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loco_image_in_block-en

Loco image in block

Introduction

This documentation was created as of 09.01.2025
Update 06.02.2025 Chapter "Block with no image"

Area Details Remarks
Control Rocrail Version 2.1.5394+ (macOS "Sonoma" on Apple M2 CPU)
Computer MacBook Pro (M2) macOS 14.5 (Sonoma)
SVG dynthemes SpDrS60
Track Track N (1:160)
Locomotive Track N (1:160) some digital locomotives


(WIP) The work is still in progress.

quick link to the Test Workspace

Design details for loco images

At first here is a list of important links:

Rocview General Properties / Show loco image in block general Rocview property to enable the visibility of the loco image in a block
Block General Properties / Image individual Block property to enable the visibility of the loco image in a certain block
General / Image path location of the images; some "image requirements"
Locomotives / General / Image Supported formats

In summary:

Value Parameter Example
80 pixels image height (max)
PNG preferred file format; alternativs are: GIF, XPM; not supported: BMP
transparent background cut off white space under and above the loco image
50KB max. file size per image
right to left orientation


good image with transparent background
bad image with white background


Design hints for loco images

With some parameters from the real world the loco image may look like this:

Object Reference [cm] 80 pixel image [pixels] Example
Overhead line 535 80
Electric locomotive roof height 384 57
Passanger car roof height 405 61
Buffer height above rail 100 15
Rail height 2

To show the opposite side of the locomotive the image will be mirrored horizontally - which will look bad for readable content.

Two loco images

With Rocrail version 2.1.4641+ two images for locomotives and cars can be defined:
To use two images this is required: Rocview property / General / View / Loco image & 2

The two images can than be configured at Locomotive properties / General / Image

- the left entry defines the locomotive image with the locomotive driving to the left;
- the second entry defines the locomotive image with the locomotive driving to the right;
- the third entry defines the locomotive image used optionally to be displayed in a block.

left entry
attribute "image"
second entry
attribute "image2"
third entry
attribute "blockimage"

Two images per locomotive/car were introduced to show the different designs of the left side and the right side of the locomotive/car.

Block image

With Rocrail version 2.1.5372+ a third image for locomotives can be defined to be displayed in blocks:


Properties

To show loco images in a block these properties are used:

Rocview properties

Rocview Properties / General / Plan Show loco image in block
Rocview Properties / General / Plan Mirror image


Block properties

Block Properties / General Image


Locomotive properties

Locomotive placing

The standard direction of driving is assumed to be forwards; loco property dir="true".
Put a locomotive on a peace of track and drive the locomotive forwards.
Placing is defined as "true" if the locomotive drives forwards from left to right.
Placing is defined as "false" if the locomotive drives forwards from right to left.

dir="true" placing driving directions image physical real movement direction of the loco
true loco drives forwards to the right
false loco drives forwards to the left

The real locomotive has to be configured in a way that the locomotive does move as shown on the Rocrail display.

Locomotive blockenterside

To display an image of a locomotive in a block may have the following variations (with dir="true"):
Attention: Rocview Properties / General / Plan / Show loco image in block = ON
Attention: Rocview Properties / General / Plan / Mirror image = ON

placing block ori="west" block physical
blockenterside true plus side minus side movement Plan
true loco enters the block at the plus side
and stops at the minus side
false loco enters the block at the minus side
and stops at the plus side
false
true loco enters the block at the plus side
and stops at the minus side
false loco enters the block at the minus side
and stops at the plus side


Usage

Locomotives Tab

An image of the locomotive may be shown in some places:
a) the "Locomotives Tab" displays one or two images depending on how the locomotive images are configured.
b) the "Locomotives Tab" displays the calculated train image in case of "Rocview Properties / General / View / Train image" = ON.
- The train is shown driving from right to left.
- The configuration of the train is controlled by the train attributes "Swap train image" (swaptrainimage) and "Shift loco image" (swaplocoimage).
- The configuration of the train is explained at https://wiki.rocrail.net/doku.php?id=operator-index-en#loco_details

