Racks
Racks are where planning becomes physical.
Use them to model a real case, test an idea before rearranging hardware, or compare multiple layouts without losing the earlier version.
The rack editor — build, rearrange, and analyze cases against your own collection.
What racks are for
planning a future case
documenting a current case
testing fit before buying
comparing alternate layouts
sharing a clean public version of your setup
Create a rack
Go to User Area.
Open the Racks section.
Click Create rack.
Open the new rack and start building.
Add modules to a rack
The usual flow is:
Add your real modules to your Collection first.
Open a rack.
Add modules from the collection-driven workflow.
Arrange them until the layout feels right.
This keeps the rack tied to the hardware you actually own instead of drifting into a disconnected mockup.
Edit and reorganize
Racks are meant to be adjusted repeatedly. Common actions:
move modules visually
duplicate a module
delete a module
replace a module with a blank panel
clear part of a row when you want to rethink a section
use undo to step back from an edit that did not land well
The editor shows a stale preview indicator when the rack preview is behind your most recent edits, so you always know whether what you are looking at reflects the current state.
Blank panels and spacing
If you need a gap, use a blank panel instead of forcing the layout to stay fully packed.
That is useful for:
ergonomic spacing
cable clearance
representing intentional empty HP
planning future additions
Analysis modes
Power, function, layout, and signal analysis modes; layout mode adds Same HP/Combos suggestions plus Remix and Shuffle, subject to valid row formats and available module metadata.
Each mode reads the rack from a different angle:
Power — draw across the main rails, so you can spot overloads before wiring anything.
Function — modules grouped by role instead of only by placement, giving you a per-category readout of what the rack can do.
Layout — arrangement help. Same HP suggests modules that fit the same slot; Combos proposes complementary neighbors; Remix rearranges the rack while keeping the same modules; Shuffle produces a fresh randomized layout. Layout suggestions need valid row formats and enough module metadata to be meaningful.
Signal — signal-path context for the rack as a whole.
The rack also surfaces a weakest-axis hint that names which analytical axis (power, function coverage, category balance, and similar) is the weakest for the current layout — useful when you want a single line of feedback instead of a full sweep.
Balance context depends on module data coverage: it is most useful when the modules in the rack have enough category and function metadata to support meaningful comparison. Treat sparse output as a data-coverage issue, not a limitation of the analysis. See Contributing module data if you want to help close a gap.
Panel variants
Some modules support more than one panel image or style.
When available, you can switch variants inside a rack so the layout better matches the real hardware in front of you. This is especially useful when the same module exists in different finishes or panel revisions.
Saving and sharing
Racks are built for iteration. Open them, edit them, and keep refining. Patcher saves your work as you go.
New racks and patches start Public. You can switch them to Private before creation or at any time later.
For public discovery, both the rack itself and your profile need to be public. See Public Profiles for how profile and item visibility interact, and Account and Privacy for the full sharing model.
Best practices
start with the modules you own
leave some room when that helps usability
run each analysis mode before calling a layout finished
keep separate racks for alternate versions instead of overwriting one plan
Related pages
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