model railroad track planning

[Husky]

The 'Create Track' dialog window is opening properly now, thanks very much

That is what I like to hear! Thanks for the feedback!

[smf]

The 'Create Track' dialog window is opening properly now, thanks very much

Glad to see, thanks for reporting!

Coordinate Formates are partly mixed up.
In "Create Track" I see my QCAD settings used (Decimal Point = DOT).
In Variegate I have to use Comma and the Dialog is showing both - dot and comma.

Yes. I have to change all current QDoubleSpinBox widgets into RMathLineEdit widgets, then everything should look "well and like QCad". Unfortunately, so far I couldn't convince Qt Designer to promote LineEdit as RMathLineEdit, so at the moment on dialog changes I have to manually change LineEdit <=> RMathLineEdit twice. But at the moment the user interface seems to be kind of stable, so I will change all dialogs for the next version. I was very busy the last days, but I am full of hope for QCTrack making progress the next days.

[smf]

Sooooo. Attached was the current version 76 with most of Husky's suggestions. The new function "Insert exploded block" might be useful to re-use existing blocks (and even might be useful for "normal" use beside QCTrack). All dialogs should be consistent with other QCad dialogs (no QDoubleSpinBox, instead only RMathLineEdit).

Please feel free to post any suggestion or comment here, I'm happy to see people using QCTrack.

Edit: found a bug in Variegate / Fill Straight after moving to RMathEditLine. After fixing it, there will be a new post.

[smf]

Attached is another (basic) example library for Ninco slot car tracks.

[smf]

Attached is an example of how to use the QCTrack align function. If you have one or more tracks that should be aligned to another track but moved only on an (may be arbitrary) axis, you can do this:

• Select tracks to align.
• Select QCTrack / Align or type QA.
• Select to-be-aligned track end.
• Select target track end.
• Select track axis.

At the start of the animated GIF the three curves are inserted via Track Widget in combination with QN and QR (insert new track and rotate).

[smf]

Fixed Variegate in QCTrack version 77.

[smf]

Attached is an example of how to use the QCTrack align function. If you have track ends in a straight line, you can (try to) connect them:

• Select QCTrack / Fill with straight tracks or type QF.
• Select track ends to connect.
• Check / modify maximum use of track elements (first example: 077 is limited to 1, second example: 077 is unlimited) and hit "Ok".
• Wait. This can really take some time if you have many different track elements and/or a long distance.
• Select one combination. In the result table, each column show one combination with overall-length and element-count (overall and per track element type).
• Hit Ok.

[Husky]

The new function "Insert exploded block" might be useful to re-use existing blocks (and even might be useful for "normal" use beside QCTrack).

Hi smf - it seems you are really busy.

Thanks for the new version - I'm right now trying to understand this "Insert exploded block".

Ok, I can insert an exploded block in my drawing, the block name is still in the block list but empty - and the previously inserted copies in my drawing (of this particular block) will all be gone.
And then .... ?

That makes not really sense to me - what more do I need to know about this new feature to understand the purpose of it.

[smf]

Hi Husky,

Ok, I can insert an exploded block in my drawing, the block name is still in the block list but empty - and the previously inserted copies in my drawing (of this particular block) will all be gone.
And then .... ?
That makes not really sense to me - what more do I need to know about this new feature to understand the purpose of it.

Hum, ok. I see some here.

My intention was to provide a tool that inserts the exploded elements of a block into another block - so far I couldn't find a way in QCad to insert the elements of a block into another block without inserting it on the model_paper, then exploding it and then cut+paste into the destination block. I think this could be useful if you have something like a three-way-turnout or parts beside a track you want to re-use.

Does this make any sense?

[smf]

...insert exploded track seems to work - but not the way it is wanted... The original lines are removed and not cloned although clone is called... I have to debug this...

[smf]

Attached is version 78 with fixed Insert Exploded Block (now the elements are really copied).

[smf]

Attached is a library for "Märklin Spur Z" (Maerklin 1:220 scale) tracks. The creation of the double-slip switch (German: "Doppelkreuzungsweiche") was a bit tricky, so perhaps the library may be useful for people playing with Maerklin Z.

[smf]

Attached is an example for Maerklin Z as dxf and image:

Maerklin Z plan image

Allg_Z01_Frueher.png (95.1 KiB) Viewed 5064 times

[Husky]

Hello smf

I used your Spielplan.dxf for testing and one of my experience is this: Two single straight tracks (MC24172) in my drawing, not connected (distance ~740.81...), Tool "Fill with straight tracks" and this settings ...

Worldhusky-2015.01.21-02.png (30.27 KiB) Viewed 4917 times

... will crash QCAD Pro on my XP. Maybe I did something wrong but on the other hand it should not crash QCAD. Any Idea on this?

Secondly: Not "extremely" important but nice to have for all upcoming user would be a sort of Version Info. What do you think?

[smf]

Hi Husky,

thanks for the report, I can reproduce this: QCad is crashing under XUbuntu 14.04, too. I think this has something to do with "no result" and "ok clicking" - if there is no solution, a message should appear or at least the ok-button should be disabled. I will insert this in the next version. And yes, some kind of "version info" would be nice, but, hm, in a separate menu item "QCTrack version"?