User Guide
This guide covers everything you can do in Gauge Buddy, one topic per page. If you are new to the app, start with Your First Layout and A Tour of Gauge Buddy.
Laying track
- Track: the catalogue, placing and joining pieces, rotating and mirroring.
- Flexible Track: drawing flexible runs and constructing exact curves.
- Selecting & Editing: moving, copying, the object list and precise placement.
Planning the space
- Baseboards: board modules, odd shapes and cutouts.
- Rooms, Doors & Aisles: fitting the layout to the room it lives in.
- Reach Zones: checking which parts of the board you can get to.
Building the scene
- Scenery: trees, buildings, roads and your own shapes.
- Layers, Groups & Assemblies: keeping a large layout manageable.
- References & Dimensions: tracing over an image and adding measurements.
Checking and buying
- Checking Your Layout: the issues list and how to act on it.
- Inventory & Purchasing: what you own, what you need and what to buy.
Getting it out
- Printing a Plan: full-size tiled plans and printer calibration.
- Exporting: PDF, SVG, PNG and parts lists.
- Saving & Sharing Layouts: the
.railplanfile and what travels with it.
Setting up
- Track Libraries: the bundled systems and importing your own.
- Appearance & Accessibility: dark appearance, contrast and keyboard control.
Good habits
| Habit | Why |
|---|---|
| Set your minimum radius first | Curves tighter than it are flagged in the catalogue before you place them. |
| Keep the issues list open while you build | Problems are easiest to fix the moment they appear. |
| Test-fit before fixing track down | A clean plan is consistent geometry, not a guarantee. Real track has tolerances. |
| Measure the calibration bar on every print | Printers do not all print at exactly 100%. |