Revision as of 20:54, 26 February 2023

The information in this Wiki Page applies to Surveyor 2.0 (S20) as found in Trainz Plus. The original reference material for this document can be found at Surveyor 2.0 Overview

1 Surveyor 2.0 vs Surveyor Classic
2 The Tools Palette
3 The Brush Tool
4 The Placement Tool
5 The Eyedropper Tool
- 5.1 Quick Steps
- 5.2 Narrowing the Search
6 The Free Move Tool
7 The Fine Adjustment Tool
8 The Marquee Tool
9 Mass Object Moves and Clones
- 9.1 Selecting and Moving Multiple Objects
  - 9.1.1 Selecting Multiple Identical Objects
- 9.2 Cloning Objects
10 The Info Palette
11 Trainz Wiki

Surveyor 2.0 Mouse and Keyboard Aids and Shortcuts

Operations

LClick

Left Click on an object to select it

Shift LClick

hold down the Shift key and Left Click on another object to add it to the selection

LClick Drag

Left Click and Drag to move an object or a group of selected objects

RClick

Right Click on the terrain to move the Compass Rose and Focus to that location

DLClick

Double Left Click on an object to place it and all nearby identical objects into one selection

	when used on a consist all the wagons in the consist, regardless of type, will be selected
	when used on a spline or track all the segments upto the next junction will be selected

Shift DLClick

hold down the Shift key and Double Left Click on another object to add it and its nearby identical objects to those already in the selection

Ctrl LClick Drag

hold down the Ctrl key and Left Click and Drag to clone an object or selected objects

Ctrl C

press Ctrl C to copy selected objects (including the ground height, ground textures and any effect layers) into a new Scrapbook

Ctrl D

press Ctrl D to unselect a selected object (or ALL objects if multiple objects have been selected)

Ctrl V

press Ctrl V to paste the current Scrapbook into the route at the cursor position (the Surveyor Compass Rose). The current settings in the Scrapbook Palette Filter will control which objects are pasted and how they are pasted

Ctrl X

press Ctrl X to cut and remove selected objects from the route and place them into a new Scrapbook. The ground height, ground textures, effect layers and any objects in locked layers will be copied, not cut

Ctrl Z

press Ctrl Z to undo actions

Alt

hold down the Alt key and hover the tool pointer over an object to identify it

Alt LClick

hold down the Alt key and Left Click on an object to select it in the Assets Palette

Delete

press the Delete key to delete a selected object or objects

Tools

W	selects the Brush Tool
E	selects the Placement Tool
R	selects the Eyedropper Tool
S	selects the Free Move Tool
D	selects the Fine Adjustment Tool
F	selects the Marquee Tool
T	opens the Context Menu of a selected object

Assets and Objects

(from the Surveyor 2.0 Overview document)

In this online documentation, the term Asset is used when talking about the items listed in Content Manager and the Asset Palette. Every asset has a KUID (unique identifier). When an asset (selected in the Assets Palette) is placed into the world, the instance of the asset in the world is referred to as an Object. There are multiple types of object, such as Scenery, Splines, Trains, Trackside, etc.

Surveyor 2.0 vs Surveyor Classic

Surveyor 2.0

Surveyor 2.0 (or S20) is the new Surveyor interface provided to Trainz Plus Gold and Trainz Plus Standard subscribers as an alternative to Surveyor Classic. Classic is still available as an option in Trainz Plus. It is also available as an option in TRS22 for subscribers only.

Whats New

a single set of common tools that can be applied to ALL types of objects

the ability to select multiple objects of different types that can be manipulated as one with more freedom than was previously possible

each object has its own Context Menu that applies specific actions depending on the type of object

information and controls in dockable and moveable Palettes that can be hidden when not needed

a new Scrapbook asset to store "scenes" that can be pasted anywhere in a route, between routes and shared through the DLS

a new Marquee Tool that allows:-

	multiple baseboards to be added, deleted and have their height, ground texture and grid resolution changed in a single operation
	objects, ground heights, ground textures and effect layers to be moved and copied

The following screen images help illustrate the change in philosophy that has occurred with the release of the Surveyor 2.0 user interface.

Surveyor Classic 2002 - 2022
	all the tools are in separate fixed Tabbed Flyouts with a different Flyout and set of tools for each type of object (scenery, track, terrain, textures, trains, etc)
	the workflow forces you to select the correct tool for the type of object and then apply it to just a single object at a time

Surveyor 2.0 2022 -
	there is just one set of tools that can be applied to all types of objects
	the workflow allows you to select multiple objects (that can be of different types) and then apply a selected tool

The Tools Palette

The Tools Palette is at the core of the new interface and takes the place of all the Tool Flyouts that have been the standard for Trainz Surveyor for many years. Some of the tools are new while others have been given a makeover and new abilities.

The Context Tool is attached as an icon to a selected or newly placed object. The icon will vary according to the type of object.

Notes: Palettes

If the Tools Palette is not shown on the screen, then:-

Steps:

open the Window Menu from the menu icons at the top of the screen

	visible palettes have ticks next to their names
	invisible (hidden) palettes have no ticks next to their names

to make a hidden palette visible simply Left click on its name or on the

next to its name. This will add a

and make the Tools Palette visible

make sure that the Tool Options Palette is also visible

An Eyedropper is inside all the tools so you can quickly identify any object without having to switch to the Eyedropper Tool and back again.
Just hold down the Alt key as you move your selected tool onto an object to reveal its name. Left click on the object while holding down the key to select it in the Assets Palette list.

The Brush Tool

Keyboard Shortcut: W

The Brush Tool "paints" the ground height, ground textures, effect layers and scrapbook scenes in the Trainz World

The Brush Tool has two drop down menu lists.

The first drop down menu will set the "Brush Target" which is the type of brush.
The Targets are:-

	Ground Height
	Ground Texture
	Scrapbook Data
	*<List of Effect Layers>*
	Edit Effect Layers

If you have any Effect Layers then they will appear as Targets in this drop down list. Select an Effect Layer to use the brush to paint with that layer.

Ground Height

This brush tool uses the Tool Options Palette. If this palette is not visible on the screen then refer to

Notes: Palettes at the top of this document.

When the Ground Height Target is selected, the second drop down box will give a choice of several Ground Height actions.

The actions are:-

	Height Up
	Height Down
	Set Height
	Grade

Height Up/Height Down raises/lowers the ground at a rate controlled by the Sensitivity

Set Height "plateaus" the ground to the Height setting at a rate controlled by the Sensitivity

Grade creates a smooth slope at the Grade and Angle settings at a rate controlled by the Sensitivity

The brush tool options for each action are shown in the Tool Options Palette with a Gold coloured icon next to their names. Those options that have their icon greyed out will be ignored by the selected action, but they can still be edited.

Height Up/Height Down
Up/Down brush options

Set Height
Height brush options

Grade

Radius

the brush radius (metres) - see Notes: below

Range:

5m and above

Height

the brush height (metres)

Range:

-3000m to 3000m

Sensitivity

the rate at which the height changes

Range:

1% (very slowly) to 100% (very quickly)

Grade

slope gradient - see Notes: below

Range:	0% = flat ("Plateau" in Classic) to
	±100% = steep (but not vertical)

Angle

grade direction (compass degrees)

Range:

0° (North) to ±359°
a negative value reverses the grade

Notes:

	Unlike Surveyor Classic, there is no upper limit to the brush Radius . Brushes of hundreds of metres (even kilometres) in size are possible. However, the performance will decrease as the brush radius increases. If you are using the brush to set an entire baseboard, or many baseboards, to a specific height then the Marquee Tool would be a better choice.
	The Grade is defined as vertical rise divided by horizontal distance converted to a percentage figure. So a grade of 100% (the maximum allowed) would mean a slope formed by the height and distance both being the same value (e.g. a height increase of 50m over a distance of 50m). A vertical slope (a cliff) would have an infinite grade which is currently impossible in Surveyor.

Steps: To set the Ground Height:-
	select the Brush Tool from the Tools Palette (or press the W key)
	select the brush Target (in this case Ground Height )
	select the brush Action (Height Up, Height Down, etc)
	set any brush controls (radius, height, sensitivity, etc) in the Tool Options Palette
	Left Click and Drag on the terrain to change the terrain height

Ground Texture

This brush tool uses the Tool Options Palette. If this palette is not visible on the screen then refer to

Notes: Palettes at the top of this document.

When the Ground Texture Target is selected, the second drop down box will be disabled - there are no brush texture actions.

The brush tool options for each action are shown in the Tool Options Palette with a Gold coloured icon next to their names. Those options that have their icon greyed out will be ignored, but they can still be edited.

Radius

the brush radius (metres) - see Notes: below

Range:

5m and above

Sensitivity

texture transparency

Range:	1% = almost transparent to
	100% = solid (opaque)

Rotation

initial rotation angle - see Notes: below

Range:

0° to ±360° (larger angles can be entered)

Scale

the texture pattern scaling factor

Range:

0.01% = smallest to 100% = full size

Steps: To paint a Ground Texture:-
	select your Ground Texture in the Assets Palette - you can use the Assets Palette filter options to narrow down the selection
	select the Brush Tool from the Tools Palette (or press the W key)
	select the Ground Texture target from the Brush drop down menu
	set any brush controls (radius, sensitivity, rotation, scale) in the Tool Options Palette
	Left Click and Drag on the terrain to paint with the texture

Notes:

Unlike Surveyor Classic, there is no upper limit to the brush Radius . Brushes of hundreds of metres (even kilometres) in size are possible. However, the performance will decrease as the brush radius increases. If you are using the brush to paint an entire baseboard, or many baseboards, then the Marquee Tool will be quicker but it will not give the options of changing the scale and rotation.

The Rotation controls the starting angle for the texture when painting and is often used to avoid pattern repetition. As in Surveyor Classic, holding down the [ or ] keys while painting will continuously change the rotation angle

Warning: Changing the rotation angle during painting is not recommended for PBR Textures as this will significantly increase the memory useage (each rotation will load in another copy of the PBR texture).

Default Baseboard Ground Texture

When a new route is created or a new baseboard is added it will be covered with the Default ground texture for the selected Region. This can be temporarily disabled or permanently changed to a different texture (including to the standard TRS19 grid pattern).

The easiest option is to disable the current default ground texture Steps:
	open the Display Menu
	select the Ground option
	select the Grid option. This will use the current grid texture.

A more complex solution is to edit an existing Region or create one of your own to add your preferred ground texture (such as the standard TRS19 grid pattern) to each new route you create and every new baseboard that you add.

Information on creating and editing Region assets can be found on the Trainz Wiki at:-

How to Create a Region Asset

Scrapbook Data

This brush tool uses both the Tool Options Palette and the Scrapbook Palette. If these palettes are not visible on the screen then refer to

Notes: Palettes at the top of this document. Instructions on how to create Scrapbooks can be found in the

Marquee Tool section of this document.

	Notes:
Scrapbooks, when created, will contain:-
	Ground Heights
	Ground Textures
	Effect Layers - if present
	Selected Objects - scenery items, splines, track, signals, etc
But NOT Rolling Stock (Trains)
Ground heights, textures and effect layers are always included in a scrapbook but you can control which visible objects are added by manually selecting them or using the filter controls in the Assets Palette

	Notes:
Scrapbooks, when painted or pasted, can contain any combinations of:-
	Ground Heights
	Ground Textures
	Effect Layers
	Scenery Objects (Meshes) - individual buildings, trees, signals, etc
	Scenery Splines - roads, track, fences, etc
You have options that will control which of these data categories are transferred and how they are transferred from the scrapbook into a route.

The current Scrapbook can be Pasted into a route at the position of the screen cursor (the Compass Rose) by:-

	pressing Ctrl V , OR
	selecting Paste from the Context Menu of a selected object
In both cases the Scrapbook will be pasted using the original scrapbooks size. It will be pasted inside a Marquee Selection Area that can be moved and resized. The objects that are pasted and how they are pasted is controlled by the current Scrapbook Palette filter settings

The Scrapbook Brush Actions

When the Scrapbook Data Target is selected, the second drop down box will give a choice of two actions.

The actions are:-

	Scrapbook Brush
	Scrapbook Clone

Scrapbook Brush will resize the scrapbook contents to fit the selected brush shape and size

Scrapbook Clone will paint the scrapbook sized according to the Scale setting. See Notes below

Notes:

Scrapbook Brush will resize the scrapbook contents to fit the selected brush shape and size.

	If the brush is small then the scrapbook contents will be compressed closer together
	If the brush is large then the contents will be spaced further apart
	Every Left Click will paste another complete scrapbook copy
	The Scale control in the Tool Options Palette is ignored.

Scrapbook Clone will paste the scrapbook sized according to the Scale setting (100% = original size)

	If the brush is the same size as the scaled scrapbook then a single exact copy will be pasted
	If the brush is smaller than the scaled scrapbook in size then only the central part of the scrapbook will be revealed and more will be added when the brush is moved around until the "painted" area covers the same area as the scaled scrapbook. Further painting will clone or tile the scrapbook contents
	If the brush is larger than the scaled scrapbook in size then the contents will be cloned or tiled to fill the set brush radius

Warning: The Scale and Radius settings must be carefully selected. Setting extreme values for both (a very large brush radius and a very small scale value) can cause performance issues (i.e. long delays) while the program attempts to scale and clone the scrapbook contents

The available brush tool options are shown in the Tool Options Palette with a Gold coloured icon next to their names. Those options that have their icon greyed out will be ignored, but they can still be edited.

Scrapbook Brush
Brush options

Scrapbook Clone
Clone options

Radius

the brush radius (metres) - see Notes: below

Range:

5m and above

Rotation

initial rotation angle (degrees) - see Notes: below

Range:

0° to ±360° (larger angles can be entered)

Scale

the scrapbook scaling factor

Range:

0.01% = smallest to 100% = full size

Shape

brush shape

Options:		Circle and Square will set the brush to the selected shape
	Natural will set the brush to the same shape as the Marquee that created the scrapbook, which may be rectangular. The Radius setting will set the relative brush dimensions

Notes:

	Unlike Surveyor Classic, there is no upper limit to the brush Radius . Brushes of hundreds of metres (even kilometres) in size are possible. However, the performance will decrease as the brush radius increases.
	The Rotation controls the starting angle for pasting the scrapbook objects. In Surveyor Classic you could only rotate and paste in 90° increments. In S20 you can rotate and paste at any angle.

