This page gives a detailed description of every function associated with SigScribe4. |
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SigScribe4 - Documentation - The Basics
The Basics of SigScribe4On this page: Mac users, please note:
Windows users, please note:
Linux users, please note:
Panels:
The SigScribe4 screen is composed of three panels:
In the Signal Diagram panel, the track layout and the locations of signals is drawn on a numbered grid style mimic board. The Lever Frame panel shows the levers and indicates their connections to signals and points. Levers are always in multiples of six for compatibility with the MODRATEC Lever Frame system. The Detail Panel displays either the arrangement of individual signal arms and colour light heads, route indicator information, or the detail of facing point locks (FPLs). In addition to these panels there is a menu bar at the top of the screen and a "cancel bar" at the bottom of screen. (The cancel bar is an elongated button which is clicked to cancel certain modes.) ModesSigScribe4 runs in a number of distinct modes:
When started, SigScribe4 is in the Signal Diagram Edit mode and the Lever Frame Edit mode. These modes can be selected from the Panel menu. A white background for either panel indicates its edit mode. Protect Mode means that both the Signal Diagram and the Lever Frame are protected (i.e. un-editable). Panels are protected from the Panel menu. The background colour for a protected panel is light grey. Connect Mode is used to join individual levers to the item/items in the Signal Diagram which they control. Protect Mode is a prerequisite of Connect Mode. Connect Mode exists once the "Connect" (or "Disconnect") option has been selected from the Contextual menu activated from any lever. Route Definition Mode is used to define the routes which correspond to each signal lever. Protect Mode is a prerequisite of Route Definition Mode. Route Definition Mode exists once the "Define Route" option has been selected from the Contextual menu activated from any lever. The Operate Mode exists when Set Interlocking or Interlock from Table... is selected from the Interlocking menu. In this mode all lever interactions simulate the mechanical interlocking design that has been developed from the route definitions entered. A design can be well and truly worked through every conceivable situation to ensure that the design is sound. The File menu allows designs to be saved and retrieved as needed. When a file is opened, SigScribe4 will be in the Protect Mode. The Current Tile.. In the facing point lock detail window the current tile is indicated by a light grey rectangle. .. In the Lever Frame in connect mode the current tile is indicated by a red & yellow double rectangle on a light grey background. .. In the Lever Frame in edit mode the current tile is indicated by a light grey rectangle on a white background. .. In the Lever Frame in protect mode the current tile is indicated by a yellow rectangle on a light grey background. .. In the Lever Frame in route definition mode the current tile is indicated by a yellow rectangle on a light grey background. In addition the tile corresponding to the signal for which the route is being defined in indicated by a red rectangle. .. In the route indicator detail window the current tile is indicated by a light grey rectangle. .. In the signal detail window the current tile is indicated by a light grey rectangle. For post mounted signals the background is blue. For ground signals the background is green. .. In the Signal Diagram in edit mode the current tile is indicated by a multi-coloured square pattern. The general background is white. .. In the Signal Diagram in protect mode the current tile is indicated by a yellow filled rectangle. The general background is light grey. Menu BarMac users: The menu bar is in the standard location at the top of the screen. Menu short cuts use the Apple key instead of Control. .. The File menu is available by mouse left click from the menu bar or (Windows and Linux only) by keystroke alt+F. (What does alt+F mean?) The File options are:
.. The Panels menu is available by mouse left click from the menu bar or (Windows and Linux only) by keystroke alt+P. The Panels options are:
.. The Interlocking menu is available by mouse left click from the menu bar or (Windows and Linux only) by keystroke alt+I. The Interlocking options are:
.. The Help menu is available by mouse left click from the menu bar or (Windows and Linux only) by keystroke alt+H. The Help options are:
Contextual Menus (or Popup Menus)
Contextual menus are triggered by mouse right click or by click and hold for approximately 0.5 second. .. The Signal Diagram Edit Contextual menu is available by mouse right click from any grid tile in the Signal Diagram. The Signal Diagram Edit options are:
.. The Signal Detail Edit Contextual menu is available by mouse right click from any signal tile in the detail window. The Signal Detail Edit options are:
.. The Lever Edit Contextual menu is available by mouse right click from any lever in the Lever Frame. The Lever Edit options are:
.. The Signal Diagram Connect Contextual menu is available by mouse right click from any grid tile in the Signal Diagram. Note that this menu can be activated only when connect mode has been selected from the Lever Connect Contextual menu. The Signal Diagram Connect options are:
.. The Lever Connect Contextual menu is available by mouse right click from any lever in the Lever Frame. Note that this menu can be activated only if both the Signal Diagram and the Lever Frame are protected. The Lever Connect options are:
.. The Signal Detail Connect Contextual menu is available by mouse right click from any tile in the detail window. Note that this menu can be activated only when connect mode has been selected from the Lever Connect Contextual menu. The Signal Detail Connect options are:
.. The Signal Route Indicator Connect Contextual menu is available by mouse right click from any route indicator tile in the detail window. Note that this menu can be activated only when connect mode has been selected from the Lever Connect Contextual menu. The Signal Route Indicator Connect options are:
.. The FPL Connect Contextual menu is available by mouse right click from any FPL tile in the detail window. Note that this menu can be activated only when connect mode has been selected from the Lever Connect Contextual menu. The FPL Connect options are:
.. The Route Setting Contextual menu is available by mouse right click from any lever in the Lever Frame. Note that this menu can be activated only when route definition mode has been selected from the Lever Connect Contextual menu. The Route Setting options are:
.. The Points Interlocking Contextual menu is available by mouse right click from any points or FPL lever in the Lever Frame. Note that this menu can be activated only when route definition (points interlocking) mode has been selected from the Lever Connect Contextual menu. The Points Interlocking options are:
