Mimic board easy program required

[Derekm]

Hi is they an easy program to use to produce a mimic board from my track plan in Scarm tried auto cad difficult to learn , help would be very much appreciated thanks in advance

[ntpntpntp]

You mean for a control panel with push buttons and toggles etc.?

Rather than go for an accurate representation of the plan with all the wiggly curves etc., draw it out in a stylised form, focussing on where you need switchgear.

I use aluminium sheet and car pinstripe tape to produce the diagram for my control panels

[Derekm]

Hi is they an easy program to use to produce a mimic board from my track plan in Scarm tried auto cad difficult to learn , help would be very much appreciated thanks in advance

Can anyone draw it up for me switches 6mm blue LEDs 3mm rest to scale

175x 120 approx switches 6.5 mm leds blue 3mm

175 x 120 roughly

Example of another tried autocad found it too difficult to master could find an easy drawing program

Any help would be appreciated

[Coyote]

If you can get the track plan into a pdf file, then it only costs a few pounds to get it printed onto Foamex board

https://www.essexsignandprint.co.uk/print/foamex/foamex-printing/

[Derekm]

Hi that's the problem though I cannot find an easy way to draw the plan saving it as a pdf is easy, thanks for your reply.

All the drawing programs I've seen unless you are used to them autocad etc are very difficult and I cannot understand them that's why I was asking if anyone has any experience of them if they would help me either drawing for me or showing me an easy way of doing

[Coyote]

I used Excel to produce mine

[Derekm]

How did you use excel and get grey lines etc

[N_GaugeModeller]

I just used Microsoft Paint when I did mine, then laminated the print and glued the laminate to the front of the control box with PVA.

NGM

[Bealman]

I drew mine with a ruler and a texta (Aussie word for a felt tipped pen), that's why mine look crap, but they do the job.

[Derekm]

I just used Microsoft Paint when I did mine, then laminated the print and glued the laminate to the front of the control box with PVA.

NGM

I tried with paint but couldn't draw straight or diagonal lines ?

[zopadooper]

I downloaded all the symbols , I think from DCC, and then cut and pasted them into Excel.  You can change the colours in Excel.

[Derekm]

Thanks I'll have a look

[Coyote]

In Excel, it's Insert, then Shapes, then Rectangle. Once the shape is inserted, a right click will bring up the option to select the colour.

[Newportnobby]

In Excel, it's Insert, then Shapes, then Rectangle. Once the shape is inserted, a right click will bring up the option to select the colour.

Just tried that and it's easy to create uprights and lengths but how do you create diagonals please?

[chrism]

In Excel, it's Insert, then Shapes, then Rectangle. Once the shape is inserted, a right click will bring up the option to select the colour.

Just tried that and it's easy to create uprights and lengths but how do you create diagonals please?

Will it let you rotate an object?
If so, create a horizontal line then rotate it.

That's how I did mine, albeit in Photoshop. That lets you hold down the Shift key when drawing to constrain it to horizontal or vertical, but not diagonals.