Creating a schematic feature class using the New Schematic Feature Class command

The New Schematic Feature Class function can be used to create a schematic feature class from scratch. This function is available on the Schematic Dataset Editor:

• From the New drop-down menu on the Schematic Dataset Editor toolbar
• From the Schematic Items window, when right-clicking a schematic diagram template item in Dataset Editor tree

The first primary steps in the schematic feature class creation consists of specifying the following:

• A name for the new schematic feature class
• The type of schematic features this schematic feature class is going to implement (node, link, node on link, sub link)
• In the case of a node schematic feature class, the type of expected geometry (point, polygon or line)
• The name of its parent schematic feature class for a schematic feature class you want to inherit from an existing schematic feature class

The steps below describe schematic feature class creation in details using the New Schematic Feature Class command:

Steps:

1. Edit your schematic dataset within Schematic Dataset Editor.
2. If the schematic dataset resources are not arranged in a tree view in the Schematic Items window, click Views in the Schematic Dataset Editor toolbar and click Project Tree.
3. Choose one of two possibilities to access the New Schematic Feature Class command:
   • Right-click the schematic diagram template entry in the Schematic Dataset Editor tree that corresponds to the schematic diagram template with which you want the new schematic feature class to be associated, then click New Schematic Feature Class.
   • Click the New drop-down menu on the Schematic Dataset Editor toolbar and click New Schematic Feature Class.

   In both cases, a new Properties tab for the new schematic feature class automatically displays on the Editor Window at the right:

   

4. Type the name that will reference your new schematic feature class in the Name field on the Properties tab.
5. Select the desired schematic feature class type from the Type drop-down list.

   That is, select the Node item for a node schematic feature class, select Link for a link schematic feature class, and so on.

6. If you have selected Node in the Type list, specify the geometry type you want for the schematic features from the Geometry drop-down list:
   • Select Point if you want the schematic feature class to implement simple node schematic features.
   • Select Polyline for your schematic feature class to implement polyline container node schematic features.
   • Select Polygon for your schematic feature class to implement polygon container node schematic features.

   Polygon or Polyline are the expected geometry type if you want your node schematic feature class to implement container node schematic features. A container is a specific schematic node relating to some other nodes and links in schematic diagrams. Schematics is able to automatically compute the size of container nodes so they automatically display around their related schematic features when the diagram that contains such container nodes displays. Then, each time a container node is moved, their related schematic features also automatically move with it, while moving a schematic feature related to a container causes the automatic resizing of the container node itself.

   Tip:

   • Choose Polyline geometry type to get a large set of symbols to represent the contour lines of the container.
   • Labeling using only the standard label engine functions may also be easier on container nodes that use the Polyline geometry instead of the Polygon geometry. With a Polygon geometry, the use of Maplex may be required to get the labels to display as you want.

   Note:

   Selecting Link or Sub Link in the Type drop-down list fixes the schematic feature class geometry to Polyline. Selecting Node On Link as the schematic feature class type also fixes the Geometry to Point. The Geometry must be specified only for the Node type. By default, for a Node schematic feature class, the Geometry is Point.

7. If you want to define your new schematic feature class as a child for an existing schematic feature class, click the Parent drop-down list and select the desired parent schematic feature class.

   Creating a schematic feature class as a child of an existing schematic feature class can be interesting to save time in the configuration because all the configuration parameters set for the parent are automatically inherited by default at the child level.

   Learn more about schematic feature class inheritance

   Note:

   The schematic feature class names in the Parent drop-down list depend on the type currently specified for the schematic feature class—that is, a node schematic feature class cannot inherit a link schematic feature class, it can only inherit another existing node schematic feature class.

8. Click OK at the bottom on the Properties tab to validate the schematic feature class primary parameters, which are now all in place.

   A new entry for the newly created schematic feature class displays in the Dataset Editor tree.

   If the creation started from the context menu that displays when right-clicking a diagram template, the new schematic feature class is automatically associated with that diagram template and displays under that diagram template entry in the Dataset Editor tree. If the creation started from the New item drop-down menu on the Schematic Dataset Editor toolbar, the new schematic feature class is associated with no diagram template and displays under the Unassociated Schematic Feature Classes main entry at the bottom of the Dataset Editor tree.

   The options in the Properties tab's Schematic Feature Class section are now locked; there is no way to change the Name, Type, Geometry, or Parent parameters for the schematic feature class. If you were mistaken or want to change those parameters, you have to delete the schematic feature class and re-create it.

9. Click the Save button on the Schematic Dataset Editor toolbar.

If the schematic feature class definition is now complete regarding its inbuilt parameters, there are some other configurations to operate afterward, so it is completely operational. These other configurations can be operated and changed at any time:

• After creating a schematic feature class, you need to indicate which schematic diagram template is supposed to manage this schematic feature class—that is, you must associate the schematic feature classes with one or several existing schematic diagram templates.
  Note:

  If the schematic feature class creation started from the context menu that displays when right-clicking a diagram template, the schematic feature class is automatically associated with that diagram template at its creation. But, if the creation started from the New drop-down menu on the Schematic Dataset Editor toolbar, it is associated with no diagram template at the end of the above steps, and you need to set it manually.

• If you want the newly created schematic feature class to be associated with any GIS feature class or object table, you then have to configure the parameters in the Associated Object Class section. Depending on the builder that manages the schematic feature class, this configuration may be mandatory so the builder can deal with the input data provided for schematic diagram generation.
• Any schematic diagram, whatever its related builder, may also contain schematic features that are built from custom queries. To specify a custom query for a schematic feature class, you must specify the parameters in the Query section of its Properties tab.