PC-Rail Plus Builder

Software

Note that the software is subject to modification - please check and make sure you are using the most recent version.

Documentation

For full documentation of file structures, etc, please see the PC-Rail Development website.

Much additional guidance is provided in the: Development Guide.

Development options

The PC-Rail Plus Builder software provides the following main Edit functions:

• Simple housekeeping of project files
• Generation of PC-Rail displays from the user's data
• Data editing and validation facilities
• Some WYSIWYG editing facilities
• Import facility from spreadsheet files
• Preparation of data for use by the simulation software, including where possible the automated calculation of some data fields.

Use 'Edit' to access the Builder facilities.

Setting up a new simulation

You will need to choose a 2-character "Simulation Code". Unless the simulation is to be for your own use only and you do not intend to share it with any other PC-Rail user, this must be unique, i.e. not used by another PC-Rail simulation. Please check this with PC-Rail to agree a code and get it added it to the list of development projects.

Use the New facility to define the "Simulation Name"  and "Simulation Code" - these should not be changed after sharing files with other users or testers. later and set up the files for the new simulation. A new subdirectory will be created with blank data files for the new simulation,  e.g. "PCRailPlus\Wimbledon" (you can choose the directory name when you use the New facility).

Including your own data

If you have created your own data files for the new simulation, make sure their format is according to the specified file structures and that they are .dbf files. Copy them into the simdata subdirectory (e.g. PCRailPlus\Wimbledon\simdata).

Note: empty .dbf files with the required data structure are held in thePCRailPlus\Builder\data_edit0 subdirectory. These should not be altered in any way, but can be copied as the basis of creating your own .dbf files.

A lot of work can be saved by initially leaving empty the fields for which the Editor is able to calculate default values - please refer to the Data Definitions documentation for details of these. You will be free to edit these values at any subsequent time.

Data in other formats

A facility is provided to import your own data from spreadsheet (e.g .XLS) files. Use the 'XLS Import' button on the main screen and select the directory containing your xls data files. Note that it is essential that the columns of data in your spreadsheets, and their order, correspond with the field order which is specified.

As an alternative to using spreadsheets, consider the option of using a dbf file editor, e.g. the CDBF Viewer and Editor.

Backing up your Data

You should make your own backup copies of the PCRailPlus\zipfiles subdirectory from time to time so that you are able to revert to a previous position if necessary.

Working on the Data

Click on Edit to process your data and generate the resulting screen display. Various facilities are then available for working on your data.

Edit Data

• Edit Data windows
• Click on the relevant button to open a "browse" window for a data file. The data can be directly edited.
• Click on the relevant buttons to Add or Delete records.
• An additional edit button, Scaling, provides for easy creation of values for the scale field of track.dbf.
• Object Properties
• Individual data objects can be edited by right-clicking on the relevant node marker, text or track section. This will display a Properties window for the object. Many data fields can in many cases be edited directly.
• When you click on OK to close the Properties window, any changes made are applied to the data files. Some changes result in the display being immediately updated, while others require use of the Refresh button.
• Use the Delete button in the Properties window to delete the object. All related files are automatically updated after confirming the deletion.
• Object Toolbar
• New data objects can be added directly to the display by using the toolbar buttons.
• Click first on the appropriate button, then click again on the layout display in the position in which you wish to place the object.
• To assist placing new nodes, the row position will "snap" on to an invisible grid corresponding to the standard row spacing (i.e. multiples of 8). To suppress this snap feature, use the Alt key when clicking on the layout display.
• A new record is created in the relevant file, and all related files are automatically modified, e.g. adding a new node in the middle of an existing track section will split the track section into two parts and if necessary also update the subroute records for any routes using the track.
• Drag and Drop positioning
• Existing objects on the screen can be repositioned using the mouse, using the "drag and drop" method. The relevant data files are updated automatically on completing the operation.
• Text objects and signal/point labels can be freely repositioned as required.
• Nodes which are linked by one or more track sections can only be repositioned within the length of the linked tracks.
• Nodes with more than 2 links cannot currently be repositioned using this facility.

If you wish to move all the screen objects by the same amount, you can do this by right-clicking on an empty part of the layout window and entering the required values.

Additional editing facilities may be added in due course.

Printing data

Right-click on the relevant button to open the print preview window for a data file. The data can then be printed if you wish.

Generate Data

Click on the Generate button to access facilities to generate additional data automatically. This saves a lot of work when creating data for a new simulation!

The following data can be generated:

• Fringes
• Yards
• Train Describers
• Track Circuits
• Auto routes
• Route notes

See the Data Values documentation for further details.

Check Data

Click on the Check button to carry out a number of validation checks on your data. Any apparent errors which are found will be listed, with appropriate headings, including:

• Track slope errors - where track records do not have one of the acceptable slope values (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal with  row difference = column difference).
• Track circuit nodes not needed? - where track sections either side of a type "T" node have the same track circuit number. The node appears to serve no purpose.
• Route and subroute data - various checks.

While many errors will be detected by the Check facility, it cannot be relied on to detect all data errors.

Refresh

Click on the Refresh button to reprocess the data and refresh the screen display. This should be done after directly editing any of the data.

Save

Click on the Save button to save any changes to the data files in the simdata subdirectory. See the note above about backing up your data.

A copy of your updated simdata directory is saved as a zip file in the PCRailPlus\zipfiles subdirectory.

The new contents of the simdata directory will be used by the Run facility (see below).

When you Exit from the layout display window after making changes to the data, you will also be asked if you wish to save your changes.

Useful tools

• Colorcode: easy way to find the codes required by the fields forecolor and backcolor in format.dbf.
• Characters: easy way to select characters from the Symbol font for use in text.dbf.
• Defaults: restores the values for those fields for which the Data Builder is able to calculate default values (see the Data Definitions) to the default values.
• Rename node: allows a node identifier to be changed in all files in which it occurs, in one operation.

Running your simulation

After making any required changes and saving your data in the Editor, click on the Run button on the PC-Rail Plus main screen.

You can edit the timetable data for your simulation using the simulation's Timetable Editor in the usual way.

Exchanging data with others

See https://www.pcrail.co.uk/develop/DevGuide.htm#Appendix2 for the procedure.

Updated 14/04/22