Steps: To "paint" with a Scrapbook asset:-
	select the Brush Tool from the Tools Palette (or press the W key)
	select the Scrapbook Data target from the Brush first drop down menu
	select a brush action (Brush or Clone) from the Brush second drop down menu
	select a Scrapbook asset to be painted (see the The Scrapbook Palette below)
	open the Scrapbook Filter in the Scrapbook Palette and select the features to be pasted and their method of pasting (see The Scrapbook Filters below)
	set any Brush controls from the Tool Options Palette
	Left Click and Drag on the terrain to paint with the scrapbook asset

The Scrapbook Palette

	Left click on the pin icon to Lock (blue pin) and Unlock (white pin) the scrapbook. Locked scrapbooks are permanent (but can still be deleted). Unlocked scrapbooks will "expire" (self delete) after 5 days
	Left click on the delete icon to delete the current scrapbook - most scrapbooks can be deleted (see Notes: Deleting Built-in Scrapbooks below on how to deal with the exceptions to this)
	Identifies the currently displayed scrapbook (the first number) and the total number of stored scrapbooks (the second number)
	Left click on the < or > to move forwards or backwards through the stored scrapbooks to select the scrapbook that will be added to the route
	The scrapbook name can be edited. Simply Left click inside the name box to edit or replace the current name. Left click on the image to make the name change permanent and pin (lock) the scrapbook

	Notes: Deleting Built-in Scrapbooks
Some scrapbooks are installed with Trainz and cannot be deleted. These scrapbooks have the label Prefab at the front of their names (you may have to scroll to the front of the name to see it). While they cannot be deleted they can be "disabled" so that they won't appear as an installed scrapbook. Unlocking them will not cause them to "expire" - after 5 days they will just become locked again.
Steps: To disable built-in scrapbooks
	Open Content Manager and locate the "permanent" scrapbook or scrapbooks. Search Tips: Name: starts with "Prefab"; Status: is Built-in; Type: is Misc
	Highlight (select) the Scrapbook assets
	Open the Content menu and select Disable
You can reverse this and Enable any or all of these scrapbooks later if you need them.

The Scrapbook Filters

Left click on the arrowhead next to the Filters: label below the scrapbook image to open the scrapbook filter controls. These filters will control which elements in the scrapbook will be added to the route and how thay will be added.

For example: To paint a scrapbook asset onto a route with certain conditions set:-
Ground Height:	None	ground height data will not be pasted and the ground heights already in the target area will be used
Ground Texture:	Overwrite	textures present in the scrapbook will replace those already in the target area
Meshes:	Add	scenery objects in the scrapbook will be added to those already in the target area
Splines:	Add	scenery splines in the scrapbook will be added to those already in the target area
Effect Layers:	None	effect layers in the scrapbook will not be pasted and any already in the target area will be used

Scrapbook Painting/Pasting Options
What Data to Transfer
	Ground Height	terrain height(s) used in the scrapbook
	Texture	textures used in the scrapbook
	Meshes	scenery objects (e.g. trees, buildings) used in the scrapbook
	Splines	spline objects used in the scrapbook
	Effect Layers	effect layers (TurfFX, Clutter, Water Layer) used in the scrapbook
How to Transfer the Data
	None	do not paste this feature
	Add	add this feature to those already present
	Overwrite	use this feature to replace those already present
For the Ground Height:-
	Absolute	use the ground heights in the scrapbook to replace the existing ground heights
	Relative	modify the existing ground heights according to those used in the scrapbook (to ignore the scrapbook ground heights completely select the option None)

The current Scrapbook can be Pasted into a route at the position of the screen cursor (the Compass Rose) by:-

	pressing Ctrl V , OR
	selecting Paste from the Context Menu of a selected object
In both cases the Scrapbook will be pasted using the original scrapbooks size. It will be pasted inside a Marquee Selection Area that can be moved and resized. The objects that are pasted and how they are pasted is controlled by the current Scrapbook Palette filter settings

Effect Layers

If the route has Effect Layers installed then they will be listed individually as additional Targets.

	Notes:
	Effect Layers are created using the Edit Effect Layers options found in both the Edit Menu at the top of the screen and also in the Brush Tools drop down list (see below). They can also be loaded from .CDP files and installed from the Download Station (DLS).
	Once installed or created, Effect Layers can be added to a route as presets using either of the Edit Effect Layers options.

You can also select an Effect Layer from the Assets Palette filter list and immediately start "painting" using the current Tool Options Palette settings. This will also add the Effect Layer into the Brush Target List

TurfFX and Clutter Effect Layers

When a TurfFX or Clutter Effect Layer has been selected as the Target, the second drop down box will give a choice of three actions.
The actions are very similar to those found in the Ground Height brush:-

	Increase
	Decrease
	Set Intensity

Increase/Decrease raises or lowers the intensity of the effect layer at a rate controlled by the Sensitivity setting as the brush is swept back and forth over an area
Set Intensity will paint the effect layer in one sweep using the full Intensity setting

Steps: To paint with an Effect Layer

select the Brush Tool from the Tools Palette (or press the W key)

select the <effect layer name> from the Brush Target drop down menu. If there are no Effect Layers listed then none have been created or installed

select a Brush action from the second drop down list

Set Intensity	will paint the Effect Layer at the Intensity level in the Tool Options Palette
Increase	will paint the Effect Layer with each "sweep" of the brush increasing the layer Intensity up to the maximum (100%) at a rate controlled by the Sensitivity level
Decrease	will paint the Effect Layer with each "sweep" of the brush decreasing the layer Intensity at a rate controlled by the Sensitivity level

set any required Brush Radius , Intensity and Sensitivity controls from the Tool Options Palette

Left Click or Left Click and Drag on the terrain to paint with the Effect Layer

Water Effect Layer

When a Water Effect Layer has been selected as theTarget, the second drop down box will give a choice of five actions.
The actions are identical to those found in the Ground Height brush plus a new action:-

	Height Up
	Height Down
	Set Height
	Grade
	Bulk Adjust

Height Up/Height Down raises or lowers the water layer under the brush at a rate controlled by the Sensitivity

Set Height will "plateau" the water layer under the brush to the Height setting at a rate controlled by the Sensitivity
Grade creates a smooth slope under the brush at the Grade and Angle settings at a rate controlled by the Sensitivity
Bulk Adjust will move the entire water layer up or down - see Note: below

Notes:

The Bulk Update action is not fully intuitive and will require some experimentation. It will raise and lower the water effect layer in the baseboard where the Left Click and Drag was executed. Areas within that baseboard where the water effect layer had previously been set to a different height will not be affected until the water level reaches the same height. The Water Effect Layer in surrounding baseboards will also start to move when the level reaches their current heights.

Edit Effect Layers...

When this Target is selected, the Edit Effect Layers options will appear. This is the same as selecting Edit Effect Layers ... from the Trainz Edit Menu.

If no Effect Layers are present then you can create a new one
New effect layer

If Effect Layers are present then select one to edit
Edit effect layers

Effect Layers are created for each route. You can select and edit a previously saved Effect Layer rather than having to recreate the entire effect each time.

More information on creating and editing Effect Layers can be found on the Trainz Wiki at:-

The Placement Tool

Keyboard Shortcut: E

The Placement Tool adds objects to a Trainz World

This tool uses the Assets Palette. If this palette is not visible on the screen then refer to

Notes: Palettes at the top of this document.

The Placement Tool has no drop down menu lists.

	More Placement Options
After an object has been placed in a route its position and height can be changed by:-
	using the Free Move Tool
	using the Fine Adjustment Tool
	editing its X Y Z values in The Info Palette
	selecting the Apply Height option in its Context Menu

The first step is to identify and select the particular object that you want to add to the route.

Placing a Scenery Mesh Object

Individual "non-spline" scenery objects that are not attached to track are often referred to in Trainz terminology as Scenery Mesh Objects.

Steps: To add a Scenery Mesh Object the first step is to identify the exact asset you want to add.

In the Asset Palette either:-

Left click on an asset selection icon

Filter Icons

all ground textures

all non-spline scenery assets

all spline scenery assets

all track spline assets

all track (non spline) assets (signals, etc)

all rolling stock assets

all Effect Layer presets

OR

Left click the Content Drop-down Box

Filter List
Then select Scenery Objects

Shortcut If you already have the same object placed in your route then:-
	move the tool pointer over the object to be selected and hold down the Alt key. The object name will appear in a ToolTip attached to the pointer
	while holding down the Alt key Left click on the object to identify it in the Assets Palette. Release the key
	Left click on the object name in the Assets Palette filter list to select it for the Placement Tool
Jump to Step below.

To narrow down the filter list type part of the object name into the Search Text Box. For example if you have selected Scenery Objects and want to find "barns", then type "barn" (UPPER/lower case does not matter).

This will list all the Scenery Objects containing the text "barn" in their name or description.

Left click on the required item in the list (e.g. "wooden barn").

When selected the object will be highlighted on a blue background and its name will appear in the Assets Palette title bar.

If you are not sure about an object then Double-Left click on the name to bring up its image and description or view its rotatimg and resizeable 3D image in the Preview Palette.

Left clicking an object in the Assets Palette filter list will automatically activate the Placement Tool so the next Left click in the route will place that object in the route.

The final step is to place the selected object into the route.

If the Placement Tool is not selected then Left click it or press the E key
Click on the spot where you want to place the object

Notes:

	the Placement Tool will remain on and active until another tool has been selected. So everytime you click another copy of the object (or another object if you change your selection) will be added to the route
	the last object placed will be highlighted (covered in "green/yellow"). This will be the selected object if you switch control to the Free Move Tool or the Fine Adjustment Tool

Placing a Scenery or Track Spline

Scenery splines and track splines are defined by their endpoints. Splines are usually added to a route as a series of joined segments linked at the endpoints.

Start the process of laying a track or spline by identifying and selecting the track or scenery spline as described in steps

to

in

Placing a Scenery Mesh Object above but in Step

select the Scenery Spline or the Track filter in the Assets Palette

Select from the Assets Palette icons:-
	spline scenery assets	OR		track spline assets

OR

Select from the Assets Palette drop down list:-
Scenery Splines	OR	Track

Then, after Step , continue with the steps listed below:-

The "Click on the spot" as shown in Step

will place the start or first endpoint of the spline.

Move the mouse in the direction you want to lay the spline or track. The spline will follow the mouse wherever you move it.

When you have the tool pointer in the final position for the first spline segment, Left click the mouse. This will anchor the second spline endpoint. The spline between the two endpoints is the first spline segment.

The spline segment will now have three Context Icons, one for each endpoint and one for the spline segment.

Different context menu options are provided depending on which icon you click on

Left click on the new endpoint and move the mouse in the direction you want to continue laying the spline or track. The spline will follow the mouse wherever you move it.

When you have the tool pointer in the final position for the second spline segment, Left click. This will anchor the third spline endpoint and the Context Icons will move to the new segment.

Adding a Junction and Editing
	To add a junction to a spline segment Left click on it with the Placement Tool at the point where you want to insert the junction, including at an endpoint. Then move the mouse to draw out the new spline segment.
	To edit a spline segment DO NOT click on it with the Placement Tool as this will insert a junction. Select the Free Move Tool or the Fine Adjustment Tool and then click on the segment to be edited.

Repeat Steps

and

above to continue laying the spline.

Spline Segment Heights

When you start adding a spline to a route it will always be placed at the height of the terrain regardless of the Tool Options Height setting.

However, you can set the end point heights of any selected segment.

Steps: To set the height of a Spline Segment:-
	Lay the spline segment which will be added at the terrain ground height
	Enter a value in the Tool Options Height and press the Enter key
The endpoints of the current spline segment will immediately be adjusted to the new height setting

Placing Track Objects

Track Objects (e.g. signals, speed signs, switches, etc), both visible and invisible, can only be attached to track splines.

Notes:

Visible examples of track objects include:-
	Signals, speed signs, end buffers, switches
Invisible examples of track objects include:-
	Trackmarks, triggers, direction and priority markers

Follow steps to in Placing a Scenery Mesh Object above but in Step select the Track Object filter in the Assets Palette.

Select from the Assets Palette icons:-

track (non spline) assets

OR

Select from the Assets Palette drop down list:-
Track Objects

Placing Rolling Stock Objects

Rolling Stock Objects (e.g. locomotives, passenger cars and wagons) can only be attached to track splines.

Follow steps to in Placing a Scenery Mesh Object above but in Step select the Rolling Stock filter in the Assets Palette.

Select from the Assets Palette icons:-

rolling stock assets

OR

Select from the Assets Palette drop down list:-
Rolling Stock

Placement Tool Options

Notes:

	These options do not apply to Rolling Stock Objects
	When using the Placement Tool, the Tool Options Palette Height setting for all objects does not show a gold coloured icon which indicates an "active" control setting but the setting is active.
	To use the Height control with the Placement Tool a value must be entered followed by the Enter key OR select the Apply Height option from the objects Context Menu to use the current value. This must be performed after the object has been been placed.

Placement Mesh Objects Tool Options

In Surveyor 2.0 track objects can be given a height above (or below) the track.

Steps: To set the height of a selected Scenery or Track Mesh Object:-

	enter a value in the Tool Options Palette Height setting, OR
	select the Apply Height option from the objects Context Menu to apply an existing height value, OR
	enter a value in the objects Z (height) setting in the Info Palette or Left Click and Drag Up/Down on the double arrowheads to its right. This can be used to set the height to cm accuracy (see The Info Palette below).

The object will be moved to the set height above (or below) the terrain. The vertical yellow line shown in the second image on the left indicates the height change. The small yellow dot at the base of the line is the terrain attachment point for the object.

Placement Spline (and Track) Tool Options

Splines have two Placement Tool settings in the Tool Options Palette.

