SCARM - Simple Computer Aided Railway Modeller


And finally, the new SCARM v. 0.9.25 is ready, coming with two new shapes (figures) and many new and updated track libraries. Read more about it here:

SCARM Railroad Layout Software 0.9.25 Released

The new figures are horizontal and vertical cylinders and will allow drawing of much more objects, structures and rolling stock.
See one example of a small steam loco, drawn mostly with the new cylinder shapes in SCARM:

SCARM-T3-steam-switcher-sm.jpg


Hope you will like the new version ;)

Mixy
 
Mixy said:
The new figures are horizontal and vertical cylinders and will allow drawing of much more objects, structures and rolling stock.
Mixy
Click to expand...

Rather then create objects in certain orientations I suggest you expand upon the current set of operations you can perform on an object.

Currently you can rotate an object around it's Z axis (I'm guessing that is what you call that axis).

Allow rotation around the X and X axes and a single cylinder object (or any other asymmetric object) can suffice.


Another suggestion.

Currently in the properties dialog of an object you can set its position and length along the Z axis.

I would expand this to include the X and Y axes as well.

Three values to specify it's origin. Three values to specify its Width (X axis), Depth (Y axis) and Height (Z axis).


One last thing.

Allow moving an object with a simple left-click-and-hold.
 
Thanks for the new version! Scarm is a great program.

For future versions I'd love to see these features:

- ability to manipulate flex track when it is attached to other track on both ends. sort of right-click in the middle of the flex track, reshape, and so be able to widen or lessen the turn while the ends stay attached.
- ability to rotate track pieces. Right now this only seems to work with objects. It would make things a lot easier.
- a send-to-back or bring-to-front feature. The work around described in the blog does not really work.

Keep up the great work!

Brato
 
Hi Mixy,
I being using Scarm to create my layout and even though I’m not an expect I like it.
I do havea a question
Are you planning to implement the subjection send to you by DairyStateDad
“3) Also, in relationto measurement, it would be a neat thing if the user could display the centerpoint for each curve. I would want a feature like this to be able to be turnedoff and on (so they wouldn't be distracting when not really needed), but it's neatto be able to print out the plan and then have a heads-up as to where to locatecenter points for curves.” And if so any idea when?
I think it is berry helpful when doing the “1:1” printing,also if an optional center line is added between the tracks it can be used as a guide for laying thetrack bed.
Thanks
PS: It is only subjection I love the program as is.
 
Hello guys,

Thank you for your comments.

I am now summarizing all of them and will try to reply in details in the next days, after considering each option.

Mixy
 
Mixy said:
Hello guys,

Thank you for your comments.

I am now summarizing all of them and will try to reply in details in the next days, after considering each option.

Mixy
Click to expand...

Thanks Mixy, you are awesome.

A couple of more thing occured to me that would be nice (I apologize if these have been suggested before, I am not too sure if there is a predetermined place to post suggestions like these) - in no particular order:

- the ability to group track, and/or the ability to lock track in place (especially useful if one models several levels of track on top of each other)
- the ability to give track different colors (ditto)
- the ability to place 3d signs in the 3d-view
- a "show track only" button, or alternatively a "híde all objects and figures" button


thanks, keep it up,

Brato
 
Not Mixy, but if you can take your flashdrive to, say, the library and use one of their computers, you should be able to download the installation file on the the flash and then take it home to your non-net computer.

Someone more experienced in the ways of smartphones than I am might be able to tell you whether you could some how get it on your phone and then move it to the computer that way.
 
I was thinking a buddy comperter my phone a no go, its so messed up i just now got my emails starting from the 9 of September which is a real pain.
 
Ok, so if your friend is connected to the net, then, yeah, I'm pretty sure you can download the installation file, put it on the flash drive, and move it to your machine that way.

From the DairyStatePhone
 
OK, here is the summary of the last comments.

@Fcwilt: Moving will be simplified in the future and Properties dialog will be also expanded. However, tilting of the objects is a different thing and may not appear directly in the user interface.

