How to make railway stations by script ?

A)

Yes, the dimensions are variable. You can have any size you need. What is your desired size?

B)

I think that is possible as well, but I'm not quite sure if I completely understood your request in that case.

This is an approach that uses actions. You can download the following file:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_t-4KQgya6nP13GJa5j8QgZFI3kwlLyF/view?usp=sharing

It contains a sample Illustrator file (jacob_stations_001.ai) and an action set file (jacob_station_maker.aia).

Instructions:

- Open the sample Illustrator file. Don't select anything.

- In the Actions palette, load the action set file.

- Play back the action called "chord_preparer" and take notice of the message at the end of the action.

- Then play back the action called "make_jacob_stations".

I think I have a (probably) promising idea to at least semi-automate the creation of the nice stations, in the meantime better known as the Jacob stations.

Let's see what may happen.

Beff,

I agree with Kurt and René that the files are inferior, and I believe that it would be better to start over.

The angular shape (polylines) is particularly outstanding in the left side of the bottom curve, and I believe that alone would make the map unusable; passengers might wonder whether they would need crash helmets and/or seat belts.

Moreover, there are numerous paths (190 or more in the three versions), and the length of the straight segments are quite different, and varying within each path, so there are many inconsistencies; also some (not quite) overlapping parts.

If you could get/create a better and more consistent single path, preferably curved, otherwise with segments short enough to make the angularity (sufficiently) inconspicuous, that would be the right start.

Possibly, the only/most viable way would be to redraw the railway line from the map in AI, the map forming the (locked) template (layer).

If you must, you can:

A) Delete the wrong paths,

B) Change from polylines to curved paths, maybe as a combination of simplifying and rounding corners (differently for different paths), undo being your friend,

C) Join the paths into one path.

Whichever way you (can) choose, to answer your two latest placing/rotating questions:

"... how you make them according to the dot, which may be aside of railway line ?"

No need for this if you redraw and snap the centre of the station (and no need to start with a dot).

Otherwise, it depends on the accuracy of the lengthways position of the dot: is it sloppily placed or displaced from the line at a right angle?

If it is sloppily placed, just move it to where it fits with the real station (you will need the map underneath).

If it is displaced from the line at a right angle, and if

If it is displaced from the line at a right angle, there are different ways, one (set) for curved paths and one (set) for polylines.

"... how you do it by Tangent ? You mean this Plug-in of Astute ?"

I am referring to the tangent formed by the Handles of a (newle created) Anchor Point on a curved path; but that Anchor Point is unneeded if you use the station end centre way (with chords as Kurt mentions).

And here is a start: https://we.tl/t-nw2KgbhCHV

OK, so here it goes the .ai which is done.

And yes, I use 500cm format for any trials with maps.

https://we.tl/t-eM0WrIj8Dm

I'm pretty sure that there may be some other useful approaches to build the stations.

At least if one or a couple of useful sample files were provided.

Beff,

I have added a part to the previous drawing, roughly corresponding to the curve at the station in Roppen.

Thanks for the sample file, Beff.

I'm not quite sure if we are now perhaps talking about a completely different situation. As René already mentioned, none of your (fragmented) railway paths are smooth curves. They all consist of straight segments.

Moreover, the four stylised stations (dot symbol instances) are located beside the rails and not centred on top of them.

Don't you have a nicer file that may be a bit more in tune with your initial request? In my view, your current sample file is pretty bleak.

Beff,

I can see from the map that many of the curves are much sharper than the ones I drew (radius 14 x the station length), about twice as sharp at the very station in Roppen, and I believe that a stretch like the one to the west of Landeck may hit a station somewhere with a much sharper curve.

And unless the stations get their own colour I am afraid they would become even more difficult to spot without the rigid rectangle shape.