Importing scaled baseboard drawings to Templot

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chris_mccarthy

Importing scaled baseboard drawings to Templot

Postby chris_mccarthy » Sat Jan 22, 2022 4:27 pm

I’ve now built and erected most of my layout’s baseboards and recently made a scale line drawing of the baseboards’ configuration in a drawing program which lets me save and export in many file types, including vector types such as .wmf, .emf and .dxf, all of which I notice Template recognises. The room is an odd shape so only some boards are rectangular or otherwise of constant size, whilst others are curved or wedge-like.

I want to use this configuration drawing as the background so that when setting out track in Templot I can, for example, avoid turnouts over baseboard joints as much as possible.

I’m sure it must have been covered many times over the years as it feels like a basic need, and I’m probably having a senior moment, but I feel I have tried quite hard and still can’t seem to find anything I recognise on Templot itself or in forums etc about:

- first, how to import my baseboards configuration drawing file into Templot and use it as the overall background upon which the layout’s track layout/design can then be undertaken.

- secondly, once imported, how to set the drawing’s scale (it was drawn at 1:25 so that I could make a check print direct to the A4 paper in my printer) so that it and Templot are initially made scale-compatible and then dynamically linked when, for example, zooming track views between detail and overview.

I’d be most grateful if anyone can direct me towards answers to these points. Thanks very much.

Chris

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Julian Roberts
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Re: Importing scaled baseboard drawings to Templot

Postby Julian Roberts » Sun Jan 23, 2022 4:08 am

Hi Chris

As no one else has answered....

I'm sure you should be able to do this.

I suggest

Join Templot Club and ask on that Forum. Martin answers every question I've ever asked. Which is amazing. Or

Ask Garry in our Starters Group - didn't he do this? Or

Just draw out the baseboards on the trackpad in the shapes menu. Quite laborious but it'll do what you're wanting. Choose gauge and start the fun....

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Paul Willis
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Re: Importing scaled baseboard drawings to Templot

Postby Paul Willis » Sun Jan 23, 2022 7:52 am

chris_mccarthy wrote:I’ve now built and erected most of my layout’s baseboards and recently made a scale line drawing of the baseboards’ configuration in a drawing program which lets me save and export in many file types, including vector types such as .wmf, .emf and .dxf, all of which I notice Template recognises. The room is an odd shape so only some boards are rectangular or otherwise of constant size, whilst others are curved or wedge-like.

- first, how to import my baseboards configuration drawing file into Templot and use it as the overall background upon which the layout’s track layout/design can then be undertaken.

- secondly, once imported, how to set the drawing’s scale (it was drawn at 1:25 so that I could make a check print direct to the A4 paper in my printer) so that it and Templot are initially made scale-compatible and then dynamically linked when, for example, zooming track views between detail and overview.

Chris,

I'm 99% certain that this is possible. In Templot, there is a function in the Shapes menu to import a DXF file. That would almost certainly do it for you.

Screenshot (92).png


Unfortunately, at this point my personal experiences run out, as I've never tried this specifically. I've only used the "make baseboard" drawing function in Templot, so doing it the other way around. I realise that because of your bespoke configuration, that approach won't work, or will be rather time-consuming - particularly as you've already drawn out the boards.

I'm confident that there will be someone along later to talk you through it.

Cheers
Paul
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BrianW
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Re: Importing scaled baseboard drawings to Templot

Postby BrianW » Sun Jan 23, 2022 8:51 am

Chris,

I expect Martin will post the definitive answer when he sees the thread, but this is how I have done it.

1. Create a full size (scale 1:1) dxf of your baseboards. To avoid corrupting your original 25:1 version, make a copy of the file using Windows file explorer, re-name the copy 'BaseboardsFullSize' (or whatever). Open that file with your CAD program and re-scale it to 1:1. It doesn't have to fit on a drawing sheet. (This is easy in 4M-CAD which I use, your CAD may differ). Store it in the Templot.Dev > dxf-files folder

2. In Templot, click on the Shapes tab > DXF import tab. Ensure the Scale mm / in button is set to match your dxf, click on Import DXF... select your baseboards from the list, click on Open.

