Help:Surveyor Objects Spline Mode

Revision as of 15:10, 30 March 2019

This button allows you to manipulate scenery spline objects (fences, walls etc) like add, rotate, delete etc.

Splines are generally long thin objects such as roads, power lines, fences and rows of trees. They consist of two or more “spline points” denoted by white circles. These spline points can be placed any distance apart and the spline object is then “stretched” between the spline points as you place them on the route. To enter Object Spline mode, Click LMB on the large Spline Mode (S) button at the top left of the tab menu.

Add Spline

Select the Add Spline (A) tool and then click LMB on the terrain to anchor the first spline point. Click LMB again some distance away to place the second spline point. The spline will be drawn from the first point to the second, and white circles will display at each of the spline points. These spline points are used to configure the spline path, adjust the height, or define a section of spline for operations such as setting a gradient or setting the ground height.

To extend the spline further, click LMB on the last spline point, then Click LMB once more nearby to extend the spline. To place multiple spline points hold down the Ctrl key while placing each point. Release the Ctrl key before placing the final spline point to complete the spline. Additional sections can be added to an existing spline at any time.

If the new spline point (including an end point) is placed close to any part of an existing compatible spline the new point will form a junction with the existing spline. If this is not what is required, press and hold the Shift key before releasing the LMB.

Move Spline

Select the Move Spline (M) tool and then click LMBH and drag the spline point to a new position.

If the new position is close to an existing spline point of a compatible spline, the spline point you are moving will snap to that other spline point, creating either a junction or an extension. In some cases this is not what is required: to prevent this from happening, press and hold the Shift key before releasing the LMB. This technique can be used to place separate splines on top of one another, such as when creating a forest from tree or shrub splines.

Split Spline

Select the Split Spline (Q) tool and then click LMB on a spline point (other than an end point) to split the spline at that point. Two end spline points will be created at the same location, and the two portions of the spline will become separate splines.

Get Spline

Select the Get Spline (G) tool and then click LMB on a spline object already placed on the terrain. That spline object will become the selected object in the objects list, and the Add Spline (A) tool will become the active tool.

Delete Spline

Select the Delete Spline (D) tool then click LMB on a section of spline between two spline points to delete that section of spline. The remaining portions will become separate splines.

Straighten Spline

Select the Straighten Spline tool (B) then click LMB on a section of spline to straighten that section. The curvature of adjacent sections will be adjusted to maintain a smooth spline path, but spline points will not be moved. Click LMB on a straightened section of spline to remove the straightening.

Note that the exact effect of straightening a section depends on the properties of the spline object and whether adjacent sections have already been straightened. For instance, two adjacent sections cannot be straightened if the spline points that define them are not in a straight line.

Toggle Traffic

Many roads will have vehicles travelling on them automatically: this can be seen while in Surveyor after placing the roads. Clicking LMB on Toggle Traffic turns all traffic off on the roads. Clicking LMB on the button again will have traffic resume. When toggling traffic on and off, it affects all spline roads on your route.

This option does not exist in some versions of Trainz.

Edit Properties

Select the Edit Properties (P) tool and then click LMB on any spline object in your route. A menu will open up allowing you to edit the properties of the object.

Advanced

Click LMB on the Advanced Menu (Shift F3) to access even more tools. A drop down menu is then revealed.

Spline Height

Select the Spline Height (H) tool and then LMBH and drag on a spline point to raise or lower that point. The adjacent sections of the spline will be adjusted to the new height according to the properties of the spline. The rotating circle marking the spline point will be changed from white to yellow, indicating that the height is now absolute, not relative to the local ground level. Note that the spline point height will become an absolute height even if the height doesn't actually change.

The height of the spline point will be displayed as it is adjusted. Press and hold the Ctrl key to adjust the height in smaller increments.

Delete Spline Point

Click LMB on Delete Spline Point (X) and then Click LMB on a white spline circle to remove unwanted spline points. You cannot delete an end spline point, but you can delete the whole section using the Delete Spline (D) tool.

Insert Spline Point

Click LMB on Insert Spline Point (I) then Click LMB between two existing spline points. Notice that a new spline point is created.

Smooth Spline

Smooth Spline (S) levels the track between two spline points, bringing the land up or down to match the levelled spline.

Get Vertex Height

Click LMB on the Get Vertex Height and Click LMB on the highest spline point on your spline. The height is displayed in the Height Value box.

Apply Vertex Height

Click LMB on Apply Vertex Height then Click LMB on another spline point. The spline point is raised to the same height as you first vertex.

Remove Gradient

Click LMB on Remove Gradient and then Click LMB on a spline section to remove the gradient between two spline points.

Edit Propertires

This can be used to name the spline and also set its layer.

See Also

• Help:Surveyor Objects Tools
• Help:Surveyor_Tools
• Help:Surveyor