SCARM v. 0.9.23 Released

The new SCARM version 0.9.23 is ready! Download it form www.scarm.info.

Warning
Remember, that SCARM is still in beta stage of development and sometimes may not work as expected. Always create archives of your layouts and save changes in a given track plan with incremental files (just in case) named like “plan_1.scarm”, “plan_2.scarm”, and so on. Please report any bugs and/or unexpected error messages with a short explanation how, when and where in the program they occurs in the comments area below.

Some of the more important added/improved features and updates are listed below.

Added and improved functionality:
- Import of background image for use as track plan template
- Drawing of the ballast roadbed in 2D (experimental, toggle with ‘B’ key)
- Ability to enter the Track Height values with the keyboard (see below)
- Detailed information for almost each selected item is now shown in the Status bar
- Improved behavior of track accessories and related Accessories dialog box
- Optimized 3D rendering for large sized layouts
- Darker and clearly visible grid lines on printouts

Updated track libraries:
- Fleischmann H0 Profi
- Fleischmann H0 Model
- Fleischmann N Piccolo
- Kato N Unitrack
- Peco OO C100
- Märklin H0 M
- PIKO G
- Tillig H0 Standard

Updated translations:
- German
- French
- Czech
- Italian

Bugfixes:
- Fixed bug when a track plan contains adjustable/expandable tracks and calling of Parts List gives and AV error message
- Fixed bug in flex-tracks auto-shape-&-join feature that may cause false green connection arrows to appear in some cases
- Fixed problem when starting in Windows 8.1 and there is no default printer setting in Control Panel
- Fixed drawing of tunnel portals in 2D
- Many other small improvements and fixes

Tip
If “Check for Updates” feature in older releases reports that there is no newer version of SCARM, download the installer directly from the website. The old release info file may be cached on your PC and it may need some time to expire. If the website also shows older version, press F5 key to refresh it.

There are three important new features, which I will describe in brief bellow. They are the Background image, the Ballast roadbed in 2D and Track heights numeric input.

If you want to reproduce some scanned layout in SCARM or a track plan, exported from another software as picture, you will be able to import the file as background image, using “View” > “Background Image” menu command. The imported image will be aligned to the top left corner of the coordinate system. You can scale it by click and drag the small gray triangle, which is always visible in the bottom right corner of the image. By scaling of the picture you will be able to “calibrate” it according to the selected SCARM track library and gauge. I.e. if you know which track system is used in the imported track plan, select it from SCARM libraries list, place a known straight track over the same track from the background image and then re-scale the picture so the positions and lengths of the both tracks to match exactly. You may need to reposition the track in SCARM and re-scale the background image several times until both tracks match. When done, you will be able to make an exact copy of the imported plan in SCARM, starting from the already placed first track. If you wish to temporarily hide (and show again) the background image, you can do that by use of ‘I’ key. Please note that after import, SCARM saves only the image file location in the project, so if you move the original image file in another folder (or SCARM project on another computer), the program will be unable to restore the image when you open your project again.

The ballast roadbed is sometimes important to be visible in 2D for seeing and checking of the distances and clearances, especially for track systems with built-in roadbed. This version of SCARM enables experimental roadbed to be shown in the editor by use of ‘B’ key for all plans (new and saved) and all systems (with and without built-in roadbed). The width of the displayed roadbed is estimated for now (like in 3D), but it will be set to the real values for all systems with built-in ballast in the following releases of the program. Note that the roadbed layer in 2D is clearly visible only when you look close to the tracks (at zoom-in) and is not so visible when you look the overall track plan (on zoom-out). Your feedback about the way in which the roadbed is displayed in 2D is essential, so please share your thoughts about it in the comments below.

Last, but not least, I want to introduce the new numeric input feature for the Track heights. In order to be able to enter a height value with the numeric keys, toggle the ‘Numeric Heights Input’ button in the Toolbar (located after Increase and Decrease Height buttons). Now, when you select some height marker, you will be able to type its height value directly, using the numeric keys. Backspace key can delete the last digit. You can use decimal separator (‘,’ or ‘.’ key, depending of your locale settings) to enter the height value with precision of 0.1mm or 0.01″. Note that in Numeric Height Input mode you will be unable to use ‘<' and '>‘ keys to alter the track height, but you can still use the mouse scroll wheel or Increase and Decrease Height buttons in the Toolbar instead.

This version also comes with improved Translation editor, with ability for use localized buttons of the common dialogs, with many updated libraries and many other improve­ments. I hope that you will like the new version and also hope that the next release will be ready just after the beginning of the new year :)

Request
If you like SCARM, share the info about it with your friends in the social network sites or post a link to www.scarm.info in your blog or your favorite railroad forum, so more and more model train enthusiasts and fans to know about it and to use it for free.

Get SCARM from
Official SCARM Download Location


11 thoughts on “SCARM v. 0.9.23 Released

  1. Thx for a great update! I specially like the feature of a background image :)

  2. I’m layout with Marklin HO C-track system
    I would like to add a turntable to my layout, how can I do that?

    best regards,

    Eduardo

  3. I just downloaded v 9.23 and have been trying to use the numeric track height feature and cannot get it to work at all. I click on the toggle button, select a section of track, select and end point, and enter the numbers on my key pad. the program ignores anything I enter. If I follow the entry by tapping the enter key it sets all heights of the selected sections to the old value of the end point selected. Just like it should do if I didn’t enter any numbers at all.

    I am using Windows 7.

  4. Hello Stan,

    You need to toggle both “Track Heights” and “Numeric Height Input” buttons, then select track height marker (not the end point arrow) and enter the desired value. If you are using the number key pad, ensure that Num Lock is on.

  5. Hi there, I was wondering if there is a way to add backboards to the layout system. If there is a way then great, if there’s not, could it be added in the future?

  6. Hello Chris,

    If you need to fix the placement position for a control panel, you can draw some rectangle with the figures onto the layout.
    If you need to draw the actual panel scheme (i.e. with tracks and switches on the main station), this is not yet possible, but will be added to some of the next versions of SCARM.

  7. I drew up a track plan with default zero height then decided I would like to raise all the track to 80mm. I initially tried using select all and amending properties but that lifted most everything including stuff I didn’t want to raise, so I selected a piece of track then right clicked select section, which highlighted all the track and then adjusted height here, but not all tracks highlighted changed their height, anything after a point stayed down. Is there an easier way to adjust all the track including setting the start height for track.

  8. Hello Rob,

    You can set all selected tracks to a given height in the following way: adjust one of the height markers in the selection to the desired height and then press Enter – all other heights will be equalized to the selected one.

  9. How do I add a scenic backdrop / divider? As in having some scenery behind the tracks such as buildings and trees, and then a vertical board with a painted scene on it? How do I add that board?

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