BagEndJct Posted May 31, 2020 Share Posted May 31, 2020 I've been happily making station announcement recordings for various scenarios at my 4-platform main station, even recruiting a female neighbour with a good voice for some recordings. I add a good echo and place the recordings in the RM directory. I also create icons to go with the annonucments, and programs to play each announcement. I then go into Layout Design and use 'programmable buttons', placing the icons and associating the button with the program. eg "2AW" plays the announcement appropriate for the train arriving at platform 2 which is for Weymouth. I've been going along happily extending the library of announcements but suddenly hit a snag. The number of icons displayable in the window that pops up to place an icon (see my screenshot here) is limited by how far you can scroll to the right in that window. It is not infinite. So far, I've overcome it by giving names to the icons alphabetically "higher" than the others, eg the name starts with a @ symbol. But it means I can no longer access icons towards the end of an alphabetically sorted list. I wondered if anyone has a more elegant solution fo achieving what it is I'm trying to achieve? Many thanks. /media/tinymce_upload/a0a293fbae2b60f3456a33518aa25280.png Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted May 31, 2020 Share Posted May 31, 2020 Not exactly the answer you are looking for, which I reckon will be - there is a physical limit to the number of buttons you can display. There seems to be a top limit on a lot of things, loco groups, etc. Make your own icons - there are various apps but the Windows default Paint is as good as any. You build your button pixel by pixel then shrink the motto until it fits the RM button size, then call this up in your design. There was a post about exactly how to do this long ago on the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St1ngr4y Posted May 31, 2020 Share Posted May 31, 2020 Hi BEJ, I am assuming that, unlike me, you do not run your trains using RM programs, otherwise you would probably incorporate the Station Announcements in the programs. So, why not create a one-line program for each announcement? You could give each program the same name as the sound file. They would appear in the dropdown list on the main screen, and I am sure the limit of that list is much higher than that of the number of icons, which you have hit. Not quite as simple as clicking an icon on the display, but it's the only alternative I can think of. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St1ngr4y Posted May 31, 2020 Share Posted May 31, 2020 Hello again BEJ, Having given this a little more thought, it seems to me as if the only reason for creating new (individual) icons for your announcements, is so that you can have the 3-letter code for the announcement displayed on the button. Why not use less (different) buttons but put the code of the announcement as a label beside the button. Something like this ... /media/tinymce_upload/8d061435b9004ae5a0ded65697c7bcd9.png Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BagEndJct Posted June 1, 2020 Author Share Posted June 1, 2020 Thank you, thank you! For the buttons, I use dabuttonfactory.com, Rob. It took a bit of getting used to but they suit me. I like the idea of the label next to an icon. Without exploring too far, I don't think there is a limit on the number of icons, it's just that you can only access the number allowed by the width of the scroll bar in the "Programmable Button" window within Layout Design. As long as I don't wish to access "old" buttons I do believe I can go on creating and using new ones as long as I keep them at the top of the alphabetically sorted list. It just offends my desire for things to work properly, really. Clicking a button on the layout is so much quicker than scrolling down through the list of programs in the main window but it is certainly an option. I really think these announcements add a lot to the operation of the layout. I have tried running things using programs, Ray, but find my trains keep stopping in the wrong place! As I am also a keen video maker and editor, I have a good editing program (Vegas Pro) and I record and apply effects within that. Thanks for the advice, as ever. It is much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St1ngr4y Posted June 1, 2020 Share Posted June 1, 2020 I really think these announcements add a lot to the operation of the layout. I have tried running things using programs, Ray, but find my trains keep stopping in the wrong place! . There are ways for you to have greater control over where trains stop when operated by a program, which I would be glad to discuss if you are interested. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Surrey Posted June 1, 2020 Share Posted June 1, 2020 @St1ngr4yI would be interested in being involved in these discussions too as although I have the same frustrations as @BagEndJct given the lack of any form of loco detection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St1ngr4y Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 @St1ngr4yI would be interested in being involved in these discussions too as although I have the same frustrations as @BagEndJct given the lack of any form of loco detection Hi Chris, Ok, rather than hijack this thread, I've created a new one which can be viewed here. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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