Exercise 4: Quick-start guide for configuring the Network Dataset builder

Complexity: Beginner Data Requirement: ArcGIS Tutorial Data Setup Data Path: C:\ArcGIS\ArcTutor\Schematics\Schematics_Configuration\Network_Dataset Goal: Configuring a schematic diagram template based on the Network Dataset builder to generate diagrams from a network dataset sample

Schematic diagrams can be generated from solved network analysis layers. The Network Dataset builder is the builder to configure to be able to generate such diagrams. During this exercise, you are going to learn how to create and configure a schematic diagram template to generate diagrams from network analysis layers performed on the ParisMultimodal_ND sample network dataset. This network dataset is stored in the Paris.gdb tutorial geodatabase provided with the Network Analyst Tutorials data. The configuration is going to be operated in the SchematicBuilderSamples schematic dataset created during exercise 1.

Note:

You need the ArcGIS Network Analyst extension to be installed and licensed on your machine before starting this exercise. You will also need to install the tutorial data for Network Analyst.

Steps:

1. Edit the SchematicBuilderSamples schematic dataset stored in the C:\ArcGIS\ArcTutor\Schematics\TutorialSchematicDB geodatabase by browsing to this database using ArcCatalog, right-clicking the dataset, and choosing the Edit menu option .
   Note:

   To learn about how to edit a schematic dataset within the Schematic Dataset Editor step by step, review Exercise 2: Editing a schematic dataset.

Note:

The screen shots in this exercise show configuration parameters created during exercise 3, but exercise 3 is not a prerequisite for this exercise. You can follow the steps explained in this exercise without having followed those explained in exercise 3.

Creating a schematic diagram template based on the Network Dataset builder

The first phase consists of creating the schematic diagram template that will be used to generate the diagrams from solved network analysis layers.

Steps:

1. Right-click the SchematicBuilderSamples entry in the Dataset Editor tree and click New Schematic Diagram Template.

   A Properties tab for the new schematic diagram template automatically displays on the right side of the Editor Window.

2. Type DiagramsFromNetworkDataset in the Name box.
3. Choose Network Dataset Builder in the Schematic Builder section.
4. Click OK.

   An entry for the DiagramsFromNetworkDataset diagram template automatically displays in the Dataset Editor tree. Three new tabs—Associations, Layouts, and Rules—display on the right side of the Editor Window.

   Note:

   Clicking the Schematic Builder Properties button on the Properties tab opens the Network Dataset Builder Property Page tab as follows:

   Note that the Automatic schematic feature class creation check box is checked by default on this tab. Generating a diagram while this box is checked allows Schematics to automatically create all necessary feature classes to create and display a diagram based on the solved ArcGIS Network Analysis layer. This means that without any additional configuration steps on this diagram template, the Network Dataset builder will be able to automatically manage schematic diagram generation from solved network analysis layers. The schematic dataset configuration is complete.

5. Click Save on the Schematic Dataset Editor toolbar.
6. Close the Schematic Dataset Editor.

Generating a schematic diagram from a solved network analysis layer

In this section, you are going to generate your first schematic diagram based on the newly created DiagramsFromNetworkDataset diagram template.

Steps:

1. Open the ParisTours.mxd file using ArcMap.

   This file is located in C:\ArcGIS\ArcTutor\Schematics\Schematics_Configuration\Network_Dataset. The features referenced in this map come from the Paris.gdb tutorial geodatabase installed with the Network Analyst Tutorials data in C:\ArcGIS\ArcTutor\Network Analyst\Tutorial.

2. Make sure the Network Analyst extension is enabled:
   1. Click Customize on the main menu and click Extension.
   2. On the Extensions dialog box that opens, check the Network Analyst check box if it is not already checked.
   3. Close the Extensions dialog box.
3. Display the Network Analyst toolbar if it is not already displayed.
4. Click the Show/Hide Network Analyst Window button on the Network Analyst toolbar.

   The Network Analyst Window appears.

5. Select the Tour1 network analysis layer from the drop-down list available on the Network Analyst Window toolbar.

6. Click Solve on the Network Analyst toolbar.
7. Click the Generate New Schematic Diagram button on the Schematic toolbar.

   The New Schematic Diagram dialog box opens:

8. Specify the schematic dataset in which the generated diagram will be stored:
   1. Click the browse button at the right of the Schematic Dataset or Folder field.

      The Select schematic dataset or schematic folder dialog box opens.

   2. Browse and select the TutorialSchematicDB geodatabase you created in C:\ArcGIS\ArcTutor\Schematics during exercise 1.
   3. Double-click this geodatabase and select the SchematicBuilderSamples schematic dataset.

      

   4. Click Add.
9. Choose DiagramsFromNetworkDataset in the Schematic Diagram Template drop-down list.

   Note that the Generate Diagram From drop-down list automatically fills with the Tour1 network analysis you solved in step 6. This list contains all the solved network analysis in memory. At that time, Tour1 is the only solved network analysis.

10. Type FirstDiagram_FromTour1 in the Schematic Diagram Name field.

    At the end of this step, the New Schematic Diagram dialog box content displays, as in the following screen shot:

11. Click OK.

    The generation process starts, and the generated diagram displays in a new data frame, which is automatically added in the map document:

Tip:

The schematic features contained in the generated schematic diagram display with default schematic layer properties. These default layer properties are the same layer properties as those specified for the feature layers of the solved network analysis layer on which the diagram generation is based. Since the diagram was generated while the Automatic schematic feature class creation option is enabled, these layer properties are saved as defaults during the generation process. However, since schematic features are standard features, you can modify any feature layer in the schematic layer through the Layer Properties dialog box. In particular, when working with data coming from a network dataset like in this exercise, schematic features keep track of the associated real GIS feature's objects; joins can then be configured on the schematic feature layers to get the associated GIS attributes for labeling or drawing purposes. Drawing and labeling schematic features using joins is detailed in the Exercise 3: Quick-start guide for configuring the Standard builder to operate from GIS features organized into a geometric network.