Program and Documentation Updates

What's New?

Cadrail 9.06 Update 3 - 25 - 08

This update is free to all registered Cadrail 9 users.

 

If you are purchasing Cadrail 9 for the first time: you do not need this update, you will receive Cadrail 9.06 with your order.

If you have Cadrail 9.05 already installed (optionally you can uninstall 9.05 and get the full 9.06 update below):

Download the Cadrail 9.06 update patch (requires Cadrail 9.05 previously installed on the system)...

 

If you have Cadrail 9.04 or earlier:

Version 9.04 or earlier require a full program update. Because this full update is the complete program, your registration must be verified for downloading. We do this using our secure store ordering site. Therefore you must order the update with your credit card, just like a new program order. However, you will not be charged for the order. To use the store in this way we still have to show a purchase amount of $9.99 on the order form. You still will not be charged anything even though it shows $9.99.

If your registration can not be verified your credit card will be charged the full amount of $59.95.

If you purchased Cadrail from Sandia Software, you are automatically registered to the name and address of your last purchase (supply any addition details you want in the comment field of the order form). If you purchased from a 3rd party you need to send in the registration card to be registered.

You must Un-install  your earlier version of Cadrail 9  prior to installing the full update (more instructions below). 

The Cadrail 9 Drawing Library is deleted when you un-install Cadrail 9.02 or earlier. Therefore if you have modified the library drawings, and want to save the modified drawings, you need to move or copy them to a new folder prior to un-installing Cadrail 9. This applies to Cadrail 9 only (Cadrail 8 and earlier are in different folders and are not removed when un-installing version 9, Cadrail 8 can optionally be left on the system when installing Cadrail 9).

Go to our secure store site and Download the Full Cadrail 9.06 update (for registered owners of version 9.00 through 9.05)...

 

 

Additional instructions: How to Download and Install Cadrail...

How to un-install Cadrail

The Cadrail 9 Drawing Library is deleted when you un-install Cadrail 9.02 or earlier. Therefore if you have modified the library drawings, and want to save the modified drawings, you need to move or copy them to a new folder prior to un-installing Cadrail 9.

To Un-install:

1. Click the START BUTTON and then select the CONTROL PANEL (or SETTINGS - CONTROL PANEL).
2. After the Control panel opens, select Add or Remove Programs (Vista Users Select PROGRAMS AND FEATURES).
3. Select the Cadrail listing and then click REMOVE (or  UNINSTALL). Follow the instructions as the setup program removes Cadrail.

What's New ?

Version 9.06:

•  File Names: corrected problem of changing the letter case of file names when
  Cadrail launched by double clicking file name in Windows File Explorer or similar.
   
•  Object Editor (Dialog and Drawing Manager):
  - Spirals - changed behavior for updating other variables when the radius, length, or delta of the spiral is changed. Now the length or radius
  will remain constant and a new delta angle calculated when the length or radius is changed. When the delta angle is changed, the length remains constant and the radius is revised. In this fashion you can specify a Length and Radius for your spiral and see the required Delta angle between the spiral tangents.
  
  -Object Lengths: - added length xy and length xyz dimensions for objects. If you change length xy, the elevations of the object endpoints are maintained while the grade changes. If you change length xyz, the grade is maintained while the elevation of the endpoints change.
   
•  Corrected problems with drawing tools:
  - Vertical Line Tool: corrected problem when used with Get End.
  - Spiral Fit to Tangent: corrected problem with horizontal lines.
  - Spirals between Tangents tool: corrected problem when fit to upper left corner of rectangle with trim, tangents were not trimmed properly.
   
•  Printing: changed grid line width when printing to make the grid more visible.
   
•  Corrected problem with editing locked objects: some tools did not
  ask if you want to unlock a locked object prior to editing i.e. the delete tool could be used to delete an object from a locked figure without Cadrail unlocking the figure. This condition produced an error message with some tools (error 9). Now, if you delete an object from a locked figure, the parent figure will be unlocked.
   
•  All Line, Circle and Spiral tools are now full 3d aware. In past versions, for some tools, the elevations were not calculated. Now, for example, when you fit an arc to two tangent lines, the elevation (z coordinate) is calculated based on the elevations of the existing lines. When possible, the existing grades are maintained, i.e. a line created tangent to an existing arc will be given the grade of the existing arc and an elevation at the tangent point (PC) is calculated for the line on the circle.
  
  Specific cases:
  - Line/arc trim with tools: i.e. Arc tan to arc with trim tool, all elevations adjusted to maintain the original arc grade (only applies to tools with full 3d implemented).
  - Spiral fit to tangent tool: the new Spiral is given a TS elevation on the selected tangent line at the TS intersection. The new Spiral is given the grade of the tangent line.
  - Spiral parallel to tangent: the new Spiral is given a TS elevation of the selected arc endpoint at the SC intersection. The new Spiral is given the grade
  of the arc.
   
•  Zoom - Show all Objects now includes  Trace bitmap if loaded.
   
