours in total of interactive tutorial videos here:

https://85a.uk/templot/companion/online_video_list.php

4. There are several "How To" articles here:

https://85a.uk/templot/companion/how_to_do_tasks.php

5. There is an indexed reference to all of Templot here:

https://85a.uk/templot/companion/

But great swathes of it are still empty pages, years after I started it.

6. Occasionally I do live online demo sessions here:

https://85a.uk/templot/companion/live_screen.php

I'm planning to do another one shortly, and maybe I will make it a basic introduction to Templot.

7. There is a searchable archive of this Templot Club forum over the last 14 years at:

https://85a.uk/templot/archive/

which contains over 3,000 topics. But a great many of them are now out-of-date.

Today I have been working on the Templot code. What have I been doing? I'm reducing the shortest crossing angle Templot can handle from 1:1.5 RAM to 1:0.5 RAM to make the new find intersection function more useful in creating irregular diamond-crossings. It will be in update 228a shortly. I really enjoy doing such stuff, it's my hobby. I don't enjoy doing the Templot support stuff, making the videos, writing the docs, writing replies such as this one on here. It's just something I feel I have to do, but after over 20 years of it, frequently writing the same stuff over and over again, I'm feeling so very tired now.

Martin.

 

[Franco]

@Franco

Hi Franco,

Over and over again, for at least 25 years.

Today I have been working on the Templot code. What have I been doing? I'm reducing the shortest crossing angle Templot can handle from 1:1.5 RAM to 1:0.5 RAM to make the new find intersection function more useful in creating irregular diamond-crossings. It will be in update 227e shortly. I really enjoy doing such stuff, it's my hobby. I don't enjoy doing the Templot support stuff, making the videos, writing the docs, writing replies such as this one on here. It's just something I feel I have to do, but after over 20 years of it, frequently writing the same stuff over and over again, I'm feeling so very tired now.

Martin.

Well, after such a long time I understand your feelings but, you know, newcomers often put questions that experienced people consider more than expected .... or almost boring .
Cheers

 

[AndyB]

It's important to remember that Templot is free. CAD applications with similar functionality and complexity sell for $1,000 or annual license fees greater than $100.

 

[Paul Boyd]

It's important to remember that Templot is free. CAD applications with similar functionality and complexity sell for $1,000 or annual license fees greater than $100.

Not only is Templot now free, it comes with excellent support unlike many of those software packages which charge quite a hefty sum.

Franco, there is no user manual, but there is a huge resource of support material, some of which Martin has provided links to above. The best thing with Templot is not to dive straight into your magnum opus, but to work through the tutorials until you understand the basic concepts. I would also suggest reading the information on the Templot home page to really get a grasp of what Templot is and what it isn’t.

Above all, have fun!

Cheers,
Paul

 

[Martin Wynne]

Well, after such a long time I understand your feelings but, you know, newcomers often put questions that experienced people consider more than expected .... or almost boring

@Franco

Hi Franco,

Bear in mind that Templot is not a software "product".

It was such a thing until 2011. Folks paid for it, and could reasonably expect some support from me for their use of it.

But that was 10 years ago. I believe my obligations to them have long since been fulfilled.

---

Since then Templot is just my hobby. I do whatever I like with it to suit my own railway interests.

I make it available free for anyone to use if they want to. Or not if they don't. Perhaps I should make that clearer on the web site -- which still contains some "promo" wording more appropriate to the old days.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Franco]

Ok, let's forget it all and make a brand new start ....

 

[Hayfield]

Ok, let's forget it all and make a brand new start ....

Franco

Welcome to the group, Templot tends to be what you want. At its simplest an easy way to produce turnout and crossing templates (plans)

At its most advanced able to copy and produce groups of intricate bespoke templates, even using maps as a guide.

Or anything in between

The forum is your instruction book/help, also its well worth both revisiting tutorials as many of us find it hard to take everything in all at once, plus read the various threads as the help/tips given are useful to all

 

[Phil O]

When searching the old forum, you may find that you get a better result if you put your search criteria between inverted commas.

 

[Justme Igor]

@Franco

There are some "groups" on the "big all knowing" youtube channel that give some "learning" sessions.
Templot will do what ever you need for your track making, really everything is possible.
Just sit down, relax, have a cup of cha or a beer...
Templot is a very expanded program, it is not a simple setup, what gwbasic was, is windows 11 now, as a simple comparison, it grows.
You will have to read, watch, learn and make mistakes.
I spend months to deal with this program, yet still i am learning.
I downloaded Templot 2020 around Feb/March, i am on this forum since May 2020(not February 2021 btw)
I dont want to discourage you, but i want to encourage you, it is a extended program, it will take some time to get Templot under your thumb.

If i had more money i surely would donate...
But i am fiddling around with alu strips, sorry Martin.