Working with VCL Alignments

Siteworks supports alignment objects created in Trimble Business Center and stored within a VCL design file. These alignments can be displayed, selected, and used in a variety of field workflows.

Viewing VCL Alignments

All alignments defined in the VCL design are available within Siteworks and can be displayed on the map screen.

Unlike surface data, alignments are independent design objects and can be selected directly from the map when visible.

Using VCL Alignments

VCL alignments can be used in the following workflows:

Reference Lines

Select an alignment as a reference line for design checks, measurements, and alignment-based workflows.

Stakeout

Use an alignment to stake a location by station and offset.

This is particularly useful for road, drainage, and corridor construction projects where positions are defined relative to an alignment.

COGO

Alignments can be selected and used within COGO functions for calculations and design-related tasks.

Alignment and Surface Selection

Unlike PRO road files, selecting an alignment from a VCL design does not automatically select the associated design surface.

When working with alignments, you must manually choose the surface you want to use.

To select or change the active surface:

1. Open the project.
2. Select the Surface option.
3. Choose the required active surface from the available VCL surfaces.

This allows greater flexibility when multiple surfaces exist within the same VCL design.

Note: Alignment selection and surface selection are managed independently in VCL designs.

Controlling Alignment Visibility

Alignment visibility can be managed using either map settings or layer controls.

Using Map Options

To show or hide alignments:

1. Open Map Options.
2. Select the Design tab.
3. Enable or disable the Corridor option.

Using Layer Controls

You can also control alignment visibility by turning the alignment's design layer on or off.

Layer control is often the preferred method when working with complex designs that contain multiple alignments and design elements.

Tap-and-Hold Alignment Options

Tap and hold on an alignment in the map view to access additional options.

Available actions include:

• Stake Location using station and offset
• Set as Reference Line

These shortcuts provide quick access to the most commonly used alignment functions in the field.

Best Practices

✅ Confirm the correct active surface is selected before performing grade checks or stakeout.
✅ Use meaningful alignment names in Trimble Business Center before exporting the VCL file.
✅ Control alignment visibility using layers to reduce map clutter.
✅ Verify the selected reference line when working with multiple alignments in the same project.
✅ Remember that selecting an alignment does not automatically change the active surface.

Key Points

• All alignments contained within a VCL design can be viewed and selected in Siteworks.
• Alignments can be used for Stakeout, Reference Line, and COGO workflows.
• Selecting a VCL alignment does not automatically select its associated surface.
• The active surface must be selected manually using the Surface option.
• Alignment visibility can be controlled through the Corridor map option or by managing design layers.
• Tap and hold on an alignment to quickly access stakeout and reference line functions.