(This functionality is available with the Profiles and Design Module)
Templates are a series of instructions that are processed sequentially to create a cross section design surface. They can consist of simple instructions to create a basic surface, or they can include tests and options to give the template intelligence to create the surface required under changing conditions.
The template surface is a single path surface attached to either the left or right of a control line. If the design surface is to be symmetrical, either side of the control line, then it is not necessary to create a template that describes the entire surface. It is only necessary to design half the profile and then attach the template to both the left and right of the control.
Regardless of how complex the template instructions may be, the result will always produce a surface that forms a single path. Intricate surfaces can be formed by the creation and implementation of two or more templates designed to interact with each other.
Template library files can consist of an unlimited number of templates. All the templates required by a Template Implementation Set must exist in the same template library file. As template libraries are intended to be used generically with many template implementation sets, generic names are used within the template when referring to intersection surfaces. These generic names are then matched up later through the template implementation set.
The Template Editor table has the following columns:-
- Label
- Do
- Mode Selection
- Offset
- Elevation
- Grade
- Intersecting Surface
- True
- Go To (True)
- False
- Go To (False)
- Code
- <>
- Test
- Comment
Templates are designed by entering the design information into the appropriate columns on a row by row basis. The rows are always processed in order, to build up the design template required. Although instructions can be entered to skip rows by going to a label, it is not possible to go to a row before the current row. The instruction rows will always be processed from the top to the bottom until the instructions end, or until there is an instruction to stop processing.
New rows can be created by clicking on the * at the bottom of the row number column, or by pressing the Enter or Tab keys when the focus is on the Comment column of the last row.
For instructions on how to apply templates once they have been created refer to Template Implementation Set.