Grade

spline gradient (see Notes: below). The finishing endpoint of each spline segment will be set higher (for a positive grade) or lower (for a negative grade) than the starting endpoint

Range:

0% (flat) to ±100% (steep but not vertical)

Condition

this applies to Track Spline objects and sets the track condition (or "ride comfort") for each segment

Range:

1% (terrible track condition) to 100% (perfect track condition)

The Track Condition can also be set for each track segment in its Context Menu Edit Properties option

The height of a selected spline endpoint or segment can be set by:-
	entering a value in the Tool Options Palette Height setting, OR
	selecting the Apply Height option from the objects Context Menu to apply an existing height value, OR
	entering a value in the objects Z (height) setting in the Info Palette or Left Click and Drag Up/Down on the double arrowheads to its right. This can be used to set the height to cm accuracy (see The Info Palette below).

	Notes:
	The Grade is defined as vertical rise divided by horizontal distance converted to a percentage figure. So a grade of 100% (the maximum allowed) would mean a gradient formed by both measurements having the same value (e.g. a rise of 50m over a distance of 50m). A vertical grade (such as up a cliff face) would have an infinite grade which is currently impossible in Surveyor.

Deleting Placed Objects

Steps: To delete objects:-

Select the object or a group of objects using either the:-

	Free Move Tool (or press S ) OR
	Fine Adjustment Tool (or press D )
	Multiple objects can be selected by holding down the Shift key when using these tools
Then ..

Either:-

	Press the Delete key, OR
	Open the Context Menu of the object (or object group) and select the Delete option


	You can also use the Marquee Tool to select an area of the route to delete its objects
	With these tools (Free Move, Fine Adjustment and Marquee) you can restrict the objects that can be selected and deleted by using filters in the Assets Palette. For more information see Narrowing the Search in the Eyedropper Tool section below

The Eyedropper Tool

Keyboard Shortcut: R

The Eyedropper Tool identifies and selects objects in a Trainz World

This tool uses the Assets Palette. If this palette is not visible on the screen then refer to

Notes: Palettes at the top of this document.

The Eyedropper Tool has no drop down menu lists.

An Eyedropper is available in all the tools. Hold down the Alt key when using another tool and move the pointer onto an object to reveal its name

When selected, the Eyedropper Tool will change the tool pointer to an "eyedropper" icon.

	move the eyedropper pointer over any object to reveal its name in a ToolTip below the pointer
	hold the eyedropper over any object for a few seconds to reveal more information
	Left click on an object to select it in the Assets Palette

Quick Steps

With the Eyedropper Tool selected, move the tool pointer (which will now be an eyedropper symbol) onto any object in view.

Left click on the object to identify it (highlighted in grey) in the Assets Palette filter list

Asset filter set by the Eyedropper in S20

Left click on the object name in the Assets Palette filter list to select it (highlighted in blue) and switch control to the Placement Tool

Narrowing the Search

Sometimes (or often) a scene will be too crowded with different scenery objects to be able to use the Eyedropper Tool to easily select a single object. In these cases additional options are available to help "remove the clutter".

These filter options can be used with the Placement Tool, Free Move Tool, Fine Adjustment Tool and the Marquee Tool as well as with the Eyedropper Tool

At the top of the Assets Palette is a drop down box which controls how the Tool works with the filters that you set.

The drop down box will provide three options:-

	Filter List
	Filter Selection
	Filter Visibility

These options work with the Asset Filters to help narrow the search for a specific object or type of object that is in the route.

Filter List	this option will have no effect on the operation of the Tool or on the objects displayed on the screen. It is the default setting and any selections made with the Tool will be shown in the Assets Palette as described in the section Quick Steps above.
Filter Selection	this option will restrict the Tool to only working on those objects that are in the filtered list. Objects that are not in the filtered list cannot be selected.
Filter Visibility	this option will hide all objects that are not in the filtered list. The only exceptions are Ground Textures and Effect Layers which will be visible but, unless they are also in the filtered list, cannot be selected.

As an example the following images show the progressive application of a Visibility Filter.

		No filter has been applied. All the objects are visible on the Surveyor screen. ALL objects can be selected.
		The Visibility Filter option has been applied and the filtered list has been set to display only Scenery Splines. All objects except Scenery Splines, Ground Textures and Effect Layers are now hidden. Now only Scenery Splines can be selected.
		An additional filter has been applied. The word "fence" has been added to the search text box. All Scenery Splines that do not have the text "fence" in their names have now been hidden. Now only the remaining visible Scenery Splines can be selected.

The Free Move Tool

Keyboard Shortcut: S

The Free Move Tool moves objects around a Trainz World

This tool uses the Tool Options Palette. If this palette is not visible on the screen then refer to

Notes: Palettes at the top of this document.

The Free Move Tool has no drop down menu lists.

	Free Move Alternatives
In addition to the Free Move Tool the position and height of objects can be changed by:-
	using the Fine Adjustment Tool
	editing its X Y Z values in The Info Palette
	selecting the Apply Height option in its Context Menu

Free Move: Scenery Mesh Objects

Individual "non-spline" scenery objects that are not attached to track are often referred to in Trainz terminology as Scenery Mesh Objects.

Free Move: Moving a Mesh Object

Steps: To move a Scenery Mesh Object:-
	Select the Free Move Tool (or press the S key)
	Left Click and Drag the object in any horizontal direction

When moving a scenery object, its height will be fixed to the terrain height.

Fine Adjustment: Setting the Height of a Mesh Object

Steps: To set the height of a selected scenery mesh object:-

	enter a value in the Tool Options Palette Height setting, OR
	select the Apply Height option from the objects Context Menu to apply an existing height value, OR
	enter a value in the objects Z (height) setting in the Info Palette or Left Click and Drag Up/Down on the double arrowheads to its right. This can be used to set the height to cm accuracy (see The Info Palette below).

The object will be moved to the set height above (or below) the terrain.

Free Move: Mesh Object Context Menu

A selected scenery mesh object, or a group of selected scenery mesh objects, will have a Context Icon that opens a Context Menu. Left click on the icon or press the T key. The icon design will vary between object types.

Cut	remove the selected object or objects and move them into the Scrapbook

Copy	copy the selected object or objects and place them into the Scrapbook

Paste

paste the contents of the current Scrapbook at the cursor (focus) point

Delete

delete the selected objects. It has the same effect as pressing the Delete key

Replace Object with Selected Asset

the highlighted object will be replaced with the asset currently selected in the Assets Palette. If no object has been selected in the Assets Palette or it is the wrong type (e.g. a scenery spline instead of a mesh object) then this option will be greyed out

Paint Under Selected

the texture selected in the Assets Palette will be painted under the highlighted object. The Tool Options for the Brush Tool (Radius and Sensitivity) will control how the texture is applied. If no ground texture has been selected in the Assets Palette then this option will be greyed out

Smooth Ground Under Selected

changes the height of the terrain under the object to match the set height of the object. If multiple objects at different heights have been selected then it will attempt to set the terrain heights to match the height of each object

Settle on Ground

sets the height of the objects to match the height of the terrain beneath them ("drops them back to earth")

Apply Height

sets the height of the objects to the value in the Tool Options Height option

Reset Object Rotation

resets the rotation angle of the objects to their default values

Randomise Object Rotation

applies a random rotation angle to each object

Select in Assets Palette

highlights the selected object in the Assets Palette

Edit Properties

opens the Properties window of the selected object

Free Move: Track Objects

Track Objects (signals, switches, speed signs, markers, etc) are always attached to an existing track. They can be moved to new positions along the track and in Surveyor Classic that was the limit of their movement. Surveyor 2.0 brings a new freedom of movement to track objects. They can be moved away from the track to the left or right as well as above and below the track. The operation of a track object is not affected by these changes.

Free Move: Move a Track Object

Throw Lever track object in its original position

Steps: To move a track object horizontally:-
	Left Click and Drag the object anywhere in the horizontal plane
To move a track object vertically:-
	enter a value in the Tool Options Palette Height setting, OR
	select the Apply Height option from the objects Context Menu to apply an existing height value, OR
	enter a value in the objects Z (height) setting in the Info Palette or Left Click and Drag Up/Down on the double arrowheads to its right. This can be used to set the height to cm accuracy (see The Info Palette below).

	Situations where it is useful to be able to move a track object away from the track include:-
	placing Track Marks and Triggers above or beside the track so that they are not hidden by consists parked on top of them
	repositioning switches, signals, track signs closer to or further away from the track - particularly useful if the track object was originally created for a different gauge track

After being moved horizontally and vertically

The track object can still be moved along the track with the Free Move Tool.

Free Move: Track Object Context Menu

A selected track mesh object, or a group of selected track mesh objects, will have a Context Icon that opens a Context Menu. The icon design will vary between object types.

To open a selected track objects Context menu either:-

	Left click the Context Icon OR
	Press the T key

Cut	remove the selected object or objects and move them into the Scrapbook
Copy	copy the selected object or objects and place them into the Scrapbook
Paste	paste the contents of the current Scrapbook at the cursor (focus) point
Delete	delete the selected objects. It has the same effect as pressing the Delete key
Replace Object with Selected Asset	the highlighted object will be replaced with the asset currently selected in the Assets Palette. If the asset selected in the Assets Palette is the wrong type (e.g. a scenery spline) then this option will be greyed out
Paint Under Selected	the texture selected in the Assets Palette will be painted under the highlighted object. The Tool Options for the Brush Tool (Radius and Sensitivity) will control how the texture is applied. If no ground texture has been selected in the Assets Palette then this option will be greyed out
Smooth Ground Under Selected	changes the height of the terrain under the object to match the set height of the object. If multiple objects at different heights have been selected then the terrain height will be set to match the height of the lowest object
Settle on Ground	sets the height of the objects to match the height of the terrain beneath them ("drops them back to earth")
Apply Height	sets the height of the objects to the value in the Tool Options Height text box
Reattach to Track	if the object has been moved away from the track then it will be reset to its correct position on the track
Rotate Trackside	reverses the position of the object on the track (e.g. to the other side)
Change Junction Direction	if the object is a track switch then its switch direction will be reversed
Select in Assets Palette	highlights the selected object in the Assets Palette
Edit Properties	opens the Properties window of the selected object

Track objects can be restored to their original height and position (on the track) by opening their Context Menu and selecting:-

	Reattach to Track to cancel the both the height and position changes, OR
	Settle on Ground to cancel the height change only

Track objects can also be rotated to the opposite side of the track.

Steps: To rotate a track object:-
	Open the track objects Context Menu (click the icon or press the T key)
	Select the option Rotate Trackside
Rotating a track object does not change its distance from the track or its height.

Free Move: Spline Objects (Including Track)

Scenery splines and track splines are defined by their endpoints. Splines are usually added to a route as a series of joined segments linked at the endpoints.

Moving a spline can involve moving:-
	an endpoint, OR
	a segment, OR
	multiple segments including the whole length of the spline

Free Move: Moving Spline Endpoints

Steps: To move an individual spline endpoint:-
	Select the Free Move Tool or press the S key
	Left Click and Drag the selected spline endpoint in any horizontal direction
Active (selected) endpoints are shown as green. Inactive spline endpoints are shown as black

The spline endpoint will be fixed at its original height.

Free Move: Moving Spline Segments

Splines are frequently made of multiple segments joined together. You can easily move a spline by moving its segments, individually or as a group.

Not all splines have endpoints at each ends. As shown in the image on the left, some splines will have an "endcap" that is attached to the start of the first segment and to the end of the last segment. The use of an endcap is a purely cosmetic effect - to give the spline a more distinctive appearance.

Steps: To move an individual segment or multiple segments:-

Select the Free Move Tool or press the S key

Left click on the spline segment to be moved - click anywhere between the two spline endpoints on the segment

Notes:

	the selected segment will be highlighted in green/yellow.
	The segment will have a temporary endpoint inserted at the location you clicked.

Temporary spline endpoints can be made permanent by selecting the Insert Spline Point Here option from the segment Context Menu

FreeMoveSplineSegmentsAllSelected S20.png

IF you are going to select and move more than one spline segment, then:-

hold the Shift key down and individually Left click between the endpoints on each additional segment.

The last segment that you click will have the temporary endpoint added.

To select ALL the segments in a spline, Double-Left click on a segment

If the spline contains a junction then this will only select all the segments upto the junction point

The segment that you double-clicked will have the context icons and the temporary endpoint added

Left Click and Drag the selected segment(s) in any horizontal direction.

If you had selected:-
	only a single spline segment then only that segment will be moved and the adjacent segments that were not selected will have their shapes (but not their endpoints) adjusted
	multiple spline segments then those segments will be moved and the adjacent segments that were not selected will also have their shapes adjusted
	the entire spline then ALL the segments and endpoints will be moved

FreeMoveSplineSegmentSelectedMoved S20.png

FreeMoveSplineSegmentsAllSelectedMoved S20.png

Free Move: Spline Height Adjustment

Steps: To set the height of a spline endpoint or segment:-

	enter a value in the Tool Options Palette Height setting, OR
	select the Apply Height option from the objects Context Menu to apply an existing height value, OR
	enter a value in the objects Z (height) setting in the Info Palette or Left Click and Drag Up/Down on the double arrowheads to its right. This can be used to set the height to cm accuracy (see The Info Palette below).

The object will be moved to the set height above (or below) the terrain.

Free Move: Spline Object Context Menu

A selected scenery spline object, or a group of selected scenery spline objects, will have a Context Icon that opens a Context Menu. The icon design will vary between object types.

Notes:

Splines have two different Context Icons that lead to two slightly different Context Menus.
	one context icon and menu for each endpoint
	one context icon and menu for the segment
If multiple segments have been selected then the last segment added to the selection will have the context icons. If all the segments were selected by a Double-LeftClick then the segment that was clicked will have the icons.

