Templot online workshop/dabble session

[martin_wynne]

As a postscript to the Virtual Scaleforum show today:

Virtual Scaleforum – September 26th 2020

VIRTUAL SCALEFORUM & SCALEFOUR NORTH - Page 3 - Scalefour Forum

I'm intending to run an online Templot workshop/dabble session. I'm planning to broadcast my computer screen from about 7pm today and continue for most of the evening. I shall be dabbling with Templot and nattering about what I'm doing.

I did a 3-hour trial run last night, which went quite well.

If you have any Templot questions or help requests please post them on the Templot Club forum, and I will try to answer them and demonstrate in the program.

(Sorry I won't be able to monitor here on WT at the same time.)

More info in this topic on Templot Club (2 pages):

Admin: Live Help Screen - Templot talk - Forums - Templot Club

Even if you don't have any questions, if you are watching it would be helpful if you post a reply there to say so.

Here's the link to watch the live broadcast stream:

Live Help Screen

p.s. this is not using Google, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instazoomgram, or any other MegaCorporation harvesting your hat size. You don't need to register, sign in, give your email address or any information at all. It's running on a small UK-based streaming service, and displayed on the Templot web site.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[AdeMoore]

No questions as I’ve only ever seen track plans and screenshots of it, so interested to look in.

 

[Osgood]

Thanks - I was otherwise engaged but I did manage to drop in a few times and was suitably gobsmacked by what I saw being created in front of me.
For some reason I couldn't get any sound but I believe the cause of that was at my end.

Having had a first glance made me think I should perhaps do a little pre-course studying before attending any future sessions that might arise - can you recommend some suitable introductory reading?

 

[ICH60]

Sadly I missed the talk as I was working. Would a download version of the talk a possibility?
Thanks

 

[GrahamMc]

Thanks for trying with that. I did try watching it from the beginning, at 7pm but the screen stayed with the pop-up 'starting soon' and it didn't seem to refresh automatically on my tablet. When it did start on my screen you were well into it so I missed the beginning. I also got the impression you thought no one was watching and so you took a break. I know at least one person was watching, me, and it could be there were others as well but it sounds as if this didn't register with the system you were using. I could be wrong about some of the above but I thought the feedback might be useful.
I'll certainly keep an eye open for it if you decide to give it another go. Thanks again.

 

[martin_wynne]

I also got the impression you thought no one was watching and so you took a break. I know at least one person was watching, me, and it could be there were others as well but it sounds as if this didn't register with the system you were using.

Many thanks all, for the positive feedback after Saturday's live Templot session.

Hi Graham,

I'm sorry I was a bit late starting -- I did say only "about 7pm" in my original post.

I'm not using any "system". It is simply a broadcast stream from my computer screen to the Templot web site. I don't have any means of knowing if anyone is watching it, other than from posts on the forums. I did suggest in my original post that it would be helpful to post on the Templot Club forum to let me know who's watching.

But I have now added a counter script to the page, so that I can see that someone has arrived on the page, if not how long they stayed.

I'm keeping a recording of each session, for archive and record purposes, so in theory they could be posted after the event to make them permanently available. In practice it is not so simple. I'm recording them in 15-minute clips to keep file sizes within reason (each one is around 100MB). Saturday's session was over 4 hours, so I now have 17 such clips. To edit and combine them, removing interruptions and breaks (and also my various mistakes and mis-clicks

) would be a full day's work.

But I have now uploaded a 16-minute raw clip from Saturday's session:

FlashBack Connect

I have called it CLIP A. It stops dead in the middle of nowhere, so I need to make a follow-on clip B. But I haven't done it yet. Maybe later tonight.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[martin_wynne]

I have called it CLIP A. It stops dead in the middle of nowhere, so I need to make a follow-on clip B. But I haven't done it yet. Maybe later tonight.

CLIP B is now online:

FlashBack Connect

cheers,

Martin.

 

[ICH60]

Thanks Martin Watched the first two episodes. It is great to watch the master at work, I have learnt loads
I do not mind the fact that it has not been cleaned up as it give me time to take in what you are saying, so for me I am happy to take the raw recordings. Also it means you do not have to waste time editing them

 

[richard carr]

Martin

I have just watched Clip a, it's great, I have been using templot for a long time now and consider myself reasonably proficient, but I still learnt lots in that 15 minutes. I'll be watching clip B shortly.

Richard

 

[martin_wynne]

I have just watched Clip a, it's great, I have been using templot for a long time now and consider myself reasonably proficient, but I still learnt lots in that 15 minutes. I'll be watching clip B shortly. Richard

Many thanks.

I would be interested in some more comments on this. Recently I have made two very different styles of Templot screen videos:

1. a silent interactive stop-start video with lots of text-based information:

FlashBack Connect

2. a 15-minute rambling clip from my live-screen session on Saturday:

FlashBack Connect

Which style do you prefer? The next time someone posts a question for which I might make a video clip in reply, which style should it be? And would it be acceptable to reply simply: "Watch live tomorrow night and I will show you." ?

Thanks for any comments.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[ChrisBr]

#2 because you add s much extra content (information) while you're doing it....

 

[FulhamTim]

I think this is a brilliant idea. I used the software recently (I bought a version a long long time ago) and the odd video's I found were really helpful. The software is very straightforward once you get out of the "drag and drop" mindset (fond memories of Wordstar and Lotus123) but having videos would really help speed up learning the software. Watched the first part of clip A and I had no idea of what you can do.

 

[richard carr]

#2 would be my preference Martin.

Thanks

 

[ICH60]

#2 would also be my preference.

 

[adrian]

Likewise #2 for me as well. The commentary shows so well the thought process behind each selection and adjustment and helps to understand how to work through the problem.

Slightly geeky interlude - it reminds me of a recent video I saw earlier in the year about a "miracle soduko" - most people are familiar with Soduko problems but as it says

You’re about to spend the next 25 minutes watching a guy solve a Sudoku. Not only that, but it’s going to be the highlight of your day.

Solving the “The Miracle Sudoku”

To link back - being able to see and hear the thought processes behind solving the puzzle (Soduko or Templot) helps immeasurably.

 

[Len Cattley]

#2 would also be my preference .

 

[Lancastrian]

#2 for me as well Martin

Ian

 

[martin_wynne]

Thanks again for the comments.

CLIP C from last week is now online:

FlashBack Connect

cheers,

Martin.

 

[FulhamTim]

Watched more of the clips. Have binned the current track plan for my Bodiam layout and redone. The map tips really helped and it looks much much better.