TrainPlayer-TrackLayer Readme

Version Beta 3.1,  Apr, 2008

Welcome to TrainPlayer 3.1! 

Version 3.1 brings a batch of great new content -- layouts and car collections -- and some major new tools for managing it.  For plan designers, there are handy new snap tools for laying precise yards and turnouts.  And plenty more, plus the ongoing parade of bug fixes.  This version is a free upgrade for 3.0 users.

New Features

• Choosers: A single style of dialog now takes the place of three previous ones, and adds many conveniences for selecting layouts, car collections, and sounds.  Files from all over your disk can be dragged in from Windows Explorer and organized in tree controls for easy navigation and browsing. Each chooser has a Web tab where you can browse and download files directly from the website.  A preview window shows thumbnails of layouts and car types, or plays sounds.
   
• Premium content: Several great new collections of layouts were custom built for TrainPlayer by a talented group of railroad artists -- scenic renderings of some of our best plans, fully-tracked satellite photos of yards from all over the continent, a beautiful set of original plans developed in 3PI by Peter Lloyd-Lee.  The package includes car collections -- detailed renderings of hundreds of cars and locomotives.  Access to the Premium collection requires a license ($24.95, less when bundled with another product) which is available on the Products page.  Premium Content page gives more details.
   
• Snap: Version 3.1 becomes more useful for track plan design with the addition of several types of snap while drawing.  Snap to angle creates exact #4 or #6 (or your choice) turnouts; snap to parallel keeps yard tracks at uniform separation; snap to radius gives precise circles and curves.  Detailed on/off choices are available in the preferences.
   
• Preferences: The Preferences dialog has been redesigned for enhanced friendliness, tossing some old clutter while adding new choices, reducing the number of tabs while organizing more sensibly.  Each tab has its own help page.
   
• Track check: The Track Checker now gives you more information in a more useful form.  Output is given in a list box, and includes not just errors but data such as external links, associated files, and required car collections.  If you click on an error line, the layout zooms to that location and highlights the offending track automatically.  The Track Highlight dialog also has this new auto-zoom feature.
   
• Track color: Now you can color individual track sections, or choose a color for new track so that you can draw a whole yard or mainline in the shade of your choice.  Some of the satellite layouts use different track colors to clarify complex multi-line yards.
   
• Zoom: The Zoom menu now includes choices for quick zoom to percent sizes.  Or, to zoom to a specific area, choose "zoom on drag" and drag a rectangle around the area.
   
• Export image: Generate a JPG (or your choice of graphic format) which shows track, grid, background and/or trains.  Output size and quality is adjustable.
   
• Publish: New dialogs prepare layouts and car collections for publication -- gather the components, unify links and filenames, check for errors, copy to a destination folder.  We developed these tools for our own use, but they are handy for anyone who shares layouts and cars.
   
• Help buttons: have been added to all dialogs, showing context-specific pages from the local help file.
   
• Show/hide/delete trains: Now you can toggle display of trains, along with track, grid, background.  A new button in preferences allows you to delete all trains from the layout.
   

Getting Started

A single program serves for all users.  The first step is to download it (or insert the CD-ROM) and run the installer, as you have probably already done.  If you have problems with the installation, see below for suggestions, or get help from one of the links at the bottom of this file.  The second step is to start the program, or let the installer do it for you.

When you start the program for the first time, you see the Reminder dialog with three choices:

• Enter Key: click if you have purchased a license and received a username and key, either by e-mail or on the CD label.  Enter both name and key exactly as written, punctuation and all -- the best way is to copy and paste both items into the dialog.  Once a valid key has been entered, you will not see the Reminder dialog again, even if you uninstall and reinstall.
   
• Buy: click to go to our Products page and purchase a license online.  Once your order is processed, you will receive the license key by e-mail.  Please be patient!  This process is not automatic, and can take up to a day.
   
• OK: click to dismiss the dialog and proceed to run the unlicensed program.  You may continue to do this until the trial period expires.  If you would like to extend the trial, send e-mail to support@trainplayer.com and request an extension.

You will not see the Reminder dialog if you already entered a key in a previous install.  If you entered a key previously and want to change or upgrade it, use the command Help > Upgrade License.

