The Project Explorer panel allows you to see and organize multiple horizontal alignments where each horizontal alignment can contain one or more vertical alignments. The panel contains:
Status indicator
Alignment tree control
Cost/Optimization report
Status indicator
This graphic indicates when alignments may need to be recalculated. As alignments can depend on each other (because of reference alignments and surfaces) it is sometimes necessary to recalculate all alignments. A yellow sun with no clouds indicates that everything is up to date.
Alignment Tree Control
Each horizontal alignment can be expanded to show it's vertical alignments. The position of an alignment in the tree can be modified with Shift Up and Shift Down context menus (right click on alignment). The order of horizontal alignments is important if reference alignments and/or surfaces are in use. The refereced alignment must be calculated first and should be higher in the list than the alignment refering to it.
Clicking on an alginment will select it as current; only one horizontal/vertical alignment is current indicated by green check marks in the tree control (see image above). This alignment is displayed in all windows and is the alignment that can be edited.
The tree can be further expanded to show information about each of the vertical alignments. This includes optimization constraints and results but also includes some properties applicable to users who are not licensed for vertical optimization (such as borrow/waste pit information). In some cases, a double click on a tree item will open a related dialog box. Selecting various items will add information to the Profile window:
Constraints displays the vertical band used for optimization; All the constraints, are taken into account. You can also select any individual constraint (i.e., Min. Fill, Min. Cut, Control Points, and Full Bench) to visualize the corresponding vertical band. Pre process is necessary for Full Bench.
Borrow/Waste displays the pits used for the optimization.
The right click context menu provides access to various commands; the items presented depends on which tree items is selected. For example, Vertical Options is available when you right click on the current vertical alignment. A few of these commands are described below:
Add - Horizontal Alignment: the New Horizontal Alignment dialog box is presented so you can choose how to create the new alignment.
Add - Vertical Alignment: add new vertical alignment to the horizontal alignment selected. The selected vertical alignment is copied and the Vertical Options tabbed dialog box is presented so you can make any changes. Most of the options in the dialog box are related to optimization, however it can be useful create alternate vertical alignments for comparison even if you are not licensed to use the optimizer.
Horizontal Options: the Horizontal Options dialog box is presented; only available when the current horizontal alignment is selected. Also available from the Corridor ribbon Options button or Horizontal - Options.
Vertical Options: the Vertical Options dialog box is presented; only available when the current vertical alignment is selected. Also available from the Corridor ribbon Vertical - Options.
Vertical Optimization: the Vertical Processing dialog box is presented; only available when the current vertical alignment is selected. Also available from the Corridor ribbon Vertical - Process.
Delete: remove the selected alignment; this is only available for non-current alignments.
Shift Up/Down: move the selected alignment up/down the list. Horizontal alignments should be below those they depend on due to reference alignments or surfaces.
Compare to current: Opens a dialog box allowing you to choose an alignment for comparison. The details for this alignment will be displayed alongside the current alignment in the status area below the tree. A Difference (%) column is added for display of items (such as cost) that are appropriate.
Optimization Report (List)
The area at the bottom of the panel lists values for the selected outputs for the current alignment. The list is greyed if the cost of the selected alignment is out of date.
The right click context menu provides access to commands below:
Set report fields displays Optimzation Data Report where you can choose which items to display.
Alignment Comparison: opens a dialog box allowing you to choose an alignment for comparison. The details for this alignment will be displayed alongside the current alignment and a Difference (%) column is added for display of items (such as cost) that are appropriate.
Copy Opt. Haul to Clipboard: opens Opti haul Export Options where you can choose what to export. The results can be pasted into a spread sheet.
