ArcFM Solution: The Director's Cut

And So Begins the Era of ArcFM Buzz...

In recognition of the need to connect, share, and interact with you (our users, partners, and international distributors) in more engaging, consistent, and timely ways, Telvent Utility Group is pleased to announce the launch of our new, public facing, feature rich blog: ArcFM Buzz.

ArcFM Buzz reflects the collective efforts of Telvent Utility Group's Product and Education Services teams to bring you a tailored on-line resource for all things ArcFM Solution. If your interests lie with timely product news, technical know-how, and application tips and tricks — rest assured ArcFM Buzz is the right place for you. Furthermore, consider ArcFM Buzz as your feedback conduit to Telvent Utility Group's product managers, software developers, and education specialists. We have enabled commenting throughout the site and extended accessibility options with personalized RSS feeds, a dedicated Twitter account, and a variety of common social media services. So, come visit and interact with us at ArcFM Buzz.

ArcFM Buzz: keeping you informed, educated, and connected with all things ArcFM Solution.

(Please note that ArcFM Solution: The Director's Cut will remain intact for archiving purposes through 2010, however all new content will be published to ArcFM Buzz. Thanks for your interest and readership over the years)

Kill Two Tasks With One Tool: Template Favorites for Dimensioning

When placing features that require dimensioning lines or points, it is possible to set up
a Template Favorite to place them at one time.

To do this you must set up the following:

   1. In ArcCatalog, create a dimension line and dimension point feature class.
   2. In ArcMap, create a Template Favorite for dimension line (you can create as many as you like).
   3. In ArcMap, create a Template Favorite using dimension point (you can create as many as you like).

To demonstrate what these Template Favorites could look like, view this sample setup in Edit Template Favorite.

  
The Dimension Line and Point on both Templates shown above were set to be offset by 5 ft and set to prompt for a dimension value.

When you sketch using these Template Favorites they will resemble the following:

  

There are limitations:

   1.  You have to create a feature class for the dimension you cannot use core ESRI dimension tools or layers.
   2.  You have to enter the dimension value yourself before placing the template, this can be automated; however, it would require a customized autoupdater.

ArcFM Attribute Editor Selection Results – Order of Natural Selection

Before selecting any features, you may choose which types of features are eligible for selection by checking their layers on the Table of Contents Selection tab or Selection menu > Set Selectable Layers dialog.

However, if you are not in the habit of doing this first, or just like to have all layers available in your results because – hey, choices are nice – you can decide how these results will appear in the ArcFM Attribute Editor Selection tab.

By default the results are listed in drawing order, as set forth in the Display tab of the Table of Contents. So, if you ‘swipe’ a large section of your map, the results would display as follows.

 

If, however, you decide you would like the results returned in alphabetical order, go to the Tools menu > ArcFM Options. On the Attribute Editor tab, change the Layer Ordering to Alphabetical order.

Same area, same 'swipe', only THIS time the results are displayed in Alphabetical order.

Added bonus: if you want to have the number of selected features counted, as shown in the above image, while in the ArcFM Options dialog place a check next to Show status bar.

For more information on the ArcFM Options, please visit the Getting More from the ArcFM Options post.

The Designer Migration Two-Step

From time to time you may need to change the name of a Designer database or even copy the entire database to another location, perhaps to create a new testing environment or as part of a hardware upgrade.

Ideally you would reconcile, post, and delete all existing designs before beginning the migration. For occasions when some designs must remain outstanding during a migration, ArcFM and Designer provide two data source wizards that together can repoint existing designs to the new data location.

As always before making any major database change, back up the database (and in this case the MM_WMS_DESIGNS table in particular).

1. ArcFM Data Source Wizard
   • Changes the data source for Stored Display layers, including Stored Displays associated with particular existing designs. If this tool is not run, any designs that have their own Stored Displays will upon opening display red exclamation marks in the Table of Contents Display tab, and will fail to display the missing data on the map.
   • Launch in ArcCatalog by right-clicking the database connection and choosing ArcFM Data Source Wizard.
2. Workflow Manager Data Source Wizard
   • Changes the data source for the design workspaces. If this tool is not run, any designs that have their own Stored Displays may display error messages indicating that the workspace was not found. 
   • Launch from the ArcFM installation folder, under ArcFM Solution\Bin\ WorkflowManagerDataSourceWizard.exe.

During each of these two processes you will browse to the new data source. This should be the source of the business data (electric/gas/water/fiber/etc.), not the process framework data.

When migrating a Designer database, run both wizards, starting with the ArcFM Data Source Wizard. When migrating an ArcFM-only database, you will only need to run the ArcFM Data Source wizard because sessions do not save workspace information.

Square Butterfly, Round Manhole

When creating underground facilities through the Diagram Manager, the Configure and Create step only offers rectangular floors and walls. 

