Simple Computer Aided Railway Modeller

The figures in SCARM are used for creating 2D shapes on the drawing plot, which then automatically becomes 3D objects, by adding vertical position and height. With help of the figures you will be able to create buildings, station platforms, railroad facilities, railway-related equipment, layout installation and controlling stuff and even interior of the room where your layout will be located.

To start your work with figures in SCARM, open the library selection menu (by right click over the name of currently selected library, located on top of the tracks selection panel) and then select "Figures" (at the bottom in the list). Available figure types will be displayed in the panel. Selection mode (first button) is activated by default.

In order to draw a given figure, select its button in the panel and follow the instructions in the Status bar. When the figure is ready, the program will display a Properties window, showed below:

The functions of the fields are as follows:

Vertical position – this is the distance from the base (ground zero) to the bottom of the 3D object.

Height – this is the height of the 3D object. If the value is zero, then the object will be invisible in the 3D viewing mode (useful for marking regions and specific areas in the layout, which are visible only in 2D mode).

Color – this is the color of the object. Click over the white bar to choose the desired color from Windows palette. If you click on the small button, located right from the bar, the figure will became transparent – can be useful in some situations.

Snap terrain to bottom – if checked, the terrain under the shape in 3D mode will be snapped to bottom of the object. If not checked, the object fill be "floating" (i.e. roof over station platform).

Inside contour - valid only when upper field has checkmark – if checked, the terrain will be snapped only inside figure contour (i.e. for creating banks of rivers and lakes). If not checked, the terrain snapping will spread outside figure contour (i.e. for buildings).

Click "3D" button from the toolbar in order to see the figure in the 3D Viewer. You can change the properties later, by selecting the figure and opening the Properties window form "Objects" > "Properties" menu. You can set the properties of several objects at same time – just select them with selection rectangle or by mouse, while holding Shift key. To alter the form of already created figure, click with mouse over it and edit the control points. You can insert new points by right clicking over desired figure’s side and choosing “Insert new point” from the context menu. If you want to move some control point, select it and drag with left mouse button to desired position, but if you want to remove it, select the point and press Del key. You can group several figures together and work with them as single object – just select the figures and then activate "Objects" > "Group" menu. To move an object, first select it, then hold Ctrl and move it with mouse or use "Move" command from context menu. To rotate given object at a different angle, use "Edit" > "Rotate" menu and set the angle in the Rotation window by using of the horizontal slider. To align several figures horizontally or vertically, use "Objects" > "Align" and adjust the buttons in Alignment window.

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