A finer grid

comments · 5

• GW

  Georg Wächter21. Oktober 2026

  Thank you for your detailed proposal. It’s very helpful that you included specific specification proposals.

  Currently, grid spacing can be selected from 5 cm, 10 cm, 20 cm (or off), but this setting applies uniformly across all scales. The same options are available when creating a new project, and there is currently no 2.5 cm setting. You are absolutely right that this is too coarse for checking or adjusting details in 1 mm increments on N-gauge models.

  Based on your suggestion, we are considering the following options. These are still under consideration, and we have not yet decided whether to implement them or when to do so. ・Display the set grid as before; when zoomed in, display 1-cm lines, and when zoomed in further, display faint 1-mm lines ・Limit snapping to 1 cm, and display the 1-mm lines only as a guide ・Vary the available grid intervals by scale (for example, 1 cm, 2.5 cm, and 5 cm for Z-gauge and N-gauge)

  If you don’t mind, could you tell me a little more? Where, specifically, would you primarily want to check and adjust in 1-mm increments? For example: ・The spacing between tracks (track spacing) ・Distance from the edge of the board ・The length of platforms, passing tracks, etc. It would also be helpful if you could let me know whether the 5 mm snap you suggested is necessary, or if the 1 cm snap and 1 mm guide lines are sufficient.

  Note that distances and lengths can still be measured using the “Distance” and “Length Along Track” options in the “Label” tool. If there are situations where it’s more convenient to specify positions directly with numerical values rather than using the grid, please let me know.

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  • A

    antimon222. Oktober 2026

    Thank you for your comment. I think the proposal you’re considering is quite realistic and a good idea.

    When I submitted my request, I hadn’t yet fully mastered this app’s features, so I didn’t know that the label tool included options like “Distance” and “Length Along the Track” (I’d been trying out various features before reading your reply and only noticed them yesterday). It’s true that using these features would likely suffice in many situations. (I might prefer if the “Distance” tool were placed in a more prominent location.)

    The “need to check and adjust using a fine grid,” which I originally had in mind, refers to situations like the following:

    • I want to make it easier to estimate the gaps between tracks by eye (→ Now that I’ve found the “Distance” tool, that’s sufficient)
    • I want to visually check the spacing between double tracks (→ This also seems possible to some extent with the “Distance” tool)
      • When I want to use a spacing other than the standard track system specifications (37 mm for Tomix FineTrack N, 33 mm for KATO Unitrack N) or when the spacing is already different, I wanted to check “exactly how wide the gap is.”
    • Sizes of non-track items such as platforms and structures (to gauge whether they’ll fit; the finer the grid, the easier it seems to make tight adjustments)
    • Distance from the edge of the board (for example, in a section layout, you’ll need to set “the end of the track to be ◯◯ mm from the edge of the board.” This also seems like something you could check with the “Distance” tool)
    • Other items where it would be difficult to verify position and size without drawing them on the board (e.g., placement that takes into account the ballast width of actual product rails) (e.g., horizontal misalignment between items positioned vertically apart (With a fine grid, you can tell at a glance. However, I can’t immediately think of a situation where that’s truly necessary))

    Also, this is just my personal opinion, but snapping in millimeters isn’t necessary. The snap function is helpful when roughly determining positions. When I want to make fine adjustments, it’s easier to turn the snap function off and make manual tweaks. Thinking about it that way, 5-mm snaps might indeed be unnecessary. I support your proposal.

    If you have anything else, please reply again. I’ll answer as best I can.

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    • GW

      Georg Wächter22. Oktober 2026

      Thank you for your detailed response. I now fully understand the situations in which fine grid lines are necessary. As you pointed out, I’ve left the snap settings at a coarse level and displayed the fine lines as a guide.