To open a selected objects Context menu either:-

	Left click the Context Icon OR
	Press the T key

Endpoint Context Menu
ContextMenuSplineObject S20.png

Segment Context Menu
ContextMenuSplineSegment S20.png

Cut	remove the segment or segments and move them into the Scrapbook

Copy	copy the segment or segments and place them into the Scrapbook

Paste

paste the contents of the current Scrapbook at the cursor (focus) point

Delete

delete the segment, segments or endpoint. It has the same effect as pressing the Delete key

Replace Spline with Selected Asset

the highlighted spline will be replaced with the asset currently selected in the Assets Palette. If the asset selected in the Assets Palette is the wrong type (e.g. a mesh object instead of a scenery spline) then this option will be greyed out

Paint Under Selected

the texture selected in the Assets Palette will be painted under the highlighted spline segments. The Tool Options for the Brush Tool (Radius and Sensitivity) will control how the texture is applied. If no ground texture has been selected in the Assets Palette then this option will be greyed out

Smooth Ground Under Selected

changes the height of the terrain under the segment or segments to match the set height of the spline (does not work on endpoints)

Settle on Ground

sets the height of the selected endpoint to match the height of the terrain beneath them ("drops them back to earth"). When used on segments the spline will follow the height changes of the terrain

Apply Height to this Spline Endpoint

sets the height of the selected endpoint to the value in the Tool Options Height text box

Apply Height

sets the height of the selected segment or segments to the value in the Tool Options Height text box

Apply Grade to this Spline Endpoint

sets the height of the endpoint to give a Grade to the surrounding segments that matches the value in the Tool Options Grade text box

Straighten Spline

forces a straight line (as far as possible) between the endpoints of a single segment. This option will be ticked if the segment has already been straightened in which case selecting this option will "un-straighten" the segment and remove the tick

Separate Splines	breaks the spline into two separate splines at the endpoint
Merge Splines	removes the selected endpoint and merges the segments on both sides into one segment. The two segments can also be joined by selecting and deleting the endpoint with the Delete key

Insert Spline Point Here

inserts a new endpoint in a segment at the point where it was clicked. This will create a new segment at the endpoint

Select in Assets Palette

highlights the selected object in the Assets Palette

Edit Properties

opens the Properties window of the selected spline

Free Move: Rolling Stock Objects

Rolling Stock Objects (locomotives, wagons, etc) can only be moved along the track that they are attached to. If they are moved off the track then they will immediately "snap back" to the nearest track when they are released.

Free Move: Moving Rolling Stock Objects

Use the Free Move tool to move a selected rolling stock object along the track.

To move an entire consist of rolling stock objects, Double Left click on any one of the objects in the consist to select them all and then move them as one object

Notes:

It is possible to place a rolling stock object so that it "overlaps" (occupies the same space as) another rolling stock object. A large yellow X rotating above the rolling stock object is a sign of this "conflict".
This can happen if a rolling stock object is moved off the track and released. It will instantly snap to the nearest track position even if that position is already occupied.

The simple solution is to use the Free Move Tool to move the incorrectly placed object to an unoccupied section of the track.

Free Move: Coupling Rolling Stock Objects

All coupling operations between Rolling Stock Objects can be performed using just a Left Click and Drag.

Steps: To Couple rolling stock objects:-

Select (Left click) the rolling stock object to be coupled to a consist or another rolling stock object

If more than one object has to be selected then use a Shift Left click to individually select each object

Left Click and Drag the object along the track to its target object. When dragged rolling stock objects will "drop" or lower their height a few cms

If the selected object (or objects) is already part of a consist then dragging it will uncouple it from the consist before moving it

When it reaches the target object and couples it cannot be moved any further. Release the object and it will return to its correct height

Consider the following simple situation:-

The guard van (caboose) standing at the rear of a consist has to be coupled to the rear gondola wagon.

Steps:

Left Click and Drag the rolling stock object towards the consist.

	When dragged rolling stock objects will "drop" or lower their height a few cms
	When it reaches the consist the object will stop and cannot be moved forward any further.

When the rolling stock object cannot be moved any further forward release the mouse button.

The object will "jump" up (raise its height) a few cms back to the correct level. It will be coupled to the consist.

Coupling can also be performed using the rolling stock Context Menu.

Using the same situation as above, the isolated guard van and the gondola wagon at the end of a consist are to be coupled together.

Steps:

Select, Shift Left Click (hold down the Shift key when Left clicking), on both objects

The order of selection IS important. Select the "destination" object, where the others will be coupled, last

The Context Icon will appear on the last rolling stock object selected.

Open the Rolling Stock Object Context Menu by either:-

clicking its icon, OR
pressing the T key

Select the option Merge into Single Train

Using the Merge into a Single Train option with the Context Icon on the gondola wagon at the end of the consist. The guard van couples to the gondola wagon and the consist

Using the Merge into a Single Train option with the Context Icon on the guard van. The gondola wagon decouples from the consist and couples to the guard van

Using a more complex example involving multiple objects from several different consists. The selected wagons shown below are to form a single consist based on the loco.

The loco was the last object to be selected so it has the Context Icon. The Context Menu is opened and the option Merge into Single Train is selected with the result as shown below.

The wagons and loco have been combined into a single consist but not necessarily in a useful order. It will be a simple Left Click and Drag operation to move the flat car from the front to the rear of the consist.

Free Move: Decoupling Rolling Stock Objects

All decoupling operations between Rolling Stock Objects are performed using just a Left Click and Drag.

Steps To Decouple rolling stock objects:-

Select (Left click) the rolling stock object to be decoupled from the consist

If more than one object has to be decoupled then use a Shift Left click to select each object. The objects do not have to be connect to each other in the consist

Left Click and Drag the object away from the consist. When dragged rolling stock objects will "drop" or lower their height a few cms

Release the object on an unoccupied section of track

To decouple a string of joined rolling stock objects from a consist (for example, the first or last 5 wagons), Shift Left Click (hold down the Shift key and Left click) on each of the objects to be selected and decoupled then drag them away from the consist

A rolling stock object or objects in the middle of a consist can also be decoupled. This will break the consist into 3 sections.

Select one (Left click) or more ( Shift Left click) rolling stock objects inside a consist

Left Click and Drag the object or objects out of the consist

	Do not release the mouse button otherwise they will simply "snap back" onto the same track position or to the nearest track, regardless of whether it is already occupied or not. The yellow connecting line between the wagon and the track shown in the image on the left is like a stretched "rubber band"
	The rotating yellow X floating above the selected and now disconnected consist in the image indicates that it has been "derailed" from the track. This will disappear when it is "rerailled" again

Drag the objects to a suitable section of vacant track before releasing the mouse button

Free Move: Rolling Stock Object Context Menu

A selected rolling stock object, or a group of selected rolling stock objects, will have a Context Icon that opens a Context Menu. The icon design will vary between object types.

To open a selected rolling stock objects Context menu either:-

	Left click its Context Icon OR
	Press the T key

Notes:

Unlike other Context Menus, the Cut and Copy menu options are not selectable for Rolling Stock Objects because these objects cannot be added to a Scrapbook. The Save to Consist Asset... option performs some of the Scrapbook functions for rolling stock.

Paste

the contents of the current Scrapbook will be pasted at the cursor (focus) point

Delete

the selected rolling stock objects will be deleted. It has the same effect as pressing the Delete key

Paint Under Selected

the texture selected in the Assets Palette will be painted under the selected rolling stock object. The Tool Options for the Brush Tool (Radius and Sensitivity) will control how the texture is applied. If no ground texture has been selected in the Assets Palette then this option will be greyed out

Smooth Ground Under Selected

changes the height of the terrain under the rolling stock object to match its set height

Reattach to Track

this option is only selecteable if a rolling stock object has derailed

Rotate Vehicle

rotates (reverses) the facing direction of a selected rolling stock object. If more than one object has been selected then they will all have their directions reversed but they will remain in the same order

Change Consist Heading

reverses the consist heading as indicated by the directions of the red and green arrows above the start and end of the consist

Rotate Consist Heading

the entire consist is reversed, both in the order of the vehicles and the direction they face

Merge into Single Train

when two or more separated rolling stock assets have been selected they will be coupled into a single consist. See

Merging Rolling Stock Objects for more details

Save to Consist Asset...

saves the selected rolling stock objects as a new consist asset in the Assets Palette

Select in Assets Palette

highlights the selected rolling stock object in the Assets Palette

Edit Properties

opens the Properties window of the selected rolling stock object

The Fine Adjustment Tool

Keyboard Shortcut: D

The Fine Adjustment Tool makes 3D adjustments (position and rotations) to objects in a Trainz World

This tool uses the Tool Options Palette. If this palette is not visible on the screen then refer to

Notes: Palettes at the top of this document.

The Fine Adjustment Tool has no drop down menu lists.

	Fine Adjustment Alternatives
In addition to the Fine Adjustment Tool the position and height of objects can be changed by:-
	using the Free Move Tool
	editing its X Y Z R P Y values in The Info Palette
	selecting the Apply Height option in its Context Menu

The most obvious feature of the Fine Adjustment Tool is the 3D Anchor Frame it adds to a selected object. The frame is made of 3 straight and 3 curved coloured lines, called Anchors, which control position and orientation.

The Anchor controls are:-

The Horizontal and Vertical Anchors

Red Green Blue

move the object (forward and back) in the direction of the Anchor line

The Rotational Anchors

Red Green Blue

rotate the object (clockwise and anti-clockwise) along the Anchor arc line

The Object Anchor

(black central dot) moves the object in any horizontal direction

Steps: To use the Fine Adjustment Tool controls:-
	move the tool pointer onto an Anchor - its colour will change to yellow for Anchor lines or green for the Object Anchor
	Left Click and Drag along the chosen line in the required direction (e.g. up on the blue vertical Anchor or clockwise around the arc of the red rotational Anchor)

Not all objects will have Red and/or Green rotational Anchors.

	To achieve finer and more accurate control when moving anchor points, either:-
	zoom in closer to the anchor point, OR
	use the X Y Z fine adjustment arrows in the Info Palette object Pos controls. These arrows can be used to set the height and position to cm accuracy (see The Info Palette below).

Fine Adjustment: Scenery Mesh Objects

Individual "non-spline" scenery objects that are not attached to track are often referred to in Trainz terminology as Scenery Mesh Objects.

Fine Adjustment: Move a Mesh Object

Steps: To move an object with the Fine Adjustment Tool:-
	Left Click and Drag anywhere on the selected object (except on an Anchor line) to move it freely in any horizontal direction
	OR
	Left Click and Drag on an Anchor line to move or rotate it in the direction of the line or arc
These operations can also be performed on a group of selected objects. The 3D Anchor Frame will be on the last object added to the group.

Blue vertical Anchor movement
FineAdjustZMove S20.png

Green Anchor rotation
FineAdjustYawMove S20.png

Red Anchor rotation
FineAdjustPitchMove S20.png

Blue Anchor rotation
FineAdjustRotateXYMove S20.png

Notes:

Objects can be restored to their original height and rotation settings by opening their Context Menu and selecting either:-

	Reset Object Rotation to cancel the rotation changes, OR
	Settle on Ground to cancel the height change

The Randomise Object Rotation option in the Context Menu only affects rotations around the vertical axis.

Fine Adjustment: Setting the Height of a Mesh Object

Steps: To set the height of a scenery mesh object:-

	enter a value in the Tool Options Palette Height setting, OR
	select the Apply Height option from the objects Context Menu to apply an existing height value, OR
	enter a value in the objects Z (height) setting in the Info Palette or Left Click and Drag Up/Down on the double arrowheads to its right. This can be used to set the height to cm accuracy (see The Info Palette below).

The object will be moved to the set height above (or below) the terrain.

Fine Adjustment: Mesh Object Context Menu

A selected scenery mesh object, or a group of selected scenery mesh objects, will have a Context Icon that opens a Context Menu. Left click on the icon or press the T key. The icon design will vary between object types.

Cut	remove the selected object or objects and move them into the Scrapbook

Copy	copy the selected object or objects and place them into the Scrapbook

Paste

paste the contents of the current Scrapbook at the cursor (focus) point

Delete

delete the selected objects. It has the same effect as pressing the Delete key

Replace Object with Selected Asset

the highlighted object will be replaced with the asset currently selected in the Assets Palette. If no object has been selected in the Assets Palette or it is the wrong type (e.g. a scenery spline instead of a mesh object) then this option will be greyed out

Paint Under Selected

the texture selected in the Assets Palette will be painted under the highlighted object. The Tool Options for the Brush Tool (Radius and Sensitivity) will control how the texture is applied. If no ground texture has been selected in the Assets Palette then this option will be greyed out

Smooth Ground Under Selected

changes the height of the terrain under the object to match the set height of the object. If multiple objects at different heights have been selected then it will attempt to set the terrain heights to match the height of each object

Settle on Ground

sets the height of the objects to match the height of the terrain beneath them ("drops them back to earth")

Apply Height

sets the height of the objects to the value in the Tool Options Height option

Reset Object Rotation

resets the rotation angle of the objects to their default values

Randomise Object Rotation

applies a random rotation angle to each object

Select in Assets Palette

highlights the selected object in the Assets Palette

Edit Properties

opens the Properties window of the selected object

Fine Adjustment: Track Objects

Track Objects (signals, switches, speed signs, markers, etc) are always attached to an existing track. They can be moved to new positions along the track and in Surveyor Classic that was the limit of their movement. Surveyor 2.0 brings a new freedom of movement to track objects. They can be moved away from the track to the left or right as well as above and below the track. The operation of a track object is not affected by these changes.

Fine Adjustment: Move a Track Object

For movements along the track - Left Click and Drag:-

	anywhere within the object (except on an Anchor Line or Anchor Point), OR
	on the Green horizontal Anchor line (movement is restricted to the Anchor line and track only)

For movements left or right of the track - Left Click and Drag

	on the Red horizontal Anchor line (movement is restricted to the Anchor line only), OR
	on the Object Anchor (the black dot) to get unrestricted horizontal movement, OR

To move a track object vertically:-

	Left Click and Drag on the Blue vertical Anchor line (movement is restricted to the Anchor line only), OR
	enter a value in the Tool Options Palette Height setting, OR
	select the Apply Height option from the objects Context Menu to apply an existing height value, OR
	enter a value in the objects Z (height) setting in the Info Palette or Left Click and Drag Up/Down on the double arrowheads to its right. This can be used to set the height to cm accuracy (see The Info Palette below).

For most track objects the Rotational Anchors have no effect

	Situations where it is useful to be able to move a track object away from the track include:-
	placing Track Marks and Triggers above or beside the track so that they are not hidden by consists parked on top of them
	repositioning switches, signals, track signs closer to or further away from the track - particularly useful if the track object was originally created for a different gauge track

Fine Adjustment: Track Object Context Menu

A selected track mesh object, or a group of selected track mesh objects, will have a Context Icon that opens a Context Menu. The icon design will vary between object types.

