TrainPlayer News, October 2022 -- Version 8.2

This year we took a break from pushing back the frontiers of virtual railroad technology, and instead finally put some effort to modernizing our user interface. TrainPlayer has had the same scheme since v1.0 -- long toolbars with lots of buttons that seem to get tinier each year (fellow grandpas know what I mean :-) -- so for 8.2 we rethought it, rebuilt it, equipped it with new artwork, and now are pleased to present it to you.  Hope you like it.

The new scheme is called Dynamic Toolbars -- still based on toolbars, but now easier to see and work with, more sensibly organized for easier navigation, and simpler to customize using various quick-access devices.  Highlights are described below.  For more info, see the 8.2 Feature Page, or, for a really detailed look, see the PDF document A New Style for the TrainPlayer User Interface.

Try it free.  All users are encouraged to upgrade free to 8.2 -- just click the button below. If you have not already upgraded to 8.x, the download provides a demo of Paint Shop -- fully operational but with restrictions, and a $19 charge to upgrade to the full system.  See How To Obtain 8.2 below, and be sure to check the special deal for new users.

Dynamic Toolbars

The basic idea:  is that we can have larger toolbars if we don't insist on making them all visible at once.  We have a main set of tools available all the time, and task-specific subtoolbars which come up on demand -- but only one at a time, in order to maintain focus and save screen space.  The goal is to have only what you need to do a specific job -- track, scenery, scripting, etc. -- and to manage that with a minimum of clicking.

New artwork:  all toolbar icons are original images in scalable vector graphics (SVG) format, which look sharp at any size.  This gives the program a new look, and gives you the flexibility to choose toolbar sizes.

Tabbed documents: all open documents are now listed as tabs across the top of the window frame -- easily seen, activated, or closed.

Quick customization:  a down-arrow at the right end of each toolbar leads to a menu of choices for adding and removing buttons.  The most common choices are listed on the menu; all others are available (as before) via the full customization dialog.

   
down-arrow button calls up subtoolbar right-hand arrow calls up menus

Quick-access toolbar:  a popular feature in ribbon-style interfaces is the QAT, a small set of commonly-used buttons at the top left.  Our version comes with the usual choices, and allows adding pretty much any other command in the program.

 
mainframe header showing Quick-Access Toolbar and tabbed documents 

Toolbar styles:  a new section in Preferences makes for easy choices of toolbar sizes and styles.  Also available are a dozen new application styles, thanks to our framework from BCGSoft.

More info:  a detailed look at the new 8.2 features is given in Richard Fletcher's PDF document A New Style for the TrainPlayer User Interface.  A different sort of look is available by viewing his demonstration video.

Other 8.2 Features

New in Paint Shop:  a shaded cylinder decal lets you make perfect boilers and tankcars in your choice of base color.  A wireframe decal picks up details from an image so that you can paint underneath.  The picture below shows both of these in a typical use.

New cars to decorate: 8.2 comes with a new car collection -- the Pedersen Paintables -- more than thirty precision images of basic car types, expertly drawn by Chris Pedersen, undecorated and ready for your own color scheme.

 
Pedersen Paintable tanker with shaded cylinder underneath wireframe

Anyrail import: if your AnyRail layout includes a transfer table, importing gets you a working model in TrainPlayer. 

 
import from AnyRail produces working transfer table

For the complete list of 8.2 changes and bug fixes, see TrainPlayer Version History

For more info >    

Other News

Videos:  Our intrepid research department (i.e., Richard) has learned the art of making entertaining  instructional videos, and has generated several of them on various topics.  We will be revealing them over time.  For now, take a look at this one: Video Demo of 8.2 Interface.

Acknowledgement:  Version 8.2 owes a lot to useful insights and testing from our friend Alan Conover, expert TrainPlayer user, developer of interesting TP add-ons and adjuncts such as Backyard train watcher, TP Script Editor, LinkChecker, WhereUsed, and others.  Thanks Alan!

How to Obtain 8.2

Click here to download and install 8.2 >     

If you are new: you get the free demo version -- fully operational, with no time limit, but restricted in certain ways as described in the Readme.  When you start the program, you are greeted with a license dialog.

     

If you are a licensed user:  you get a free upgrade to Version 8.2, including a demo of Paint Shop if you do not already have it. The demo is fully operational, except the results are not saved. 

<= If you do not have Paint Shop, you will get the 8.2 Welcome dialog with an offer to upgrade for $19.  (Click for larger image.)

Any user: use Help > Check for Upgrades to see what upgrades are available =>

If you do not already have them, you can add the Chris Pedersen Car Collections for a special bundle price.

Questions or problems: send us e-mail

Newsletter Special

-- The Full Package for only $89 --
TrainPlayer/TrackLayer 8.2 with Paint Shop and Chris Pedersen Cars

If you are new to TrainPlayer, we offer you a great price on everything we have -- TrackLayer 8.2 with PaintShop and CP Cars -- which includes all of TrainPlayer 8.2, track and scenery tools, unrestricted use of Paint Shop, the complete Advanced Ops system, thousands of layouts and cars, advanced scripting, and the full collection of high-quality Chris Pedersen Cars.  This offer is not available on our Products page, only by clicking here: 

 

     

Click takes you to the shopping cart page, where you can check out using Visa, MC, or PayPal. If you would like to receive a DVD, request one at checkout.  Offer valid until Dec 31, 2022.

 

 

Contact

TrainPlayer Software

Questions, complaints, suggestions?  Drop us a line, or stop by our forum.

4200 Arcadian Drive
Castro Valley, CA  94546 
Web:    TrainPlayer
E-mail:  info@trainplayer.com
Forum:  TrainPlayer Users' Forum

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