improting backgrouds to designs

[vistisen]

One of the features that I have used in TEMPLOT that I really miss in Anyrail is the option to import an photo or map of a real location and be able to set that as a background so that tracks can be laid on top of a map of a real railway. This would also be useful for people like me who build their own points using templot designs. We can currently export anyrail jpgs for use as backgrounds in Templot, but not do it the other way round, and import a templot jpg of a point heavy section. for example a station approach, and then use Anyail to design the main lines, which is much easier than doing them in Templot (Martin W) recommends AnyRail on the main page of his website for doing just this!

[David]

It's quite easy to do this:
1. Create a rectangle using the drawing tools.
2. Select it by clicking on its outline, and click 'Load image...' on the SURFACE menu at the top.
3. Select the image you want. It'll be displayed on the rectangle.
4. Scale it as you wish. Use 'Adjust outline' to size the rectangle to fit the image.
5. Tick the 'Background' box on the SURFACE menu to make sure it's drawn behind everything.

[vistisen]

Hi David, I've just got back from holiday!

I should have guessed that this was possible. But it is quite hard to match scale. I have tried drawing a line of known length on a templot design and then mucked about with the size trying to get it to match a line of the same length in Any design. It's quite hard. For once ( and only for once) The Templot dialog box is more precise and dare I say it, more intuitive for importing backgrounds. ( I never thought I would say that Templot is easier to use than AnyRail ) I only hope Martin does not see this. I'll never live it down.

[David]

It's easier when you know the size of the image, say an A4 scan. Then you can directly set it to the correct size.