SCARM v. 0.9.30 Released

The new SCARM version 0.9.30 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 in different project 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:
- Function for snip off regular straight and curved tracks
- Ability for expanding of the program’s capabilities with add-ons and extensions
- Ability for applying textures on all 3D objects
- Dynamic visibility switching for optimal performance in complex 3D scenes
- Improved Parallel Start point feature
- Improved context menu

New track and object libraries:
- American Models S (AF compatible)
- Fast Tracks TT Hand laid track templates
- Jatt TT Bima turntable (discontinued)
- Lionel O K-Line SuperStreets
- Marklin H0 3600 series (discontinued)
- Marklin H0 3900 series (discontinued)
- Marx O27 (discontinued)
- MTH O ScaleTrax
- Weinert H0 Mein Gleis
- Dutch light signals

Updated track and object libraries:
- Atlas HO Code 83
- Atlas N Code 80
- Bachmann HO E-Z Nickel-Silver
- Bachmann N E-Z Nickel-Silver
- Faller H0 AMS
- Fast Tracks N Hand laid track templates
- Fleischmann N Piccolo
- Kato N Unitrack
- Marklin H0 C
- Peco N Code 80
- Rokuhan Z
- Trix H0 C
- Trix N Minitrix
- Walthers N Cornerstone

Updated translations:
French
Slovak

Bugfixes:
- Various small bugfixes and corrections

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.

This version comes with many new and updated libraries and also with a special internal system for installation and management of future extension modules into SCARM core like the upcoming Model Trains Simulator.

There are many additions and changes in the program code, which may cause new bugs to appear. If you see some unexpected error messages or bugs in the new version, please, report them in the comments area below.

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

See also
Resolving SCARM Installation Issues


13 thoughts on “SCARM v. 0.9.30 Released

  1. Thank you for the update. I think I have found a bug. I’m rebuilding the top layout from Fleichmann to Peco rail. Doing so I had to move the turntable a little in order to make the connections possible. The connection are made with flexrail from the turntable to the layout. When I do so, the connection with flexrail on the turntable side is made, with the other end I try to get a connection. When my mouse pointer is nearby a track connection (around the grey arrow) then I get a strange error. A green and red arrow appears, but about halfway of the piece where you want to connect with. The grey arrow of that piece stays grey. Its like some kind of ghost connection. It can be repeated. The ghost seems to be a piece of track from an other NOT visible layer. So you make connections to rail segments in every layer if there is a loose end. This is new and not seen before. It looks to me as a bug, if not, then I’m not happy with that. With the layers I make layouts which can be compared to each other in order to find the best solution.

  2. This is the default behavior. You can choose to accept the proposed connection or not. All tracks in the project are taking into account, even if some are not visible at the moment. Note that the layers are not intended to be used for holding different plans in one project.

  3. Hi Milen
    Having just seen a mention of SCARM in the latest N Gauge Society Journal, so I installed it at the weekend. I have used XtrkCAD for several years, which although you can set track heights and slopes, does not have 3D viewing.

    Very pleased with SCARM, particularly useful was being able to have a background image of my current layout being developed; N gauge with UK steam stock 1:148 scale ( rather than 1:160 – not yet sure if this will be a problem! ) . Basically a 6ft by 2ft 6″ goods yard and town area, with a planned 18ft shelf extension representing a double track meandering though hills and across valleys.
    I needed to visualise this country section to get a better idea of placement of hills and rivers, which SCARM is proving excellent for. Already find I need to change things which looked OK in the 2D only software.
    I do have a few suggestions to make it even better though – so far I have not found solutions to these on your web-site help or blog.

    A)
    It would be very useful to be able to have the option to set the height of opposing ends of a rectangular block. This could then be used for retaining walls at the sides of sloping track and sloping roads; at the moment you have to step such walls.
    It could also be used, if the heights were nearly the same, to make a tailored sloping roof for sheds or factories.
    Another use would be sloping ramps or narrow paths, although being able to set the widths of un-marked roadways ( and their road colour ) would do this nicely as well.

    B)
    If you use flexitrack to join two points of track which are at different heights; the inserted flexitrack “locks on” to the second point correctly but does not acquire the height of the second point. It retains the height of the “start point”.

    C)
    Having designed a sloping track route, and then if you decide you want to alter the whole section up or down, it all moves to the same height. Would it be difficult for it to retain the differential heights?

