SCARM with RailMaster?

[4091Dudley]

Hi

Does anyone know if its possible to directly download a SCARM design into railmaster?

If you can't, would be useful functionality...

Thanks!

[Chrissaf]

No you can't.

I use SCARM as well as RM. Completely different software file specifications. Hornby can't even import track designs from its own Hornby Track Designer software into RM, so no chance it ever doing it with a piece of Freeware (SCARM).

[Fishmanoz]

You'll find that doing your own schematic design is very simple once you start, either by starting with one of the design in RM or from scratch.  If you start with one in RM, make sure you save it to a new file name or you will lose it when you install an upgrade to the software.

[96RAF]

SCARM now has the facility to draw up an RM type schematic, so if you find SCARM easy to use then knock out your layout plan as a schematic and generate the general layout so devised into an RM schematic.

[Chrissaf]

Rob,

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"SCARM now has the facility to draw up an RM type schematic"

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Can you elaborate please. I have updated my SCARM installation to latest version 9.29 and can not find the feature you have eluded to.

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Chris

[Yelrow]

He has the cyprus version, i looked at it, but its all greek to me. john

[RB51]

Hi Chris - > track library > objects > symbols > square tiles

R-

[Chrissaf]

Thanks Roger, found them.

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Seems to me a lot of extra effort. You have to do the design twice. Once in SCARM, then again to replicate it in RM. Since the design process is so similar, makes sense to me to do it once directly in RM. The one advantage I do see for doing it in SCARM first, in SCARM you have a bigger canvas to work with. In RM you need to have a clear vision of what you are trying to create if a relatively large layout as the view of the available canvas can be limited.

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Regards & Best Wishes

Chris

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EDIT: Having just given the SCARM version a try-out. I see you can create your design a lot faster in SCARM, there are less mouse moves and clicks and minimal need to drag and drop compared to RM.

[RB51]

I think you are right Chris - for me not worth the effort for a mimic, say. Where I do think SCARM is helpful is:-

1 Ensuring that what you want to do will fit your space available

2 You can change your mind umpteen times at no cost

3 You get a "parts list"

R-

[Chrissaf]

Absolutely Roger,

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I spent weeks visualising my layout in SCARM, with multiple reiterations before putting my hand in my pocket. The parts list was absolutely spot on. I built mine in flexi-track. After the last piece of track was laid I was left with six track offcuts none of which longer than 100mm. SCARM calculated everything down to the last millimetre.

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PS - As my design ideas grew, so did the size of the baseboard I would need to fulfill them. Would have been a near impossibility without SCARM. Originally working on a planned board size of 8ft x 4ft. Ended up being 8ft x 6ft 6".

[RB51]

So, I'm not sure if Dudley is saying "Would it be useful...." or "It would be useful...."

 

R-

[Chrissaf]

I think the latter, Roger

[4091Dudley]

Thanks all - much aporeviayed

 

roger - definitely the latter.  The idea you can drag and drop it in would save me time

on other points, I agree that scarm is very intuitive to use- particularly with set track - and had helped me get a workable design into my small space.  Where I think it is weak is for a) adding Am electrics plan and b) seeing what scenery / buildings fit.  I know you can do the latter but it's a bit fiddly

parts list also helpful. If I was a retailer with a major online presence, i'd have a link to somrthing like scarm to drive ordering.  It was a bit of a pain to type each part into the search box and cross check.

[RB51]

Hi Dudley - thanks, it's nice to be aporeviayed (I think). You have some great ideas there, maybe someone will do it one day as a result of reading this forum. Just not possible at the moment. R-

[96RAF]

One of the things I suggested to Mixy to add to SCARM was buildings such as Metcalfe kits. I provided him with dimensions and photos of my goods shed and he drew it with the intention of making like structures as menu items. The example was simplified without much detail but he was working on it.

[MetmanUK]

SCARM is for designing a layout whilst the schematic in RM is merely a representation of the significant parts of a layout.  In most cases, one will only pay a passing resemblance to the other.  In my case, with multiple levels and a shape that does not fit easily onto a screen, the resemblance is minimal.