CTDOT CONNECT DDE GUIDE VOLUME 3 - OPENROADS DESIGNER ROADWAY MODELING

3.1 Create Template

TEMPLATE LIBRARY

Templates are created and edited in the template library by choosing Template > Create Template from the Corridors tab.

The dialog is split into several areas. Each area is briefly described below.

Create Template - Dialog Box

MENU COMMANDS

Create Template Menu Commands

File - The File menu contains familiar commands for creating new Templates and new folders within the template library, as well as commands to save and open template libraries,

Edit - The Edit menu contains commands used when editing templates such as Undo, Redo, Cut, Copy, Paste, etc…

Add - The Add menu contains commands to add points and components to the active template.

Tools - The Tools menu contains various tools for template creation. The Options and Dynamic Settings menu items are described on the following page.

Tools > Options… displays the Template Options dialog which allows you to specify naming and step options for the current template. Use the Dynamic Settings dialog, detailed on the following page, to toggle these settings on/off as you design the template.

Template Options - Dialog Box

Naming Options

Component Seed Name - From Feature Definition indicates, when selected, the component name is derived from the style specified when the component is created.

Specify indicates, when selected, the component name is specified in the field.

Point Seed Name allows you to specify the seed name for point in the current template. Since point names must be unique, the seed name is appended with a different number each time a point is created.

Apply Affixes

Indicates, when on, that affixes are applied.

Left Prefix/Suffix specifies which prefix/suffix should be added to a point or component when the value is on the left of 0.0 (absolute).

Right Prefix/Suffix specifies which prefix/suffix should be added to a point or component when the value is on the right of 0.0 (absolute).

Step Options - These options are used to specify precision step input for components and points. These values can also be accessed from the Dynamic Settings dialog.

X Step specifies the step increment for the X distance from the dynamic origin. If this value is non-zero, then the cursor moves to the horizontal increments of the specified value as measured from the dynamic origin.

Y Step specifies the step increment for the Y distance from the dynamic origin. If this value is non-zero, then the cursor moves in vertical increments of the specified value as measured from the dynamic origin.

Slope - specifies the step increment for slope from the dynamic origin. If this value is not 0, then the cursor moves in slope increments of the dynamic origin. Slope is applicable only when the dynamic settings are in horizontal/slope mode.

Tools > Dynamic Settings… displays the Dynamic Settings dialog, which is used for precision input of template components and to assign point names and styles when defining components.

Dynamic Settings - Dialog Box

X:Y/X:Slope toggles between X,Y step lock and X/Slope step lock.

X Value displays the current X distance from the dynamic origin.

X Step specifies the step increment. If this value is non-zero, then the cursor moves in horizontal increments of the specified value as measured from the dynamic origin.

Y value displays the current Y distance from the dynamic origin.

Y Step specifies the step increment. If this value is non-zero, then the cursor moves in vertical increments of the specified value as measured from the dynamic origin.

Point Name specifies the name of the point to be placed.

Apply Affixes specifies, when selected, that point name affixes (prefix or suffix) are to be applied to the point name when placing points. The Affixes are defined on the Template Options dialog.

The Key-in pull down is used to specify the type of key in to be performed.

XY = key in absolute coordinates.
DL = key in delta coordinates from last point placed (defaults to the dynamic origin if it is the first point of a component.
HS = key in horizontal delta distance and slope from last point placed.
VS = key in vertical delta distance and slope from last point placed.
OL = key in delta coordinates from dynamic origin.
OS = key in horizontal delta distance and slope from dynamic origin.

Set Dynamic Origin sets the location of the dynamic origin.

TEMPLATE LIBRARY

On the left side of the Create Template dialog is the Template Library area which contains a Windows-like folder structure. This area is used to manage the content of the current template library. Two tabs are supported for the Template Library area as described below.

» Folders

When the Library tab is selected, the Template Library displays the contents of the current template library in a familiar Windows folder structure as shown at right. The Template Library area also supports common Windows functions like drag, drop, cut, paste, etc..

When a template is selected from the list, the Preview window is used to display a preview of the template.
Double-click the template name to set it as the active template.

Library Folders Displayed - Template Library Dialog Box

» Active Template

When this tab is selected, the Template Library area displays the contents of the active template as shown at right. The Active Template option is used to review and edit template points, components, and parameters in a table format.

Active Template Displayed - Template Library Dialog Box

» Creating New Folders and Templates

Templates can be organized into folders in the Project Library. The Project Templates folder is intended to be used to create new folders and templates for a specific project.

To create a new folder, right click on the Project Templates folder and choose the New > Folder option.
To create a new template, right click on the folder and choose the New > Template option.
You can also cut, copy and paste templates from the HWY folders to the desired Project Library folder.

» Current Library

The right side of the Create Template dialog is used to display and edit the current template.

Current Template - Template Library Dialog Box

Name - Shows the name of the current template.

Description - Allows you to review/edit the current template description.

Display -

Components/Constraints - This option is used to set the display mode of the template. If Components is selected, then the template components are displayed. If Constraints is selected, then the point constraints for the template are displayed. Template points are always displayed.

Display Point Names - Toggle this option on to display the template point names.

Display All Components - When this option is checked on, any components that are “hidden” are displayed with dashed lines.

Current Template Window - The Current Template Window is used to display and edit the current template. The window uses its own graphics engine and is not a MicroStation view.

A magenta-colored box is used to designate the origin of the template.

Magenta Colored Box - Screen Shot

At the bottom of the Current Template Window are view commands similar to the MicroStation view commands. The two buttons that look like MicroStation View Previous and View Next commands are undo and redo commands used on template operations. The CTRL-Z keyboard shortcut can also be used to undo the last template operation.

Within the Current Template Window, you can right-click to access commonly used template functions. You can also double click template components for editing purposes.

View Controls - Template Library Dialog Box.

» Mouse Wheel Functions

The mouse wheel has the following functions when creating templates:

Scroll the wheel to zoom in or out in the template window.
Hold down the Shift key while scrolling the mouse wheel to zoom in or out in the vertical direction only.
Hold down the Ctrl key while scrolling the mouse wheel to zoom in or out in the horizontal direction only.