So far I have quite a bit of the tutorial done....21 printed pages with 30 images. I need someone who has Paint Shop Pro 7 (or similar) to try it out and send me feedback. I tend to know too much about PSP, so I take shortcuts when explaining stuff and dont write it down.... Can whoever is prepared to have a go at it reply here and then go to this URL http://www.disisus.com/layout_planning_with_psp.htm This is a temporary location... the links work at this stage, but theres no 'back' button, and the entire thing is on one page (21 pages of DOC file on one HTML page. Doesnt take too long to load with DSL, but if you'e got a modem, expect it to take 3-4 minutes. I have absolutely no idea what it will look like when you print it from the web. Probably REAL ugly. Whoever does it, PM me with anything you find please. Comments, suggestions, stuff you get stuck on etc. All I ask is, if you DO get stuck, tell me EXACTLY (cut and paste the paragraph and tell me the last heading you saw) where you hit the problem and I'll try to emulate / fix it. This is only about 1/4 of the eventual document... I'm trying to make it pretty comprehensive and spend quite a bit of time on Bezier curves. Go to it!
no...dont PM me... I jsut realised I go to a bookmark thats way after the PM notification bit of trainboard... email me instead. Its in my profile.
When I saw PSP I thought you were talking about Pierced Steel Planking. Why would anyone want to give a tutorial on Pierced Steel Planking? For those unfamiliar with PSP in this context, it was (and still might be) used to make landing strips and parking areas for aircraft plus other stuff. When I was flying C-130's we landed on the stuff a couple of time. David
I read through the tutorial since I use PSP for some raster graphics work. However, I generally use a combination of Right Track and vector based Autocad for layouts. I thought that, for users of PSP, the tutorial was a good way to express a conceptual layout without too much emphasis on precision. My suggestions for the tutorial is to start with an illustration of a final layout, then show how it it is built up. Also indicate what section in the tutorial certain activities are described based on the final track layout. That way, users can skip right to the section they need help in. Having bullet lists indicating specific procedures helps describe an operation. All in all, a good start. Barry
Great, thanks for the feedback Barry. I intend this document to be a 'total noobs guide to model railroading for PSP'. The overall layout at the start is certainly something I'll bang in. I intend to 'supplement' the full guide with a 'ready reference' guide which will be point form and VERY specific (ie, non-verbose). Once people have done the tutorial, it will make sense to them, without reading a lot of boring stuff. eg : S-Bend using Bezier curve - drag line from end to end, click 1/3 distance from each end in line with tracks your joining. That probably means nothing to someone who hasnt read the tutorial, but to someone who has, its crystal clear. Know what I mean? Any suggestions in that regard?
glad you replied to this Barry. I was going to post in here to say 'why am I bothering'. Nice to know someone has at least tried it out. Might have been a better idea to have this post in the layout desing forum, actually.... oh well, back to work.
Using the bezier curves are not much different than trying to manipulate the flextrack feature in RTS. In other words, they are both difficult if not explained well. Since the principal elements for track layout are based on just a few tools, it actually might be good to try to explain those tools in details. Describe which tools are best for specific track types. Describe how the handles effect the shapes. If you can achieve that, then your reader may make a critical breakthrough in their understanding of the program. Lastly, I appreciate the effort it takes to prepare a tutorial or lesson plan. I know the feeling that one gets wondering if anyone will gain anything from it. Then one day, out of the blue, someone thanks you for it. Not a bad feeling. Regards, Barry
indeed Barry, thats really what its all about... you dont stand to get anything else out of a tutorial, as the writer, than the satisfaction that someone read and understood it. Yes, your absolutely right on beziers being like flex... I'll change my references in the document because that will make a whole lot more sense to RR folks. Beziers are such a b!tch to document... if you have anything you;d like to add in that particular section (or any other for that matter!), feel free to let me know
