SCARM track planning software - Hello from the author

Steve C.,

I checked the current library and it appears that the 031 L & R switches and the lighted bumper are not there.

email Milen at scarm@scarm.info and ask for the dimensions required.

Done.  Also, here is the link to the xtrkcad library definitions documentation: http://www.xtrkcad.org/Wikka/FileFormats

 

Steve

"How To" Tutorials using SCARM have been posted on the Forum.

 

These tutorials are specific to RailKing RealTrax sectional track segments but contain valuable hints and techniques for constructing a layout diagram using other track types.

 

Check these postings by Pro Hobby

 

 

OK, we have a good progress with MTH RealTrax library for SCARM, thanks to Steve and Jefrey

 

Today, I updated the preliminary library file in the blog and now it should have all tracks and turnouts. I also corrected the radii of O-31 and O-42 curves, as the old values was slightly larger. I used the new Background Image feature in SCARM to check the library against several track plans found with Google and they all fit in SCARM without problems. However, a real tests (with real tracks) are still needed to verify that geometry and dimensions are correct.

 

So download the updated SCARM lib from the blog post and try it

 

Mixy

Feature Request:

Action: When the SCARM user double-clicks on a track piece

Result: SCARM will execute the "Move" method, so the user can move the piece without further pull-down menu selections.

 

It appears to me that the double-click event isn't implemented, but if someone disagrees with my assertion that "Move" is the appropriate method (action), then that could be something chosen by the user inside of "Tools", "Settings".

 

There is software precedence in numerous graphical editing packages that make the double-click/move very intuitive.

I just happened on this thread today and found it very interesting.  I intend to download SCARM soon and give it a try.  I have been in HO forever it seems, but have developed enough interest in O-Gauge 3-rail to move to that.  I am still learning about O-Gauge track and feel like the hobby has been rejuvenated for me.  Maybe I'm entering my second childhood. 

 

Thank you Mixy and all those who have made suggestions and any coding help.

I'm pretty sure the double-click selects the entire section.  So, if you have three pieces off to the side, double-click one of them selects all three so you can move all three or change elevation, or whatever.  Also, grabs an entire selection if you color-code a section.  That's what it does for me, anyway.

A single click and left button could simply move the selected piece without the need for the ctrl key. AFAIK, the single click and left button don't do anything now. A single click and right button would still being up the menu of actions.

I will consider this, as double-click is already in use.

 

Mixy

I only mention this because I use a laptop touchpad and the ctrl/left button is a little cumbersome.  Needing the ctrl key just doesn't seem necessary, but then I don't know what other keys combine with the left button to do something.

I first learned of SCARM on this forum a few days ago.  I finally downloaded it, and am anxious to try it.  Thank you Mixy and everyone on the Forum.

Mark:

 

Look for several SCARM tutorials I have posted on OGR forum.  They provide step by step how to designs. Tutorial 1-01 is a basic starting point.

 

Pro Hobby

Pro Hobby,
I took a quick look at a Fast Tracks tutorial.  I will delve in deeper later.  Thank you.

Hello all

 

Hope I am not offending anyone with this question and as well hope it is not annoying as it has been so well discussed (kinda just getting back into the hobby so have not been around for a few years), but is there any possibility of importing any RR worked files into SCARM?

 

I have one which while the track is a bit, moreover though, it's a living room layout I did where I basically CAD'ed out a room and all the furniture in my living room by first creating objects in all kinds ways to best as possible recreate them not only visually but more so by their exact dimensions, then placed them in as exact measurement as possible in both location and distances to things thus essentially recreating it in the program so that I could then use all of that as reference points for what would fit and could be done.

 

Then after that I did do a bit of an involved layout as the track runs in all kinds of ways in an out an around and under all this furniture....so its kinda intricate in that respect too.

 

So all in all, if I had to redo all that from scratch again it would take for ever.

 

Anyway, just thought I would explain why I am looking for this.

 

Thanks for any help.

Hi WBFLine,

The file formats are different, so you cannot import the file directly. There is a workaround that may help.

1. Open the file in RR with the detailed view displayed.
2. Open the Snipping tool in Windows and capture that view and save it with a name in a location that you can find.
3. Open SCARM
4. Select the View menu, then click on background Image
5. Point the context menu to the snipped .jpg of the RR view.
6. This sets the background on the SCARM layout
7. Now you can overlay SCARM tracks and objects on top of the background.

Some info from the author

 

I know, it's from scratch, but it's a little better than NO YOU CAN'T DO IT.

Here is the list with blog posts for December: www.scarm.info/blog/2013/12.

And here is a nice collection of articles in the blog with Information and advices about baseboards in SCARM.

The list includes posts about how to create baseboard with holes and openings, how to represent the support structures and frames, how to split the workbench in several modules, how to create baseboard shapes with rounded corners and more.

