Aligning components, shapes, images and text

When you build your sketch, Simcenter Amesim provides a feature which can help you align your components and ports, as well as non-component objects (text/shapes/images) and ensure a tidy layout:

Aligning components and shapes

When two or more components or shapes are selected on the sketch, the alignment tool becomes active.

Note

This tool is only available in Sketch mode.

You can use the different options to align the selected components or shapes as follows:

Alignment option	Description
Align left	Align the left sides of all selected components or shapes.
Align center	Align the center points of the selected components or shapes. If the selection contains components connected at their ports, the connected components will be treated as a single component for alignment purposes (other components will be aligned with the center point of the connected components).
Align right	Align the right sides of all selected components or shapes.
Align top	Align the top edges of the selected components or shapes.
Align middle	Align the center points of the selected components or shapes vertically.
Align bottom	Align the bottom edges of the selected components or shapes.
Distribute horizontally	Position the selected components or shapes equidistantly on the horizontal axis.
Distribute vertically	Position the selected components or shapes equidistantly on the vertical axis.

Aligning ports

You can align ports on different components both vertically and horizontally:

• When you position a component level with another component (both components having the same orientation), a grey line is displayed to indicate when the ports are correctly aligned, and a + sign is displayed on the two component icons: Figure 59: Ports aligned

Note This does not mean that the ports are necessarily compatible.

• When you position a component in line with another component, but with a different orientation, the grey line is displayed to indicate when the component you are positioning is aligned with the center of the other component, and a grey circle is displayed at the center of the two component icons: Figure 60: Components aligned

Note

You can press the Alt key to prevent the alignment guide from being displayed.

Aligning shapes

Shapes can be aligned with any other elements present on the sketch (components, other shapes, text objects...). As you move a shape around the sketch, the alignment guide is displayed in relation to the different elements.

Note

This function is available in all modes.

Figure 61: Aligning shapes with components

Shapes can be aligned with other shapes (centers and sides).

Figure 62: Aligning shapes with other shapes

Aligning images

Images can be aligned with any other elements present on the sketch (components, other shapes, text objects...). As you move an image around the sketch, the alignment guide is displayed in relation to the different elements.

Figure 63: Aligning images with other elements

Here we are aligning an image of a plot with a component (to the left), and the Main damper text object above it.

Aligning text objects

As well as aligning components on the sketch, you can use the alignment tool to align text objects with components and other text objects. You can align a text object:

• with the center point of a component,

• with a component port,

• with the center of another text object,

• with the edges of another text object,

• with the center or edge of a shape.

When you pick up a text block and move it around your sketch, alignment guides are displayed to indicate when the text block is aligned with components or other text blocks.

Figure 64: Aligning a text block

You can use these guides to align with the center point or ports of components, or the center or sides of other text blocks. In the example below, the Road profile text block is being aligned with the left-hand edge of the text block above it, as well as the center of the Step profile component to its right.

Figure 65: Aligning text block sides

This feature is particularly useful when aligning text with ports in a small area. For example, here we are aligning text labels with ports (and other labels) for a dynamic duplicator block component:

Figure 66: Aligning labels for a dynamic duplicator block

The Output two label is being aligned both with the second DUP port, but also with the label above it.

Note

Guides for alignment with a port are only displayed when the text object is close to the port, whereas other alignments are performed on the entire visible part of the sketch.

You can also align text objects with shapes.

Figure 67: Aligning a text object with a shape