Station, offset, bearing, and angle are common input parameters used in many of the BridgeLink applications. These parameters can be input with simple decimal values or in common engineering format.

Notation

The following notation is used to describe the common engineering format.

Symbol	Description	Example
\|	Choose between pipe separated items	L\|R Choose "L" or "R"
[]	Items within square brackets are optional	[+\|-] Use "+" or "-" or omit
x	Lowercase letters are digits 0-9	dd mm ss.ss Angular measure as degree-minute-decimal seconds 45 22 34.22

Stations

Stations represent a position along an alignment. Stations can be input as a decimal number or as a number of full plus fractional chains.

Format	Examples
[+\|-]dddd.dd	233.32 -89.92
US Units [+\|-]dd+dd.dd	2+33.32 -0+89.92
SI Units [+\|-]dd+ddd.dd	2+343.32 -0+894.92

Offsets

Offsets represent a perpendicular distance measured from a reference line. Left and right orientation is based on the observer looking in the positive direction of the reference line. If the reference line is an alignment, left and right are based on the observer looking ahead on station.

Format	Examples
[+\|-]dddd.dd Values greater than zero are to the right of the reference line.	2343.32 -894.92
dddd.dd [L\|R]	2343.32 R 894.92 L

Angles

Angles represent a departure from a reference line.

Format	Examples
[+\|-]dddd.dd Clockwise angles are positive.	45.32 -22.92
dddd.dd [L\|R] Angles to the right are clockwise	45.32 L 22.92 R
[+\|-]dd [mm [ss.ss]]	45 45 16 45 16 25.32 -32 -32 56 -32 56 14.56
dd [mm [ss.ss]] [L\|R]	45 L 45 16 L 45 16 25.32 L 32 R 32 56 R 32 56 14.56 R

Bearings

Bearings represent the direction of a line in a Cartesian coordinate system.

Format	Examples
N\|S dddd.dd [E\|W]	N 34.23 E
N\|S dd [mm [ss.ss]] E\|W	S 34 W S 34 15 W S34 15 23.3 W