In this video, we’re going to cover annotations and Z-order in the AVX Architect workspace. Z-order is simply where an object exists front to back in the workspace. As objects are added to the workspace, they are given their own layer, or z-order number, front to back. The most recently placed object will be at the front. Z-order can be useful for organizing annotations or other objects, to make them display correctly or to add visual aid or reference. 
In this example, I’ve got three annotation objects, and I’ve made each one of them a different color. Notice how these objects sit on top of one another. This is the result of their Z-order positions. The Z-order can be changed using the “Bring to Front” or “Send to Back” buttons on the top bar near the CPU usage meter. These options are also available by right clicking on the object directly. Notice how the red box has now moved behind the black box. 
Annotations can be found in the System and Virtual views of AVX Architect under their respective libraries in the left pane. Annotations are a way to provide grouping, identification, and visual cues to objects in your design files. Let’s look at some of the properties available to the annotation object. In the properties window, the color can be changed here by using the color picker or by entering a hex or RGB value. Opacity can also be changed by using this slider or entering the value directly. Double-clicking on the annotation object will allow you to enter text. Now, the text can be modified using the Text Styles section of the properties window. Font style can be changed between normal, bold, and italics. Font size and color can be changed here to the right of the style. Finally, we have the alignment options below to adjust where in the annotation the text will sit. The alignment can be set for both x and y axes, and are left, center, right, and top, center, or bottom. 
Let’s look at some quick examples of using annotations in a large design. In this example, we used annotations to create a site map. The annotations allow us to label and color-code each of the areas or zones. As we scroll down, notice that annotations were used to contain the audio processing circuits, and are also labeled and color coded to correlate with the site map above. Let’s zoom out a little so we can see the full scope of these isolated circuits. Having them laid out like this not only makes them easier to read, but easier to navigate when having audio issues with specific zones or areas. In this area, we’ve used another annotation placed in the front to highlight this logic circuit and provide instructions or explanations for the function of this circuit. 
These are just some of the ways to use annotations to clarify and organize your complex projects.