I hope that the info will be useful to all of you

Mixy

Keep up the great work Mixy! SCARM is a fabulous program and I like it a lot!

 

 Is there a way to draw turntables?

I'll give it a try. You can represent the track. I can't get the 3D to work for the pit or shed.

1. Pick a center line on the baseboard and get the coordinates. I used a 48" wide area, so I want to start at 24"
2. Select tools and open the toolbox, then select starting point
3. Enter the coordinates for the center track sufficient for the shed length. I chose 25" of track. The angle in the toolbox starts at 0 degrees is east. I enter X=25, Y=24 (centerline) A= 180 degrees. Select ok
4. Place 25" of track from there
5. Next, enter the coordinates of the next track. You'll need the angle for the shed you'll use. I used 30 degrees, which seemed a little wide, but it's an example. I also want to move this start a little further on x and keep 6" spacing on Y, so, enter X= 27, Y=18 (24-6), A=210(180 +30). select ok and 25" of track.
6. Time for the third track X=27, Y=30(24 +6) A=150(180-30), OK
7. Add 25" of track
8. The turn track will need to be slightly off, so it doesn't connect. X=25 Y=27, A=345, OK , and add the length of your table track. I used 25" to keep it easy.
9. Finally, the approach X=50"(25" + 25" table track), Y=24(centerline), A=0, ok and add your first approach track.

It represents the approach, turntable and shed track. If you use the angles and actual depth of your shed track and the actual diameter of the TT for the track length, it should be reasonably accurate. You can work in any direction of course, from the TT out or the approach in, whichever suits you. Just keep the coordinates accurate for the start point and the angle in the correct direction. Remember the track attaches moving away from the start point.

 

Some pics and SCARM file attached. The 3D stuff is too time consuming, but you can get the layout fitment really close.

 

Disclaimer: It's really early and I may have missed some typo's. I hope you get the process anyway. Goodnight.

Thanks Moonman, I'll give it a shot!

Here I will give more info about turntables in SCARM - hope it will be useful

 

SCARM has a dedicated library statement for representing turntables in the plan and for O-scale there are two turntables already included in Atlas-O-2 and Atlas-O-3 libraries - select some of these libs and scroll to the bottom of the tracks list in selection panel to see the turntables.

 

If there are more manufacturers that are making ready-to-use turntables, let me know and I will search for the TT parameters to prepare the appropriate libraries for them.

 

If you want to make a custom turntable and represent it in SCARM track plan, you can use the method of Moonman or edit some of the libs and add your own turntable inside. The libraries are plain text files and can be edited with Notepad. Let me know and I will provide additional info about the statement syntax in the libraries.

 

@Ace: Thank you, Ace If you or somebody else wish to share own SCARM layouts on O-gauge track plans section of SCARM Layouts and Track Plans site, send the .scarm file with some short explanation to me and I will do the rest

 

Mixy

Thanks for the info, Mixy.

 

I would like to see a circle in the figures library. Making one from a polygon is tedious.

 

I was also trying to create a depression for the TT pit. I could get a figure with negative height from the 0 baseboard but couldn't get the top to show at 0. Do I have to raise the baseboard height and other track height to get it to show in 3D? (Like the valley example on the SCARM Blog?

Millhouse River Studios is a forum sponsor. They have basic specifications for their O gauge turntables. The track doesn't have to be brand specific that's on the turntable.

So, perhaps adding the turntables in the Objects library would be helpful.

OK, I know that Circle figure is a must, but it will appear later this year, as 2D circle needs to be able to handle cylinder, cone, sphere and dome in 3D (by user choice) and this requires a lot of coding.

 

For now, the Polygon is one alternative, but there could be a better – I will try to explain:

 

1. Make a Rectangle figure. Shape it to be a narrow horizontal rectangle with long side to be equal to the needed diameter and short side to be 1/5 of the diameter. I.e. if you need a 5” circle, make the rectangle 5” x 1”. See the dimensions in the status bar while shaping it.

 

2. Select then copy and paste the rectangle. While selected, rotate it at 90 degree, using “Objects” > “Rotate” command. You can directly hit the “90” or “-90” degree marks in the Rotate dialog box. Now you will have a cross figure.

 

3. Select the cross figure, then copy and paste it. While selected, rotate it at 45 degree.

 

4. Use immediately Paste again (Ctrl-V) and now turn the new cross to 22.5 degree. Again, paste the cross, but now turn it to -22.5 degree.

 

5. Select the whole figure and give it some height in the Properties, i.e. 1”. You can also group all the rectangles together for better handling. Now you will have a circle from rectangles in 2D and a pretty good cylinder in 3D.

