### Element edition window |  |

As mentionned is the introduction chapter, the analyses are executed over an analysis elements : analysis mediums.
These elements are :

Point(s) | One or more distincts 3D points.
Polyline | A list of connected 3D segments. You can define a step value to divide each segment into a serie of points. The calculations are made on the so generated points. The polyline vertices are not necessarily in the same plan.
Zone | This element is defined as a list of planar 3D points. The application computes the bounding box, and, generates a grid overlaying the zone using the given step. Only the grid points situated on or inside the 3D zone are used in calculation.

When this window is active, the main view pane is in edition mode and the edited element is highlighted. If a scene is activated and its view projection is not parallel, then that scene is redrawn using a parallel projection. The highlight drawing of the edited element depends on its type. The following figures show the highlight of each type.

Point(s): Polyline: Zone:

For point(s) elements the distincts points are highlighted in a red color. For polyline and surface elements, the first point is highlighted in a light blue color all the other points in a red color. The surface element is also filled with a transparent yellow color.

In the following, we describe the different input fields in the element window :

- the type of the element : Point, Polyline or Zone. If an element is edited, you will be asked first to confirm the type changing.
- the element name and color.
- the coordinates of the element points. Ways to set these points : using the keyboard type the coordinates directly in points field. use the mouse left button and graphically define the points by clicking in the rendered scene. select one of the surfaces and use the button to copy its vertices coordinates to the points field.
- the step value. This field is only activated for Polyline and Zone elements.
- the orientation vector. Extremely important for solar access and confort calculations. You can use the button to compute the orientation vector. This calculation is done using the cross product of the first three defined points. The button reverses the coordinates of the vector.
- the last option is useful if you wish to do calculations on non planar areas (triangulated terrain for example). Just define the element (points, polyline or zone) below the whole area and check this option. Thus, TownScope searches for each computed point the corresponding highest position in your model and executes the calculation on this position.
Important notes :
1- If a mouse-defined point is within a selected surface, then the added point coordinates are calculated as being on that surface.
2- Ctrl+z : eliminates the last point added.
3- The (preview) button updates the drawing of the edited element. This is useful if the coordinates are typed manually in the points field.
4- Any change in the type, points, step, or orientation vector of an element invalidates all the computed analyses based on this element.

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