3rd PlanIt and glitches?

[Trainman Sam]

I am still waiting, after two weeks, for a response from them.   I sent them one on the day the problem first arose, then again the next day after attempting what is listed below.  I just sent a third email today, I am getting frustrated that I am: (a) not getting any response; and (b) not getting the help I need.

Here's my issue:

I FINALLY got my trackplan mapped into the program, and saved it.  I then ran one train (loco only) across the virtual layout, as an attempt to see how long it would take for a train to traverse the entire layout from one end to the other.

Well, I finished that and closed the program.  When I went to reopen the program it freezes during what I call the "loading cycle", where it scrolls through all the layout files I have saved, at the file name of my recently finished layout plan.

I attempted to remove what I thought was the cause of the problem, my recently saved file (seeing as it worked fine before that).  I moved the file from my computer to my mobile hard drive, but it still had the same issue.

So, I tried to "reinstall" the program.  It tells me that in order to do so, I should first Uninstall the program.  So i do.  Now the link that was provided when I purchased the program two years ago only loaded a "trial version" of the software, so now I cannot save any changes to my layout...

Here's my question:  Has anyone else had this issue?

What has your experience with 3rd PlanIt been, if any?

[odave]

In my 3ish years of using it, I haven't encountered a problem like you describe.  I do occasionally run in to a situation where it thinks it should load from one of its previously saved backup versions for some reason, but never a crash.

Have you tried the 3rdPlanit Yahoo group?

My experience overall has been positive.  It does have its quirks and things that drive me up the wall, but in general I found it doesn't drive me as far up the wall as the other track planning CAD packages I've tried.  As with all UI, YMMV

[rrinker]

 I turned off the option to load the last opened file, that stopped the thing where it sometimes loaded one of the backup files instead of the actual file. The only real 'glitch' I have is sometimes when make a connection that includes a turnout as one endpoint, it sometimes grabs the opposite end of the turnout regardless of how carefully I keep the pointer at the correct end. The result is a piece of straight track overlaying the turnout.

                                            --Randy