If you click OK and nothing happens, check the title on the top of the dialog.  If it says Expired, then you will need to request a trial extension or make a purchase.

Enabling TrackLayer

TrackLayer features are not automatically available unless you supply an appropriate license key.  If you are running the demo version, you can enable the TL features in one of two ways:

• At the opening dialog:  the first time the program starts, it brings up a dialog asking if you want to enable TrackLayer features immediately.  Click Yes if you're interested.
   
• From the Help menu:  toggle Enable TrackLayer Features to turn them on or off.  Choosing this command restarts the program in the selected mode.

When TrackLayer is enabled, (a) it says so in the splash screen and about box, and (b) the track tools show up on the toolbar.  All features of TrackLayer are available except File Save -- unless you have a TL license, you cannot save layouts which have had track added to them.

Enabling TrackLayer features does not affect train operation.  When you're not building track, choose the Run tool and the program will behave just like TrainPlayer.

System requirements

• Windows 98 / ME / NT4 / 2000 / XP / Vista.  Not all features are available for 98 and ME.
• Disk space: 20MB for demo/standard version; 140 MB for deluxe.
• RAM: at least 256MB; 512MB recommended.  If you can run Windows, you can run TrainPlayer.

Manual

The 3.1 User's Manual includes both TrainPlayer and TrackLayer.  The manual is available in PDF format, included on every CD or available for download from our website (see the Support page).  The contents are the same as the online help.

To view or print a PDF file, click to download a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Installation Issues

Installing from the web:  Click on the download link, and choose Open or Save.  If you choose Save, download the self-extracting executable, save it in a location you can remember, then double-click it to start the installer.

If the installer doesn't start or seems to hang, try the following: (a) repeat the download, in case the file was damaged on the first attempt -- use the Save option and make sure the file is downloaded completely; (b) reboot your machine and try the install again; (c) if the install seems hung, minimize the frontmost window and see if there is a dialog or alert sitting behind it, waiting for input.

Installing from CD-ROM: if the setup program does not start automatically when you insert the CD, double-click setup.exe in the root folder, then wait for the drive to spin up to speed. 

If you are installing TrainPlayer or TrackLayer Deluxe from CD, you have the choice of installing the layout files to your hard drive or running them directly from the CD.  If you have the disk space (approx. 140MB), we recommend you install to your hard drive for better performance.

Some common install problems are covered in the Frequently-Asked Questions list on our Support page.  For other problems, e-mail support@trainplayer.com.

Version History

3.1 (Apr 2008): this version.

3.0 (Nov 2007): see Version 3 New Features.

Earlier versions: see the 3.0 Readme for a comprehensive history since 1.0.

License Agreement

 -- TrainPlayer License Agreement --

Thank you for purchasing or downloading TrainPlayer software. With either the purchased or the demo version, you may:

* install the software for your personal use on one or more machines.
* distribute the installer freely. Without a license key, the installer is a free demo version.
* use layouts as delivered with the program or downloaded from the TrainPlayer web site, in accordance with your license. You will not be able to load layouts for which you are not licensed.
* request support by e-mail.

If you have not purchased a license, you may use the software free for the extent of the trial period (10 days). When the trial expires, if you wish to continue using the software, you must purchase a license or request a trial extension by e-mail.

You may not:

* distribute, post, or make public the license key.
* modify the software or documentation.
* distribute, post, or make public images, tpg files, or screen captures of any Kalmbach layout.
* make copies of the distributed CD, except for your own personal use as backup.

Track plans from "101 Track Plans for Model Railroaders," "Model Railroader," and "Model Railroad Planning" are copyright (c) Kalmbach Publishing Co. You are permitted to use the images within TrainPlayer and TrackLayer only.

-- Disclaimer of Warranty --

This software and the accompanying files are sold "as is" and without warranties as to performance or merchantability or any other warranties whether expressed or implied. Because of the various hardware and software environments into which this software may be put, no warranty of fitness for a particular purpose is offered.

The program is not without bugs. If you find one, we encourage you to report it, and we will do our best to fix it in an upcoming version.
 

Contact

web	www.trainplayer.com
e-mail	info@trainplayer.com
forum	groups.yahoo.com/group/TrainPlayer
mail	4200 E. Arcadian Dr., Castro Valley, CA  94546