This second page is a cumulative list of recent changes in Templot Pug versions 0.79.a , 0.82.a , 0.82.b , 0.82.c , 0.82.d (all changes since Pug version 0.78.e of March 2003 up to and including Pug version 0.82.d of November 2006).
On the previous page is a cumulative list of previous changes in Templot Pug versions 0.77.a , 0.78.a , 0.78.b , 0.78.c , 0.78.d , 0.78.e (all changes since release version 0.74.b up to and including Pug version 0.78.e of March 2003).
To find which version of Templot you are using, see the help > about Templot menu item.
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There is a new range of menu options to make it easier to set the commonly used grid sizes. Click the pad > pad grid options > menu items. Also, the default option for the scalebar and for the zoom target ring is now OFF.
The grid spacing and units settings are now saved in the template data file, and restored when you reload the file on your own computer.
Templates can now be snapped together like toy train set-track. Using the F7shift mouse action, if a free end of the current template is positioned over an end of a background template, at any angle, when the mouse action is released the current template will snap into alignment with the background template. If the result isn't what was wanted, just shift it away again. The current template doesn't need to be facing the correct way, Templot will rotate it round to face the other way if necessary.
Click F7 snapping demo to see a short animation demonstrating this new snapping function.
[click image to enlarge, click again to shrink]
[click image to enlarge, click again to shrink]
Note that snapping takes place independently of the position of the fixing pegs in the current template or the background templates. All that is required is that a free end of the current template is positioned close to an end of a background template.
The snapping function can be disabled when not wanted, by any of these means:
1. To prevent snapping, hold down the SHIFT key while using the F7 mouse action.
2. Untick the action > F7 snap options > snap on background templates menu option.
3. An individual background template can be excluded from snapping. Click on it, and then click the F7 snapping > menu options on its pop-up menu. This option setting is saved in the template data file. This option is useful for dummy templates such as turntable rings, centre-line guides, etc.
The snapping proximity setting can be adjusted, and there are some help notes on the data-entry dialog. Click the action > F7 snap options > set snap proximity... menu item.
To avoid mouse fumbling problems, the double-click option on the drawing pad is now disabled while the F7shift mouse action is in force.
Recently reloaded or saved files can now be quickly selected again from a list. There are separate lists for template data files (.box) and background shapes (.bgs) files.
On the drawing pad, click the control > recent files > menu options.
On the storage box, click the files > recent files > menu options.
On the control room, click the recent files button.
On the background shapes dialog, click the recent files... button.
There are several new functions for the name labels on background templates.
The initial position of the name label is now randomized when a stored template is copied to the background. This helps to avoid the situation where the name labels stack directly over each other when creating partial templates. There are two options for the degree of randomizing, or none. On the control room, click the program > template name labels > menu options.
To make it easier to hide the template name labels, there is a new pad > hide name labels menu item, which toggles the name labels on and off. More usefully, it has a keyboard shortcut -- the END key. Pressing this is a quick way to remove the name labels when they are obstructing your work. Press END again to get them back.
There are some new functions to move and arrange the name labels:
If a label proves to be obstructing your work, you can quickly move it out of the way by clicking the template and then bat name label on the pop-up menu. This moves the label up the screen by the scale equivalent of 10ft. Click it again if the label is still in your way.
[click image to enlarge, click again to shrink]
[click image to enlarge, click again to shrink]
When design work is complete there is now a function to auto-arrange the name labels in neat rows and columns. This works on the currently selected group of templates, so that you can create multiple columns and rows of labels by setting up different groups of templates. Click on a background template, and on its pop-up menu click the arrange name labels menu item. Then click the white more information bar for detailed instructions.
Having got a group of name labels in a neat row or column, you can then move them about by mouse action. Click the action > mouse actions: group > move template name labels menu item (or the group > mouse action: move labels menu item). This is a Templot mouse action, not a drag like a single label move, so it doesn't matter where on the pad you click.
Even when hidden, name labels can still be used as a means of selecting a background template with SHIFT held down or CAPS LOCK on. The labels will re-appear for clicking as the mouse is moved over their position. This is much easier to do if the labels have been arranged in columns or rows.
There is a new tools > make branch track menu item which adds an initial length of plain track siding to the turnout road exit on a turnout, without any need to use the usual peg and notch functions.
The initial siding length is 2 chains (132ft) scale. In the case of regular and generic types of V-crossing (frog), the initial siding radius matches the main-road radius. In the case of a curviform V-crossing, the initial siding radius matches the turnout radius. In the case of a parallel V-crossing, the initial siding radius matches the loop track radius.
This new function significantly simplifies the creation of single and double slips. Clicking the tools > make slip road menu item reduces a turnout template to an untimbered switch, and adds a length of untimbered plain track as the slip road.
If the turnout has previously been pegged onto TCP or MCP for the half-diamond and aligned to any curving, all that is then needed is to adjust the length and curving of the slip road.
For more information please refer to the slips click-guide tutorial sequence.
The pop-up menu for a background template has some new snap functions. Click the peg/align tools > snap current template onto background template > menu items. These make it easier to create slips, for example, without the need to delete the half-diamonds to current just to change the peg position.
The pop-up menu for a background template has new functions for rolling rails and sleepers. Click the roll rails to match > background template menu items.
This makes it much easier to have prototypical rail lengths and sleeper spacings flowing correctly across template boundaries.
The current template is adjusted to match the joints and timbering on the selected background template. If you have a string of templates, you can work along them adjusting each in turn to match the previous one, creating a long run of track with correctly spaced rail joints.
