Editing Track

If you've drawn some track and want to make changes, there are several choices. You can correct a mistake by undoing it. You can delete a single track object -- track segment, curve, circle, turntable -- by point-and-press, or you can select several and delete them all at once. You can move or resize track objects, or copy them from one place and paste them into another.

Once a network of track is laid and interconnected, it's a little tricky to move it around without fouling something up. This is especially true where curves are involved -- the program attempts to keep straight segments tangent to their curve arcs, and this can restrict movement.

Track Object Properties

The Track tab of the Inspector shows you measurements of selected objects, including dynamic measurements as you draw or edit. You might consider leaving this on display while you draw.

To see the properties of an object -- straight section, curve, circle, turntable, station, or junction:

Choose the Edit tool.
Click to select the object in question. The properties appear in the Track tab:

Or:

Choose the Straight, Circle, or Turntable tool.
Draw a new object. The properties update as you draw.

Undo/Redo

If you make a mistake, the easiest and safest way to fix it is to immediately undo it. To undo the latest drawing or editing operation:

Choose Edit Undo, or press Cmd-Z. The last operation is undone, and the layout reverts back to its previous state.
You can use the command repeatedly to undo earlier operations. There is no limit on the number of undo's -- you can go all the way back to the blank screen or the file you started with.
If you change your mind, use Edit Redo (Shift Cmd-Z) to undo the last undo.

Undoable operations include deleting, adding, or moving track, circles, stations, or turntables, and changing most track properties. Train moves are not undoable, nor changes made in the properties dialog.

Deleting objects

You can delete a single object -- track segment, circle, or turntable -- as follows:

Choose the Edit tool.
Click on the segment or object to be deleted, so it is selected and dark blue. On a circle or turntable, point to a spot on the circumference of the circle.
Press the Delete key, or choose Delete or Edit Cut from the menu.
Alternatively, when using the Straight tool, right-click the item to be deleted and choose the command from the context menu.

When you delete a turntable or its bridge track, both the circle and the track are deleted.

To delete multiple tracks or objects:

Select the objects as described below.
Delete with the Delete key or a menu command.

Selecting objects

To move or delete a collection of objects, you must first select the ones to be modified. You can choose them one at a time, or several at once by dragging a selection box.

To select individual objects:

Choose the Edit tool.
Click a track segment, circle, or turntable. The object is selected, and turns navy blue.
To select another object, press Shift and click the object.
To unselect a selected object, press Shift and click the object.

To unselect all objects: click an empty spot on the layout.

To select all objects: choose Edit Select All or press Cmd-A.

To select all objects in a given region:

Choose the Edit tool.
Press and drag to form a selection rectangle (see B). Any track or object intersecting the rectangle is highlighted in green. It is not necessary for the track or object to be completely enclosed by the rectangle.
Release. Highlighted track becomes selected (see C).

If you hold down the shift key while dragging, the newly-selected items will add to the previous selection.

Moving objects

Once a network of track is laid and interconnected, it's a little tricky to move it around without fouling something up. One simple and safe operation is to move a track endpoint or junction.

To move a track endpoint (shown in D):

Choose the Edit tool.
Position the cursor over the endpoint you want to move, so you see the green highlight square.
Press and drag. The endpoint moves, the other end remains anchored.

To move a junction or switch (shown in E):

Choose the Edit tool.
Position the cursor over the junction or switch you want to move, so you see the green highlight square.
Press and drag. The junction or switch moves, the other ends of all attached tracks remain anchored.

To move a collection of track and/or other objects (shown in F):

Select the tracks and objects to be moved, by shift-clicking or dragging a selection rectangle.
Point to any of the selected tracks or objects, press and drag.

All selected tracks and objects move as a unit. Attached tracks which are not selected are repositioned so as to remain attached.

In this example, five segments in a yard are all being moved at once. One end of the yard lead track remains fixed, the other end moves with the selection. The resulting angles are not train-friendly.

Copy/Paste

Selected objects -- tracks, circles, turntables -- may be copied to the TrainPlayer clipboard and then pasted elsewhere on the layout or in another layout. These objects cannot be pasted into other programs.

To copy a collection of objects:

Select the objects as described previously.
Right-click any object and choose Copy, or choose Edit Copy from the main menu, or press Cmd-C. The objects are copied to the clipboard.

To paste copied objects:

Choose Edit Paste from the main menu, or press Cmd-V. Objects on the clipboard are added to the layout in the upper left corner, and are selected so that you can drag them into position.

Pasted objects do not automatically connect to existing track, even if you position them so it looks like they should. To connect pasted track with existing track, you can delete and redraw a segment, or you can drag one junction on top of another and they will "fuse."