However, you can use the ArcFM Method for sketching – Features tab, Targets tab, Sketch – to place irregular shaped facilities, including…… CIRCLES!  You can then save these diagrams as favorites and reuse them easily.

A. First, follow the steps in Create Circular Structure Favorite to create the favorite.

B. Then follow these steps to place the favorite:

1. Apply a Stored Display that is configured for Underground Facilities.
    
2. Start an Edit Session.
    
3. On the ArcFM Underground Facility Manager toolbar, click the first button.
   
   
   
    
   
4. On the map, click an existing underground structure to launch the Underground Facility Diagram Manager.
    
5. In the Table of Contents, display the Features tab.
    
6. Under the System (or User) Favorites will be the category created by ArcFM when you save a diagram for Underground Facilities. Select the circular structure composite favorite.
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. The favorite appears on the ArcFM Attribute Editor, Targets tab where you may modify any of attribute values as needed before sketching.
   
   
   
   
   
8. Once the attributes are set correctly, click on the Composite node (the top level) and sketch the diagram in your map.
   
   
   
   

    
   
9. After the diagram is placed, the Diagram Manager recognizes that its first step has been completed, so you can proceed to place duct banks and ducts.

Many thanks to Brian Higgins for his contributions to this post!

Webcast Follow Up: Server, Staker, Express, and Designer

Following the What's New in ArcFM 9.3.1 webcast and in anticipation of the pending release of 9.3.1 SP1 slated for later this month, we've received a series of questions relating to product functionality and tasks. So, we'd like to take this opportunity to share these inquires with you (and their answers, of course).

ArcFM Server

Q: Is there any print functionality or export to PDF functionality in ArcFM Silverlight Viewer?
A: Not yet. However, printing is one of our highest priorities for the next release.

Q: Are the Silverlight Toolkit and the ArcFM Silverlight Viewer product in the current 9.3.1 release or the pending 9.3.1 SP1 release? 
A: Both are officially part of the 9.3.1 release and in so are available for download by registered users on our web site.

Q: Can you search on a field in related data at 9.3.1?
A: Yes. And furthermore, which specific fields how many levels of relationships you search are fully configurable.

Q: Is the tracing functionality present in the existing ArcFM Viewer for ArcFM Server application also part of the new ArcFM Silverlight Viewer released at 9.3.1?
A: Tracing has not made it to the UI yet, but the REST infrastructure is in place.

Q: What kind of data properties can you edit in ArcFM Silverlight Viewer?
A: You don't directly edit data properties in ArcFM Silverlight Viewer. However, ArcFM Silverlight Viewer does honor the ArcFM Properties (e.g. model names) as configured via the ArcFM Properties Manager in ArcCatalog.

Staker

Q: Must you have Designer implemented before you can use Staker?
A: No. While Staker does integrate with Workflow Manager on the enterprise, it is completely separate from Designer. Designer is not required to run Staker.

Express

Q: Does Express use existing feature classes or new "proposed" feature classes when placing facilities?
A: While sketching facilities, all editing occurs with new "proposed" feature classes called Design Feature Classes (DFCs). Even while abandoning or deleting features, the underlying, existing feature class does NOT get edited; rather, it gets 'marked' for abandonment or deletion through the placement of a DFC in its stead.

Q: Is the Design Feature Class (DFC) functionality part of core Designer at 9.3.1?
A: Not yet. It is just present in Express. However, a great deal of consideration is being given to adding DFCs into core Designer and Staker in the near future.

Designer

Q: In addition to front lot construction for subdivisions, is Telvent going to be doing automatic design for overhead and gas?
A: We are still looking into overhead optimization requirements but have not yet discussed gas.

Q: Will the GPS functionality present in Staker (to support the placement of individual stakes) be added to core Designer?
A: It is not something we are considering for the next release.

Creating Mapless Map Sets

You may already be using ArcFM Map Books to maintain a consistent look across all pages of your multiple-page maps, such as feeder maps and territory maps, but have you considered adding “mapless" pages to your map books?

Because ArcFM Map Books incorporate ArcFM Page Templates, you can easily add cover pages, legend pages, pages of explanatory text, and any other useful map-free pages to the beginning and/or end of your map books.

Start by creating and arranging the desired content in the ArcMap Layout View (View menu > Layout View). You might add a legend (Insert menu > Legend) or pictures (to embed the pictures instead of pointing to them, copy and paste the pictures from another application rather than using the Insert menu; this way other people viewing the Page Template won’t need access to the original picture files). Shrink the data frame to a small size and move it off of the paper area, as you will not be showing any map content on this page. Save the Page Template as a system Page Template to make it viewable by other users.

On the ArcFM toolbar, click the Launch ArcFM Map Book Explorer button. In the ArcFM Map Book Explorer window, select the intended map book and click Edit. When the Map Book Editor window appears, in the tree on the left right-click the map book and choose Create Map Set. 