[click image to enlarge, click again to shrink]
In the screenshot above the plain tracks are currently set for 13 sleepers per 30ft rail length. The background template on the left has a partial rail length of 5 sleepers between the final rail joint and the template boundary (sleepers A14 to A18). The adjoining current template on the right has a full length of 13 sleepers at the boundary. To make a proper match across the boundary, only 8 sleepers are needed here. Also the sleeper spacing at the boundary is noticeably disrupted.
[click image to enlarge, click again to shrink]
In the second screenshot, after using the roll rails to match function, 8 sleepers (N1 to N8) have been rolled-in in front of the first rail joint on the current template. The result is a full rail length of 13 sleepers (5+8) across the boundary, and the sleeper spacing at the boundary is now correct.
Previously it was necessary to enter the rolled-in rail lengths manually using the data showing in the info panel, or to use the CTRL-F4roll rails and sleepers mouse action. Now Templot does it for you. There are a few restrictions, and you need to work methodically:
Both the current template and the selected background template must be plain track templates. To use this function for the approach or exit tracks on a turnout or half-diamond template, you must first split them off as separate plain track templates -- use the tools > make split > menu items.
You can work from either the CTRL-0 or CTRL-1 end of the background template, but the rolled in rail length applies only to the CTRL-1 end of the current template. Before using this new function you may need to do template > swap end-for-end on the current template to bring the CTRL-1 end to the required boundary. This end is marked across with a line to aid identification. Press the HOME key a few times to flash the current template on and off so that you are sure you have it the right way round. Note that the position of the fixing pegs is immaterial for this function.
Both templates must be set for the same prototypical rail length. It would be meaningless to use this function if the templates are using different lengths of rail. The rail length setting is at real > plain track options > rail lengths and sleeper spacings... menu item.
As with timber shoving, adding slip roads, etc., this is a function to use when your track plan is finalized. Otherwise you risk your work being wasted if you make subsequent changes to the length of a template, insert additional turnouts, etc.
When entering data in the data-entry dialog, a number-sign/hash symbol ( # ), or a semi-colon ( ; ) can now be used as a prefix. This causes the entered data to modify instead of replacing the existing data. Positive or unsigned figures are added to the existing data. Negative figures are subtracted from the existing data. For example, entering #250 would increase a radius by 250mm, or #i-2 would reduce it by 2 inches. You may not realize how useful this feature is until you try it.
(A semi-colon is more convenient for users of non-UK keyboards, where # is shifted).
Also, there is an option to have the existing data showing pre-selected like this in the Windows style, so that it is immediately replaced when you begin entering data. Tick the show data pre-selected tickbox on the data-entry dialog to enable this feature.
The pop-up menu for a background template now has some underlined accelerator keys (shortcut keys) for faster working. For example, after clicking on a background template, just press the T key for delete To current. (On some systems that may need to be ALT+T, depending how you have set up Windows options on your computer.)
Track centre-lines can now be printed solid instead of dashed and to any line thickness. The line colour is the same as the colour set for the rail edges. Click the print > printed line thickness > set any line thickness... menu item.
There is a new dialog window for omitting individual rails (instead of the previous real > rails menu options). And the rail-joint marks can now be omitted independently of the rails. Click the do > omit rails and rail joints... menu item. The dialog is more convenient to use than a menu when creating partial overlaid templates.
There is a new peg position: TOLP. Turnout-road Opposite Length Position. This is located on the turnout or diagonal road opposite the end of the main road. This is mainly intended for use with parallel-type V-crossings when extending the loop track.
When making double-track, the length of the new current template is now adjusted to maintain the same swing angle, i.e. to maintain the template ends radial with those of the original template. (For fixed-radius templates only, not transition curves.)
The previous "curved" type of V-crossing (frog) has been renamed curviform. This is a more distinctive word to avoid confusion with the normal situation where the main-road curve runs through both sides of all other types of V-crossing. This is a naming change only, the functionality is unchanged.
There is a new peg position at the end of the blanked length, if any: geometry > peg positions > peg on blanked length menu item. The fixing peg is placed at the start of the remaining visible length of a template. This is useful when pegging partial templates which have been blanked using the CTRL-F3blanking length mouse action. Note that a similar end result can also be achieved by first moving the peg (CTRL-F8move peg mouse action), and then clicking the do > blank up to peg menu item.
The current blanked length, if any, is now shown in the template info, and also the remaining visible length of the template.
The former "adjacent tracks" functions on the generator have been modified to optionally create trackbed edge cutting lines. Click the generator > generator settings > trackbed width... menu item, then click the ? help F2 button for detailed instructions. Click the generator > generator settings > trackbed edges menu option to enable this function.
Note that this is a generator function, so your entered trackbed width will not be saved between sessions and will need to be entered again each time you use this function.
Click the generator > generator settings > adjacent tracks menu option to use the generator > generator settings > adjacent track rail options > settings as before. Or click the no adjacent lines menu option to disable all these functions.
Trackbed edges are mainly intended for plain track templates. Use the new group > group select > select all plain track templates function, followed by generator > rebuild group to add trackbed edges to all of them in one go.
All the group functions on the drawing pad have been re-arranged into a new group > menu. (Previously the selection operations were separated from the group tools functions.)
There is a new group > group select > select all plain track templates function which puts all the plain track templates in a group. This is convenient when you want to move their name labels or do generator > rebuild group to add trackbed edges to all of them in one go.
The switch drive mark (tie-bar slot, throw-bar marker) can now be turned on or off on an individual template. Untick the geometry > switch drive mark menu item when it is not required for partial templates. This setting is saved in the template data file.
[ 0.82.a ]
Click page 1 for a list of previous changes in Templot Pug versions 0.77.a , 0.78.a , 0.78.b , 0.78.c , 0.78.d , 0.78.e (all previous changes up to and including Pug version 0.78.e of March 2003). Click bug fixes for a list of corrected program bugs.
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