After 2 days of experimentation, I’ve cracked the code. Here’s my advice for aligning multiple parts: Begin with two pieces of geometry, connect them to a single align node, and thoroughly comprehend how each input of the align node functions. Once you’ve grasped that, you can smoothly devise the logic and sequence of connections to align other geometry nodes. It might appear straightforward in the end, but grasping the fundamentals is crucial. Rushing through random connections, as I did, can prolong the learning process.
The key here is not only understanding the input options of the align node but also the sequence of connections between parts and alignment nodes, and subsequently, alignment nodes to other alignment nodes.
Incorrect graph example:
I’m providing two graphs for reference. The first graph demonstrates the incorrect approach Link, which aligns multiple geometries as desired but creates duplicates of each object. To see the duplicated geometries, simply download the sketchup file once in the graph on the left of the screen, import the sketchup file into sketchup, then right click to bring up the context menu, detach the live component definition and then explode the group boxes that group all of the singular geometries together, now delete any of the single geometries and notice you’ll have to delete each geometry twice, as there are duplicates for each geometry object. This happens because each geometry node is connected to two alignment nodes (except for the first one), resulting in duplicates.
Correct graph example:
The correct graph can be found here. In this version, the alignment is the same, but there are no duplicated geometries. Each geometry node has its own alignment node to connect to, and that alignment node links to the next object’s alignment node, creating a chain of alignments that leads back to “Box 1,” our master geometry node. By adjusting the parameters, you can see how “Box 1” becomes the reference point for all connected geometries, allowing you to modify their heights and maintain alignment.
You can also find a more advanced version of this via another forum post tutorial below: