Project and Drawing settings
In this section, comprehensive settings can be made for the project, the drawing, and the display. The project name, project number, and drawing number are fixed and cannot be changed afterward. However, you have the option to make adjustments to the location, date, and time zone information. Additionally, specific display settings can be defined within the project to optimally tailor the presentation to your requirements. These options allow you to precisely configure the project details and adjust the display according to your individual needs.
Project and Drawing settings
Project
On this page, the key project information related to the geographic location and sun settings is provided. The latitude and longitude of the site, along with the sun’s azimuth and altitude, are required for shadow calculations and are therefore essential.
At the top of this tab, the project number and name, along with the drawing number and description, are displayed.
Latitude / Longitude
Latitude and longitude of the plant can be set with <Edit location>, as bases for calculations concerning sun azimuth and altitude and the resulting shadow calculations.
The geographic location is completely independent from sun and coordinate system settings inside Autodesk Civil 3D.
In the upcoming dialogue you can change both values.
The additional options, such as UTM data, AutoCAD GPS, or KML/KMZ files, are alternative input methods that Helios 3D can use to calculate the corresponding GPS coordinates.
Absolute Altitude
Enter the height value for the absolute altitude. This value is used in the yield assessment and significantly affects temperature influences.
Time zone
Set the time zone for the sun’s azimuth and altitude based on the specified date and time. Incorrect time zone settings will render all shadow calculations inaccurate. Always use the local standard time.
Date / Time
Enter the reference date and time for the shadow calculation. All relevant fields will be initialized with this value to ensure shadow-free placement.
| Sun azimuth and altitude calculations based on date and time follow the algorithm defined by DIN 5034. |
The button „date/time“ sets the date and time to the default sun settings. The standard reference date for the northern hemisphere is December 21st at 12:00 PM, and for the southern hemisphere, it’s June 21st at 12:00 PM.
These reference dates are not intended as recommendations for the chosen geographic position.
Sun Azimuth / Manual
The azimuth is calculated based on the geographic position, date, and time. In the „Manual“ field, you can override the calculated azimuth by entering a value between 0° and 360°, measured clockwise from north. Any newly created field will be initialized with the manually set value.
Sun Altitude / Manual
The altitude is calculated based on the geographic position, date, and time. In the „Manual“ field, you can override the calculated altitude by entering a value between 0° and 90°. Any newly created field will be initialized with the manually set value.
Display Settings
All options, except for the complexity of array blocks, are applied to future table placement executions.
Complexity of Array blocks
Select the level of detail for the blocks in any table insertion and update all blocks accordingly. Reducing the block details improves performance without affecting functionality.
Check boxes and radio buttons
These checkboxes and radio buttons determine which labels are added during the placement process.