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Re: New Royston signals map using PNG images 25/01/2012 at 10:01 #28168 | |
jc92
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" said:I agree, he did a nice job. The signal numbers are easy to read and stand out clearly against the background. They are all consistently organized, in this case alongside the signal rather than above/below, but that doesn't matter.well thats all we need from a diagram " said: no you dont, they wont always be green/yellow/red as shown on the picture whilst trains are moving around a panel, all we need to see is that it is a signa/preferably with the auto stem where applicable. " said: 2) the sheer difficulty of knowing where to look for any particular signal, given only its number and the last location of the train. For example, under the Saltley PSB are two orange dots. If one didn't know what they were, one would have to look at the real panel or check the classic gif, then realize "Ah! They're really blue. That makes them Via buttons." This is why I would now suggest simply creating a signal map starting with the "classic" view, then changing background from black to white, to avoid this problem.again not much of a problem, most likely the train desription will be on the sim anyway, and for entering trains, the location will be roughly known eg. lawley st only has three possible entry points if you forget which specific one it is, i fail to see why it should be difficut to locate a train (this may be me assuming everyone has identical memory/SimSig skills to me i dont know) "We don't stop camborne wednesdays" Log in to reply |
Re: New Royston signals map using PNG images 25/01/2012 at 11:53 #28174 | |
maxand
![]() 1637 posts |
Even though we don't think we are mentally translating anything, we still are - it just takes fractionally longer. This has been amply proved by usability studies. My argument is that those who are hit hardest by even the tiniest causes of confusion are those who need this aggravation least - those beginning a new sim, maybe their first sim. So why not look for easier ways to accomplish the same tasks? Unless someone else has something major to add, I think this topic has run its course. The options for creating a signal map have been detailed and the feedback has been great, thanks guys. By the way, I thought I saw a bus disappearing in a cloud of dust. Must have sold the last ticket. Ah, peace and quiet at last. ![]() Last edited: 25/01/2012 at 12:28 by maxand Log in to reply |
Re: New Royston signals map using PNG images 25/01/2012 at 12:29 #28175 | |
northroad
![]() 872 posts |
Any chance of a moderator or administrator locking this thread before someone tells him what they really think he can do with his ideas Geoff Last edited: 25/01/2012 at 12:29 by northroad Log in to reply |
Re: New Royston signals map using PNG images 25/01/2012 at 12:31 #28176 | |
postal
![]() 5216 posts |
" said:Any chance of a moderator or administrator locking this thread before someone tells him what they really think he can do with his ideasPlease don't lock it - it'll take away one of my prime sources of amusement. “In life, there is always someone out there, who won’t like you, for whatever reason, don’t let the insecurities in their lives affect yours.” – Rashida Rowe Log in to reply |
Re: New Royston signals map using PNG images 25/01/2012 at 12:42 #28177 | |
jc92
![]() 3649 posts ![]() |
" said:oh so we have options then? becuase everytime someone suggests things contrary to your enlightened opinion, its incorrect. " said: i find this incredibly disrepectful to some of the senior members of the forum, and probably in contravention to the forum rules regards belittling people. i also find it ironic coming from someone who feels the need to intently comment on every minute aspect of SimSig, and alter many well established areas of it...... now you can lock the thread "We don't stop camborne wednesdays" Log in to reply |
Re: New Royston signals map using PNG images 25/01/2012 at 12:43 #28178 | |
GeoffM
![]() 6344 posts ![]() |
General comment: Enough of the snarky comments. If you have nothing positive to contribute to the discussion then please refrain from posting. If you would like to discuss "New Royston signals map using PNG images" then please go ahead and post.
SimSig Boss Log in to reply |
Re: New Royston signals map using PNG images 25/01/2012 at 12:54 #28180 | |
GeoffM
![]() 6344 posts ![]() |
Further note: a flurry of "message reports" from various people, all accusing each other, does not help. There is no need lock the thread if people heed my previous posting.