      We’ve added support for finer grids. ・Open [View] in the lower-right corner of the screen and configure the settings in the “Grid” row under “View and Grid.” For N-gauge and Z-gauge, you can choose from 1, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 cm (in mm, the options are 10, 25, 50, 100, and 200; For TT and HO scales, the options start at 2.5 cm). ・When you zoom in, faint guide lines spaced 1 cm apart appear between the grid lines (starting at approximately 200%). If you zoom in further (starting at approximately 1000%), even fainter guide lines spaced 1 mm apart are added. ・Only the selected grid lines snap to. The 1 cm and 1 mm guide lines are displayed for reference only and do not snap to.

      We would appreciate it if you could let us know your thoughts on the following points after trying it out:

      1. Are the opacity of the 1-mm guide lines and the zoom level at which they first appear appropriate?
      2. Where did you look for the “Distance” tool first? Where would it have been easiest to find?
      3. Are your section layouts based on a standard like T-TRAK, or do you use custom sizes?
      4. What do you use the layout plans you create for afterward? (Printing them for model building, purchasing the necessary track, sharing them with friends, etc.)

      We’ll use your feedback to guide future improvements. Thank you for your cooperation.

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      • A

        antimon224. Oktober 2026

        Thank you for implementing this so quickly. I feel it has become much easier to use. Here are my thoughts after using it for a while.

        1. Are the thickness of the 1mm guide lines and the zoom level at which they start appearing just right?

        At first, I thought they were thinner than I expected, but since they’re just a guide, I think this thickness is sufficient. The zoom level at which they start appearing is also fine.

        2. Where did you look for the “Distance” tool at first? Where would it have been easiest to find?

        Since the “Smart Snap” feature displayed the distance between separate parts, I assumed that was the only such feature available. I found it in the “Labels” section purely by chance. I think it would have been easier to find if it were a separate item (icon) labeled “Measure,” or if it were located within a “Tools” menu.

        3. Do you align your section layouts with a standard like T-TRAK, or do you use custom sizes?

        I was thinking of TOMIX’s Combination Board (600x300, TOMIX standard, with approximately 520 mm of track laid inside and 40 mm on each side—80 mm total—connected by variable rails). But it’s the same with T-TRAK, isn’t it?

        4. What do you use the layout plan for afterward? (Printing it to build the layout, purchasing the necessary track, sharing it with friends, etc.)

        Right now, I’m still in the process of trying out various tools and was just getting the hang of trackplanner.io, which I discovered. In the future, if I start buying tracks or set up a permanent layout, I’m also considering printing it out for construction purposes.

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        • GW

          Georg Wächter30. Oktober 2026

          Thank you for your detailed feedback. I’m very glad to hear that you find the software easier to use now. Your comments on the thickness of the guide lines and the display magnification, your experience searching for the “Distance” tool, and even the dimensions of the combination board (600 × 300 mm, with 40 mm variable rails on both ends) were all extremely helpful.

          Regarding the “Distance” tool: Based on your feedback, we’ve added a “Measure” button to the bar at the bottom of the screen. This button won’t appear if the window is narrow. In that case, you can still access it from the “Text and Dimensions” tool as before.

          Regarding the double-track spacing you requested previously: In Parallel Track mode, you can now enter the spacing between tracks numerically. ・In Parallel Track mode, a bar appears between the two tracks displaying “Spacing,” “−,” a number, and “+” in sequence. Clicking the number turns it into an input field. For example, enter “40mm” and press the Enter key. ・For straight sections, the tracks will be arranged at the entered spacing regardless of the track system. ・For curved sections, if there is no track in the catalog with a matching radius, flexible track will be used to achieve the entered spacing. • The TOMIX Fine Track and KATO Unitrack data in Trackplanner do not include flexible track. Therefore, sections containing curves will not match the entered spacing but will retain the spacing achievable with the track from the catalog. ・There are upper and lower limits for the spacing you can enter; values outside this range will be adjusted to the upper or lower limit. ・Pressing “−” or “＋” switches to the next smaller or larger spacing available in the catalog. ・Creating and editing parallel tracks is a Premium feature.

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