Templot Club Archive 2007-2020
|
|||
| author | remove search highlighting | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
posted: 29 Dec 2013 15:11 from: grahambeare click the date to link to this post click member name to view archived images |
Whilst I am not competent to use Templot I am happy to use templates from Templot when others ask me to make track for them. A recent request has been received with a PDF for the track plan and that PDF is for an A3 printer. When I measure the length of a 7mm version of a prototype 30'0" rail length that rail is 208mm as against an expected 210mm - given that the track is to be built to S7 standards I am not keen to use the print out "as is" in case the discrepancy impacts upon the geometry of the turnouts. I recollect from previous discussions on forum that (a) Templot can produce a "format" page to calibrate a printer - how is this facility accessed within Templot? How can I adjust the printer output without recourse to using Templot? thank you, Graham Beare |
||
|
posted: 29 Dec 2013 16:30 from: Martin Wynne
click the date to link to this post click member name to view archived images |
grahambeare wrote: Whilst I am not competent to use Templot I am happy to use templates from Templot when others ask me to make track for them. A recent request has been received with a PDF for the track plan and that PDF is for an A3 printer. When I measure the length of a 7mm version of a prototype 30'0" rail length that rail is 208mm as against an expected 210mm - given that the track is to be built to S7 standards I am not keen to use the print out "as is" in case the discrepancy impacts upon the geometry of the turnouts.Hi Graham, It's important when printing PDF template files to select the "no scaling" or 100% option, rather than the default "fit to page" setting. If that doesn't solve the problem, a few pointers: It is better to measure the grid squares rather than the rails. Only straight rails should be measured. On curved track in Templot the rail joints are measured along the track centre-line. The inner rail will be shorter than the set length and the outer rail will be longer. I know this is prototypically wrong -- the outer rail should measure the set length, and special "short rails" should be used at intervals on the inner side to keep the joint stagger within limits. Modellers who wish to go to this level of detail can create it in Templot by using custom partial templates. I didn't do this by default in Templot because model curves are typically much sharper than the prototype, with the consequence that the prototype "short rail" lengths would not be short enough and the joint stagger would have been excessive. The printer calibration function in Templot is available only for printed output. It is not available when creating the native PDF file output because there is no way of knowing which printer it might get printed on. There are two ways round this: 1. Use a free virtual printer PDF generator instead, such as Win2PDF. This appears to Templot as a normal printer, and can therefore be calibrated like any other printer. or 2. Change the output scaling at output > enlarge / reduce size for print, PDF, DXF > set any % ... menu item before creating the PDF file (unlike the printer calibration, this will affect the X and Y directions equally, it is not possible to set separate factors for each). The scaling needed to convert 208mm to 210mm would be 100.96%. Having said all this I strongly ask that you don't create PDF files with built-in corrections for a specific printer. It is very likely that the file will at some stage get printed by someone else on a different printer, and it will then appear that Templot has produced an inaccurate result. It would be very much better for you to install your own copy of Templot (it's free  ). You can then obtain the Templot .box data file from its creator and print it yourself with full access to the printer calibration functions. You don't need to understand how Templot works -- just reload the file and then click the output > print background templates (track plan) menu item. Templot will lead you through the printer calibration process.regards, Martin. |
||
|
posted: 29 Dec 2013 16:42 from: grahambeare click the date to link to this post click member name to view archived images |
Thank you for the prompt response Martin. I no longer have any version of Templot on my machine because I was not able to come to terms with how to use the software - nothing wrong with the product and no criticism made or intended. I measured the length of the outer rail of the straight(est) piece of track... knowing that the originator of the PDF had created a pro-forma for the 30' plain line track panel I used the outer rail measurement to establish the accuracy of the track plan output from my A3 printer. Noting your warning regarding printer-specific PDF files, option 2 is the only sensible route at this time given the distance between the owner of the layout and myself. I shall ensure that the owner is aware of the potential for confusion. thank you, Graham |
||
|
posted: 29 Dec 2013 17:11 from: grahambeare click the date to link to this post click member name to view archived images |
Taking note of Martin's comment about grid lines, I have measured the output across grid lines at 30" and 42" with the result of 11 and 57/64 inches which is 100.92 - a more consistent method of establish the percentage error in the output. Thank you. |
||
| Please read this important note about copyright: Unless stated otherwise, all the files submitted to this web site are copyright and the property of the respective contributor. You are welcome to use them for your own personal non-commercial purposes, and in your messages on this web site. If you want to publish any of this material elsewhere or use it commercially, you must first obtain the owner's permission to do so. |