SimSig Boss Log in to reply |
Re: New Royston signals map using PNG images 25/01/2012 at 17:18 #28206 | |
Steamer
![]() 3958 posts |
EDITED: " said: I've just noticed a small discrepancy that should be cleared up. Apologies, I should have posted the fact that I'd changed it. " said: Anyway, I thought I'd take a look at the image he'd embedded in his PDF file, using a PDF image extractor. To my surprise, it was just a straight screen capture - there were no signal numbers on it. This means he must have converted the screen capture into a PDF, then used a PDF editor to overlay screen numbers. Nothing wrong with that, I guess, as long as you don't mind using a PDF reader, but you would have to use a PDF editor to make changes, and they're usually payware.Not quite- my method is: 1. Take a screenshot (print screen key for paged, save bitmap for scrollys). 2. Insert image into Paint 3. Use Paint to invert the colours 4. Copy inverted image into Microsoft Office Publisher. 5. Add signal numbers using text boxes. 6. Print to PDF, using a Freeware printer (Bullzip PDF). "Don't stress/ relax/ let life roll off your backs./ Except for death and paying taxes/ everything in life.../ is only for now." (Avenue Q) Last edited: 25/01/2012 at 19:13 by Steamer Log in to reply |
Re: New Royston signals map using PNG images 25/01/2012 at 17:50 #28211 | |
Peter Bennet
![]() 5377 posts |
That's enough bickering- see what Geoff said Reluctant to close as in amongst it all is useful stuff- next step will be to delete posts in-total as we can't be bothered to edit out the unacceptable bits EVERYONE - take this as your FINAL WARNING across the whole board Peter I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs! Log in to reply |
Re: New Royston signals map using PNG images 26/01/2012 at 05:39 #28244 | |
maxand
![]() 1637 posts |
Steamer, thanks for responding and for explaining your method. Quote: 1. Take a screenshot (print screen key for paged, save bitmap for scrollys). For small paged sims such as Royston, where the window takes up less space than the full screen so that all you want to do is capture the active window, hit Alt+PrtSc (Alt+PrintScreen) to limit capture to the active window (the sim window), rather than the full screen. I'm sure most of you know this shortcut anyway. Quote: 3. Use Paint to invert the colours You must be doing this in Windows XP, since they omitted this useful feature from the Vista/Win7 version! So it looks like Paint.NET is the way to go about it if you're running Win 7 or Vista. Quote: 4. Copy inverted image into Microsoft Office Publisher. I haven't got this program, so looked around to see what else was available and found OpenOffice Draw (freeware) also does this. Amazingly, it also exports to PDF format. Draw doesn't seem as polished or as well-featured as MS Publisher to me, but it's nice to be aware of an alternative, particularly as it's free. Hope you don't mind my mentioning this. Thanks for recommending Bullzip PDF. I'll look into it. (added) BTW, Win 7 and Vista have an inbuilt applet named Snippets which lets you do screen captures of part of the screen. Last edited: 26/01/2012 at 05:51 by maxand Log in to reply |
Re: New Royston signals map using PNG images 26/01/2012 at 08:22 #28246 | |
Laryk
![]() 56 posts |
" said:It still exists - just not obviously. If you select the image and right click on the selection one of the options is to invert colours. Log in to reply The following user said thank you: Aurora |
Re: New Royston signals map using PNG images 26/01/2012 at 09:32 #28247 | |
postal
![]() 5216 posts |
" said:So it looks like Paint.NET is the way to go about it if you're running Win 7 or Vista.Maxand For info, Paint.NET works fine on XP as well. “In life, there is always someone out there, who won’t like you, for whatever reason, don’t let the insecurities in their lives affect yours.” – Rashida Rowe Log in to reply The following user said thank you: AndyG |
Re: New Royston signals map using PNG images 26/01/2012 at 11:02 #28249 | |
maxand
![]() 1637 posts |
You're right - thanks for that tip! Important to select the whole image first, as you say, by pressing Ctrl+A so that it is enclosed in a dotted line box, then right-click. (Or select part of the image using the selection tool.) Just clicking on the image doesn't select it. Log in to reply |
Re: New Royston signals map using PNG images 26/01/2012 at 17:07 #28256 | |
Steamer
![]() 3958 posts |
" said:For small paged sims such as Royston, where the window takes up less space than the full screen so that all you want to do is capture the active window, hit Alt+PrtSc (Alt+PrintScreen) to limit capture to the active window (the sim window), rather than the full screen. I'm sure most of you know this shortcut anyway. Never been a problem for me, since my screen resolution is 1024x768, which means that paged sims fit the screen perfectly. " said: Thanks for recommending Bullzip PDF. I'll look into it. I should point out that printing using Bullzip only works on paged sims, where I can put each screen on a 'page' in Publisher. I tried several ways of printing Scrollys to PDF, but they ended up making the plan unreadable unless zoomed in very close (this is why most of the newer scrollys have PNG images). "Don't stress/ relax/ let life roll off your backs./ Except for death and paying taxes/ everything in life.../ is only for now." (Avenue Q) Log in to reply The following user said thank you: maxand |
Re: New Royston signals map using PNG images 26/01/2012 at 17:49 #28260 | |
postal
![]() 5216 posts |
" said:I tried several ways of printing Scrollys to PDF, but they ended up making the plan unreadable unless zoomed in very close.If you use Open Office Draw you can set a maximum page width of 3000mm (which allows nearly all of the scrolly sims to fit at actual size) and then export to .pdf from within the program. PS I did note that diagrams from as far back as 2008 were put together using Open Office Draw in Post #17 here. “In life, there is always someone out there, who won’t like you, for whatever reason, don’t let the insecurities in their lives affect yours.” – Rashida Rowe Last edited: 26/01/2012 at 18:21 by postal Log in to reply The following user said thank you: Steamer |
Re: New Royston signals map using PNG images 26/01/2012 at 22:26 #28275 | |
Laryk
![]() 56 posts |
" said:I must admit, paged sims look a bit odd in 1920x1080 ![]() Log in to reply |
Re: New Royston signals map using PNG images 26/01/2012 at 22:35 #28276 | |
headshot119
![]() 4869 posts |
" said:" said:I must admit, paged sims look a bit odd in 1920x1080 :) Try 5760 X `080 ![]() ![]() "Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer Log in to reply |
Re: New Royston signals map using PNG images 26/01/2012 at 23:04 #28277 | |
Laryk
![]() 56 posts |
" said:Try 5760 X `080Good god, no thanks. ![]() Log in to reply |
Re: New Royston signals map using PNG images 01/02/2012 at 19:12 #28593 | |
clive
![]() 2766 posts |
" said:Personally, I think that the way headshot did his Saltley signal diagram was superior. It is a brilliant and cheap way of printing out a diagram which I have stuck on my wall.There are lots of ways of doing a signal map. Personally I hate the ones with blue signals, but I haven't been bothered enough about it to produce one with a white background and proper colours. So long as people don't try to claim there's only one right way, I'm happy to see many different versions. Log in to reply |