Looking for Help

[Derek01]

I hope someone can help, I wish to use map\'s to make my layout\'s more realistic,but I need to know how to put the maps onto the boards,so I can overlay the track and scenery??

I have seen this on other peoples layout\'s but have not been able to contact any of them to ask them.

I am using Trs 2006.

I have been following several tutorials I got from fellow members of the forum,i.e "Worldoftrainz" but all I manage to get on the layout are Blank Black Boards.

I have managed to make an asset with a map attached and this covers one board,but it dose not show up on the mini map,and as it floats above the surface of the board when I paint it I only see the result when I remobe the asset.

Thank's in advance to anyone that can help.

 

[geophil]

Do you want to build a prototypical route? Using prototypical height data (DEM = Digital Elevation Model) to shape your terrain? Using cartographic maps and/or aerial imagery to lay track at the right spot? And where will your route be located?

You will need a basic understanding of the entire prototypical route building process and you will need some tools. There are several options. If you are planning a US route, you can try MicroDEM and HOG as your toolkit and process TIGER data as your map source. Elsewhere in the world MicroDEM/HOG becomes much more complicated. There's also MapMaker. And there are Basemaps, but Basemaps leave terraforming to you. All those are free. With a higher degree of automation there is also TransDEM which is payware.

geophil

 

[Derek01]

Looking for help

Geophil thank you for the info.I have the following programs,Microdem,Hog,and Trainz Asset creater.
I have tried to use DEM Data as used in a tutorial and followed to the letter the instructions but only managed to get "BLANK BLACK BOARDS".
I want to build a large layout covering the South East of England,
It would be nice to use DEM Data but it is not readily avalible for this area without paying to much money! So I think it will have to be Mapmaker,is this a program I will look for it?
Any other info will be helpful.

 

[geophil]

The classic MicroDEM/HOG approach will create your DEM-terrain for a Trainz route anywhere in the world. It will not, however, create any map overlays for routes outside the USA, simply because the data source used for this overlays is US specific, the so-called TIGER maps. (There have been attempts for non-US-routes to create TIGER-like overlays for HOG with a variety of additional tools, but this requires a certain expertise, not for the faint-of-heart).

MapMaker will also create your terrain. It does not create any ground overlays like HOG, though. Instead, it creates flat texture carrier objects with pieces of the map on top of them. These objects are placed into your Trainz route and will serve as templates. As far as I understand, you have to provide the map source in UTM coordinates. MapMaker is free, like MicroDEM/HOG.

TransDEM is not free. It creates terrain, map ground overlay and texture carrier objects in an integrated tool. it's flexible with map coordinate systems and will process various map sources like O/S topographic map images or Google Earth images the. According to users it is significantly easier to handle than the other tools. See here: http://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?t=19532

geophil

 

[Derek01]

:udrool: Thanks again for the info I will now look into my options,I will see what I can do,and let you know how I get on.
Regards Derek

 

[Derek01]

Still looking for help

I am trying to use MapMaker but just keep geting this Error message
"Run-time Error
*** Error 57, Attempt to read past end-of-file
004100a0 SELECTMAP [+037d]
00404170 GETBOARD [+04d5]
0040d080 MAPMAKER [+01ea] "
I need so more help please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[geophil]

Have you contacted switchdoc, the author?

 

[Derek01]

I have tryed to contact switchdoc but no reply!
I have cotacted him again.
I have had a reply from switchdoc now.
I have found that MapMaker dose not work in Vista.
I have to make the layout in TRS2004 using XP then transfer it to TRS2006 using Vista and I get a part result,am still working on getting it right.

 

[Derek01]

Success

Hi Geophil,
I have now managed to get the maps & terrain into TRS2006.
Can now get on with the track laying

 

[prometheus_au]

MapMaker3i (was Looking For Help)

Hi Geophil,
I have now managed to get the maps & terrain into TRS2006.
Can now get on with the track laying

Apologies for bringing back an old thread, but I've just reinstalled Vista and TRS2006 etc... and MapMaker and I'm getting the same error message. I had this working before I needed to reinstall....

Derek (or anyone else), could you explain to me how you got this to work?

Cheers
Prometheus