[Donone]

Please help, this Xtrkcad program (it's my fault not the program) does not react the way I am used to with other software.
I place a 2nd piece of track and sometimes it joins and other times it does not.
This is what I call frustrating!
I have tried rotating the 2nd piece but it doesn't change hot end, I've tried adding it to the other end of the 1st track I've tried shift click etc. etc. etc. etc.
I cannot establish in my brain a consistent method. It may work for three or four pieces and then I add to the other end and it does not work. I spend another half hour then scrap it. Start again, same problem.

Can somebody please give me a sequence that permits me to add any library piece on either end, either way round and have it join correctly.

I find it irritating to have to keep pressing screen buttons to select, move, rotate etc. Too easy to forget.
Perhaps there is a more intuitive program (like anyrail) which works perfectly every time and so obviously, except it doesn't have many features like Xtrkcad.

I have solved the problems for placing a new piece. The problem seems to be after a piece is dropped and space bar pressed which fixes it. Then to try to do the above doesn't seem to work.

Help, I am now bald.

 

[Kimbo]

If you find Xtrkcad to be too difficult I really suggest you give Anyrail a test trial. I find the software to be the easiest I've ever tried, and since adopting it I have never looked back. The development team is very responsive to requests from customers! Their development pace is tremendous with a version coming out on a nearly monthly basis with new features.

 

[Donone]

Thanks for the response Kimbo. I gave anyrail a short trial among many and found that the track connected easier and everything was more intuitive. CAD programs always seem to follow different rules to other programs, which makes them unintuitive unless you intend to dedicate your computer life using CAD. For casual use it is too big a change.

My concern was the 'apparent' lack of say 3d view and scenery (buildings hills etc.). I am not an artist and scenery I find difficult to imagine in advance (I think I only have half a brain). Am I missing something, like add-ons etc. It seems a little expensive compared to these fully fledged, but difficult, programs.

 

[Kimbo]

Nah, you're right that there isn't much by way of 3D views... It'll definetely come along, but from what I've read they're struggling with adding an engine and not burderning the simplicity of use... in terms of scenery, ie buildings there's examples on the website front page of it being done in 2D using the line and point features that's used to delineate table borders and things... but I definetely hear you, a more robust scenery package would seem to be the way to go for AnyRail in the future.

 

[BVM]

QUOTE (Donone @ 26 Oct 2008, 18:38) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Please help, this Xtrkcad program (it's my fault not the program) does not react the way I am used to with other software.
I place a 2nd piece of track and sometimes it joins and other times it does not.
This is what I call frustrating!
I have tried rotating the 2nd piece but it doesn't change hot end, I've tried adding it to the other end of the 1st track I've tried shift click etc. etc. etc. etc.
I cannot establish in my brain a consistent method. It may work for three or four pieces and then I add to the other end and it does not work. I spend another half hour then scrap it. Start again, same problem.

Can somebody please give me a sequence that permits me to add any library piece on either end, either way round and have it join correctly.

I find it irritating to have to keep pressing screen buttons to select, move, rotate etc. Too easy to forget.
Perhaps there is a more intuitive program (like anyrail) which works perfectly every time and so obviously, except it doesn't have many features like Xtrkcad.

I have solved the problems for placing a new piece. The problem seems to be after a piece is dropped and space bar pressed which fixes it. Then to try to do the above doesn't seem to work.

I have found Xtrk to be a superb program but there is a knack that comes with practice. The demos in the help files are excellent and if you have not studied those carefully I think you should and would find the solution to your difficulties - you do need to look at the help demos as it is not simply a case of trial and error as you have found.
Help, I am now bald.

 

[Donone]

Well BVM I have followed the tutorials and that is why I was able to add "I have solved..."
However it appears that my problem narrows down to after a piece has been set (rather than immediately it is added to the canvas). If I now wish to move a piece or if a zoom in shows that it is not joined properly, it seems to take a lot of attempts to reconnect that mostly fail. Even using the 'join track' button doesn't seem to work properly. Perhaps I should say I cannot operate it properly. Sometimes I can spend 10 minutes trying to join two pieces that are already fixed but wrongly.

The need then to press 'Select' then press 'Move' and then when the first move fails to join it is instinctive to try again but by then I have forgotten that the 'Move' button has deselected and I have to reselect it every time the mouse button is released. Having forgotten that, the whole thing is out of sequence.
Move should stay active until moving is finished.

Pressing join track puts a red dot but then sometimes nothing seems to happen. I know it is me not the program.

Contrast this with any Windows drawing program and in ten minutes one understands without even reading the manual. Why is it necessary for CAD to follow the old Autocad regime, just because. Autocad is for people who dedicate there daily life to using it and it becomes second nature. Track design is most likely a one off.
If MS Quickdraw can do it so should CAD.

The tutorials only seem to deal with laying first time, not with changing/correcting afterward.

Hows that for Verbal D.

 

[Donone]

Just realised I am using version 3 and there appears to be a version 4 which I will now hunt down.

[Edit]
Now found 4.02, I couldn't figure why the tutorial said track was blue when mine was black. Now I know.
I shall give this another try
Thanks for input.

 

[Makemineadouble]

I've been using Xtrcad for a very long time through it's various versions. Yes it is quite complex, and has a longish learning curve if your not used to CAD but it's well worth trying. There are some great features. Whats important is to set up your available space in inches, then set your scale which is HO, and then set your track manufacturer. This can be a bit tedious as you have to untick all other manufactuers and scales, once you've done that you will then have a track libary available to you for turnouts. Then set the distance apart for parallel tracks so that turnouts and parallel tracks line up. Finally set up the colours for the various levels - it's best to play with this. Oh also it's best not to use sticky in your settings either. You will eventially become familar with it's little quirks but keep trying because its a very good package.

 

[Donone]

Thanks Makemineadouble. This new version is already making a difference. I am progressing now through the tutorials again and going well.
Thanks for the tips.

 

[poliss]

The join command confused me in Xtrcad for a while. You have to use the 'connect' function not the 'join' function to join pieces of set-track.
I've given up on it as the geometry is wrong.

 

[Makemineadouble]

QUOTE Thanks Makemineadouble. This new version is already making a difference. I am progressing now through the tutorials again and going well.
Thanks for the tips.

Configuration before you start is the key to removing a lot of your problems.
let us know your progress.

 

[Donone]

Poliss, what do you mean the geometry is wrong, the angles of turnouts??

Makemineadouble, your advice was sound. I could do with a little more.

The Peco track numbers do not seem to correspond for type 80. They are listed as SL17xx whereas Peco do not list these, they list SL3xx.

Why does it matter? I have a box full of turnouts and Ys but there are no numbers stamped on them. I thought that if I put a template on screen as 1:1 I could then label them. Now the numbers don't match. Any clues please.

 

[poliss]

An example of a small piece of my layout. I have a double track oval. The curves and straights are mostly Kato Unitrack. Coming off the curve have a Minitrix 30 degree set of points connected to a 30 degree double slip. On my real layout everything fits perfectly, but on Xtrcad there's a half inch gap between the two ovals. Not lengthways, but in the 6 foot way if you understand what I mean.

 

[Donone]

Indeed I do. This raises serious concerns about wasting time on it. After all a clock that is wrong is useless.

 

[Donone]

The confusion of track turnout numbers is odd.
A Peco SL394 Long Crossover is 8 deg. The SL394 listed in Xtrkcad is shown in the config file as 10 deg.
The SL1740 in Xtrkcad is 8deg.
Does anybody know what goes on please? And does anybody know what the figures are in the config file?