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Measure gap between track ends

Started by donone, September 12, 2019, 05:05:44 PM

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donone

I think it would be useful to be able to click two pieces of track and have the gap automatically measured rather than have to use a ruler which is moved and aligned by hand, which could be inaccurate.
What comes to mind is the attached picture file.
You only stop learning when you die.
Sometimes I think I am dead.

Paul Fawcett

In principle, can you reckon this just by displaying the endpoints for each and subtracting? What you're proposing is maybe only meaningful when the tracks are aligned.. what about when they are not?  I guess an implied radius needed to connect them could be calculated?

donone

Subtraction could be used but though I am an 'oldie' and can do mental arithmetic, it is not so easy with two decimal places, or even one, thus a calcultor would be needed, with all the implications of having it to hand etc. Much simpler the way I suggest... however, I appreciate what you say regarding alignment, which my picture does not require, but perhaps a halway house and provide it for the simple example shown?
You only stop learning when you die.
Sometimes I think I am dead.

Tom Springer

Why not just make a short piece of flex track, put it in the gap connected to both track ends and then you know the length of the gap - the length of that track.  And have the gap filled, if that is the ultimate objective.

Of course, if you're using a track system that doesn't have flex track, then you're rather limited.  But then, how would you fill that gap?

I prefer whenever possible to have AnyRail make these 'calculations' for me; I've already wasted too many brain cells in this life... :P
Tom Springer

(Unintentional Pyromaniac)

donone

#4
@Tom Springer: I seem to detect a conflict here. You seem to be against Anyrail doing the calculation then at the end suggesting that you prefer Anyrail to do these calculations.

I am not familiar yet with cutting Flex Track but assume a measurement is preferable to get the fit? I will have to investigate the best way to cut to size :)

On the diagram before any cutting of real rail? just leave a gap as shown above??
You only stop learning when you die.
Sometimes I think I am dead.

Tom Springer

You missed the point.  What I said was to put a piece of flex track in and fill the gap.  Then if you need to know the length of that track, AnyRail will tell you.  You don't have to calculate anything that way.


Handling flex track is simple; put a piece on the layout and if it's very long, with it selected, go to the top of the screen and in the Track tab that is open, use the 'Straight Flex' option to set a value, make it very small and put the resulting small track piece in to close the gap, connecting each end to the track ends that are creating the gap.  Or you can right-click on the flex track a small distance from the end, select the 'cut flex here' option from the pop-up list, the track is now 2 pieces connected together; then select the longer piece and delete it; then you have the small piece to put into the gap to connect to both sides of the gap.
Tom Springer

(Unintentional Pyromaniac)

donone

@Tom Springer: You are correct, I did miss the point, thinking you meant insert real track on the layout. Thank you very much for your explanation of how to do what you really meant.
You only stop learning when you die.
Sometimes I think I am dead.

David

If you click on one endpoint to select it, and then hover the other endpoint at the other end of the gap, the distance is displayed on the status bar.

If you just want to cross the gap with flex, then simply drag each flex outer control point onto the existing endpoints, then click the flex to select it and click 'Smooth flex' on the TRACK menu.
David Hoogvorst. Founder and Owner of DRail Software. Creator of AnyRail.

poppy2201

Interesting David, I never realized that.  Thanks.
Charles J.

donone

Thank you David, there is something to learn everyday.
You only stop learning when you die.
Sometimes I think I am dead.

C.R. Wagus

Great discussion guys!

Like Tom, I have been using the flex track approach.  When building yard ladders or anything involving switches where the connecting track may not be linear, this works very well.  David, your method sounds very intriguing.  I will try it soon.  Do you get only a straight line distance or the length of a curved connecting track section?  Tom's method gives accurate distances along a curve as well.

Carl

David

While measuring, you may also see two letters appearing:
O - ends are exactly opposite, so at 180 degrees.
A - ends are aligned, so they can be connected with a straight.
David Hoogvorst. Founder and Owner of DRail Software. Creator of AnyRail.