Deleting squares to leave a gap to merge a route

[bradleybale2006]

How do I successfully merge a route? I've made two of the same yards but the best one is not in my main route, I want to delete a few squares to leave a gap for the newer yard but it's not as long as the original meaning there'll probably be a gap in the route I don't want, how do I fix this and merge successfully?

 

[stagecoach]

You can only merge a complete baseboard into a route. Load the main route and use the merge, line up the merge route on top of the main route and delete all the baseboards that show red from the main route. If any other baseboards need to be deleted to erase the original yard these will have to be filled with a new baseboard and then sculptured to match any adjoining baseboards. The alternative if the gap created has no touching baseboards to rest of the main route is to save it after deletion of the red boards with a different name. Then delete the main route, only keeping the part on the other side of the gap and save. Open the main route and delete the part the other side of the gap. Now merge the new yard and then merge the part saved after the gap.

 

[Jerker]

G'day bradleybale2006,

To delete any individual baseboard, you need to open the Topology Tab from the menus located on the right hand side of the screen (which looks like this...

...in TS12 and should be similar in T:ANE) by using the "delete" button (the reddish coloured one to the RIGHT of the word "Section" at the bottom of the panel). IT SHOULD BE NOTED (and you will receive an appropriate warning) THAT THIS ACTION IS IRREVERSIBLE. When you click the button, the program will delete the baseboard on which the cursor is located (don't forget, a baseboard is 72x72 of the yellow grid squares), so make sure you are on a baseboard that you want to delete...

...You will need to prepare the route with the replacement yard in it, by deleting every baseboard other than those you want to keep and then save it as a different route. In the route into which that is going, you need to remove all of the baseboards that 'cover' the old yard, leaving an appropriate gap and save it. You should also make sure that the baseboards you leave behind in the "main" route match one end (or the other) of the "yard" route to be merged and that the 'gap' is large enough to accommodate the the "yard" route. To be sure, close all routes and reopen the "main" route. Open the "Main Menu" Drop Down List and select "Merge Routes" and navigate to the location of the "yard" route and select it. Trainz will add this to your "main" route and allow you to move it around until it is situated where you want it (as stagecoach intimated, you will not be able to merge the two until there are NO red squares visible). Should you need any help, watch this excellent tutorial from the good folks at N3V...

...If all is as it should be, the gap at the other end of the newly merged "yard" route and the "Main" route should be less than it was prior to the routes being merged. This 'gap' can now be filled using the "add Baseboard" function located in the Topology Tab, using the greenish coloured button to the LEFT of the word "Section" at the bottom of the panel. When you do this, Trainz will add a new 'blank', 'flat' baseboard to the nearest edge of the baseboard on which the cursor is located (or it will add the new baseboard to the exposed edge, if only one edge is exposed). No matter which method you use to do this, any terrain differences will need to be 'fixed' by manually reshaping the terrain as and where it is required...

Jerker {}

 

[blueodessey]

I have merged many layouts, I would like to add I have had the same issues, one important thing, rename both Routes to Unique and different names, so you preserve your route and the original routes as originals.

Then play with the both new Files (renamed routes) merge, see if they work, and once all is said and done, you can rename the merged Route to something of your liking.

When I merge my Routes, I just rename by adding a space and "A" the other one a "B" whatever works, so if you make any mistakes in Merge, your original Routes are still in tact, no harm no foul.

Also, when you merge, you cannot rotate either Route, you can only move one from left to Right, or Vice Versa.

I't also works better, if you Merge the Larger Route into the smaller Route.

Merging is fun but that fun takes some work in getting the difference in Baseboard Elevations and Color's to match. But for me, I like the ability to take a Mountain Route and merge it with a Coast Line, flat type Route, you get some interesting results and ideas.

One other thing, the name Layer, has to be different in one of the merges, or it give you a error, just rename one of Route Layers to something like Layer1.

Hope this helps.

 

[wilts747]

Being as you are only interested in a relatively small area it sounds like you are making life perhaps hard for yourself. You do need to merge your routes to give you access to your new yard but just merge it to a convenient edge of your main route. Now use the Copy/Paste tools to select and copy you new yard and paste it over the one you want to replace. Once you are happy with the results delete the panels of the route you merged.

When you select an area to be copied you can choose what will actually be copied i.e. terrain, track, objects, textures etc. but remember it only selects/copies complete items within the selection area so for example it may help by adding some extra spline points to a track or hedge to ensure their inclusion. The copied area can be rotated to give the correct orientation and if you get it wrong you can always press Undo and try again. Once you click Paste it can take a few minutes to sort things out so be patient and don't go clicking everywhere with the mouse or you could finish up with a dozen new yards. The largest area I've successfully copied/pasted in one go equated to about 16 panels, (4 x 4) beyond that you just can't see where you are going. Peter