To open a selected track objects Context menu either:-

	Left click the Context Icon OR
	Press the T key

Cut	remove the selected object or objects and move them into the Scrapbook
Copy	copy the selected object or objects and place them into the Scrapbook
Paste	paste the contents of the current Scrapbook at the cursor (focus) point
Delete	delete the selected objects. It has the same effect as pressing the Delete key
Replace Object with Selected Asset	the highlighted object will be replaced with the asset currently selected in the Assets Palette. If the asset selected in the Assets Palette is the wrong type (e.g. a scenery spline) then this option will be greyed out
Paint Under Selected	the texture selected in the Assets Palette will be painted under the highlighted object. The Tool Options for the Brush Tool (Radius and Sensitivity) will control how the texture is applied. If no ground texture has been selected in the Assets Palette then this option will be greyed out
Smooth Ground Under Selected	changes the height of the terrain under the object to match the set height of the object. If multiple objects at different heights have been selected then the terrain height will be set to match the height of the lowest object
Settle on Ground	sets the height of the objects to match the height of the terrain beneath them ("drops them back to earth")
Apply Height	sets the height of the objects to the value in the Tool Options Height text box
Reattach to Track	if the object has been moved away from the track then it will be reset to its correct position on the track
Rotate Trackside	reverses the position of the object on the track (e.g. to the other side)
Change Junction Direction	if the object is a track switch then its switch direction will be reversed
Select in Assets Palette	highlights the selected object in the Assets Palette
Edit Properties	opens the Properties window of the selected object

Track objects can be restored to their original height and position (on the track) by opening their Context Menu and selecting:-

	Reattach to Track to cancel the both the height and position changes, OR
	Settle on Ground to cancel the height change only

Track objects can also be rotated to the opposite side of the track.

Steps: To rotate a track object:-
	Open the track objects Context Menu (click the icon or press the T key)
	Select the option Rotate Trackside
Rotating a track object does not change its distance from the track.

Fine Adjustment: Spline Objects (Including Track)

Scenery splines and track splines are defined by their endpoints. Splines are usually added to a route as a series of joined segments linked at the endpoints.

Moving a spline can involve moving:-
	an endpoint, OR
	a segment, OR
	multiple segments including the whole length of the spline

Fine Adjustment: Moving Spline Endpoints

The 3D Anchor Frame shown is for a spline endpoint.

Steps: To move an individual spline endpoint:-

Select the Fine Adjustment Tool.

Select, Left click on, the spline endpoint to be moved.

Note: only the horizontal Red and Green and the vertical Blue lines can be selected.

Left Click and Drag either:-

	an Anchor to move the endpoint in that specific direction, OR
	the endpoint itself to move it in any direction in the horizontal plane

Fine Adjustment: Moving Spline Segments

The Green rotational Anchor CANNOT be used on Track splines

The 3D Anchor Frame shown is for a spline segment.

Steps: To move spline segments:-

Select the Fine Adjustment Tool.

Select, Left click on, the spline segment to be moved.

Left Click and Drag either:-

	an Anchor to move the endpoint in that specific direction, OR
	anywhere in a segment to move it in any direction in the horizontal plane

To select:-

	more than one segment. Hold the Shift key down and individually Left click on each segment
	ALL the segments. Double-Left click on a segment. If the spline contains a junction then this will only select all the segments upto the junction point

Selecting a spline segment with the Fine Adjustment Tool will add a Temporary Endpoint at the point where the segment was clicked.

This will produce 3 Fine Adjustment Tool control frames, one at each end of the segment and one at the click point, as shown in the image on the left. The whole segment can be moved, as shown in the following images, by a Left Click and Drag anywhere within the segment.

Segment moved to the right along the Red horizontal Anchor line

Segment moved up along the Blue vertical Anchor line

Red Green Blue straight anchor lines will move the whole segment along the direction of the line

Segment rotated anti-clockwise around the Blue rotational Anchor arc line

Segment rotated clockwise around the Red rotational Anchor arc line

Red Blue curved anchor lines will rotate the whole segment around the axis of the same colour

	a Blue line height change and a Red Anchor rotation can be cancelled at any time (even after saving and reloading the route) by selecting the Settle on Ground option from the segments Context Menu
	a Blue Anchor rotation can be straightened at any time (even after saving and reloading the route) by selecting the Straighten Spline option from the segments Context Menu but this will not return the endpoints to their original positions

Fine Adjustment: Rolling Stock Objects

Rolling Stock Objects (locomotives, wagons, etc) can only be moved along the track that they are attached to. If they are moved off the track then they will immediately "snap back" to the nearest track when they are released.

Fine Adjustment: Moving Rolling Stock Objects

Use the Fine Adjustment tool to move a selected rolling stock object along the track.

To move an entire consist of rolling stock objects, Double Left click on any one of the objects in the consist to select them all and then move them as one object

	Despite their presence in the Fine Adjustment Tool 3D Anchor Frame the Red Green Blue Rotational Anchor lines and the Blue Vertical Anchor Line will NOT work on Rolling Stock Objects
	The Object Anchor (the central dot) will move the selected rolling stock object or objects in any horizontal direction but they will always be attached to the nearest track spline
	The Green Horizontal Anchor Line will move the selected rolling stock object or objects along the track
	The Red Horizontal Anchor Line will move the selected rolling stock object or objects horizontally off the track but they will always be attached to the nearest track spline

	Notes: It is possible to place a rolling stock object so that it "overlaps" (occupies the same space as) another rolling stock object. A large yellow X rotating above the rolling stock object is a sign of this "conflict".
		This can happen if a rolling stock object is moved off the track and released. It will instantly snap to the nearest track position even if that position is already occupied. The simple solution is to use the Fine Adjustment Tool to move the incorrectly placed object to an unoccupied section of the track.

Fine Adjustment: Coupling Rolling Stock Objects

All coupling operations between Rolling Stock Objects can be performed using just a Left Click and Drag.

Steps: To Couple rolling stock objects:-

Select (Left click) the rolling stock object to be coupled to a consist or another rolling stock object

If more than one object has to be selected then use a Shift Left click to individually select each object

Left Click and Drag the object along the track to its target object. When dragged rolling stock objects will "drop" or lower their height a few cms

If the selected object (or objects) is already part of a consist then dragging it will uncouple it from the consist before moving it

When it reaches the target object and couples it cannot be moved any further. Release the object and it will return to its correct height

Consider the following simple situation:-

The guard van (caboose) standing at the rear of a consist has to be coupled to the rear gondola wagon.

Steps:

Left Click and Drag the rolling stock object towards the consist.

	When dragged rolling stock objects will "drop" or lower their height a few cms
	When it reaches the consist the object will stop and cannot be moved forward any further.

When the rolling stock object cannot be moved any further forward release the mouse button.

The object will "jump" up (raise its height) a few cms back to the correct level. It will be coupled to the consist.

Coupling can also be performed using the rolling stock Context Menu.

Using the same situation as above, the isolated guard van and the gondola wagon at the end of a consist are to be coupled together.

Steps:

Select, Shift Left Click (hold down the Shift key when Left clicking), on both objects

The order of selection IS important. Select the "destination" object, where the others will be coupled, last

The Context Icon will appear on the last rolling stock object selected.

Open the Rolling Stock Object Context Menu by either:-

clicking its icon, OR
pressing the T key

Select the option Merge into Single Train

Using the Merge into a Single Train option with the Context Icon on the gondola wagon at the end of the consist. The guard van couples to the gondola wagon and the consist

Using the Merge into a Single Train option with the Context Icon on the guard van. The gondola wagon decouples from the consist and couples to the guard van

Using a more complex example involving multiple objects from several different consists. The selected wagons shown below are to form a single consist based on the loco.

The loco was the last object to be selected so it has the Context Icon. The Context Menu is opened and the option Merge into Single Train is selected with the result as shown below.

The wagons and loco have been combined into a single consist but not necessarily in a useful order. It will be a simple Left Click and Drag operation to move the flat car from the front to the rear of the consist.

Fine Adjustment: Decoupling Rolling Stock Objects

All decoupling operations between Rolling Stock Objects are performed using just a Left Click and Drag.

Steps To Decouple rolling stock objects:-

Select (Left click) the rolling stock object to be decoupled from the consist

If more than one object has to be decoupled then use a Shift Left click to select each object. The objects do not have to be connect to each other in the consist

Left Click and Drag the object away from the consist. When dragged rolling stock objects will "drop" or lower their height a few cms

Release the object on an unoccupied section of track

To decouple a string of joined rolling stock objects from a consist (for example, the first or last 5 wagons), Shift Left Click (hold down the Shift key and Left click) on each of the objects to be selected and decoupled then drag them away from the consist

A rolling stock object or objects in the middle of a consist can also be decoupled. This will break the consist into 3 sections.

Select one (Left click) or more ( Shift Left click) rolling stock objects inside a consist

Left Click and Drag the object or objects out of the consist

	Do not release the mouse button otherwise they will simply "snap back" onto the same track position or to the nearest track, regardless of whether it is already occupied or not. The yellow connecting line between the wagon and the track shown in the image on the left is like a stretched "rubber band"
	The rotating yellow X floating above the selected and now disconnected consist in the image indicates that it has been "derailed" from the track. This will disappear when it is "rerailled" again

Drag the objects to a suitable section of vacant track before releasing the mouse button

Fine Adjustment: Rolling Stock Object Context Menu

A selected rolling stock object, or a group of selected rolling stock objects, will have a Context Icon that opens a Context Menu. The icon design will vary between object types.

To open a selected rolling stock objects Context menu either:-

	Left click its Context Icon OR
	Press the T key

Notes:

Unlike other Context Menus, the Cut and Copy menu options are not selectable for Rolling Stock Objects because these objects cannot be added to a Scrapbook. The Save to Consist Asset... option performs some of the Scrapbook functions for rolling stock.

Paste

the contents of the current Scrapbook will be pasted at the cursor (focus) point

Delete

the selected rolling stock objects will be deleted. It has the same effect as pressing the Delete key

Paint Under Selected

the texture selected in the Assets Palette will be painted under the selected rolling stock object. The Tool Options for the Brush Tool (Radius and Sensitivity) will control how the texture is applied. If no ground texture has been selected in the Assets Palette then this option will be greyed out

Smooth Ground Under Selected

changes the height of the terrain under the rolling stock object to match its set height

Reattach to Track

this option is only selecteable if a rolling stock object has derailed

Rotate Vehicle

rotates (reverses) the facing direction of a selected rolling stock object. If more than one object has been selected then they will all have their directions reversed but they will remain in the same order

Change Consist Heading

reverses the consist heading as indicated by the directions of the red and green arrows above the start and end of the consist

Rotate Consist Heading

the entire consist is reversed, both in the order of the vehicles and the direction they face

Merge into Single Train

when two or more separated rolling stock assets have been selected they will be coupled into a single consist. See

Merging Rolling Stock Objects for more details

Save to Consist Asset...

saves the selected rolling stock objects as a new consist asset in the Assets Palette

Select in Assets Palette

highlights the selected rolling stock object in the Assets Palette

Edit Properties

opens the Properties window of the selected rolling stock object

Fine Adjustment: Object Heights

Two Anchor Points on the Blue vertical Anchor line determine the height of an endpoint or an object above the ground.
	the height of a Rolling Stock Object (locomotive, wagon, etc) cannot be altered
	the Object Height Anchor, which is normally Black but turns Green when it is selected, controls the height of the object (including spline Endpoints) above the ground. This Anchor point can be moved vertically by the tool pointer
	the Ground Height Anchor, which is Yellow, marks the position of the object on the ground. This Anchor point cannot be moved vertically by the tool pointer but its height can be changed by setting the Tool Options Palette Height value
It is common for both height anchors to be at the same height but there are many situation where the two will be at different heights. The examples below show situations where the two are at different heights and the height of the Object Height Anchor will need to be adjusted.

Object Height Above Ground Height

Steps: To bring the object height down to the ground height:-
	Left Click and Drag downwards on the Blue vertical Anchor line to bring the Object Height Anchor down to the same level as the Ground Height Anchor

	To achieve finer and more accurate control when moving the height Anchor point, either:-
	zoom in closer to the Anchor point, OR
	use the Z fine adjustment arrows in the Info Palette object Pos controls. This can be used to set the height and position to cm accuracy (see The Info Palette below).

Object Height Below Ground Height

Steps: To bring the object height up to the ground height:-
	Left Click and Drag upwards on the Blue vertical Anchor line to bring the Object Height Anchor up to the same level as the Ground Height Anchor

Where this method fails is when the height difference between the two Anchor points exceeds the length of the Blue vertical Anchor line so the Ground Height Anchor or the Object Height Anchor is at the very top of the Anchor line. Once it is in that position the Object Height Anchor can no longer be moved up or down because there is no vertical Anchor line to grab.

	The Quick Solution to this problem is to:-
	open the object or endpont Context Menu
	select the option Settle on Ground . For splines this option will force the spline segment to follow the contours of the ground but it will now be at the same height as the ground

A more complex alternative method is to use the Surveyor Compass Rose, the Info Palette and the Tool Options Palette.

The Surveyor Compass Rose

Steps:

Right click on the terrain at a point which has the height that will be used by the object. This will position the Surveyor Compass Rose and record its data as the Focus

Open the Focus controls in the Info Palette by a Left click on the small Right Arrowhead to the left of the Focus label

The Info Palette stores the positional data, including the Height (the Z value), of the Compass Rose under the label Focus

Left click on the white Down Arrowhead next to the Z value and select the menu option Use Height for Brush . This will transfer the Focus Z value to the Tool Options Palette Height control

Open the Context Menu for the object (or spline endpoint)

Select the option Apply Height or Apply Height to this Spline Endpoint

The Marquee Tool

Keyboard Shortcut: F

The Marquee Tool selects and copies the objects, deletes baseboards, adds new baseboards and sets their properties in a Trainz World

The Marquee Tool has no drop down menu lists.

Some features of this tool use the Scrapbook Palette, Assets Palette and Tool Options Palette. If these palettes are not visible on the screen then refer to

Notes: Palettes at the top of this document.

