About Adding Lines, Curves, and Spirals to Alignments

Use the constraint-based commands on the Alignment Layout Tools toolbar, to add a fixed entity, a free entity, or a floating entity (lines, curves, spiral-curve-spiral groups and spirals) to the alignment.

The Alignment Layout Tools toolbar provides you with many ways to solve various problems by using different constraints.

Using the constraint-based commands, you can fit an alignment by working inward from two known points at the beginning and end of the design area. You can also create alignment entities in sequential order.

With the established tangency rules, you can edit the parameters of any alignment entity in real-time and still maintain tangency.

Tip: You can use transparent commands when you are prompted to specify direction, radius, or length, or use station offsets to specify any points. For more information, see About Transparent Commands.

Adding Lines

Add fixed, free, or floating lines to build constraint-based alignment geometry for the areas of your design that require maintaining tangency. In most cases the length of the line automatically adjusts to meet the tangency point of the next or previous entity.

Adding Lines with Spirals

Add entities that contain lines and transition spirals. Lines and transition spirals can only be attached to fixed or floating entities.

Adding Curves

Add fixed, free, or floating curves to build constraint-based alignment geometry for the areas of your design that require maintaining tangency.

Tutorial Exercise: Adding Free Curves and Spirals to an Alignment

Tutorial Exercise: Adding Floating Curves to an Alignment

Adding Curves with Spirals

Add entities that contain curves and transition spirals. This entity type can only be added to existing fixed or floating lines.

Tutorial Exercise: Adding Free Curves and Spirals to an Alignment

Adding Spirals

Use the Spiral commands to add fixed, free, or floating spirals to the alignment geometry.