    D)
    When building high hills, or valleys with the “polygon figure” and ticking the “inside contour”; it would be useful to be able to specify the average general slope of the hill up from the contour. At present you can build hills or valleys, but you need to use quite a few contours and the result is a stepped terrain; which is fine for some types of landscape. If you could specify the slope from the contour it would be much easier to build smooth hills.

    D)
    When creating a curved, or snaking, length of track with “flexitrack”, it is quite awkward to do a double track at the correct spacing. Copy and past only works in some instances. An “add a parallel track” feature would be very useful.

    I hope this is the correct place to post this. If not please accept my applogies.
    Congratulations on a brilliant bit of software.

    Best regards

  4. Hi Milen

    Regarding my point (C) above.
    I have discovered that this can be done, using the [Alt] key – I saw this tip as a comment in another part of your blog. It would be useful if this method was added to the “How to set heights & slopes” part of the “On-Line Help” pages. This works with roads as well.
    Also regarding I spotted that you can in fact alter the widths of roads by selecting a different track scale first e.g. For an N Scale layout, selecting Z is good for small country roads, and T for footpaths. It is mentioned in the instructions that the road width is set by the track scale, but it would be useful if it also mentioned that you can temporarily select a different track scale to lay down roads of different widths.

    Thanks for a great program – it is very usefull indeed.

  5. suggestions:
    Tools > Toolbox always ends with “Start point”. But this option is not that much used. Is it possible to set “Flex-tracks modelling” at top? So when you start Toolbox, you get “Flex-tracks modelling” direct in view.

    Not sure if it is a bug, but I noticed that the notations inside Flex-track components are shown with a much smaller font then the fixed track. Is it possible to make it the same font size?

    I read your comments about layers. But this is what I do, different levels of track in different layers, otherwise it will be impossible to draw. Sometimes I put buildings, parts of track in an empty layer, don’t want to get rid of it yet, but first want to compare different layouts.
    Said that, is it possible that you can choose what layer is shown in the 3D?, special handy for those smaller systems.

    Made N-tram libs, you’ve got them from me already, but I saw that the wide of the track does vary when used with Fleischmann lib or with Peco lib. The lib stands on its own, still some sort of bug or not yet worked out implementation?

    For the rest of it, I’m happy with the program up to now.

  6. Hello Joop,

    Here are my comments:

    1. This can be make as setting in some of the next versions, but for now, just place a new flex-track for shaping – if the Toolbox is visible, it will automatically switch to “Flex-tracks modelling” feature.

    2. This is the way for now, for showing the dimensions on smaller/shorter flex sections.

    3. There is not a problem to have tracks on a different levels/heights in same or different layers. However, if there are two same tracks (or even full layouts) in the same place and height, there will be a problem, even if they are in a different layers. SCARM does not completely isolate layers as it assumes they are consistent part of a single layout. If you want to compare layouts, open each track plan in a different SCARM instance, then switch the views and use copy/paste between them for editing. About layering in 3D – that is planned and will come in some of the next versions of SCARM, but it will be limited, i.e. the terrain will be generated depending on all tracks, no matter which are visible or not.

    4. Tram tracks are not yet implemented as there are variations on how they should be displayed in 3D. Currently, the track gauge and sleepers width are set in the libraries, but other values are still calculated, based on them.

  7. I have experienced a problem with laying flex track. Sometimes I can use the mouse to curve and shorten the track and sometimes it is fixed. If I cut the flex track out and relay several times then usually I get it to work but not always. I am using version 9.31 on Windows 7 and using Hornby-OO flex track.

    This is the main problem. Otherwise scarm is very good. Thanks, Michael

  8. Apologies. It was user error. Sometimes I was selecting the flex track and sometimes the straight track listed below it. Ideally perhaps the word Flex should be a bit closer to the picture so I don’t pick the wrong one.

  9. Question: When pasting a plan section to another plan, how do I direct SCARM exactly where, on the recipient plan, to paste the copied item?

  10. You can’t. The pasted portion will appear at the exact position from where it was copied. Then you will be able to move it to the desired place.

    If pasted section does not appear on the screen, it may be out of the visible area. Use “View” > “Scale” > “Fit to Screen” command to see the whole plan and locate where the pasted section is.

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