The Marquee Tool draws out a rectangular area, the Marquee Selection Area, on the route. Any objects (including Ground Heights, Ground Textures and Effect Layers) that are inside the Marquee Selection Area or touched by its boundary will be selected.

MarqueeSelectArea S20.png

In the image above:-
	a road spline at the bottom and a house at the lower left of the Marquee Selection Area have been overlain by the drawn rectangle so they have been included in the selection.
	the Marquee Selection Area was drawn from the top left to the bottom right which places the Marquee Context Icon at the bottom right of the rectangle.
	the bottom right of the Marquee Selection Area also has a 3D Anchor Frame.
	The road spline was the last object that was included in the selection area so its Context Icons are also present.

Not shown in the image, because they are not highlighted, are the Ground Heights, Ground Textures and Effect Layers that are also included in the Marquee Selection Area.

The Marquee Selection Area 3D Anchor Frame has some similarities to the one used with the Fine Adjustment Tool.

	the Green and Red horizontal Anchors will move the Marquee and all its contents in the Anchor direction
	the Blue rotational Anchor will rotate the Marquee with all its contents in the direction of the rotation movement
	there are no Green and Red rotational Anchors
	at the centre of the 3D Anchor Frame is a Select Area Anchor. Left Click and Drag this Anchor point to move the Marquee with all its contents in any horizontal direction
	each of the Green and Red horizontal Anchors has a resize Anchor, an orange coloured dot, located at its end. Left Click and Drag these Anchor points to resize the Marquee Selection Area (and its contents) in that specific direction

Steps: To Create a Marquee Selection Area:-
	select the Marquee Tool (or press the F key)
	Left Click and Drag out the Marquee Selection Area around the objects to be selected

The Marquee Tool and the Assets Palette Filter

The Assets Palette filter tools can be used to restrict the objects selected by the Marquee Tool.

Steps: To restrict the objects selected by the Marquee Tool:-
	set the Filter Type in the Assets Palette to Filter Selection
	set the other filter options in the Assets Palette to narrow down the type of objects (e.g. Scenery Splines and/or enter a partial name in the Text Box)
	select the Marquee Tool from the Tools Palette (or press the F key)
	Left Click and Drag out the Marquee Selection Area around the objects to be selected
Only those objects identified in the Assets Palette filters will be selected by the Marquee

Using the Filters shown above, the Marquee Selection Area only selects scenery spline objects.

MarqueeSelectSplines S20.png

Marquee Anchor Controls

The following images demonstrate the effect of using the Marquee Anchor Controls on the image shown at the top of this section as the starting point.

Horizontal Anchor Shift

	The Green horizontal Anchor has been used to shift the Marquee Selection Area to the left. Note that the 3 trees and a small building that were on the left of the Marquee Selection Area in the image above have been replaced (overwritten) by the Marquee contents. Also note that the texture has been moved leaving a gap showing the original grid texture.

Rotational Anchor Shift

	The Blue rotational Anchor has been used to rotate the Marquee Selection Area about 45° anti-clockwise. Again, anything that was originally in the area now covered by the Marquee Selection Area has been replaced by the contents of the Marquee. Also note that the texture has been moved leaving a gap showing the original grid texture.

Vertical Anchor Shift

	The Blue vertical Anchor has been used to lift the Marquee Selection Area upwards.

Notes:

The Marquee Anchors will move:-
	the selected scenery objects. If the objects are in locked layers then they will be copied before being moved and the original objects will remain in place
	the ground textures. As shown in two of the images this will leave the original baseboard ground texture showing
	the effect layers
	the ground heights

Marquee Context Menu

To open the Marquee Context menu either:-

	Left click the Marquee Context Icon OR
	Press the T key

Marquee Context Menu
MarqueeContextMenu S20.png

Cut

the objects selected in the Marquee area (including the ground heights, ground textures and effect layers) will be copied and placed into a new Scrapbook. Any scenery objects (excluding ground heights, ground textures and effect layers) that are not in a locked layer will be removed from the Marquee area.

Copy	the objects selected in the Marquee area (including ground heights, ground textures and effect layers) will be copied and placed into a new Scrapbook.

Paste to Selected Area

the contents of the current Scrapbook will be pasted into the Marquee area. Which contents will be pasted and how they will be pasted are controlled by the Filters in the Scrapbook Palette (see

Scrapbook Data for more details). This option will always be available with and without a Marquee area being marked if there is a scrapbook available to be pasted.

Delete

the selected scenery objects that are not in locked layers will be removed from the Marquee area but NOT the selected ground heights, ground textures and effect layers.

Paint Within Marquee

the currently selected Ground Texture will be painted into the Marquee area using the Radius and Sensitivity settings in the Brush Tool Options. If no texture has been selected in the Assets Palette then this option will be greyed out.

If the Marquee Selection Area goes beyond the current baseboards into "empty space" then this command will create new baseboards in those empty spaces and fill them with the selected texture

Set Marquee to Brush Height

the Ground Height in the Marquee area will be set using the Height setting in the Brush Tool Options.

If the Marquee Selection Area goes beyond the current baseboards into "empty space" then this command will create new baseboards in those empty spaces and set their height to the value in the Tool Options Palette Height setting. The new baseboards will be filled with the default texture for the selected Region

Convert Baseboards To

the entire baseboard where the Marquee selection area is located will be converted to a 5 metre or a 10 metre grid size (select one from the sub menu). The 5 metre grid gives a more accurate ground shape but it uses 4x as much memory.

If the Marquee Selection Area goes beyond the current baseboards into "empty space" then this command will create new baseboards in those empty spaces and set their grid resolution to the seleted value. The new baseboards will be filled with the default texture for the selected Region

Delete Baseboards in Marquee

when a Marquee Selection Area is drawn inside a baseboard, the entire baseboard will be given a green border. If the Marquee is drawn over the boundary between baseboards then both will have a green border. This option will delete ALL the baseboards that have a green border.

Select in Assets Palette

when a single object has been highlighted, including ground textures and effect layers, this will identify the asset in the Assets Palette.

Scrapbook Operations

	Notes:
Scrapbooks, when created, will contain:-
	Ground Heights
	Ground Textures
	Effect Layers - if present
	Selected Objects - scenery items, splines, track, signals, etc
But NOT Rolling Stock (Trains)
Ground heights, textures and effect layers are always included in a scrapbook but you can control which visible objects are added by manually selecting them or using the filter controls in the Assets Palette

	Notes:
Scrapbooks, when painted or pasted, can contain any combinations of:-
	Ground Heights
	Ground Textures
	Effect Layers
	Scenery Objects (Meshes) - individual buildings, trees, signals, etc
	Scenery Splines - roads, track, fences, etc
You have options that will control which of these data categories are transferred and how they are transferred from the scrapbook into a route.

Once an area has been marked out by the Marquee Tool a number of options become available.

The Trainz Edit Menu will show some additional options specifically for the Marquee Tool:-
Cut	the objects selected in the Marquee area (including the ground heights, ground textures and effect layers) will be copied and placed into a new Scrapbook. Any scenery objects (excluding ground heights, ground textures and effect layers) that are not in a locked layer will be removed from the Marquee area.
Copy	the objects selected in the Marquee area (including ground heights, ground textures and effect layers) will be copied and placed into a new Scrapbook.
Paste	the contents of the current Scrapbook will be pasted into the route at the cursor (focus) point. Which contents will be pasted and how they will be pasted are controlled by the Filters in the Scrapbook Palette (see Scrapbook Data for more details). This option will always be available with and without a Marquee area being marked if there is a scrapbook available to be pasted.
Clear	the selected scenery objects that are not in locked layers will be removed from the Marquee area but NOT the selected ground heights, ground textures and effect layers.
Select None	the Marquee Selection Area boundary lines are removed from the route cancelling the selection process. Nothing that was inside the area will be removed.

Adding a New Scrapbook

The Cut and Copy Scrapbook operations are also found in the Marquee Context Menu (see the Marquee Context Menu section above).

You don't have to use the Marquee Tool to create a new Scrapbook. You can use the Free Move Tool or the Fine Adjustment Tool to select any number of objects and then press Ctrl C . The selected objects, along with the ground height, ground textures, and any effect layers, will be copied into a new Scrapbook

When a new Scrapbook is created by a Cut or Copy , it will appear in the Scrapbook palette with some basic details.

The newly created scrapbook will be given:-

a name consisting of the date and time of its creation

a thumbnail

The thumbnail image will be taken using the current camera POV (point of view). To get a better image adjust the camera position and view to give the best possible shot of the Scrapbook objects before giving the Cut or Copy command

a scrapbook number (it will be inserted as №1 scrapbook)

an expiry date which will be set 5 days after its creation - this will countdown each day until 0 when the new scrapbook will be deleted

Notes:

Scrapbooks use very little memory so there is no real limit to how many you can store in the palette but finding the one you want will be more difficult as the list grows longer

Scrapbooks, old and new, can be deleted at any time by clicking the Delete icon. Deleting a Scrapbook does not delete the objects it contains

There are two changes that can be made to the new scrapbook:-

	Give it a name - Left click inside the Name Text Box and type a new name
	Make it permanent - Left click the white Pin icon (). The scrapbook will no longer expire but it can still be deleted at any time
Pinned scrapbooks are always shown with a blue pin icon and the words "pinned, no expiry" displayed next to their scrapbook №

The Pinning of any scrapbook can be reversed so that it will then expire in 5 days time. Simply Left click the blue pin icon.

Once a scrapbook has been Pinned it becomes an asset and will appear in Content Manager

ScrapbookEntryCM S20.png

The scrapbook can be uploaded to the DLS and saved as a CDP file.

You can archive your scrapbooks as CDP files to keep the number of installed scrapbooks to a minimum. If an archived scrapbook is needed then you can use the Import Content Files option in Content Manager to add it to the Scrapbook Palette. It can be deleted from the palette later, when no longer needed.

Managing Baseboards

The Marquee is a powerful tool for adding, deleting and changing the properties of multiple baseboards.

Steps: To add new baseboards:-
	select the Marquee Tool (or press the F key).
	Left Click and Drag to draw out an area where the new baseboards will be added. This area can include the current baseboard.
The Marquee Selection Area, shown with a green border in the image on the left, covers the existing baseboard (black, bottom left) and where 3 new baseboards will be created. The Marquee has a Context Icon as shown in the image.
	Left click on the Context Icon or press the T key to open up the Marquee Context Menu (see Marquee Context Menu above).
	Create, Convert, Delete
	To Create new baseboards, and to Convert selected baseboards to a different Grid Resolution, select the Context Menu option Convert Baseboards To > then select a resolution from two sub-options, 5m Grid and 10m Grid . If existing baseboards have been selected then they will also be converted to the new resolution.
	To Delete baseboards select the Context Menu option Delete Baseboards in Marquee . The Ctrl Z keys can Undo the deletion.
	To set the selected baseboards to the Height value in the Tool Options Palette select the Context Menu option Set Marquee to Brush Height . If the Marquee extends over "empty space" then new baseboards will be created at the set Height value.

Mass Object Moves and Clones

Both the Free Move Tool and the Fine Adjustment Tool can move and clone (copy) single and multiple objects. The Marquee Tool can also move and clone objects but will include Ground Height, Ground Textures and Effect Layers in the cloning and moving operations.

Selecting and Moving Multiple Objects

Multiple objects can be selected and moved with the Free Move Tool and the Fine Adjustment Tool.

Notes: Mass Moves

The objects do not have to be:-
	the same type. They can be a mixture of scenery splines and mesh objects
	in the same layers but objects in Locked layers will not be moved

You can also use the Marquee Tool to move objects but this will move Ground Heights, Ground Textures and Effect Layers as well as objects.

Steps: To select and move multiple objects:-
	Select the Free Move Tool or Fine Adjustment Tool
	Hold the Shift key down
	Left click on every object that is to be included in the selection group. Release the key
The last object selected will have the Context Icon attached to it
	Left Click and Drag on any highlighted object in the group

You can apply the Height setting in the Tool Options to the entire group of selected objects.

Selecting Multiple Identical Objects

You can quickly select all nearby identical objects by a Double-LeftClick on an object.

This also applies to all the wagons in a consist. Double-LeftClick on any one of them to select all of them - they do not have to be identical wagons.

A forest of many different trees. Only one has been selected.	Double-LeftClick on a tree to select all the identical trees in the forest.

Hold down the Shift key and Double-LeftClick on another object. It and all its identical copies will be added to the selection.

Cloning Objects

You can easily clone single and multiple selected objects. If you have selected a group of objects they do not have to be the same type - you can select scenery objects and scenery splines.

Notes: Layers and Cloning

	the objects can be in different layers
	the layers can be locked and the objects will still be cloned
	all the cloned objects will be placed into the current Active Layer which must be Unlocked
For more information on layers see The Info Palette at the end of this document.

Steps: To clone an object or a group of objects:-
	use either the Free Move Tool or the Fine Adjustment Tool to select the object or objects
	hold down the Ctrl key and Left Click and Drag on any of the selected objects

The Info Palette

If the Info Palette is not visible on the screen then refer to

Hiding and Showing Palettes at the top of this document. Some Info Palette functions will also require the Assets Palette and the Tool Options Palette.

This palette can be easily overlooked but it has some very useful features:-
	providing precise data and control over the "focus" - the position of the cursor
	providing precise data and control over the position and orientation of objects (it can be used instead of the Free Move Tool and the Fine Adjustment Tool)
	identifying and setting the "home" layer and binding layer of a selected object
	used for locking and unlocking a selected objects layer

The Info Palette will appear as shown in the image below.

Each of the small arrowhead icons will open the palette to display more information and some controls.

Notes:

All the positional data and controls in the Info Palette are defined in the following ways:-

X	is ALWAYS the North-South compass direction regardless of the direction that an object is facing
Y	is ALWAYS the East-West compass direction regardless of the direction that an object is facing
Z	is ALWAYS the Vertical direction (perpendicular to the compass directions) regardless of how an object has been rolled or tilted

	distances are measured in metres from the North-West corner of the first baseboard.
	(+) positive distances are in the South and East directions
	(-) negative distances are in the North and West directions. New boards added to the North of the first baseboard will have negative X coordinates and new boards added to the West of the first baseboard will have negative Y coordinates.

