I am finishing up testing on version 1.07 of MR SLAM Formatter which I plan to post for download during early March. A big enhancement in this version is the inclusion of secondary preferences. This means you can have 2 sets of preference settings (page size, page orientation, columns/page, font, font size, car & loco fields, text color choices, etc..) to apply to your documents. The secondary preferences are applied based on a user entered key word(s). If the csv file name chosen for processing contains the key word, then the secondary preferences are applied. The primary preferences are applied whenever the secondary preferences are not applicable.
So if you use the key word “location” for the secondary preferences (all JMRI created switch list csv files have a file name starting with the word “location”), the the secondary preferences will be applied to all switch lists and the primary preferences will be applied to your manifests. Or you could use the key word “train” (all JMRI created manifest csv files have a file name starting with the word “train”), then the secondary preferences will be applied to all manifests and switch lists will use the primary preferences. You could also use a key word such as location name. Then any manifest or switch list with that location name in the csv file title, will use the secondary preferences. You might fine useful such key words such as “local” or “turn”. This greatly expands the possibilities for customizing the documents for your train crews.
Also in version 1.07 will be a a few other enhancements and a bug fix or two. I hope the users will find these new features useful.
I am always interested to hear reports from users about their experience (good & bad) with the program. Also suggestions for improvement are always welcome. Drop me an email at mrslamf21@google.com
Hello. I hope you remember me, I have the beta version that I helped you with. My only suggestion which I think would greatly improve the SWITCH list for locations (Federal Yard for example) would be when there are TWO visits for one train. Setting the two trains visits according to arrival time of the two visits (TURN TRAIN) really makes a difference if you have a long train with a long route followed by a short train with a short route. Currently regardless of second visit arrival time the two visits are listed one right after the other. To have the second visit of the long train based on arrival time would keep the yard crews working in proper arrival train order. Right now with a long train requiring a longer switch time for two visits (the second visit of the longer arrives before the first visit of the following shorter train) coupled with several long trains followed by several short trains requires a lot of “page flipping” of the yard switch list. Just a suggestion. Frank in Houston. THANK YOU
Hello Frank, yes I remember you and appreciate your willingness to help test new versions of MR SLAM Formatter. In the switch list csv file, JMRI lists the 2 visits to a location by a train sequentially, so that is how MR SLAM Formatter reports them. I’ve had on my idea list for awhile to sort the trains on a switch list by arrival/departure time. I won’t put this in the current version (1.07) that I am finishing up work on, but I will work this into a future release. Thanks for your continued interest in MR SLAM Formatter.