ImportDXF.jpg


ImportResult.jpg

Result with my test plank baseboards imported into new Templot layout

Regards,

BrianW
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ianpenberth
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Re: Importing scaled baseboard drawings to Templot

Postby ianpenberth » Sun Jan 23, 2022 4:11 pm

Once imported, I save the baseboard outlines to their own Background Shapes file - less hassle then to reload them subsequently.

My version of TurboCAD plays fast and loose with units when saving to DXF, it seems like inches no matter what units I'm actually working in, or metres when I meant mm. The ability to set the scale parameters in Templot is excellent but a first stab can end up appearing to fail as the baseboards import at a factor of 1/1000 or 1/25.4 (or some combination thereof). Setting the origin of coordinates to the same point in both CAD and Templot helps in unpicking those situations.
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davebradwell
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Re: Importing scaled baseboard drawings to Templot

Postby davebradwell » Sun Jan 23, 2022 5:14 pm

As an aside, it was a basic principle of CAD that you drew things actual size whether it was a town or a gnat. It's only a part drawing or print-out that is scaled and the commercial systems have 2 separate environments to make this convenient. It also enables you to take measurements from the file without having to do a calculation each time.

DaveB

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Martin Wynne
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Re: Importing scaled baseboard drawings to Templot

Postby Martin Wynne » Sun Jan 23, 2022 7:49 pm

chris_mccarthy wrote:- first, how to import my baseboards configuration drawing file into Templot and use it as the overall background upon which the layout’s track layout/design can then be undertaken.

- secondly, once imported, how to set the drawing’s scale (it was drawn at 1:25 so that I could make a check print direct to the A4 paper in my printer) so that it and Templot are initially made scale-compatible and then dynamically linked when, for example, zooming track views between detail and overview.

I’d be most grateful if anyone can direct me towards answers to these points. Thanks very much.

Hi Chris,

It's much better to ask questions about Templot on the Templot Club users forum -- that's what it's there for: :)

https://85a.uk/templot/club

The DXF import in Templot is very primitive and hasn't changed since I wrote it 25 years ago. It's very likely that a DXF created in a modern CAD package will not import very well.

The easiest way to import a drawing is to drag and drop an image file onto the Templot trackpad. If you have EMF or WMF metafiles I suggest using those as such vector image files will zoom fast and without going fuzzy. EMF for preference as WMF files are old 16-bit format and suffer rounding effects.

Dropping an image file creates a background picture shape which can then be scaled and positioned as required. It can also be synced to shifts and rotations of the track templates if desired. After dropping the file you should see this:

dropped_metafile.png

If this forum has made the above fuzzy, you can see a clearer version at:

https://85a.uk/templot/club/index.php?m ... -png.1323/

Remember to save a background shapes file (BGS3) before quitting Templot. Ask again on Templot Club if you need more.

cheers,

Martin.
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chris_mccarthy

Re: Importing scaled baseboard drawings to Templot

Postby chris_mccarthy » Mon Jan 24, 2022 3:13 pm

Thank you very much indeed to everyone who responded and for such comprehensive advice. I very much appreciate it.

I'll try and find time over the next few days to turn this into action. I'm much looking forward to finally getting a practical track design sorted for my tricky baseboard configuration.

One of the downsides of living in an old property is awkward shaped rooms, hence baseboards. We live in a crescent built to an elliptical plan where we have no rooms that have square corners (most rooms being wedge shaped in some way), have windows and doorways in tricky places and lots of other internal openings and projections. The 'Layout Gods' seemed not to have had much foresight when designing these properties back when the real railways were still youthful - but with Templot, nil desperandum!

Thanks again,

Chris


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