In the properties on the right, enter a name for your new map set in the Title field. On the Options tab, choose any Stored Display (it won’t appear on the page) and the Page Template you just created. On the Maps tab, add any one map grid to create a single map sheet (its content also will not appear on the page). Apply your changes.

Now you can plot (print) or export the individual mapless map set, and it will show only the content you arranged in the Page Template. If you print or export the entire map book, it will include the mapless page you created. Each map book can have as many mapless map set pages as you choose to create.

Mangled Angles? Try the Auto Angle Setter

When sketching point features whose symbols need to face a particular direction, you can choose from several ArcMap and ArcFM tools to speed the process of setting each symbol's angle of rotation. 

• By setting a default value for a feature class's symbol rotation field, an administrator can give all new features in that class the same initial rotation angle.
• With the ArcMap Rotate tool an editor can rotate one or more existing features manually, or press the 'a' key to enter a precise number of degrees.
• With the ArcFM Manual Angle Setter edit task, an editor can place a new feature and visually set its rotation angle in just two clicks. (See demo)
• With the ArcFM Auto Angle Setter autoupdater, when an editor snaps a new point feature to an existing linear feature, the new point feature takes the linear feature's rotation angle as its own.

An administrator can assign the ArcFM Auto Angle Setter to any networked point feature class through this process: In ArcCatalog, right-click the feature class and choose ArcFM Properties Manager. On the Field Info tab, select the field that stores the rotation angle. In the Field Properties list below, set On Feature Create and On Feature Update to ArcFM Auto Angle Setter.

No matter what tools you use to set symbol rotation, for the rotation to appear correctly in ArcMap the feature layer's properties must specify the attribute which stores the rotation angle: In the Table of Contents, Display tab right-click the feature layer and choose Properties. On the Symbology tab, from the Advanced button choose Rotation. From the drop-down list choose the appropriate field, then click OK in all dialogs. Save the Stored Display to keep this property change for the future.

In ArcMap you may also adjust the relative angle between the existing linear features and the new point features. In the Table of Contents, Display tab double-click the point feature symbol. In the Symbol Selector dialog, change the angle to the desired amount. This change will affect all point features that share this symbol, and should also be saved in the Stored Display.

Configuring ArcFM Mobile: The 9.3.1 Checklists

As promised at this year's Telvent User Group conference, the new and improved ArcFM Solution 9.3.1 Mobile Configuration checklists are now available for downloading. These checklists are designed to guide you through a new installation and configuration of Mobile ArcFM, Mobile Designer, ArcFM Viewer for ArcGIS Engine, Redliner, or Inspector. 

If you are upgrading an old installation, follow the instructions in the "What's New" articles in the ArcFM help instead.

If you are installing at version 9.3 Rev 2, follow the checklists from this earlier post.

***

When your users need to carry geodatabase data into the field with them beyond the reach of high-speed networks, ArcFM Mobile offers a solution. ArcFM Mobile is comprised of two processes:

1. ArcFM Replication, which provides each field machine with a personal geodatabase extracted from the enterprise geodatabase, tailored to include only the feature classes and geographic extents that that machine's users require.  Users can download geodatabase updates manually or schedule them for times when the field machine will be connected to the network. ArcFM Replication can support many different field user interfaces, including standard ArcFM, Designer, ArcFM Viewer for ArcGIS Engine, Redliner, and Inspector.
2. ArcFM Send/Receive, which allows the transmission of sets of redline graphics (and in some cases feature edits) between users. Send/Receive supports standard ArcFM, Designer, Redliner, and Inspector.

As both the geodatabase and one or more servers must be configured to support the chosen interface and processes, determining and implementing the best ArcFM Mobile settings can be challenging. To successfully complete this process, make use of the step-by-step checklists provided below:

    * 9.3.1 Mobile Checklist A: Install software and licenses, do initial geodatabase configuration
    * 9.3.1 Mobile Checklist B: Generate the personal geodatabase(s), configure the servers and one test field machine for ArcFM Replication
    * 9.3.1 Mobile Checklist C: Configure servers and one test field machine for ArcFM Send/Receive
    * 9.3.1 Mobile Checklist D: Configure all remaining field machines

Consult the Mobile Checklist Readme for a diagram showing which configuration components are included in each checklist.

Express v. Staker: Tale of the Tape

This brief demonstration provides an overview of the differences and benefits of using the new Designer Express and Designer Staker products. The focus is on login options, interface variables, sketch tools, print/report options, and the advancement of jobs. These products are new at 9.3.1, so come see how they can work for you!

Pre recorded for TUG 2010. Presentation (.mp4 file format at a resolution of 1024x768, best viewed with QuickTime)