Expidia Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 (edited) A search turns up a lot of outdated posts on the subject. Seems there used to be a free version of the Scalextric track layout design software, but the down load no longer opens (at least on my iOS Mac desktop). I current have my set up in an oval on an 8 x 10 on a sheet of plywood off the floor on saw horses. But I'd like some type of layout design software where I could plug in my current track sections and it would give me a layout I could use on my hardwood floor for a temporary set up. I can't see paying for a subscription for using it so little. Even the old free Scalextric software had a 50 section limit. Anything out there? Edited February 27 by Expidia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy P. Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 Your search should have shown that most use UltimateRacer. You can design for free but saving more than 30 pieces costs money. Workaround: Print the full layout to a PDF file, save the layout in sections that only have 30 pieces or less. I personally like Anyrail. The layouts was more accurate than Ultimate racer. Some restrictions apply but see the above workarounds for ideas... There is a new thread on here where I also gave some tips on layouts... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Expidia Posted February 28 Author Share Posted February 28 Thanks Andy . . . You're the best 👍🏻 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Expidia Posted March 4 Author Share Posted March 4 Update: I posted this in another forum where I asked the same question: Those design apps are great. I can't understand why Scalectrix did not keep their own free design layout app going it would only serve to help them sell more track? Since I only had 8 x 4 sheet of plywood to squeeze a better layout into a very kind forum member ran my numbers of track sections through his design program and sent me a layout that would work for me accounting for a portion of the 80 sections of Sport Track I had from combining my two sets together. He came up with a layout that added 17 more sections than the oval I was running which brought my total racing surface up to 34 feet (from 20 feet). Using 44 sections of track. I'm sworn to secrecy and can't release him/her's name for fear others would burn up even more of him/her's time like I already took advantage of. I think he/her said they live deep in the jungles of the Brazilian Amazon with spotty wifi . . . So don't even attempt to find him/her . . . My lips are sealed 🫦 But here is a generalized pic of my new layout for others 8 x 4 users to check out 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy P. Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 Nice! Scalextric/Hornby have had rough economic times for many years so they have to be very judicious on what they spend money on. I can actually get the old track designer to work in compatibility mode but figuring out how to set a table size was too tricky so I went with AnyRail... I have a small suggestion: Take out the half straight after the ARC PRO powerbase and move the powerbase to the left. You can then add a half straight (single or regular i.e. 2-lane) inside the pit lane and make it a little more usable. :-) One other thing: Maybe it is the picture but it appears as if you have the lane changer in the middle the wrong way round. Over all a good digital layout! Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Expidia Posted March 5 Author Share Posted March 5 Thanks Andy, ya I caught the backwards lane changer the first lap around the track (you have a good eye). The pic I posted was just for the general design layout while fitting sections together. That is not the finished layout. The finished one spreads the pit lane apart. I did not know I could do that especially since I can run up to 6 cars (I only have 4 cars). I just took a pic of it now. The only thing that goes against the Quick start guide is I have the Arc in the middle not to either side of the pit. The forum member who sent me the layout said the only thing I lose is the lap count when the car is in the pit. What say you about that? As you can see I can't move the arc to the left. And if I go to the right I lose the needed track sections which includes the pit sensors becasue he suggested being too close to a curve before entering into the pit. First pic is the first layout. 2nd pic is final layout. Also notice the difference in those skinny track pieces until I removed the vertical skinnies on each side of the Arc. Somehow it all fit together without a gap. Standing all 9 skinny sections up on the edge of a table they are all the same size. I still never figured out if it is the skinnies that were cut incorrectly or the pit tracks or the Arc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTSR_NSE Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 (edited) @Expidia - looking at your images: • the Arc/Counter section is equivalent to 2 of the single lane sections. • the Pit entry/exit sections are each equivalent to 3 of the single lane sections. • the issue is that the v. short dual track sections are not exactly half the length of the single lane sections - so they cannot (possibly aren’t intended to?) be used alongside the single lane sections Edited March 5 by LTSR_NSE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy P. Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 The Magic App has an option that when a car pits (regardless of where on the track) a lap is added. That is the easiest work around... I have used standard half straights in pitlanes so I always assumed they were the same length as the single straight pieces... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Expidia Posted March 6 Author Share Posted March 6 (edited) 17 hours ago, LTSR_NSE said: @Expidia - looking at your images: • the Arc/Counter section is equivalent to 2 of the single lane sections. • the Pit entry/exit sections are each equivalent to 3 of the single lane sections. • the issue is that the v. short dual track sections are not exactly half the length of the single lane sections - so they cannot (possibly aren’t intended to?) be used alongside the single lane sections Good call. Never though of that but that was just from a first layout section. Then he changed it to the 2nd one without using the vertical short tract sections. But using no layout and just laying the pit sections on the floor and aligning the single lane sections side by side as they need to be still there was a 1/4 inch difference. Yet it's disappeared in the final layout. What is an explanation for the difference in length between the pit and the single tracks in these 3 pics? First pic is the left side, 2nd pic is the left, 2nd pic is the right side, 3rd is the whole pit section. Edited March 6 by Expidia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTSR_NSE Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 (edited) The explanation is that the single lane sections are intended as follows: • 3 alongside pit entry section • 3 alongside pit exit section • rest within pit lane itself • the grid marking & Arc/counter sections are intended alongside the within pit lane sections. Edited March 6 by LTSR_NSE 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Expidia Posted March 6 Author Share Posted March 6 Thanks for all of your comments. This layout is my latest one since it was suggested the the Arc can't be in the middle of the pit! Pit is a little shorter, but I'm dealing with an 8 x 4 layout so everythings a trade off as I don't want the pit on the opposite side of the table. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy P. Posted March 7 Share Posted March 7 That`s what I was talking about. 🙂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Expidia Posted March 7 Author Share Posted March 7 (edited) Andy, why is this the only forum that cuts us off from editing and correcting our spelling errors very shortly after we post. I'm not a typist, Spell check is awful and Siri puts in what Siri wants to put in! The only solution I see by not being able to edit for spelling corrections (to not look like an idiot for perpetuity) is to do a duplicate post with the corrections then a mod can delete the first post or leave them both up there! Edited March 7 by Expidia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy P. Posted March 7 Share Posted March 7 You have 15 minutes after you post to go back and edit. Rationale is if you go back later and make a change the thread might become unintelligible. I can ask to have this increased but that seems to be the standard most of the time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted March 7 Share Posted March 7 6 hours ago, Expidia said: Andy, why is this the only forum that cuts us off from editing and correcting our spelling errors very shortly after we post. I'm not a typist, Spell check is awful and Siri puts in what Siri wants to put in! The only solution I see by not being able to edit for spelling corrections (to not look like an idiot for perpetuity) is to do a duplicate post with the corrections then a mod can delete the first post or leave them both up there! Why not compose your post elsewhere, copy & paste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Expidia Posted March 7 Author Share Posted March 7 That's one solution Ratch. Or another one might be to just not lock us out from editing at all 🤔 I probably belong to 20 other various hobby and sporting forums and I don't know any other forum that locks their users out from editing their posts later on. I don't want to tell the administration how to run their site. Like I said, I'll just use a corrected re-post as a work around if I see too many pf my spelling errors in past posts. I use all iOS devices and Apple's spellcheck is the worst and so is Siri at transcribing voice to text . . . it is a joke IMO. Maybe I just should have just studied reading and writing comprehension harder in school when I was younger? And my short comings are now just coming to light since I've been posting here in this particular forum 🤣🤣🤣 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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