Templot for the Totally Confused

[Trevor]

Hello,

I stumbled across this by chance.

It may be of interest for those needing encouragement to start using Templot. I hope it meets with your approval Martin.

Regards.
Trevor.

 

[Martin Wynne]

I hope it meets with your approval Martin.

@Trevor

Hi Trevor,

Things don't need my approval.

I saw that a few days ago, it was part of the EMGS virtual show.

I was in two minds about whether to post it here, but on balance it seemed to be a bit off-putting for beginners, making a lot of faff about some things which are actually very much simpler.

For example using the metric calculator to find the equivalent of 48" radius and carefully typing it in, when all you need to do is enter i48 with the letter i prefix to tell Templot when you are entering inches instead of the requested mm.

Also a whole sequence on creating a diamond ladder crossover, when in fact it requires only one click on tools > make ladder crossover.

And not using the auto extend/shorten functions after making a transition curve.

On the other hand I'm painfully aware of the non-existence of alternative demos showing such things. I'm just so tied up with other stuff these days that I just don't have time to work on the Companion or live demo sessions.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Martin Wynne]

but on balance it seemed to be a bit off-putting for beginners, making a lot of faff about some things which are actually very much simpler.

But then someone says this:

"But YouTube only needs one video to be priceless. In my case it has just been released as part of a Society Virtual Show. The video? Templot for the Totally Confused. It’s not perfect but it just made everything click and now I’m away! I can use it. I would have paid good money for the video and that’s a Yorkshireman saying that! And if a proportion of my EMGS subscription paid for any part of it then bravo."

See: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/i...way-modelling/&do=findComment&comment=4466780

What would they say if we actually had some videos which explained Templot properly for beginners? And why is it that after all these years I still seem unable to make such a video?

Martin.

 

[Paul Boyd]

But then someone says this:

"But YouTube only needs one video to be priceless. In my case it has just been released as part of a Society Virtual Show. The video? Templot for the Totally Confused. It’s not perfect but it just made everything click and now I’m away! I can use it. I would have paid good money for the video and that’s a Yorkshireman saying that! And if a proportion of my EMGS subscription paid for any part of it then bravo."

See: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/i...way-modelling/&do=findComment&comment=4466780

What would they say if we actually had some videos which explained Templot properly for beginners? And why is it that after all these years I still seem unable to make such a video?

Martin.

Hi Martin

That feedback is good to see! I did start watching the video but had to give up when I saw how long it was. I may have another go some time. Is there a way for you to directly point out to those who are likely to have seen it where things could have been done in a much simpler way? Although I'm a member of the EMGS, I'm not aware that they have a forum, and in fact I no longer seem to be able to get into the members' area of the website to have a look.

It's a long time since I was a beginner, but what I remember as being two sticking points were the peg and notch concept, and the fact that we're not working with a file in the Microsoft sense. Once those two things had clicked, I was away! There also seems to be a growing sense that people new to Templot are expecting pick and place layout design, although I'm not sure you can spell out any more clearly what Templot is and isn't!

Cheers,
Paul

 

[Trevor]

But then someone says this:

"But YouTube only needs one video to be priceless. In my case it has just been released as part of a Society Virtual Show. The video? Templot for the Totally Confused. It’s not perfect but it just made everything click and now I’m away! I can use it. I would have paid good money for the video and that’s a Yorkshireman saying that! And if a proportion of my EMGS subscription paid for any part of it then bravo."

See: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/i...way-modelling/&do=findComment&comment=4466780

What would they say if we actually had some videos which explained Templot properly for beginners? And why is it that after all these years I still seem unable to make such a video?

Martin.

Hello Martin,
Being the creator and developer of Templot makes it difficult for you to understand from a beginners perspective.
The amount of features and capabilities have taken you years to produce. If one factors in you continuing to add and improve
things even more it should come as no surprise any one else's efforts fall short of where you are at with Templot.
Speaking personally I doubt I will ever use every facility you have made possible,but collectively I am sure users will find what they need to achieve there goals.
Respectfully,
Trevor.

 

[Martin Wynne]

@Trevor @Paul Boyd

Hi Trevor, Paul,

After 20 years supporting Templot I think I do have quite a good grasp of a beginners perspective of Templot.

I have come to the conclusion that the big obstacle is my way of answering questions -- I'm in the habit of writing the answer down. In the program itself, on web pages, in numerous videos, here on Templot Club.

But there appears to be a whole group of users who just can't assimilate information from a written text. They are much happier to be shown and told. After the last live demo session, several folks said they actually preferred it with all my mistakes, pauses, mouse fumbles and forgetting where I had got to left in. There was nothing on there which couldn't be found by referring to the Templot Club topics or the Companion pages, or by clicking the help buttons in the program. But several folks said how much they had learned from it.

So the solution would seem to be to do more of them. It's over 2 months since the last one:

https://85a.uk/templot/club/index.php?threads/demo-001-27th-march-2021.124/

I will do another one soon, and maybe make it a beginners getting-started guide. The demos are available as recordings for anyone who can't watch live, so logically don't need to be live and could be prepared videos. But that inevitably means that I end up editing and re-recording bits several times over, and the whole thing takes days to prepare. The live format means I am constrained to accept whatever happens on the night, warts an' all, but that does mean it takes only a couple of hours to do.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[roythebus]

I've been using Templot with varying degrees of success over the last 10 or 15 years. I've managed to cobble together a fairly large layout (original design by the late frank Dyer of Dorchester fame) and made a reasonable success of it. It still isn't finished.

