Support for modules by allowing grouping tracks and surface objects

[LLJ]

As modules are growing more popular, it would be great if AnyRail had support of drawing and handling those aswell.
If you could group rectangles, circles and tracks it would be easy to create and name modules and move them around to test new setups. But I havn't found a way to group them together i current version.

/Lars

[glakedylan]

I just inserted two rectangles of same size into the grid. I used rectangles that would be modular size (24" x 96"). I aligned them next to each other (making two points of each shared points by highlighting and moving). I then highlighted both and clicked pon GROUP and they were grouped into one rectangle.

Thus, I think it is a function already provided. One just needs to provide a large enough grid in the settings to begin with. Or, one needs to provide a large enough grid to pasted copied rectangles to in order to group. They all need to be on the same grid for the group function to work.

Sincerely,
Gary L Lake Dillensnyder

[RhB_HJ]

Gary,

What is presently missing is the ability to take all objects/elements on a plan highlight them and then group. You'll see that the track elements will not be included in the group.

The function needed for modules requires that everything is included.

I have found a so-so workaround for rectangular or square modules.

[glakedylan]

ah...OK...i did not include any track...should have thought this through further.
thanks for the correction!

Gary L Lake Dillensnyder

[Jeff]

I wish it would happen, but that will be for some future version. I have supported this for a long time.

[RhB_HJ]

And here my work-around:

Draw the modules to whatever standard they are in real life. The joints need to sit at the edge of the module and the entire plan has the same size as the module (No spare room border or work area!!!!)
Save and then export as a JPEG (Entire Plan)

Import the different modules to whatever floor plan you will be working with. Flip and/or rotate as required.

Not the ideal, but workable and accurate - or at least as accurate as your module plans are to start with - AND it will work equally well in Imperial or Metric.
Anyone with a copy of AR can then design and populate his/her modules and whoever does the floor plan only needs to import the JPEGs of the finished modules.

PS It really helps the JPEG quality if everyone uses the same Zoom setting when exporting to JPEG i.e. the detail or loss of detail will be the same for all modules.

[baldylox]

Bringing this too the top

There still seems to be no option to group track into objects. 

[vmctee]

This seems to be the longest desired, not-yet-implemented request.  As I mentioned in a post a year or so ago whereas someone designing a home layout may only do a couple of layouts and a lot of tweaking with AnyRail in a lifetime those of us doing modular layouts do that in a month.  Even with its limitations for the modular modeller, North Texas T-Trak used it to design 11 layouts so far in 2012 (with 2-3 revisions for each layout) and we still have a couple of exhibits remaining this year.  Our layout designs can be seen on each event page at http://ttrak.wikidot.com/nttt-events-in-2011.  Feel free to download our club's master inventory file from the wiki (root area for our club) to see how we use simple objects to represent our modules or look at the T-Trak User Object library in version 5.   

Yes, it would be much better to have the ability to group track with an object.  Until this feature is implemented we shall continue to use objects with crude line segments for track.

-Vic
North Texas T-Trak

[David]

We are looking at a way to provide support for modules, but not by grouping track.

The plan is as follows: A surface can be 'upgraded' to a module. For any element, it can be defined that it is bound to this module.
That way, moving, copying and rotating modules becomes very simple.

David.

[vmctee]

We are looking at a way to provide support for modules...

That is great news!  I'm willing to assist in any way I can.

-Vic
North Texas T-Trak

[LLJ]

That is realy great news.

Hope that it will implemented soon, as modular modelrailroading is growing fast.

/Lars

[LLJ]

Any developpment on this for next release?

/Lars

[LLJ]

Still no modules support in ver 5.8?

/Lars

[Jeff]

LLJ...

While it seems like a long time to you, you should keep in mind that AnyRail (and other things) consist only of David and his wife. It may not be as fast as you want it, but with time it will happen.

[David]

It's the main current project. However, there are (as always) a lot of things to consider.

For instance, when creating modules, it's often required to cut sectional track on the module edges.
Cutting sectional track is not possible yet.

So yes, there's progression, but it's more work than first anticipated.

David.