Hello dear friends, I want to introduce my freeware layout design program, called SCARM, which you can download and test from www.scarm.info/index_en.html. It has lightweight and intuitive user interface, more than 40 track libraries in all major scales, 3D view and many other cool functions and features. I will appreciate any comments concerning SCARM here or by email – scarm at scarm dot info. Mixy, from Bulgaria
SCARM 0.8.0 is ready Hello again, The new version 0.8.0 of SCARM is ready Most important new features are standalone installer, support for turntables and baseboard editing. There are also many corrected and updated libraries, due to some errors like doubled track names, doubled item numbers and some new parts. If you are using a turntable that is missing from SCARM library files, let me know and I will add it in the next update. Mixy
This looks like a very useful tool. Thanks for posting. Question: can I import a bitmap of a drawing previously created so that I may draw a more accurate plan over it in SCARM?
Hello Marc, At the moment there is no such possibility, but it is possible to be implemented in the near future. Regards, Mixy
SCARM 0.9.16 is ready After some delay I am happy to announce that the last version SCARM 0.9.16 is ready and can be downloaded as usual from http://www.scarm.info The most important new feature in this release is the ability to work with texts on the drawing plot. Versions 0.9.x also have build-in interface to create figures and make 3D objects of them, such as houses, train stations, platforms, roads and much more. There are also some new and updated libraries and many small improvements and bugfixes. I hope that you will like it Mixy
Thanks! Once I got comfortable with the user-interface, I feel right at home. I modeled my existing 78”x160” EZ-track layout. Now I have some great documentation! The only “problem” now is that it shows my miss-alignment mistakes.
Hello all, At the moment, SCARM is designed to run natively only in Windows environment. However, I know from some users that it can also run in Linux, under WINE. May be it is possible SCARM to be started in some virtual machine on Mac, but I am unable to test it - I just don't have Mac computer. Please understand me correctly - I really wish to be able to make SCARM available for all platforms, but just don't have enough time and money to invest, as SCARM is freeware project and I don't gain anything from it. Regardless of platform issues, the development is moving and new SCARM v. 0.9.19 is ready and published on www.scarm.info It contains many improvements and updates, together with some bugfixes. See the list with the most important changes in this version in the following blog post – www.scarm.info/blog/general/scarm-v-0-9-19-released. One new key feature is the ability to set user-defined joining tolerances and global minimum radius for all flex-tracks – see the new “Edit” tab in the Settings window. Also, all placed flex-tracks now are showing the dimensions of their sections and can be modified and divided after laying. I need to update the documentation about this, but in short, just select the flex, right click over it and use "Reshape" or "Split" commands from the context menu. I hope that you will like the new release Mixy P.S. If "Check for Updates" feature in SCARM 0.9.18 reports that there is no newer version of the program, download the installer directly from the website. The old version info file may be cached on your PC and it will need some time that cache to expire. If the website also shows v. 0.9.18, press F5 key to refresh it.
SCARM v. 0.9.20 released IMPORTANT – a new bug-fix update SCARM v. 0.9.20 was released today. Download it from www.scarm.info and install it to patch the old version of the program. The latest version fixes two critical bugs, found in v.0.9.19. The first issue is connected with the procedure for removing doubled control points in the baseboard and the figures, which can cause problems with shapes, containing holes inside. This should be now fixed and the holes will not be affected as before. The second bug is related to the flex-tracks and user-defined minimum radius in the settings, introduced in v. 0.9.19. It may cause previously saved project files, containing flex-tracks to be loaded incorrectly, with flex-sections disconnected and/or reshaped to the bigger user-defined minimum radius. The issue also affects copy/paste of these flex-tracks. This is now solved and the user setting will not interfere with the flex-tracks already placed, saved or copied and pasted from the clipboard anymore. I am really sorry if these errors are caused you troubles in your work with SCARM. I cannot guarantee that something like this will not happen again, but I can promise that my reaction to the tracked problems will be as fast as possible. Always report possible bugs in the SCARM Blog or by SCARM e-mail and I will check the potential problem and will make the necessary fixes and changes in the program code. See the list with all changes and fixes in this version in the following SCARM Blog post – http://www.scarm.info/blog/general/scarm-v-0-9-20-released-bug-fix-update. I hope that you will like the new release and will forgive me for the eventual problems with the previous version of SCARM Mixy P.S. If "Check for Updates" feature in SCARM 0.9.19 reports that there is no newer version of the program, download the installer directly from the website. The old version info file may be cached on your PC and it will need some time that cache to expire. If the website also shows v. 0.9.19, press F5 key to refresh it.
SCARM v. 0.9.21 released Hello again, I am happy to announce that the new SCARM version 0.9.21 is ready and published for download on www.scarm.info. It comes with new features, new and updated libraries, some bugfixes and many improvements. The most important new feature is flex-track automatic point-to-snap-and-join function with auto shaping of the curved part. See more about this update in the following blog post: SCARM v. 0.9.21 Released. There is also a short demo clip, showing how fast and easy is now the flex-track joining to the other tracks on the layout. Here is the list of SCARM Blog posts for July: www.scarm.info/blog/2013/07. One of them is about Running SCARM on Apple Mac and may be of interest for those of you, who want to try using SCARM on Macintosh computers. I hope that you will like the new version of SCARM and the articles in the blog Mixy P.S. If "Check for Updates" feature in earlier SCARM release reports that there is no newer version of the program, download the installer directly from the website. The old version info file may be cached on your PC and it will need some time that cache to expire.
SCARM v. 0.9.22 released (bug-fix update) IMPORTANT! There is an issue with SCARM 0.9.21 that may affect Copy/Paste functionality in the program on certain PCs. Please upgrade to SCARM 0.9.22, which was released yesterday on www.scarm.info to fix the problem. The new version also enables offline documentation and Parts List to be displayed on Windows 8 PCs. See more about this bugfix update in the following blog post: SCARM v. 0.9.22 Released. I am sorry if these bugs caused any problems and inconvenience in your work with SCARM. If you see another problems, please report them here or in SCARM Blog and I will try to fix them ASAP. Mixy
Here are the SCARM Blog posts for September (www.scarm.info/blog/2013/09) and October (www.scarm.info/blog/2013/10). Hope you will like these articles about SCARM and will find them useful in your work with the program. Mixy
SCARM Video Tutorials Here is something interesting and really useful for SCARM beginners - a series of video tutorials, created and narrated by Ruud Boer. The first video is available here: SCARM Video Tutorials – Part 1 – Create a Model Railway Layout The second and each next clip are available from the links in the bottom of each blog post. Hope that you will like the videos Mixy
The new SCARM v. 0.9.23 is ready – download it from www.scarm.info It comes with several new features, many updated libraries, some bugfixes and improved functionality. The most important new features are Background image, the Ballast roadbed in 2D and Track Heights numeric input. See about the new features and more about this update in the SCARM Blog post SCARM v. 0.9.23 Released. I hope that you will like the new version of SCARM and also hope that next one will come soon Mixy
Here is the list with blog posts for November: www.scarm.info/blog/2013/11. Don’t miss the SCARM video tutorial series for beginners (starts with Create a Model Railway Layout with SCARM), even if you’re already an experienced SCARM user Mixy
I am trying to layout a Unitrack plan that I found so I can make some changes to the original but no matter what I try I cant get the last piece of track to close properly.It will not align correctly.How can I get it to work.Thanks
Hello Johne230, This is often happen when reproducing track plans in CAD programs like SCARM. See how to cope with the issue in the following article: Tracks Do Not Match/Connect As Shown in a Given Layout Plan. Hope this will be useful. Greetings, Mixy
