ZRound Track Designer

Table of contents

Introduction

Track Designer is a drawing tool thought to design Mini-Z and D-Nano track layouts. The layouts are build with standard 50cm RCP-Track tiles and different standard kits are included.

Software is included into ZRound Suite but you can copy the binary (TrackDesigner.exe) and use it standalone (it doesn't needs installation). Also, it is available on www.zround.com downloads page.

Features

  • Define track layout in “tiles” or “meters”
  • Draw any size layout
  • Uses standard RCP Tiles and kits
  • Measuremet of track length
  • Exports “Simulation” layouts to use with ZRound Raceplay™ view
  • Export to file & clipboard as bitmap
  • Copy to “printer friendly” bitmap
  • Undo
  • Copy/paste blocks
  • Insert/remove rows/columns
  • Rotate/Mirror
  • Stock control (amount of different tiles used)

The main screen

Once you open the application the main screen is shown. It is a Windows MDI (multi-document interface) application, it means you can edit as many layout as you want into the aplication.

The main manu has several options with shortcuts on the tool bar bellow.

Under the tool bar you can see the layout dimmensions, measurement units, cursor position and track length.

Next we will explain in detail all menu/options

File Menu

CommandDescription
NewCreate a new file
LoadLoad a layout from file
Save as…Save current layout with a different filename
SaveSave to file
Save allSave all opened layouts
PrintPrint current layout
BackgroundUse a bitmap as background1) image for current layout
Save as jpegSave current layout as bitmap file (.jpeg format)
Export to ZRound Track Simulator…Export current layout to a .zts file (ZRound Track Simulator). This file can be loaded into ZRound RacePlay view
CloseClose current layout
Close allClose all opened layouts
ExitQuit

Edit Menu

CommandDescription
UndoUndo last change, you can use undo several times to go backwards
Copy ImageCopy current layout to the clipboard as bitmap
Copy Printable ImageCopy current layout to the clipboard in a printer friendly color scheme
Clear MarksClear selection marks from tiles (unselect all)
Flip VerticalFlip the layout vertically (top↔bottom)
Flip HorizontalFlip the layout horizontally (left↔right)
Rotate 90ºRotate the layout 90º
StockShows the stock submenu (see bellow)

OptionDescription
Add Wide-L Add Wide-L kit tiles to the stock
Add Diagonal Add Diagonal kit tiles to the stock
Add Large CurveAdd Large Curve kit tiles to the stock
Add Wide OvalAdd Wide Oval kit tiles to the stock
Add Large Radius OvalAdd Large Radius Oval kit tiles to the stock
ClearClear stock (set to zero tiles)

View Menu

CommandDescription
TileStandard Windows Tile presentation
CascadeStandard Windows Cascade presentation
Organize(unused)
BackgroundShow/Hide Background bitmap (see File Menu)
ShowPathShow/Hide the path line drawing
View ToolboxShow the ToolBox
Display GridDisplay grid when layout is saved/copied to clipboard

ToolBox

You have a toolbox as floating window you can place where you want. The tool selected will be used into the layout when drawing

These are the available tools:

CommandDescription
ArrowSelect tiles
DropperUse the selected tile for drawing
RulerDraw the path to measure the track length and to give a way to the vehicles in the ZRound Track Simulator
PencilDraw using the current drawing tile
EraserErase the selected tile

The drawing tile is shown under the tools icon. If you click on the image, the tile will rotate 90º.

Drawing the Track Path

Track Path line is drawn for two purposes:

  • To measure the track length. It is computed based on the route you draw. Different routes will give you differents track lengths
  • To show the path the vehicles will follow in an ideal route. It is used if you export the layout to ZRound Track Simulator. You can see a simulation by using the play icon (black triangle) at right in the main tool bar.

The line begin when you click the left mouse button and ends when you release it. :!:If you want to continue drawing you must use the shift key, otherwise the draw will start from the last click point.

The track path drawn in yellow by default. You can change its color by clicking on the left rectangle near the “Track Path” label.

:?: Example: Track path (yellow line) drawn on a Wide-L RCP Track with an estimate length of 8.32m for the route

Available Parts

All available parts used to draw the layout are placed at left into the main window. There are different pages to make easy the location of standar and kit tiles.

All Kit pages have these options:

  • Group Tiles: When checked, the entire kit will be used to draw instead single tiles. The kit will be deployed in the cursor position.
  • Mark: Show a green point in the middle of the drawn tiles belonging the kit.
  • Reset: (unused)

Close to the tiles there are an edit box and a label. They are used to control the stock and usage of tiles. You can enter the number of each tile type you have or use the Edit/Stock menus to add all tiles belonging the different kits. When you use a tile it will be counted and shown in the label at righ of the tile type. When there is no stock it will be shown in red.

  • Standard tiles

Kits

Kits are collection of tiles sold in standard packages with tile design different from standard spare parts.

  • Diagonals

  • Large Curve

  • Large Curve Wide Oval

Drawing

Designing is easy, it is done like you where drawing with any painting application.

The selected tile for drawing from the available tiles/kits is used to draw when you click on the layout (and the pencil tool is selected). With every click the tile under cursor will be rotated 90º. When drawing straight tiles, the application will use standard curves to accomodate turns if you use a continue drawing line (without releasing the mouse button)

There are some tricks you can use to draw even easier:

  • Erase tile under cursor: Ctrl-Click (cursor will change to blank tile)
  • Use the tile under cursor as new pen: Alt-Click (cursor will change to “hand tool”)

:!: Remember to use the context menu (left mouse button)

Learn More

1)
It can be used for non RCP-Track on an empty layout. You can draw the track path to measure the track length and to use the ZRound Track Simulator feature
manuals/trackdesigner/track_designer.txt · Last modified: 2020/01/23 23:09 by zround
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