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{{image class="center" alt="Grid" title="Snap Grid" url="images/snapgrid.png" }}
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Revision [756]
Edited on 2009-06-27 08:06:06 by MartinFischerAdditions:
XTrackCAD's Snap Grid makes it very easy to transfer a back-of-dirty-envelope absolute killer plan idea to XTrackCAD.
The trick is to use the **//square definition//** to define the Snap grid, then use snap-to-grid in XTrackCAD to locate the main curves from the back-of-envelope design.
The **//square definition//** gives the side of each square as S = R + 2C, where R is the min radius and C is the track centre spacing. This means each square in my sketch has a side of (604.4 + 2x 61.6)mm which I rounded up to 730mm. So I set the XTrackCAD Snap Grid (View/Change Grid) spacing to 730.0mm.
Now here's the killer step (imho) : I want the subdivisions to represent my track centre spacing, so I can easily align the main curves in my sketch to the XTrackCAD grid. To do this, I need to divide the Snap Grid spacing into the correct number of subdivisions so that each subdivision represents the track centre spacing.
XTrackCAD's Snap Grid makes it easy to transfer an original by-the-squares sketch to an Xtrkcad layout. On the sketch, the (minimum radius) outer curves define the limits of the plan-in-progress, the distance between these curves defines how much room there is for features (like yards and stations).
Once all of the sketched curves are placed in XTrackCAD as circles, the snap-to-grid can be turned off and the join tool (with or without easements) is used to join-the-curves-all-together into one-big-happy-track. At this point I usually discover that the features I have sketched are a little ambitious for the available space because my sketched turnouts are not available commercially (or even physically possible).
So it's back to the drawing board, but **this time** I have a printed snapshot of the XTrackCAD track plan, with the squares all nicely ruled on the printout. Successive refinements of the plan by pencil, with quick exploration of alternatives as bright ideas spring to mind, is as easy as opening another ream of A4.
Of course, the best ideas come to mind when there isn't a snapshot of the plan-in-progress to hand, but by-the-squares people only need a piece of bark and a stick of charcoal to commit the idea before it's lost. And later back in XTrackCAD land that absolutely stunning idea is dead easy to transcribe.
The trick is to use the **//square definition//** to define the Snap grid, then use snap-to-grid in XTrackCAD to locate the main curves from the back-of-envelope design.
The **//square definition//** gives the side of each square as S = R + 2C, where R is the min radius and C is the track centre spacing. This means each square in my sketch has a side of (604.4 + 2x 61.6)mm which I rounded up to 730mm. So I set the XTrackCAD Snap Grid (View/Change Grid) spacing to 730.0mm.
Now here's the killer step (imho) : I want the subdivisions to represent my track centre spacing, so I can easily align the main curves in my sketch to the XTrackCAD grid. To do this, I need to divide the Snap Grid spacing into the correct number of subdivisions so that each subdivision represents the track centre spacing.
XTrackCAD's Snap Grid makes it easy to transfer an original by-the-squares sketch to an Xtrkcad layout. On the sketch, the (minimum radius) outer curves define the limits of the plan-in-progress, the distance between these curves defines how much room there is for features (like yards and stations).
Once all of the sketched curves are placed in XTrackCAD as circles, the snap-to-grid can be turned off and the join tool (with or without easements) is used to join-the-curves-all-together into one-big-happy-track. At this point I usually discover that the features I have sketched are a little ambitious for the available space because my sketched turnouts are not available commercially (or even physically possible).
So it's back to the drawing board, but **this time** I have a printed snapshot of the XTrackCAD track plan, with the squares all nicely ruled on the printout. Successive refinements of the plan by pencil, with quick exploration of alternatives as bright ideas spring to mind, is as easy as opening another ream of A4.
Of course, the best ideas come to mind when there isn't a snapshot of the plan-in-progress to hand, but by-the-squares people only need a piece of bark and a stick of charcoal to commit the idea before it's lost. And later back in XTrackCAD land that absolutely stunning idea is dead easy to transcribe.
Deletions:
The trick is to use the **//square definition//** to define the Snap grid, then use snap-to-grid in Xtrkcad to locate the main curves from the back-of-envelope design.
The **//square definition//** gives the side of each square as S = R + 2C, where R is the min radius and C is the track centre spacing. This means each square in my sketch has a side of (604.4 + 2x 61.6)mm which I rounded up to 730mm. So I set the Xtrkcad Snap Grid (View/Change Grid) spacing to 730.0mm.
Now here's the killer step (imho) : I want the subdivisions to represent my track centre spacing, so I can easily align the main curves in my sketch to the Xtrkcad grid. To do this, I need to divide the Snap Grid spacing into the correct number of subdivisions so that each subdivision represents the track centre spacing.
Xtrkcad's Snap Grid makes it easy to transfer an original by-the-squares sketch to an Xtrkcad layout. On the sketch, the (minimum radius) outer curves define the limits of the plan-in-progress, the distance between these curves defines how much room there is for features (like yards and stations).
Once all of the sketched curves are placed in Xtrkcad as circles, the snap-to-grid can be turned off and the join tool (with or without easements) is used to join-the-curves-all-together into one-big-happy-track. At this point I usually discover that the features I have sketched are a little ambitious for the available space because my sketched turnouts are not available commercially (or even physically possible).
So it's back to the drawing board, but **this time** I have a printed snapshot of the Xtrkcad track plan, with the squares all nicely ruled on the printout. Successive refinements of the plan by pencil, with quick exploration of alternatives as bright ideas spring to mind, is as easy as opening another ream of A4.
Of course, the best ideas come to mind when there isn't a snapshot of the plan-in-progress to hand, but by-the-squares people only need a piece of bark and a stick of charcoal to commit the idea before it's lost. And later back in Xtrkcad land that absolutely stunning idea is dead easy to transcribe.
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Revision [680]
Edited on 2008-05-26 16:30:12 by BobBlackwellAdditions:
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Revision [678]
Edited on 2008-05-26 16:23:50 by BobBlackwellAdditions:
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