Technical information

Working with Templates | 175
After you have created a template, you must define datum, superelevation,
and transition points. You can also edit the template to change settings, such
as subgrade depths and the shape of the template.
Drawing Templates
You can draw template surfaces using the Draw Template command or
PLINE. As you use the Draw Template command, the vertical exaggeration of
the drawing is automatically taken into account. If you use PLINE, however,
you must keep in mind the vertical exaggeration as you draw the polylines.
You can use the Draw Template command to draw both templates and
subassemblies. This command uses 2D polylines based on offset, depth,
grade, and slope parameters. You can draw either the template or the
subassembly first. When you use the Define Template command, however, it
attaches the subassembly to the template; therefore, you must define the sub-
assembly first. For more information about the Define Template command,
see “Defining Templates” on page 176.
NOTE Turn off running object snaps before using the Draw Template
command.
As you draw template surfaces, you must consider whether the surfaces are
normal or subgrade, and you must consider whether the template is
symmetrical or asymmetrical. The following illustration shows an example of
symmetrical and asymmetrical templates.
In a symmetrical template, the left and right halves are identical. As you
define the template, you need to draw surfaces only on the left half. The left
half is mirrored about a vertical plane that passes through the finished
ground reference point and it creates the surfaces on the right half.
A typical template can consist of normal surfaces, subgrade surfaces, or a
combination of both. You can draw these surfaces symmetrically or asym-
metrically. How they are drawn affects how you define the templates later