I'm one of those who finds it difficult to follow written text and get bored watching videos at times, so it's a case of trying to pick up what I can from other threads and declaring a state of Ukett (or similar) when I get fed up trying! I'm one of those for whom computers never, ever, work the way they should, no matter whether it's windows, dos or apple or a supposedly simple thing like an iPhone. I still haven't mastered how to use Apple Music in iPhone 5! I nearly always end up spending hours on a help line talking to someone when things don't go right.

With Templot, it's not the case that I can actually talk to a help line, it's a case of trying to find out. In some cases I've managed to help others out with what I've learnt. Maybe the good people who done the EMGS video have't caught up with the latest developments yet? But with Templot there's always more than one way to do things, Martin's intended way and they way I've found that works by accident. The end result is usually the same, it ought to look good and work. Trains should run over it without falling off. And, it does away with the <insert name of train set rack> sharp corners and lack of the proper flow of the railway.

 

[Phil O]

Hi Martin,

I'm more than happy with the warts and all approach to video tutorials, if it means we get more of them, I have enjoyed the last two of them and the style is more relaxed. Perhaps you could set aside an hour or two every six to eight weeks to do one, more frequently if you feel up to it.

Thanks for all that you have done for us so far.

 

[Gregor]

Hello Martin,

I can only join you here. Templot is really a very good program. The one or other time, I had to grin, when I found a new function and noticed what is possible. The videos are for me a very big help, since I am not powerful the English.It gets better....
I downloaded all the old videos and saved them in the video folder.
I copy the help texts and translate them into German. You just have to understand that Templot is not a normal track planning program, but more for the self-build.
I am also fascinated by the accuracy of the data that is output. Be it printed or as DXF.

I continue to fight my way forward.

Thanks Martin

 

[Franco]

Hi everyone,
as I haven't found a place to introduce myself I'll put my first post here. I'm writing from Italy and I'm a narrow gauge modeller. First of all I'd like to thank Trevor for his tutorial from which, if I still havent learned what to do, at least I have learned what not to do.
That's all for the moment, I hope to able to show you the results of my first attempts soon
Bye

 

[Hayfield]

Franco

Good luck, sadly we are waiting to come back to Italy for over a year now, We both enjoy travelling to Italy by train and for train fans the journey from Chambery to Turin is most pleasant.

As for narrow gauge in Italy my only experience is Tirano travelling through the streets, splendid !!

What are you modelling please

 

[Franco]

Well, I must admit that at the moment I'm more an armchair modeller than I wish, anyway my interests are towards industrial railways (600 mm gauge) in 1/35 scale and now I'm planning a meter gauge tramway in 1/64. The main reason for this choice is that for both scales I can use cheap RTR H0/00 mechanics. I'm member of the french society GEMME too

 

[Trevor]

Hello Franco,
It was not my tutorial. It was done by a member of the EM gauge society. I just happened to come across it and provided the link.
Regards
Trevor

 

[Franco]

Well, thanks anyway, if it wasn't for you I wouldn't be here

 

[Martin Wynne]

I have come to the conclusion that the big obstacle is my way of answering questions -- I'm in the habit of writing the answer down. In the program itself, on web pages, in numerous videos, here on Templot Club.

But there appears to be a whole group of users who just can't assimilate information from a written text. They are much happier to be shown and told.

Interesting post making the same point:

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/i...way-modelling/&do=findComment&comment=4482182

Martin.

 

[Paul Boyd]

Interesting post making the same point:

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/i...way-modelling/&do=findComment&comment=4482182

Martin.

Hi Martin

I’m old school and much prefer to read things rather than watch them. Generally I don’t get on with YouTube videos because the presenter rattles through them at such a pace that by the time I’ve paused it, I’ve missed a chunk of the next bit. They’re ok for general presentation, but not step by step instructions.

Your videos though, with the automatic pause at suitable points, are excellent! Where I have watched them, I find them very easy to use. That format is ideal for step by step instructions, although there isn’t the same level of general background information as your written replies tend to include. Maybe people don’t want that these days though, there seems to be a general reluctance to learn things, I think.

Cheers,
Paul

 

[Hayfield]

Interesting post making the same point:

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/i...way-modelling/&do=findComment&comment=4482182

Martin.

Back in the early 90's I fitted a sliding door into an opening made by taking out a window and removing the bricks below, 6 years ago I had to replace the bottom part of the door frame. The instructions were long gone as was my memory of how I fitted it. Good old Google came to the rescue

 

[AndyB]

Some people can write very clear instructions and some people can make very informative videos. On the other hand..........

 

[Franco]

Hi Martin

I’m old school and much prefer to read things rather than watch them. Generally I don’t get on with YouTube videos because the presenter rattles through them at such a pace that by the time I’ve paused it, I’ve missed a chunk of the next bit. They’re ok for general presentation, but not step by step instructions.

Your videos though, with the automatic pause at suitable points, are excellent! Where I have watched them, I find them very easy to use. That format is ideal for step by step instructions, although there isn’t the same level of general background information as your written replies tend to include. Maybe people don’t want that these days though, there seems to be a general reluctance to learn things, I think.

Cheers,
Paul

Maybe we went to the same school ...

 

[roythebus]

Maybe some of us are so old we can't take in much more?

 

[Martin Wynne]

Maybe some of us are so old we can't take in much more?

My problem is preventing what was already in from leaking out.

 

[AndyB]

My problem is preventing what was already in from leaking out.

My problem is I'm not sure if it was ever there in the first place.

 

[Rob Manchester]

My problem is I have so much in there I can't fit any more in and what is there is all mixed up. Think I need indexing

Rob