Software Structure (Overview) – step 0022 – December 2009

1 SrrTrains Components and Interfaces


Figure 1: Components and Interfaces of an SrrTrains Layout




Figure 1 shows the different components and interfaces that are involved in an SrrTrains model railroad layout.

The Frame is provided by the model railroad operator / frame author. It contains the main file which must be opened by everyone, who wants to take part in the game with this model railroad layout.

Each model railroad layout is buildt by so-called modules, that are provided by module authors. A module contains a landscape and other static objects like houses, bridges, but also tracks and turnouts.

When playing with a model railroad layout, one can create locomotives and wagons by loading models from some URLs. Models are provided by model authors.

The SRR Framework is provided by the SrrTrains Core Team (http://simulrr.wordpress.com/about) and can be used by anybody, who wants to build frames, modules or models of an SrrTrains layout.

1.1 The Frame

Frame is synonymous for everything that a model railroad operator (frame author) provides to all users of his model railroad layout.

That may be avatars, it may be a general infrastructure or some means to perform 3D chat and 3D voice chat.

SrrTrains requires the following preconditions from an SrrTrains frame

1.2 Modules

Module is synonymous for everything that a module author provides to a model railroad operator and to all users of a model railroad layout.

Usually that will comprise some landscape, some tracks and turnouts and other objects (houses, carousels, but also e.g. some ambient birds singing).

Tracks and turnouts must be instrumented by SRR objects to allow all vehicle models to use them.

Other objects may be instrumented by SRR objects (e.g. using SrrSwitchA to animate a door in a manner synchronized among the scene instances).

SrrTrains requires the following preconditions from an SrrTrains module

1.3 Models

Model is synonymous for everything that a model author provides to the users of a model railroad layout.

That comprises a graphical and acoustic representation of the model and some instrumented means to operate the model (levers, scrollers, generally spoken one or more cabs).

Vehicles must be instrumented by the use of SRR objects to allow the interworking with tracks and turnouts.

Other models may be instrumented by the use of SRR objects.

SrrTrains requires the following preconditions from a static model

SrrTrains requires the following preconditions from a vehicle model

1.4 SRR Controller, Module Coordinator and SRR Objects

Those are internal components of the SRR framework and need not be further described here.

1.5 3rd Party SRR Objects

One could implement his own SRR objects – see the "How to build my own SRR object" paper on the Download Area. There you can (not yet but soon) find a description of the iiObj interface.