Basic Mode: Fast 2D Planning for Simple Projects

What is Basic Mode?

Basic Mode is the fastest way to plan a PV system in Eturnity Expert. It was specifically developed for simple projects where you work in 2D and want to quickly achieve a result.

Advantages of Basic Mode:

• Fast and intuitive planning in 2D
• Ideal for projects with only one covered roof area
• Minimal learning effort – ready to use in a few minutes
• Simple 2-step process: Draw roof area → Place panels

💡 When to switch to Pro Mode? If you're covering multiple roof areas, modeling complex roofs, or need a realistic 3D model for your customer presentation, we recommend Pro Mode. More details in the article "Professional 3D Planning with Pro Mode".

Video Tutorial: Basic Mode Step by Step

In this video from our Video Training Center, you'll see the entire process in action:

Step 1: Select the Best Map Material

The quality of your planning depends on the map material used. Before you start drawing, you should always check which map material offers the best quality.

How to select the optimal map material:

1. Open the map selection on the right side of the screen
2. Test the various available options:
   • Orthophotos without distortion enable even more precise models 
     • Germany: BKG Orthophotos 
     • Switzerland: SwissTopo
     • Austria: Basemap.at
   • Bing Satellite Images
   • Google Satellite Images
3. Watch for these quality features:
   • Perpendicular view from above (no visible house walls)
   • No distortions or oblique angles
   • Good resolution and contrast

⚠️ Common mistake: Satellite images with visible house walls distort the roof and make it harder to draw symmetrically. Orthophotos are always taken perpendicularly from above and contain no distortions – they deliver the most accurate planning results.

Why is this important? Distorted map material leads to asymmetrical roof areas and inaccurate panel counts. Investing 30 seconds in selecting the right map material saves you a lot of correction work later.

Step 2: Draw Roof Area

After selecting the best map material, start drawing the roof area.

Drawing the Roof Area

1. Select the Roof Tool from the toolbar
2. Start at a corner of the roof area and draw parallel to the ridge
3. Use the snap functions:
   • 90° angles snap automatically
   • Parallel lines are supported by snap points
4. Close the area with a double-click at the last corner

💡 Pro tip: Snap functions are your best friends when drawing. They help you create rectangular and symmetrical areas without manual measuring. Let the visual hints guide you!

Set Inclination and Direction

After drawing, your roof area has no inclination or direction yet. You'll add these now:

1. Click on the drawn roof area to select it
2. On the left you'll see: Inclination 0°, Direction 0°
3. Click and hold the yellow circle in the center of the area
4. Drag the circle in the direction the roof is inclined
5. While dragging, both direction and inclination are set simultaneously
6. Release the mouse when the desired inclination is reached (e.g., 30°)

Why this approach? This intuitive control allows you to define both the cardinal direction and the inclination angle with a single movement – much faster than separate input fields.

Step 3: Place Panels

Now that your roof area is finished, you can place the panels. Basic Mode offers several methods – from fully automatic to precisely manual.

Method 1: Complete Coverage with Double-Click (Recommended)

The fastest method for most cases:

1. Select the Panel Field Tool from the toolbar
2. Make a double-click on the roof area
3. The entire roof area is automatically covered with panels

Advantage: With a single double-click, your roof area is completely covered – ideal for quick preliminary offers.

Method 2: Draw Individual Panel Fields

If you don't want to cover the entire roof area:

1. Select the Panel Field Tool
2. Click once on the desired starting position
3. Draw the panel field on the roof area
4. The drawn area is automatically filled with panels

Use case: Useful when you consciously want to use only part of the roof area or leave specific areas clear.

Consider Obstacles

After automatic coverage, you need to exclude obstacles like roof windows, chimneys, or vents:

1. Click on the Transparency Tool in the upper right
2. The panels are displayed transparently
3. You can now see where obstacles are in the way
4. Select the affected panels
5. Delete the selected panels with the trash icon

Why make transparent? The transparency function allows you to see the satellite image through the panels. This way you can precisely identify which panels need to be removed without constantly switching between different views.

Adjust Panel Selection

By default, the panels from your project template are used. However, you can change these at any time:

1. Select the panel field (by clicking on it)
2. On the left side you'll see the settings:
   • Panel: Select a different panel from your library
   • Mounting System: Adjust the mounting system
   • Additional settings: Depending on panel type and mounting
3. Changes are immediately applied to the panel field

Multiple Roof Areas in Basic Mode

Basic Mode also allows planning of multiple roof areas. Simply repeat the steps for each additional roof area:

1. Draw the second roof area
2. Set inclination and direction
3. Place the panels

💡 Note: However, for more than one roof area, Pro Mode is recommended in most cases. In Pro Mode, you model the entire building at once, which is often easier and faster than creating each roof area individually in Basic Mode. You also get a realistic 3D model for your customer presentation.

Summary: When to Use Basic Mode?

Basic Mode is the right choice when:

• You want to quickly create a preliminary offer
• The project has only one roof area or is very simple
• You don't need a 3D representation for the customer
• You are new to Eturnity Expert and want to start with simple projects

Expected result: With Basic Mode, you can create a complete panel layout in under 5 minutes – from the first line to the fully covered roof with correct panel count.

Next Steps

After mastering the basics of Basic Mode, we recommend these advanced articles:

• Professional 3D Planning with Pro Mode – For more complex projects and impressive customer presentations
• Drawing and Adjusting Roof Areas to Scale – When you need to implement precise measurements from the on-site visit
• Placing Panels Flexibly – Advanced techniques for optimizing your panel fields

The complete Video Training Center – Module 3 contains additional practical examples and shows all functions in detail.