Introducing the Schematics basic configuration tutorial

Complexity: Beginner Data Requirement: ArcGIS Tutorial Data Setup Data Path: C:\ArcGIS\ArcTutor\Schematics\Schematics_Configuration Goal: This tutorial explains how to create a schematic dataset, providing a set of quick-start guides to learn about configuring diagram templates based on each predefined schematic builder—Standard, XML, or Network Dataset.

A schematic diagram template is used to create a particular type of schematic diagram. Each schematic diagram template is based on a schematic builder, which manages the content of the schematic diagrams. Three predefined schematic builders are provided with ArcGIS Schematics. Each of them works from specific input data/context from which they are able to generate/update the schematic diagram's contents:

• The Network Dataset builder works from solver results on network datasets. It expects solved network analysis layers as input (such as solved route, service area, closest facility, or vehicle routing network task analysis).
• The XML builder works from XML data based on the XMLBuilderDiagram XML Schema Definition file. It is the builder to use if you want to do system integration with external industry applications for example, Network Engineer), ERPs for example, SAP), PLMs (for example, Matrix One) or analysis packages (for example, CYME). It allows you to avoid developing specific interface code that is costly and difficult to maintain. This builder requires custom code to be written that generates the XML that is passed into the builder.
• The Standard builder works from any GIS feature class/layer or object table.
  • Because it is able to decode geometric network topology, it is particularly suited for GIS feature classes organized into a geometric network. It allows you to quickly generate schematic diagrams in a minimum amount of time from any set of features organized into a geometric network that are currently highlighted in an ArcMap document due to a selection or a trace operation. This is a useful builder for the typical utility-type companies that deal with geometric networks. However, if the input data is not in a geometric network but has relationships due to spatial locations or relationship classes, this builder works to also add rules during configuration. An example of this is point data representing people in a company with relationship classes showing the management chain (person A is related somehow to person B, and so on). A diagram can be generated to display this organizational hierarchy based on geodatabase relationship rules.
  • The Standard builder can also be used to generate schematic diagrams whose whole contents are built from custom queries. These custom queries can operate on any type of database. The main prerequisite for working with custom queries is that the data stored in the database must contain the information required for connectivity—that is, the information required to identify the origin (start) and extremity (end) of each link in the diagrams that will be generated. Structured Query Language (SQL) is used to write the queries needed to retrieve the desired data.

In this tutorial

This tutorial is dedicated to the configuration of the schematic builders. This configuration is done within the Schematic Dataset Editor, the utility used to edit and configure schematic datasets. The easiest way to learn about how to quickly configure one of the predefined schematic builders and test this configuration is to complete the exercises in this tutorial. Depending on the type of data you will be using as the input, you will need to go through exercises 1 and 2, then you may only need to focus on one of the exercises from 3 through 6.

• Exercise 1: Creating a schematic dataset—Explains how to create a schematic dataset
• Exercise 2: Editing a schematic dataset—Shows how to start the Schematic Dataset Editor and edit a schematic dataset with it
• Exercise 3: Quick-start guide for configuring the Standard builder to operate from GIS features organized into a geometric network—Explains the creation and configuration of a schematic diagram template to generate schematic diagrams from GIS data organized into a geometric network when they are highlighted in a map after a selection or trace operation
• Exercise 4: Quick-start guide for configuring the Network Dataset builder—Explains how to configure a schematic diagram template to generate diagrams from a solved network analysis layer
• Exercise 5: Quick-start guide for configuring the XML builder—Explains how to configure a schematic diagram template to generate diagrams from XML data
• Exercise 6: Quick-start guide for configuring the Standard builder to operate from custom queries—Explains the configuration of a schematic diagram template to generate a set of predefined schematic diagrams whose contents are entirely built from custom queries

Caution:

Exercises 3 through 6 can be done in any order after first completing exercises 1 and 2.

Note:

To use this tutorial, you need to have ArcGIS installed, including the Schematics extension, and have the tutorial data installed on a local or shared network drive on your system.