.. The Signal Interlocking Contextual menu is available by mouse right click from any signal lever in the Lever Frame. Note that this menu can be activated only when route definition (signal interlocking) mode has been selected from the Lever Connect Contextual menu. The Signal Interlocking options are:
.. The Signal Diagram Operate Contextual menu is available by mouse right click from any points lever in the Lever Frame. Note that this menu can be activated only when operate mode exists by having set interlocking. The Signal Diagram Operate options are:
.. The Signal Detail Operate Contextual menu is available by mouse right click from any points lever in the Lever Frame. Note that this menu can be activated only when operate mode exists by having set interlocking. The Signal Detail Operate options are:
.. The Lever Operate Contextual menu is available by mouse right click from any lever in the Lever Frame. Note that this menu can be activated only when operate mode exists by having set interlocking. The Lever Operate options are:
Other Actions
.. Drawing straight track. The Signal Diagram must be in edit mode to draw or modify any tiles. A continuous run of straight track can be drawn on the Signal Diagram in edit mode by alt+left+dragging (What does alt+left+drag mean?) (Linux users may need to use ctrl+alt+left+dragging or middle+dragging) the mouse from a start tile to an end tile. The picture shows what is seen during the drag action (above) and the resulting track (below). This is limited to a horizontal line. .. Drawing other track elements. The Signal Diagram must be in edit mode to draw or modify any tiles. Track elements are derived in two steps:
The seed formation is created using the multi-coloured tile marker as a guide. The eight small squares around the edge represent eight possible entry / exit points. Each can be selected by left shift+clicking with the mouse. When all have been selected for the required formation, the centre square is shift+clicked and the seed formation appears. The shift key is held down throughout this procedure which freezes the marker preventing it from moving with the mouse cursor. The picture shows the marker in which four squares have been selected. These are coloured blue. When the magenta centre square is shift+clicked, the seed formation shown in the middle of the picture results. If a diamond crossing is the track element required, then no more needs to be done. But the diamond crossing can be transformed into a bridge or a single slip or a double slip. This is done by pressing the "H" and "V" keys on the keyboard to produce the necessary transformation. The track element tables show the transformation process starting from the seed formations. The "H" represents horizontal moves through the table while "V" represents vertical moves. The picture shows on the right the result of pressing "V" twice to produce a single slip. Any track element which can be connected to a lever will display a red number 0 means no lever is connected. When connected to a lever, the display gives the lever number. If more than one lever is involved a * is displayed, meaning that the detail window must be used to see corresponding lever numbers. You will notice from the track elements tables that signals can be applied only to horizontal track. This is not an important limitation because the requirement of the Signal Diagram is to accurately represent the "logical" order of track and signalling components rather than their strict geography. You will also notice that the symbol used for post-mounted signals on the Signal Diagram is a simple semaphore on a post. This merely represents the position of a signalling feature. The detail of arms etc., whether semaphore or colour light is specified in the detail window. The Signal Diagram symbol is dynamic, meaning that it changes from danger (normal) to clear (reversed) in response to lever movement. Where there are multiple arms or heads in a signal feature, the Signal Diagram symbol will show clear if any arm / head is clear and danger when all arm / heads are at danger. Of course, the interlocking system will not allow more than one arm on a post to be cleared except in the case of a distant / stop slotted combination. The above paragraph relates similarly to ground signals. Pointwork is dynamic. It changes in response to lever movement. When designing a Signal Diagram, always ensure that the symbol selected corresponds to the normal position of levers. Changing lever colours. When first constructed, the Lever Frame contains the requested number of levers and these are all white. The Lever Frame must be in edit mode to modify any levers. To change the colour of a lever, first make it the current lever by pointing at it with the mouse, then use the "H" and "V" keys in a similar manner to that outlined for track elements above to transform the lever to the required colour. The lever colour table shows the transformation process. Setting signal details. The signal detail window contains a 4 x 4 grid in which signal arms / heads can be set. The Signal Diagram must be in edit mode to change any signal details. To modify any tile, first make it the current tile by pointing at it with the mouse, then use the "H" and "V" keys in a similar manner to that outlined for track elements above to transform the tile to the required element. Note that to place a route indicator, there must be a normal arm or head immediately above it. The signal detail table shows the transformation process. Other than the above note referring to route indicators, the positioning of signal arms or heads does not affect the way that SigScribe4 processes the information. However it will be helpful to lay them out in a reasonably prototypical way. Note that the symbols in the detail window are static - they do not change with the operation of levers. Setting facing point locks. FPLs can be set on all pointwork but they are initially inactive (off). If you intend to use black/blue combination levers where FPLs would exist, there is no need to specify FPLs in the design. However, if you intend to use separate blue FPL leavers, then you need to set the FPLs which you need to be active. For single points units, use the Contextual menu to toggle the FPL. When active, 0,0 will be displayed on the tile. .. For complex pointwork the FPL detail window is used to set FPLs as active. The diagram shows all possible facing movements and allows corresponding FPLs to be set "on" or "off" by clicking the appropriate FPL. (n.a. means not applicable.) The display on the Signal Diagram will show 0,* meaning that there is at least one active FPL with detail in the FPL detail window. Detonator Placers. Detonator Placer levers are non-interlocking. They can be connected to Detonator Placer tiles to provide a visual indication of their action. Optional signal tiles representing co-acting detonator placers are also provided. For affordable and effective Web Hosting, MODRATEC uses and recommends Hosting Bay |
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