Focus Info and Controls

The Focus shows the current position and height of the Cursor object. Open up the Focus by Left clicking on its arrowhead icon.

Before changing the cursor position with the Focus controls, set a Bookmark at its current position.

The current cursor position is shown in the X, Y and Z text boxes. These values can be edited to move the cursor to a new position but CARE will be needed.

Notes:

If you enter an X or Y value that is "out in empty space" (beyond the edge of a boundary baseboard) then the cursor will be refocussed at a point on the baseboard edge that is the closest to the entered co-ordinates.

On the right of each box is a pair of Up/Down controls. Left Click and Drag up or down on these to adjust the cursor position in smaller increments down to centimetres

Next to the Z co-ordinate is a small white down arrowhead. Left click on the arrow to open its menu.

There is only one item in the sub-menu. Use Height for Brush
Left click on the option to copy the current cursor height (Z) value from the Info Palette to the Tool Options Palette Height entry.

Asset Name Menu

You must have an object (or objects) selected for a name to be shown and the menu to be available.

If the selected objects are different then a count of the additional objects will be added. The (+2) shown in the object name in the image on the left indicates that "2" additional different objects are in the group of selected objects. The name and position data shown will be for the last selected object.

Next to the objects name is a small white Down Arrowhead. Left click on the arrowhead to open its menu.

The menu options are:-

Copy	NOT WORKING (a known bug) - this option copies the objects details as text for pasting into a text editor
Show Asset Details	opens a new window showing the image and description of the selected object
List Assets in New Window	opens up Content Manager and lists all the selected objects
Add to Picklist	adds selected objects to a Picklist
Remove from Picklist	removes selected objects from a Picklist (objects must already be in a Picklist)
Select in Assets Palette	highlights the selected object in the Assets Palette

Position Info and Controls

You must have an object (or objects) selected for the position data to be shown and edited. Open up the position data by Left clicking on its Pos: arrowhead icon.

The position of the selected object (or the last object if more than one is selected) is shown in the X, Y and Z text boxes. These values can be edited to move the object or objects to a new position but CARE will be needed.

Notes:

If you enter an X or Y value that is "out in empty space" (beyond the edge of a boundary baseboard) then the objects will be moved to that position and may vanish from view. The Undo command can be used to reverse the move or the Marquee Tool can be used to add a baseboard under the "floating" objects.

On the right of each box is a pair of Up/Down controls. Left Click and Drag up or down on these to adjust the position in smaller increments down to centimetres

Next to the Z co-ordinate is a small white down arrowhead. Left click on the arrow to open its menu.

There is only one item in the sub-menu. Use Height for Brush
Left click on the option to copy the height (Z) value for the selected object from the Info Palette to the Tool Options Palette Height entry.

Rotation Info and Controls

You must have an object (or objects) selected for the rotation data to be shown and edited. Open up the rotation data by Left clicking on its Rot: arrowhead icon.

The rotational orientation of the selected object (or the last object if more than one is selected) is shown in the R, P and Y text boxes. These values can be edited to rotate the object or objects in 3D space BUT not all objects can be rotated in certain directions.

On the right of each box is a pair of Up/Down controls. Left Click and Drag up or down on these to adjust the rotation angle in increments of 1°.

Notes:

The rotation data and controls are defined in the following ways:-

R	ALWAYS rotates in the vertical plane around the North-South compass direction regardless of the object or objects orientation
P	ALWAYS rotates in the vertical plane around the East-West compass direction regardless of the object or objects orientation
Y	ALWAYS rotates in the horizontal plane around the Vertical direction (perpendicular to the compass directions) regardless of how the object or objects have been rolled or tilted

	all angles are measured in degrees
	(+) positive angles are clockwise when facing the primary direction ( North or East ) and around the Vertical axis
	(-) negative angles are anti-clockwise when facing the primary direction ( North or East ) and around the Vertical axis
	angles greater than ±360° can be entered but will give the same result as the corresponding angle less than 360°. For example: 450° is exactly the same angle as 90° (450-360=90)
	clockwise and anti-clockwise angles are complementary. For example: entering -270° (anti-clockwise) will give the same angle as entering 90° (clockwise)

Layer Info and Controls

You must have an object (or objects) selected for the layer data to be shown and edited. Open up the layer data by Left clicking on its Layer: arrowhead icon.

	Notes:
	the Info Palette is best used to show and edit the layer and binding layer assignments of individual selected objects
	operations such as creating, deleting, merging, renaming, moving and hiding layers are performed using the Assets Palette
	layers can be Locked and Unlocked using the Info Palette or the Assets Palette but the Assets Palette is often the better choice for this

This will show the:-

	current layer assigned to the selected object
	its assigned Binding Layer (if any)
	the Locked/Unlocked status of the assigned layer
	Layer is currently Unlocked. Click this button to Lock the layer
	Layer is currently Locked. Click this button to Unlock the layer
	Using this button will also change the Locked/Unlocked padlock icon shown next to the layer name in the Assets Palette

If multiple objects from different layers have been selected then no layer name will be shown in the Layer and Binding boxes. Instead they will be left "blank" as shown in the image on the left.

Both boxes can still be opened to assign layers to objects.

Assigning Objects to a Different Layer

A selected object or group of selected objects can be assigned to a different layer. If multiple objects have been selected then they do not have to all be in the same layer.

Notes:

Before changing any objects to another layer, make sure that the source layer (or source layers for multiple objects) and the destination layer are unlocked.

	unlocked layers are shown in the Assets Palette with an open padlock icon
	locked layers are shown in the Assets Palette with a closed padlock icon. Left click the icon to unlock the layer

This operation will TOTALLY FAIL if the destination layer is locked and it will FAIL for any object in a source layer that is locked

Steps: To change the assigned layer of an object or group of objects:-
	Left click on the Layer drop down box. The layer containing the object (for a single selected object only) will be shown with a in front of its name
	Select the destination layer name from the drop down list
The layer reassignment will start the instant the destination layer is selected
	If you see a Debugging Window on the screen as the task is processed, it will inform you when the task has been completed. You can then close the window

Once a target layer has been selected then the Select Layer button, which sets the Active Layer, may become active.

The Active Layer is the layer used by the Placement Tool when objects are added to a route (or session). This button gives you the opportunity to set the Active Layer to the same layer that you just used to assign to an object. Its use is optional.

You can also set the Active Layer by selecting its name from the list in the Layers Palette.

If the Select Layer button is greyed out
	then the selected object is now assigned to the current Active Layer so there is no need to use this option
If it is NOT greyed out
	then the selected object is now assigned to a layer that is not the current Active Layer. You have the option to Left click on this button to switch the Active Layer to the same layer as the object

Assigning Objects to a Binding Layer

The Binding Layer, or Bound Layer as it is also called, is a tool used in the development of a route or session. It allows you to temporarily assign an object to a second layer while it is still in its original layer. The object will then take on the properties (Locked/Unlocked, Hidden/Visible) of both layers.

So if the original layer or the binding layer of an object is:-
	LOCKED then the object will be LOCKED
	HIDDEN then the object will be HIDDEN

Some examples of using the Binding Layer:- Example 1:
The problem:	You need to stop an object from being selected so that you can you move other objects on or around it
The solution:	The easiest solution is to use the Layers Palette to create a new empty layer and lock it. Set the Binding Layer of the object to the new locked layer. The object will then be locked so it cannot be selected or moved even though its original layer is unlocked. When the edit has been completed delete the empty locked layer you just created to unlock all its bound objects and remove all their bindings
Example 2:
The problem:	A group of objects (e.g trees) are blocking access to another object.
The solution:	The easiest solution is to use the Layers Palette to create a new empty layer and hide it. Set the Binding Layer of the blocking objects to the new hidden layer. The blocking objects will no longer be visible and cannot be selected even though their original layer is still visible. When the edit has been completed delete the empty hidden layer you just created to make all its bound objects visible and remove all their bindings

Steps: To change the assigned binding layer of an object or group of objects:-
	Left click on the Binding drop down box. If the object is already bound to a layer (for a single selected object only) the binding layer will be shown with a in front of its name
	Select the Binding layer name from the drop down list
The layer reassignment will start the instant the layer is selected
	If you see a Debugging Window on the screen as the task is processed, it will inform you when the task has been completed. You can then close the window

As an example, the image below shows what you will see for a single object that has had:-

	its assigned layer changed (in the example from "route-layer" to "Station Buildings")
	its binding layer set (in the example to "Multi Industries")
	the newly assigned layer is not locked so you have the option to lock it
	the newly assigned layer is not the Active Layer so you have the option to make it the Active Layer

More information on creating, editing and using Layers can be found on the Trainz Wiki at:-

How to Use Layers

Trainz Wiki

More Tutorials and Guides to Using Trainz

This page was created by Trainz user pware in January 2023 and was last updated as shown below.