@Brato: Most of your wishes are in progress and will also appear in the near future. The “Bring to Front / Send to Back” works, but not in all cases, so I will make that with true commands later. You can already assign different colors to the tracks – use the Track Color button next to Tunnel button.

@Cubanoviejo: I am considering which will be the best way for representing curved track parameters. Curve centers will work for smaller radii, but if somebody wants to shape a flex with a very large radii, the center may become too far, even outside the house. So this is also on the way, but I will need more ideas in order to make it simple and easy.

And last, but not least - see one nice gallery in the blog with very detailed SCARM screenshots, containing scenes from Indian Railways:

Farrukhabad And More From Indian Railways in SCARM

Here are just 3 of them:

SCARM_FB_007-475x300.jpg


SCARM_FB_012-475x300.jpg


SCARM_FB_006-475x300.jpg


All of them were created with the old v.0.9.24 with a big patience to the detail (respect to the creator). The new v. 0.9.25 with the cylinder figures will be able to produce even more realistic landscapes for those, who are interested to create rich virtual layouts in SCARM.

Mixy
 
Mixy said:
OK, here is the summary of the last comments.
@Fcwilt: Moving will be simplified in the future and Properties dialog will be also expanded. However, tilting of the objects is a different thing and may not appear directly in the user interface.
Mixy
Click to expand...

Well you already know how to do the math to rotate on one axis - expanding that to all three is simple.

Is it the user interface that is of concern?

There is certainly nothing wrong with simply providing a dialog box (or object inspector) with values for the origin (X, Y, Z), the size (X, Y, Z) and angle (Y, Y, Z).

Nine values and you are good to go.

Now being able to do things with the mouse is good but that can be tricky when working in 3D, so allowing the entering of the values numerically is better then nothing.

Of course if you really want to get fancy you could build in support for these:

http://www.3dconnexion.com/

They have a SDK for application developers like yourself.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
User interface or the dialog box are not a problems. The real problem is the correct 2D representation of the rotated object on all 3 axes and the following edit of it with control points and only one view from top. Extending that to more views and making it editable with control points is outside of the SCARM scope. However, even now, SCARM supports complex objects all kind of rotation - that is the way of which all object libraries (i.e. various signals) are created.

Mixy
 
Some users in other forums reported for a strange problem with the new SCARM 0.9.25 after update, mostly on Windows 8 machines. This is probably due to corrupted download of the installation package. It seems that the installer is able to run, but after that, the program crashes on startup. If you also experience such problems, follow the steps described in the link below:

Resolving SCARM Installation Issues

Following all of the steps in the article should help for fixing of the problem.

Mixy
 
Many users asked about the file with the small steam engine that I used for demonstration of the new cylinder features in SCARM v. 0.9.25. Here is it:

Drawing of Prussian T3 Steam Loco in SCARM

The article shows most of the steps in the drawing of a close representation of Prussian T3 loco in HO scale.
In example, below are shown the cylinders that form the wheelset - as parts and assembled:

T3-1a.jpg
T3-1b.jpg


See more pics in the blog post and download the project file to see it on your own PCs.

Mixy
 
In the beginning of November, I launched the new SCARM website, which now has modern look and responsive design and comes with a lot of new and updated information and resources about the program. See it below:

[url]www.scarm.info[/url]

SCARM_new_site_preview_sm.png


The site now works well not only on PCs, but also on tablets and smartphones too. Contents section is rewritten and optimized for easy navigation and access to the most important pages. The same is valid also for the documentation - it has new structure with many new and updated topics. See the new help page here:

Online help & FAQ about SCARM layout software

Hope you will like the new SCARM site :)

Mixy
 
Please note, that the Layers feature in the latest SCARM version is not extensively tested yet and may not always work as planned. If you think that Layers are not working correctly in your SCARM track plan, please post about the problem here or send me a mail to
mail.gif
.

Here are the SCARM modelling blog posts for November.

The next version of SCARM is planned to come in the beginning of 2015 :)

Mixy
 
You must log in or register to reply here.



Back
Top