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OST - 11.07.04 Aligning Overlays to Match the Base Image

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After you have deskewed and resized your Overlay (or if you add an overlay via the Cover Sheet or skip the Overlay Wizard altogether), your base and Overlays may not be aligned (vertically or horizontally).

Note

When you zoom very closely into a page (high zoom %), the base image and overlay may not 'grey out' completely - this is expected. Every page is slightly different at high zoom and On-Screen Takeoff shows exactly what is different, down to the pixel - there is nothing wrong with the images or the program. The Overlay feature is designed to call out overall changes to a plan to assist an estimator in identifying plan/project changes.

Aligning Overlays

If the Base image and overlay is slightly out of alignment but the same size, then use the Alignment Tool to nudge or rotate the overlay.

Right-click anywhere on the image and choose Overlay > Align Overlay Image or click the Align Overlay button OST Aligning overlay on the Overlay Toolbar.

A line with green circles at either end is added to your plans - this is the Alignment Tool.

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The move handle moves the overlay image up-down and side-to-side - the arrow keys on the keyboard can nudge the overlay image if the alignment is only slightly off
The rotate handle spins the overlay image along the center axis

Adjust the image until it is predominately grey (a purplish grey). Once the images are aligned, deletions are shown in RED and additions in BLUE. Adjust takeoff as needed to account for the changes in the overlay.

See previous articles for step-by-step instructions on using the Deskew and Resize Tools

Note

Adjusting base images stores settings in your database that tells the program to make the adjustment to the display of the base image, when it is loaded on the Image Tab. The base image is not altered. However, adjusting an Overlay image creates a TIF copy of that overlay image and all changes are made to that TIF and stored in an "Overlays" subfolder where the original Overlay image file is stored.

Resizing Overlays to Match the Base Image

Adding Multiple Overlays to a Bid (using the Cover Sheet)