"Swap train image" "Shift loco image"
swaptrainimage swaplocoimage Display Remark
false false
true false this is used in this documentation
false true
true true


c) Column "image" of the list of locomotives displays the first image of the properties of this locomotive.
In all cases the images are shown in its normal way - no rotation, no mirroring.
-
- for details see https://wiki.rocrail.net/doku.php?id=loc-tab-en
Some additional explanations:

column attribute
block blockenterside Remark
bk81 true the locomotive has entered the block from its plus side
-bk81 false the locomotive has entered the block from its minus side
V__ placing Remark
0% true no prefix: normal placing of the locomotive
-0% and red background false minus prefix: swapped placing of the locomotive


Throttle

The throttle shows the first image of the properties of the locomotive. The image is shown in its normal way - no rotation, no mirroring.
Examples can be seen below.
-
- for details see https://wiki.rocrail.net/doku.php?id=loc-tab-en#throttle

Block

There are a lot of parameters that influence the appearance of an image of a locomotive or car in a block:

Attribute Value
Rocview Properties / General / Plan Show loco image in block; see Properties ON
Mirror image ON
Block Properties / General Image ON
Locomotive blockenterside true / false
placing true / false
number of images none, one, two, block
Car number of images none, one, two
Operator (train) list of cars none, one or more
Block orientation west, east, north, south

Some examples of the display result will be shown below.

Text

The only supported orientation of a text object to display locomotives and/or trains is: west

To display a locomotive and/or train in a text object:

Attribute Value
Text Properties / General / Type Train image ON
Mirror image OFF
Action Properties / Definition Type Text
ID a valid ID
Command Update
Block Properties / Action control ID the ID of the text update action
State occupied AND free

Some examples of the display result will be shown below.

Block / Text Results

To display the number of combinations will result in a very high number (16x16x4x4x8= 32768):
- loco image: none, one, two, block
- block orientation: west, east, north, south
- loco: blockenterside, placing
- train: no cars, cars
- car image: none, one, two
Therefore only some examples will be shown here:

Image in Block Remark Image in Text Remark
locomotive with no image
and no train
locomotive with one image
and no train
error
locomotive with two images
and no train;

error
error
locomotive with three images
and no train
error
locomotive with one image
and train with cars and
cars with one image
error
car with no image
car with one image
car with two images

All combinations can be configured by the user using the following Rocrail workspace.

Block with no image

added 06.02.2025
These screenshots have been taken with:

Rocview properties / General / Value
View / Loco image YES
View / 2 YES
View / Train image YES
View / Car image YES
Plan / Block ID YES
Plan / Show loco image in block YES
Plan / Mirror image YES

-

screenshot
block open
screenshot
block closed
block content loco
bes 1)
loco
dir
remark
block ID - - empty block
block ID space loco ID true true
loco in block
block ID space loco ID underlined text false true
loco in block
block ID space loco ID uparrow true false
loco in block
block ID space loco ID uparrow underlined text false false
loco in block
block ID number sign value - - one car in block
block ID number sign value - - three cars in block
loco ID underline train ID true true
train in block
block ID - - train in block
(ID is not shown)

The direction is controlled by the attribute "dir" of the locomotive.

In automatic mode the direction should always be forwards
- double arrows showing to the right in the throttle dialog.


Test Workspace

The test workspace does include a set of four blocks that represent all four combinations of the attributes "blockenterside" and "placing" of locomotives.
Other parameters can be setup by text or buttons.
With "execute" an XMLScript is launched that modifies all required attributes of the locomotives, trains, cars, …
The result will become visible after some seconds of execution.

The workspace contains the following files:

File Content
plan.xml the Rocrail plan file
ac_lti_execute.xml
ac_lti_ori.xml
ac_lti_out_of_sync.xml
ac_lti_serverrev.xml
ac_lti_update.xml
some XMLScripts
lti_images a folder with images to be stored in the Rocrail images folder
lti_test_plan.png a screenshot of the Rocrail plan

To get the results of this documentation these properties have to be used:

Area Property Value
Rocview Properties / General / Plan Show loco image in block ON
Rocview Properties / General / Plan Mirror image ON
Block Properties / General Image ON

Download and use this workspace lti_loco_train_images at your own risk.

The real locomotive has to be configured in a way that the locomotive does move as shown on the Rocrail display.

back to Introduction

to be done

Rocview:
- Plan:
– Show train ID in block

1)
bes = blockenterside
loco_image_in_block-en.txt · Last modified: 2025/02/06 16:10 by hermannk