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In this tutorial, we will cover how to work with alignment lines, and what outcomes you can expect.
To begin with, an alignment line is used to determine the generation patterns of your layout.
The alignment line can be multi-vertex.
The alignment line can be multi-vertex and there is no limit in that respect. The user can choose to either draw a two-vertex line or more than that if needed.
Alignment line endpoints are extended infinitely.
The starting and ending points of the line are extended infinitely, so the user does not need to always manage the points on the area boundary polyline.
The alignment line can be drawn outside and tables will align to the border.
There are no requirement to draw the alignment lines on the border or inside PV area. The alignment line can be simply placed outside of a PV area and the tables will be aligned to the border.
Alignment line drawing direction
For fixed-tilt systems, if the alignment line is drawn from top to bottom the tables will start generating from the upper part of the area.
The opposite applies if the alignment line is drawn from bottom to top.
The alignment line is memorized per area.
Once the PV area is generated, the connection will be made between the PV area and its alignment line. PVcase will remember which line belongs to which PV area. Until the alignment line is deleted - the generation will always use the same alignment line.
If the PV area loses its alignment line, or it was deleted on purpose - then the alignment line will need to be drawn once more.
Add / remove / stretch vertices.
To alter the alignment line without deleting it, hover over the line's vertices and manipulate to implement the changes. In some cases, it is easier to redraw the alignment line.
Draw an alignment line through right-click menu.
To avoid deleting an existing alignment line the user can always redraw it by right-clicking on a PV area navigating to PVcase, clicking on the Draw alignment line function, and finalizing by redrawing the alignment line.
Select the PV area that the alignment line belongs to.
In order not to lose track of which alignment line belongs to which PV area - the user can select the alignment line, right-click on it, navigate to PVcase, and click on the Select PV area function to identify to which PV area the alignment line belongs.
Find Alignment Line
Navigating projects with multiple fields and complex alignment lines can be challenging when trying to determine which line corresponds to which field.
Right-click on the PVarea boundary line and choose "Find alignment line." The relevant alignment for the chosen PV area will be selected.