@@ Line 3,032: / Line 3,032: @@
 <br>
-===<span style="font-size: 17px; color: white; background-color: blue;">&#160;Free Move: Setting the Height of a Mesh Object&#160;</span>===
+===<span style="font-size: 17px; color: white; background-color: blue;">&#160;Fine Adjustment: Setting the Height of a Mesh Object&#160;</span>===
-<table width=1000>
-<tr>
-<td>When placed in a route by the '''Placement Tool''' a scenery object will take the height of the terrain as its set height. It will be '''fixed''' to the terrain so when you move it around it will always be at the same height as the terrain it is over.<br>
-This can be changed to '''fix''' the object to a set height above or below the terrain.
-</td>
-</tr>
-</table>
-<br>
-<table width=900>
-<tr valign="top">
-<td width=200>[[image:FreeMoveMeshObjectSetAboveGround_S20.png|link=]]</td>
-<td>
 <table width=700 bgcolor=#000000 cellpadding=2>
 <tr valign="top">
@@ Line 3,051: / Line 3,039: @@
 <table width=696 bgcolor=#ffffff cellpadding=2>
 <tr valign="top">
-<td colspan=2><span style="font-weight: 700; font-size: 15px;;">Steps:</span> To set the height of a selected '''Scenery Mesh Object''':-
+<td colspan=2><span style="font-weight: 700; font-size: 15px;;">Steps:</span> To set the height of a selected scenery mesh object:-
 <table>
 <tr valign="top">
@@ Line 3,069: / Line 3,057: @@
 </tr>
 <tr valign="top">
-<td colspan=2>The scenery object will now be '''fixed''' at the entered height above (or below) the terrain as it is moved around. The vertical yellow line shown in the second image on the left indicates the height change. The small yellow dot at the base of the line is the terrain '''attachment point''' for the object.</td>
+<td colspan=2>The object will be moved to the set height above (or below) the terrain.</td>
-</tr>
-</table>
-</td>
 </tr>
 </table>
@@ Line 3,079: / Line 3,064: @@
 </table>
 <br>
 ===<span style="font-size: 17px; color: white; background-color: blue;">&#160;Free Move: Mesh Object Context Menu&#160;</span>===
-A selected scenery object, or a group of selected scenery objects, will have a '''Context Icon''' that opens a '''Context Menu'''. The icon design will vary between object types.<br>
+A selected scenery mesh object, or a group of selected scenery mesh objects, will have a '''Context Icon''' that opens a '''Context Menu'''. '''Left''' click on the icon or press the <span style="font-weight: 700; font-size: 15px; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;T&#160;</span> key. The icon design will vary between object types.<br>
-<table bgcolor=#000000 width=400 cellpadding=2>
+<table width=1000>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td width=220>[[image:ContextMenuMeshObject_S20.png|link=]]</td>
+<td width=780>
+<table width=780 bgcolor=#000000>
 <tr valign="top">
 <td>
-<table bgcolor=#ffffff width=396 cellpadding=2>
+<table width=776 bgcolor=#ffffff>
 <tr valign="top">
-<td width=396>To open a selected objects '''Context menu''' either:-<br>
+<td>
 <table>
 <tr valign="top">
-<td width=20>[[image:Ablue.png|link=]]</td>
+<td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Cut&#160;</span></td>
-<td width=376>'''Left''' click the '''Context Icon''' [[image:SceneryMeshContextIcons_S20.png|link=]] <span style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700;">OR</span></td>
+<td>remove the selected object or objects and move them into the '''Scrapbook'''</td>
-</tr>
-<tr valign="top">
-<td>[[image:Bblue.png|link=]]</td>
-<td>Press the <span style="color: white; background-color: black; font-weight: 700; font-size: 15px;">&#160;T&#160;</span> key</td>
 </tr>
 </table>
 </td>
 </tr>
-</table>
-</td>
-</tr>
-</table>
-<br>
-<table width=1000>
-<tr valign="top">
-<td width=220><span style="font-weight: 700; font-size: 15px; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Mesh Object Context Menu&#160;</span><br>
-[[image:ContextMenuMeshObject_S20.png|link=]]</td>
-<td width=780>
-<table width=780 bgcolor=#000000>
 <tr valign="top">
 <td>
-<table width=776 bgcolor=#ffffff>
+<table>
-<tr valign="top">
-<td width=240><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Cut&#160;</span></td>
-<td>remove the selected object or objects and move them into the '''Scrapbook'''</td>
-</tr>
 <tr valign="top">
 <td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Copy&#160;</span></td>
 <td>copy the selected object or objects and place them into the '''Scrapbook'''</td>
 </tr>
+</table>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td>
+<table>
 <tr valign="top">
 <td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Paste&#160;</span></td>
 <td>paste the contents of the current '''Scrapbook''' at the cursor (focus) point</td>
 </tr>
+</table>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td>
+<table>
 <tr valign="top">
 <td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Delete&#160;</span></td>
 <td>delete the selected objects. It has the same effect as pressing the <span style="font-weight: 700; font-size: 15px; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Delete&#160;</span> key</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+</td>
 </tr>
 <tr valign="top">
-<td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Replace Object with Selected Asset&#160;</span></td>
+<td>
-<td>the highlighted object will be replaced with the asset currently selected in the '''Assets Palette'''. If the asset selected in the '''Assets Palette''' is the wrong type (e.g. a mesh object instead of a scenery spline) then this option will be greyed out</td>
+<table>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Replace&#160;Object&#160;with&#160;Selected&#160;Asset&#160;</span></td>
+<td>the highlighted object will be replaced with the asset currently selected in the '''Assets Palette'''. If no object has been selected in the '''Assets Palette''' or it is the wrong type (e.g. a scenery spline instead of a mesh object) then this option will be greyed out</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+</td>
 </tr>
 <tr valign="top">
-<td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Paint Under Selected&#160;</span></td>
+<td>
+<table>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Paint&#160;Under&#160;Selected&#160;</span></td>
 <td>the texture selected in the '''Assets Palette''' will be painted under the highlighted object. The '''Tool Options''' for the '''Brush Tool''' ('''Radius''' and '''Sensitivity''') will control how the texture is applied. If no ground texture has been selected in the '''Assets Palette''' then this option will be greyed out</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+</td>
 </tr>
 <tr valign="top">
-<td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Smooth Ground Under Selected&#160;</span></td>
+<td>
-<td>changes the height of the terrain under the object to match the set height of the object. If multiple objects at different heights have been selected then the terrain height will be set to match the height of the lowest object</td>
+<table>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Smooth&#160;Ground&#160;Under&#160;Selected&#160;</span></td>
+<td>changes the height of the terrain under the object to match the set height of the object. If multiple objects at different heights have been selected then it will '''attempt''' to set the terrain heights to match the height of each object</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+</td>
 </tr>
 <tr valign="top">
-<td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Settle on Ground&#160;</span></td>
+<td>
+<table>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Settle&#160;on&#160;Ground&#160;</span></td>
 <td>sets the height of the objects to match the height of the terrain beneath them ("drops them back to earth")</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+</td>
 </tr>
 <tr valign="top">
-<td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Apply Height&#160;</span></td>
+<td>
-<td>sets the height of the objects to the value in the '''Tool Options''' <span style="font-weight: 700; font-size: 15px; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Height&#160;</span> text box</td>
+<table>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Apply&#160;Height&#160;</span></td>
+<td>sets the height of the objects to the value in the '''Tool Options''' <span style="font-weight: 700; font-size: 15px; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Height&#160;</span> option</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+</td>
 </tr>
 <tr valign="top">
-<td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Reset Object Rotation&#160;</span></td>
+<td>
+<table>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Reset&#160;Object&#160;Rotation&#160;</span></td>
 <td>resets the rotation angle of the objects to their default values</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+</td>
 </tr>
 <tr valign="top">
-<td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Randomise Object Rotation&#160;</span></td>
+<td>
+<table>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Randomise&#160;Object&#160;Rotation&#160;</span></td>
 <td>applies a random rotation angle to each object</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+</td>
 </tr>
 <tr valign="top">
-<td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Select in Assets Palette&#160;</span></td>
+<td>
+<table>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Select&#160;in&#160;Assets&#160;Palette&#160;</span></td>
 <td>highlights the selected object in the '''Assets Palette'''</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+</td>
 </tr>
 <tr valign="top">
-<td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Edit Properties&#160;</span></td>
+<td>
+<table>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Edit&#160;Properties&#160;</span></td>
 <td>opens the '''Properties''' window of the selected object</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+</td>
 </tr>
 </table>
@@ Line 3,176: / Line 3,214: @@
 </table>
 <br>
 =='''Free Move: Track Objects'''==
@@ Line 3,257: / Line 3,294: @@
 ===<span style="font-size: 17px; color: white; background-color: blue;">&#160;Free Move: Track Object Context Menu&#160;</span>===
+A selected track mesh object, or a group of selected track mesh objects, will have a '''Context Icon''' that opens a '''Context Menu'''. The icon design will vary between object types.<br>
 <table bgcolor=#000000 width=400 cellpadding=2>
@@ Line 3,687: / Line 3,726: @@
 ===<span style="font-size: 17px; color: white; background-color: blue;">&#160;Free Move: Spline Object Context Menu&#160;</span>===
+A selected scenery spline object, or a group of selected scenery spline objects, will have a '''Context Icon''' that opens a '''Context Menu'''. The icon design will vary between object types.<br>
 <table width=900>
@@ Line 3,767: / Line 3,808: @@
 <table width=996 bgcolor=#ffffff>
 <tr valign="top">
-<td width=250><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Cut&#160;</span></td>
+<td>
+<table>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Cut&#160;</span></td>
 <td>remove the segment or segments and move them into the '''Scrapbook'''</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+</td>
 </tr>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td>
+<table>
 <tr valign="top">
 <td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Copy&#160;</span></td>
 <td>copy the segment or segments and place them into the '''Scrapbook'''</td>
 </tr>
+</table>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td>
+<table>
 <tr valign="top">
 <td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Paste&#160;</span></td>
 <td>paste the contents of the current '''Scrapbook''' at the cursor (focus) point</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+</td>
 </tr>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td>
+<table>
 <tr valign="top">
 <td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Delete&#160;</span></td>
 <td>delete the segment, segments or endpoint. It has the same effect as pressing the <span style="font-weight: 700; font-size: 15px; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Delete&#160;</span> key</td>
 </tr>
+</table>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td>
+<table>
 <tr valign="top">
 <td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Replace Spline with Selected Asset&#160;</span></td>
 <td>the highlighted spline will be replaced with the asset currently selected in the '''Assets Palette'''. If the asset selected in the '''Assets Palette''' is the wrong type (e.g. a mesh object instead of a scenery spline) then this option will be greyed out</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+</td>
 </tr>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td>
+<table>
 <tr valign="top">
 <td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Paint Under Selected&#160;</span></td>
 <td>the texture selected in the '''Assets Palette''' will be painted under the highlighted spline segments. The '''Tool Options''' for the '''Brush Tool''' ('''Radius''' and '''Sensitivity''') will control how the texture is applied. If no ground texture has been selected in the '''Assets Palette''' then this option will be greyed out</td>
 </tr>
+</table>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td>
+<table>
 <tr valign="top">
 <td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Smooth Ground Under Selected&#160;</span></td>
 <td>changes the height of the terrain under the segment or segments to match the set height of the spline (does not work on endpoints)</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+</td>
 </tr>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td>
+<table>
 <tr valign="top">
 <td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Settle on Ground&#160;</span></td>
 <td>sets the height of the selected endpoint to match the height of the terrain beneath them ("drops them back to earth"). When used on segments the spline will follow the height changes of the terrain</td>
 </tr>
+</table>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td>
+<table>
 <tr valign="top">
 <td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Apply Height to this Spline Endpoint&#160;</span></td>
 <td>sets the height of the selected '''<u>endpoint</u>''' to the value in the '''Tool Options''' <span style="font-weight: 700; font-size: 15px; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Height&#160;</span> text box</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+</td>
 </tr>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td>
+<table>
 <tr valign="top">
 <td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Apply Height&#160;</span></td>
 <td>sets the height of the selected '''<u>segment</u>''' or '''<u>segments</u>''' to the value in the '''Tool Options''' <span style="font-weight: 700; font-size: 15px; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Height&#160;</span> text box</td>
 </tr>
+</table>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td>
+<table>
 <tr valign="top">
 <td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Apply Grade to this Spline Endpoint&#160;</span></td>
 <td>sets the height of the endpoint to give a '''Grade''' to the surrounding segments that matches the value in the '''Tool Options''' <span style="font-weight: 700; font-size: 15px; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Grade&#160;</span> text box</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+</td>
 </tr>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td>
+<table>
 <tr valign="top">
 <td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Straighten Spline&#160;</span></td>
 <td>forces a straight line (as far as possible) between the endpoints of a single segment. This option will be ticked if the segment has already been straightened in which case selecting this option will "un-straighten" the segment and remove the tick</td>
 </tr>
+</table>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td>
+<table>
 <tr valign="top">
 <td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Separate Splines&#160;</span></td>
@@ Line 3,822: / Line 3,938: @@
 <td>removes the selected endpoint and merges the segments on both sides into one segment. The two segments can also be joined by selecting and deleting the endpoint with the <span style="font-weight: 700; font-size: 15px;  color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Delete&#160;</span> key</td>
 </tr>
+</table>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td>
+<table>
 <tr valign="top">
 <td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Insert Spline Point Here&#160;</span></td>
 <td>inserts a new endpoint in a segment at the point where it was clicked. This will create a new segment at the endpoint</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+</td>
 </tr>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td>
+<table>
 <tr valign="top">
 <td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Select in Assets Palette&#160;</span></td>
 <td>highlights the selected object in the '''Assets Palette'''</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+</td>
 </tr>
+<tr valign="top">
+<td>
+<table>
 <tr valign="top">
 <td><span style="font-weight: 700; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;Edit Properties&#160;</span></td>
 <td>opens the '''Properties''' window of the selected spline</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+</td>
 </tr>
 </table>
@@ Line 4,194: / Line 4,331: @@
 ===<span style="font-size: 17px; color: white; background-color: blue;">&#160;Free Move: Rolling Stock Object Context Menu&#160;</span>===
+A selected rolling stock  object, or a group of selected rolling stock  objects, will have a '''Context Icon''' that opens a '''Context Menu'''. The icon design will vary between object types.<br>
 <table bgcolor=#000000 width=400 cellpadding=2>
@@ Line 4,591: / Line 4,730: @@
 ===<span style="font-size: 17px; color: white; background-color: blue;">&#160;Fine Adjustment: Setting the Height of a Mesh Object&#160;</span>===
-<table width=700 bgcolor=#000000 cellpadding=2>
+<table width=600 bgcolor=#000000 cellpadding=2>
 <tr valign="top">
 <td>
-<table width=696 bgcolor=#ffffff cellpadding=2>
+<table width=596 bgcolor=#ffffff cellpadding=2>
 <tr valign="top">
-<td colspan=2><span style="font-weight: 700; font-size: 15px;;">Steps:</span> To set the height of a selected scenery mesh object:-
+<td colspan=2><span style="font-weight: 700; font-size: 15px;;">Steps:</span> To set the height of a scenery mesh object:-
 <table>
 <tr valign="top">
@@ Line 4,621: / Line 4,760: @@
 </table>
 <br>
 ===<span style="font-size: 17px; color: white; background-color: blue;">&#160;Fine Adjustment: Mesh Object Context Menu&#160;</span>===
+A selected scenery mesh object, or a group of selected scenery mesh objects, will have a '''Context Icon''' that opens a '''Context Menu'''. '''Left''' click on the icon or press the <span style="font-weight: 700; font-size: 15px; color: white; background-color: black;">&#160;T&#160;</span> key. The icon design will vary between object types.<br>
 <table width=1000>
@@ Line 4,770: / Line 4,910: @@
 </table>
 <br>
 =='''Fine Adjustment: Track Objects'''==
@@ Line 4,876: / Line 5,015: @@
 <br>
 ===<span style="font-size: 17px; color: white; background-color: blue;">&#160;Fine Adjustment: Track Object Context Menu&#160;</span>===
+A selected track mesh object, or a group of selected track mesh objects, will have a '''Context Icon''' that opens a '''Context Menu'''. The icon design will vary between object types.<br>
 <table bgcolor=#000000 width=400 cellpadding=2>
@@ Line 5,653: / Line 5,794: @@
 ===<span style="font-size: 17px; color: white; background-color: blue;">&#160;Fine Adjustment: Rolling Stock Object Context Menu&#160;</span>===
+A selected rolling stock object, or a group of selected rolling stock objects, will have a '''Context Icon''' that opens a '''Context Menu'''. The icon design will vary between object types.<br>
 <table bgcolor=#000000 width=400 cellpadding=2>

How to Use S20 Tools

Revision as of 20:54, 26 February 2023

Contents

Surveyor 2.0 vs Surveyor Classic

The Tools Palette

The Brush Tool

Ground Height

Ground Texture

Default Baseboard Ground Texture

Scrapbook Data

The Scrapbook Brush Actions

The Scrapbook Palette

The Scrapbook Filters

Effect Layers

TurfFX and Clutter Effect Layers

Water Effect Layer

Edit Effect Layers...

The Placement Tool

Placing a Scenery Mesh Object

Placing a Scenery or Track Spline

Spline Segment Heights

Placing Track Objects

Placing Rolling Stock Objects

Placement Tool Options

Placement Mesh Objects Tool Options

Placement Spline (and Track) Tool Options

Deleting Placed Objects

The Eyedropper Tool

Quick Steps

Narrowing the Search

The Free Move Tool

Free Move: Scenery Mesh Objects

Free Move: Moving a Mesh Object

Fine Adjustment: Setting the Height of a Mesh Object

Free Move: Mesh Object Context Menu

Free Move: Track Objects

Free Move: Move a Track Object

Free Move: Track Object Context Menu

Free Move: Spline Objects (Including Track)

Free Move: Moving Spline Endpoints

Free Move: Moving Spline Segments

Free Move: Spline Height Adjustment

Free Move: Spline Object Context Menu

Free Move: Rolling Stock Objects

Free Move: Moving Rolling Stock Objects

Free Move: Coupling Rolling Stock Objects

Free Move: Decoupling Rolling Stock Objects

Free Move: Rolling Stock Object Context Menu

The Fine Adjustment Tool

Fine Adjustment: Scenery Mesh Objects

Fine Adjustment: Move a Mesh Object

Fine Adjustment: Setting the Height of a Mesh Object

Fine Adjustment: Mesh Object Context Menu

Fine Adjustment: Track Objects

Fine Adjustment: Move a Track Object

Fine Adjustment: Track Object Context Menu

Fine Adjustment: Spline Objects (Including Track)

Fine Adjustment: Moving Spline Endpoints

Fine Adjustment: Moving Spline Segments

Fine Adjustment: Rolling Stock Objects

Fine Adjustment: Moving Rolling Stock Objects

Fine Adjustment: Coupling Rolling Stock Objects

Fine Adjustment: Decoupling Rolling Stock Objects

Fine Adjustment: Rolling Stock Object Context Menu

Fine Adjustment: Object Heights

The Marquee Tool

The Marquee Tool and the Assets Palette Filter

Marquee Anchor Controls

Marquee Context Menu

Scrapbook Operations

Adding a New Scrapbook

Managing Baseboards

Mass Object Moves and Clones

Selecting and Moving Multiple Objects

Selecting Multiple Identical Objects

Cloning Objects

The Info Palette

Focus Info and Controls

Asset Name Menu

Position Info and Controls