•  Input dialog - corrected problem where feet/inches/fraction boxes were hidden
  when units are set to metric, then switch units to feet, boxes were still hidden
  when should be visible. Now the boxes are made visible again.
   
•  Spirals drawn in 3d: corrected problem drawing spirals with filled roadbase in 3d.
   
•  Edit freehand- Create Figure: corrected problem created when a group of objects selected in a fence is made into permanent figure by clicking edit -create figure button. Figures made this way were not given a front/back position, therefore they sometimes behaved funny until they were brought to the front.
  
   

February 5, 2008 Version 9.05

•  Corrected problem drawing the Object Preview on the Drawing Manager after selecting an object (introduced in version 9.04 only).
   
•  Changed name of Line Style- Solid to Continuous (Styles Editor).
   

February 2, 2008 Version 9.04

•  Corrected problem that prevented Cadrail from starting properly (loading DirectX 9c) on 64 bit operating systems.
   
•  Changed pop up figure behavior. In previous versions of Cadrail, when you use the Popup Figure tools, the new objects were added to the original figure. In version 9.04 this has been changed. Now a new figure is created with the original Figure maintained as a child figure.
   
•  Added Phantom Line Style - This new style acts the same as the Single Line style in 2d but it is not drawn in 3D. Use for edges of filled figures when you don't want to  see the outlines in 3d.
   
•  Corrected problem with some spirals with real flat angles (may need to redraw spiral in 9.04)

Jan. 4, 2008 Version 9.03

Changed drawing library folder installation location.

How Cadrail installs the library drawings on your system has been changed in Version 9.03. This change requires that the older Cadrail version 9 be removed from your system prior to installing the new Cadrail 9.03 program.

In version 9.03 (and later),  when the current user (that's YOU) starts Cadrail for the first time after installing the software, a dialog will appear to allow you to specify a location for the personal user library. Then a personal copy of the drawing libraries will be created for that user only. This user can then edit or delete or whatever they want with the files, and other user libraries are not affected. The user libraries are NOT removed when you un-install Cadrail 9.03 (when you un-install 9.02 or earlier the library will be removed).

If you need to re-install the drawing libraries after installing Cadrail 9.03, or you elected not to install them the first time you started Cadrail, you can do it anytime using the Cadrail menu OPTIONS - PREFERENCES - PROGRAM SETUP TAB - click REINSTALL LIBRARIES button.

 

Corrected problem with Options - Optimize Drawing.

When optimizing some drawings the Positions were not correctly updated.

December 26, 2007 Version 9.02

* New 3d view WALKTHOUGH mode. This mode is similar to BEV (select WALK button next to BEV button on 3d view) however the view degrees of freedom are slightly different:

       BEV - Move left mouse button Left/Right - rotates model left/right
                - Move left mouse button Up/Down - rotates model up/down

   WALK - Move left mouse button Left/Right - rotates your view left/right
                - Move left mouse button Up/Down - rotates your view up/down

* New 3d View LIGHTING - now a LIGHTS option button on tool bar. When on the 3d view will show shading based on a fixed light source. You can see in the sample view below that  you can see each side of the timbers because each face is shaded based on the light source angles. When the lights are off (left view) you cant see the sides because they are both the same color.

The view on the right has LIGHTS option turned on.
 Note how the timber members are shaded on the sides.

* 3d View - Engineers view angle. When in CAB view mode, the scroll bar next to the CAB button is active and is the view angle with relation to the engine. To look back rotate the angle to 180, look to the side 90, look front 0, look anywhere in between. This was a button in earlier version that
only looked back to 180 or forward 0.

11-26-07 all versions

Applies to:

• Foreground/Background options may be disabled (grayed) on the Figure Editor dialog box.
• Edit - Position Front/Back tool (manual page 209).
• Object (Figure) Editor - Foreground/Background fill option (manual page 94).
• Tutor Example 4 (manual page 71).

On page 94 of the manual, it shows how you can position objects on top or below each other using the Foreground/Background fill option for Figures. However this method is sometimes limiting as it only applies to filled Figures. Therefore, this method has been replaced. You now position all objects and figures the same way using Edit - Position - Front/Back. You can still use the old way if you set it for the drawing in Options - Preferences - Drawing Setup Tab. At the bottom of the dialog you can select the old Foreground/Background method.

When you create a new drawing in version 9 it will be set to the new way by default. This is now the preferred setting. If you open the Figure Editor dialog when the default position is used, the Foreground/Background options will be disabled (grayed). You don't need them anymore.

In Example 4 of the manual tutorials, on page 71 steps 4, 5, 6, 7, you are instructed to use the Foreground/Background options. But, when you go to the Figure Editor are the Foreground/Background options are be disabled (grayed). Instead use the Edit - Position tool.

Manual page 71

Replace steps 4, 5, 6, 7 with the following:

       4. Select the Edit - Position - Send to Back menu item.

Done! Now isn't that easier?