SCARM - Simple Computer Aided Railway Modeller

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Two bugs in SCARM were reported this month so far:

- "Integer Overflow" error message may appear in some situations when modelling flex-tracks
- Arrow keys in the 2D editor stop working after pressing of Esc key

All these will be corrected in the upcoming release of SCARM. If you encounter another problems, post a message about in this thread :)

And here is the collection of Quick tips in the blog, that may be useful in your work with SCARM: All Quick Tips in SCARM ;)

Mixy
 


SCARM v. 0.9.24 released

Good news for SCARM fans - the new SCARM v. 0.9.24 is ready and published, coming with the long-awaited feature for true roads with grades and surface markings! See more about it here:

SCARM v. 0.9.24 Released

Hope you will like it ;)

Please note that the new version has many parts with rewritten code due to the new roads feature and this may lead to some new bugs. If you encounter a problem, write about it here with the steps that will allow me to reproduce and check it.

Mixy
 
And here is the first tutorial in the blog about using of the new road feature:

The Roads in SCARM – Part 1 – Basic Usage

SCARM-roads-shaping-terrain.jpg


More tutorials about roads in SCARM will come soon ;)

Mixy
 
Hello. Is there a way to model terrain heights, separate from the track height? I'd like to create hills above and valleys below the level track height.
 
Thank you. I thought it could be done something like that, but I couldn't find the article, and wasn't sure it was there to find. It's just what I need. Regards.
 


Making Layers look right

I seem to have trouble making elements on a plan properly layer together.

I've been using the Figures feature to help me work out aspects of the scenery substrate and related elements of the design.

So in one spot I have track that was laid in as going up a hill. In the section I am working with, the lowest part of the slope is 3.31 inches. The track rises to a height of 5 inches.

Using Figures, I've drawn images to represent blocks of cut-up insulation foam that would be supporting scenery and tracks. I set the properties so that the height of the blocks is lower than the height of the track. Yet when I look at the plan, the track is hidden by the blocks.

(ADDED) Also, some of the blocks themselves don't come out in the right order on the plan, like the block I created to represent a two-sided backdrop, which is much taller than everything else yet is "covered up" in parts of the plan by blocks that are not as high as it is

Like this:

WR+N-2014-04-20-Scenery testing.jpg

When I go to 3-D mode, the images render properly:

snapshot-1.jpgsnapshot-2.jpgsnapshot-3.jpg

But I want to see the "layers" in their proper order when I am looking at the map. It's much less confusing that way.

Is there some way to make this happen?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi Eric. I can't help you, but I've noticed the same issue on the layout I'm working. It's my first time using this software, so I assumed I had done something wrong. But when I went back to the problem areas and started revising some of the figures, I couldn't make the track come to the top. But it rendered OK in 3D.
 
Yes, I am aware of this issue. Unfortunately, SCARM draws each new figure in 2D at top of all other, no matter what are the Vertical Position and Height properties. In 3D, the figures are drawn correctly.

To cope with this, you can manually select the figure which must be on top and then cut and paste it - this will put it on top of all other. If you need some figure to be below all others, select it, then use Edit > Invert selection and cut and paste all - this will move all other items above.

Note that all figures that are below 1.5mm level or height, are drawn before tracks and looks as below them. All other figures are drawn after the tracks, and covers them.

I will add commands in the menu for easily move the figures on front or to back in 2D mode in some of the next versions of SCARM.

Mixy
 
Thank you for the work=around! It helps! The next thing will be to get the track so it is above figures when it is higher than the figures. The cut/paste workaround for figures doesn't work for the track unfortunately.
 
Hello Mixy,

I was wondering, and wanted to ask you, with your knowledge of working with database/s to create your fantastic program for track design is it possible you could create a pick-up & delivery schedule program for us to use to operate our layouts more realistically with? I'd be happy to assist any way I can.

I know this can get to be quite complex but possibly you could design a data base frame-work, so to speak where each of us could create whatever complexity we wanted by making it easily editable to our desired liking.

I'm not all that familiar with the proper terminology but figured your so familiar with working with databases it shouldn't be too much of a task?

I hope I'm not asking for something that is too involved or creates any difficulty with others doing something similar?


Sincerely,

David
 


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