 

If you decide, you can make the short side of the rectangle to be 1/10 of the long side (diameter) and with several more Copy/Paste/Rotate commands, you will receive a much smoother cylinder like the right one in the attached pictures. Not perfect, but better than nothing

 

 

 

 

 

About the hole for the turntable – you can make as a valley example with lifting of the tracks level, otherwise it will not be visible.

 

I will take a look on the Millhouse turntables and will try to make a dedicated library for them.

 

Mixy

 

Ace I have a Big question for you can you please send me your email?

Thanks Mike

Thanks, Mixy, I'll give that technique for a round object a try.

 

Attached is another try at the roundhouse\turntable using the Atlas 24" TT and FasTrack. SCARM file attached. One needs some real estate. This one is 30"w x 96"l.

I first read about SCARM here about half a year ago. Finally decided to try it for the mainline layout I'm working on for the club. It took about a half day to get past all the basics that I didnt ubderstand and I was finally able to draw the area outline. The next day I managed to get the rest done. Now for slowly tweaking and adding scenery.

One problem I had is that in some places the track matches but does not jopin, which makes length measurements hard as I cant highlight a complete circle.

I used mainly Ross track sections with a few Gargraves shorts and flex as necessary mixed in. Also an Atlas turntable.

 

There is about 750 of mainline on two levels. The connecting grade is 2%

 

The 3d view is very handy to explain the levels.

Hello Swav,

 

The plan looks very good

 

To fix the problem where track ends are close, but not joining, you need to increase the default connection tolerance in the settings. Go to "Tools" > "Settings" > "Edit" > "Tolerances" and increase the "Distance" to 0.15" or even 0.2" - this is OK for O-gauge as default tolerance is intended to be used with the smaller scales such as HO and N.

 

Mixy

Thanks Mixy. Changed tolerances but still had problems. Turns out that while setting grades and levels, I ended up with a .02 vertical difference somehow. Adjusted that and everything now seems connected.

I am glad to see that you cope with the joins

 

And here is a post in the blog with information about the new library that I created for Millhouse turntables: Millhouse River Studio O-gauge Turntables in SCARM.

 

If one wants to use these turntables in SCARM, just download the library from the blog and try it. If everything is OK, I will include the lib in the next version of SCARM

 

Mixy

 

Charly'

if the background is too small to follow the layout from, you'll need to resize the photo for the background.

 

The SCARM zoom in or out view will also make the background smaller, so that won't help.

How do I size the tracks and background to the same dimemsions?

Look at the bottom right corner of the background image - there is a small triangle grip. Point the mouse cursor over it and then click and drag to resize the background image. You will probably need to do this several times until reach the correct dimension. Verify it by laying a straight track from SCARM over the same track in the plan of the background image. It will be better if you can make some section with 2-3 straights and curves and then check the scale of the image with it.

Mixy

Ok Guys, got it, thanks

This is the articles list in the blog for January 2014: www.scarm.info/blog/2014/01.

Not so much, but this month there will be more. Unfortunately, my little child was fall with illness last month and I was not able to work with SCARM, but I hope that now everything is OK and I will continue my work over the program .

Mixy

Two small bugs in SCARM were reported last month and one more was discovered 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

- Grouped figures are losing "Snap terrain to bottom" property on project reload

All these will be corrected in the upcoming release of SCARM. If you encounter another problems, let me know and I will try to fix them before launching of the next version later this month

Here is a nice collection of Quick tips, that may be useful in your daily work with SCARM: Quick Tips in SCARM Software

And here is the list with articles in the blog for February: www.scarm.info/blog/2014/02.

 

The new version will come with many updated O-gauge track libraries and finally with MTH RealTrax lib build-in

Mixy

Thank you Mixy for your hard work on this very useful software. I hope the users on your side of the pond appreciate it as much as we do.

I have tried to download Scarm on my Mac and iPad and cannot get it to download.  Any ideas on how to fix this.

 

Jo

It will not run on Apple OS. If you run Boot Camp with Windows installed on your MAC or another emulation software for dual booting, you could then use it.

 

The author has explained that he doesn't have access to an Apple machine. If you search the SCARM topics on the forum, some others have explained the dual-boot process. There seems to be a hole in layout software for the Apple users.

 

Finally, the new SCARM v. 0.9.24 is ready and published, coming with the long-awaited feature for true roads with grades and various surface markings! See more about it in the following blog post:

 

SCARM v. 0.9.24 Released

This version has also new and updated O-gauge track systems, favorite library buttons, many bugfixes and more. 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, no matter that I tested it more than a month. If you encounter a problem, write about it here with the steps that will allow me to reproduce and check it.

 

@Jo: You can try to run SCARM on a Mac even now with some special tweaks - read about that here: Running SCARM on Apple Mac

Mixy