Reverse Loop Module

[Thommo57]

I have a track plan set up but I am still having trouble setting up the reverse loop module/s. It's quite a complex set up. I have a PDF diagram of the plan but am unsure how to upload it for people to see and hopefully offer a solution. Would you please let me know how I can do this? Thanks Geoff

[2e0dtoeric]

This was answered a couple of days ago!

Look up - https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/hornby-r8238-dcc-reverse-loop-control-module/?p=1

[Chrissaf]

Geoff, welcome to the forum.

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Giving assistance on Reverse Loop design is something I have done for others on this forum more than once.

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You can't upload a PDF directly to this forum, but if you can convert it to an image (.JPG <2MB) then you can upload that instead. You are correct, if you want someone here to advise on a working solution for dealing with Reverse Loops on your proposed layout design, we will need to see the design.

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Is this PDF showing a bog standard commercially designed Hornby track plan. If so, does it have a number code, something like Plan 2D or Plan 6B for example. If it does, just tell us the plan number and most likely it can be looked up. If it isn't a standard plan, then you will need to follow the more long winded procedure documented below.

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Do you have a 'cloud file sharing' service, perhaps one provided by your ISP as part of your broadband package. If you do, then you you could upload your PDF to that and post a URL link to it in the forum. If not continue reading.

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If the plan is completely propriety and we need to see the actual one in your PDF then follow this procedure. Where possible this procedure uses tools built into standard Windows PC operating system as I have no idea what additional software you might have available to you to use. So do deviate from this guide if you feel you have software on your PC that can do it easier.

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1. Load your PDF into Acrobat Reader DC edition (free to download from Adobe.com if you do not have it installed). So that your track plan is displayed on screen.
2. In the absence of any screen capture software on your PC press the "Print Screen' key and the screen image of your PC will be copied to your PC clipboard.
3. Open Windows "Paint".
4. Use the 'Paste' command to copy the screen shot from your clipboard into the 'Paint' program. If you can, use the Paint program "Crop" tool to reduce the image down to just the section of image containing the actual track plan. This is similar to the Acrobat Reader DC edition 'Snapshot' process given further below. So using either this 'Crop' process or the Acrobat 'Snapshot' process will obtain the same result.
5. Use the 'File' menu in 'Paint' and select the "Save as" option to save the image as a JPEG file.
6. Use "Windows Explorer" to check the size of the JPEG (.JPG) file to ensure that it is less than 2MB. If it is more than 2MB you will need to reduce the size using a free online image resizer if you do not have anything on your PC that can do this already.

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Alternatively, If you have "Acrobat Reader DC" edition you can do the following instead of Step 2 above.

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After opening the PDF file in Acrobat Reader, open the "Edit" menu and choose the "Take a Snapshot" option. You can then select the area of the screen containing your track plan and copy it to your clipboard. This is the preferred better method because the 'Snapshot' tool allows you to select just the part of the screen containing the track plan (this will reduce the overall file size). The 'Print Screen' key option in Step 2 copies the whole PC screen, potentially creating a much bigger file with less visible detail.

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/media/tinymce_upload/80059a1251f72bac5b0655c546c51176.jpg

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Now continue from Step 3 above

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OK, now you have an image of your PDF page in .JPG format and it is less than 2MB in size.

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To post the image into a Hornby forum post use the 'Black & White Hill and Moon' icon in the 'create / reply to a post' tool box.

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/media/tinymce_upload/7a9e9874620e3177bcc3e6a2fd18f986.jpg

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A "browse" dialogue box will open, navigate to and select your newly created .JPG image. The image will open in your reply text box.

/media/tinymce_upload/a083c56f4496eb1549df7027718cdbec.jpg

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Add any text you might want to add as part of the reply post. Then 'Save'.

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Note this however, the post now contains an image and will be held back from immediate publication until the image has been authorised by the Hornby forum administrator. The administrator only does this function during normal weekday office hours. So any image posted today (Saturday) will not appear until Monday.