Filtering is the primary way you interact with Target Practice. Instead of cycling through layouts at random, filtering lets you select exactly the types of shots you want to practice — short shots, thin cuts, left English, three-rail position plays, or any combination of parameters the database supports.
The Filter Panel
The filter panel has two sections:
- Base Layout Filter — filters by shot geometry: CB to OB distance, OB to Pocket distance, Cut Angle, and Pocket type
- Solution Layout Filter — filters by execution parameters: Follow/Draw, English, Speed, Number of Rails, Level, and Stop/Stun
To apply a filter:
- Set the desired parameters in the Base Layout Filter, the Solution Layout Filter, or both.
- Click Load Layouts.
- The matching layouts are selected from the database.
Once loaded, use Up/Down arrow keys to step through layouts in sequence, or press R to jump to a random layout within the selection.
Three Filtering Cases
The behavior of filtering depends on which options are active.
Case 1 — Base Filter only, no solutions selected
The filter is applied to the 1,836 base layouts. All layouts matching the base parameters are selected. No solution data is involved.
Case 2 — Base Filter with solutions selected
Like Case 1, all matching base layouts are selected. In addition, any matching solution layouts (ICA, User, or both — depending on which checkboxes are checked) are selected and interspersed with their corresponding base layouts.
Case 3 — Solution Filter active
Solution filters are only activated when at least one ICA or User solution checkbox is checked and at least one solution parameter is set away from its default. Because base layouts do not have solution filter parameters, only solution layouts are selected. The corresponding base layout is interspersed with each solution layout for reference.
When No Layouts Are Found
Some filter combinations are restrictive enough that no matching layouts exist in the database. When this happens, no layouts are selected and a message is displayed:
No Layouts Selected — relax filter conditions
To resolve this, broaden one or more filter parameters and click Load Layouts again.
Filter Examples
Worked examples of filter configurations for common shot categories are provided in Example Filter Selections.