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| Third party sticky notes 04/01/2012 at 02:56 #26772 | |
maxand
1637 posts |
The sticky notes Geoff built into the panel are excellent for what they do, and I like the added feature that they recognize headcodes. Their only disadvantage to me is that they're not always onscreen when a scrolly sim extends widely, since their location may be offscreen. For those moments when you would like to leave yourself some reminder permanently on view, an additional scratchpad in a fixed location would be helpful. It seems unnecessary to build one into SimSig just for this (though that would be welcome) since there are so many other ways to do this. One could simply keep a Notepad window open. However, I'd like to recommend a donationware application written by Tom Revell, named Stickies, which turned out to be the best sticky notes application I could find. It's loaded with features too numerous to mention, yet it is unobtrusive and even semitransparent if one needs it. I've started using it in conjunction with SimSig's own stickies and this works well for me. Last edited: 04/01/2012 at 02:58 by maxand Log in to reply |
| Re: Third party sticky notes 04/01/2012 at 10:05 #26782 | |
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y10g9
895 posts |
and what is wrong with a good old fashioned pad of paper and a pen or pencil? thats whats used in real life
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| Re: Third party sticky notes 04/01/2012 at 10:13 #26783 | |
postal
5191 posts |
Nothing, but that doesn't really add anything to what Maxand is posting. I first started using 3rd party sticky notes about 10 years ago (and long before I found SimSig) when 3M introduced a little freebie so that you could put computer stickies on your screen instead of strewing real 3M Post-It notes all over your desk. I don't use the freebie now and have gone back to the muddled desk, but some people will prefer to have a clear desk and a busy screen. That option is all that is being offered here.
“In life, there is always someone out there, who won’t like you, for whatever reason, don’t let the insecurities in their lives affect yours.” – Rashida Rowe Log in to reply |
| Re: Third party sticky notes 04/01/2012 at 10:58 #26786 | |
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maxand
1637 posts |
I don't want to drift off-topic too far, but the most practical solution depends on a number of extra factors. In real life, I would imagine, a signalman would obtain his information at first hand from shunters, etc. via the telephone, so would hold the phone in one hand and jot the info down on a notepad, as y10g9 suggests, rather than typing in directly into a computer, which requires not only two free hands (plus a mobile earpiece or headphones) but also some typing skills, preferably touch typing. I would not think too many signalmen are proficient at this. I've repeatedly tried going back to pencil and paper to make it more realistic but it has never proven as comfortable as typing, and besides, copying and pasting requires no memorization to copy (looking away from the screen to a pad, and more difficult when distracted by things happening onscreen) and thus hardly any transcription errors (typos). (added) Hey, how's this for extra realism? Provide an extra option for all phone messages not to be shown as printed text but to be processed through a text-to-speech converter - preferably one with a dialect built into its filter - then piped out through the speakers for the user to jot down? Just as in some expensive pilot training simulators. 
Last edited: 04/01/2012 at 11:10 by maxand Log in to reply |
| Re: Third party sticky notes 04/01/2012 at 11:45 #26789 | |
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sdwillsmvr
21 posts |
If using WIndows Vista or 7 you can use the build in Stickies application (Think it runs as widget) and for those on MAC OS (like me) it also has a build in Stickies app that I use
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| Re: Third party sticky notes 04/01/2012 at 12:56 #26796 | |
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Quizman
276 posts |
" said:If using WIndows Vista or 7 you can use the build in Stickies application (Think it runs as widget) and for those on MAC OS (like me) it also has a build in Stickies app that I use :) Never knew that existed on 7! Thanks for the heads up. New stickie for me 'Read The Bxxxxxy Manual' 
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| Re: Third party sticky notes 04/01/2012 at 13:59 #26798 | |
Meld
1098 posts |
" said:Why change the habits of a lifetime :evil: :evil:
Passed the age to be doing 'Spoon Feeding' !!! Last edited: 04/01/2012 at 14:00 by Meld Log in to reply |
| Re: Third party sticky notes 04/01/2012 at 17:32 #26802 | |
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ralphjwchadkirk
275 posts |
" said:and what is wrong with a good old fashioned pad of paper and a pen or pencil? thats whats used in real life Post-it notes are very commonly used on panels, along with paper and magnetic clips, as well as magnets with printed text on. Log in to reply The following user said thank you: Hooverman |
| Re: Third party sticky notes 05/01/2012 at 12:42 #26838 | |
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maxand
1637 posts |
I guess I should have mentioned the sticky notes applet built into Windows 7, if only to recommend against using it. Like so many features built into Windows from Notepad onwards, their Sticky Notes is a half-baked, underfeatured application that no serious user would want to use on a regular basis. The worst gripe is that you cannot change the overlarge, irritating cursive Segoe font used (at least, not easily); about all it's good for is a shopping list, and certainly unsuitable for SimSig. Sure, there are formatting controls, but some code monkey made sure they're hidden from the user! If you accidentally delete a note, it doesn't go to the Recycle Bin; it's lost for good (or so you thought), so don't entrust any vital data to it. On the other hand, if you ever put anything incriminating on one, then delete it, Windows assists forensic investigators to find it, similar to its infamous index.dat file.
Last edited: 05/01/2012 at 12:44 by maxand Log in to reply |