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Utility Data Management Support tools - March 2022 Update

By Mike Miller

Yes, it is April and we are sharing the March update of the tools.  We had a few last minute items to button up, but the wait was worth it.  We made some amazing improvements to the tools and added some new tools that I think you will like.  For a complete list, see the change log below, but wanted to discuss a few highlights.  If your are unfamiliar with these tools, start out but reading the following previous articles:

Build Starting Points

This tool generates the data for the Batch Trace tool.  Previously, the input supported only the Starting Point layer or table schema, but what if you want to trace all your data and see that results?  So we added support for a line layer as the input and the tools will use the centroid of each feature as the starting location.  I added a scenario to the change log that discusses how this and other new options can be used.  We also got feedback that the output should not be a table, but a point feature class and we agree.  Working with points on a map is so much easier than just flat data in a table, so the output now includes geometry.

Update Data Sources

One of the more popular tools in this toolset.  This update includes the ability to change the maps spatial reference.  The tool looks at all the layers and finds the most common spatial reference and sets the map to that.

Asset Package Rename Report

Similar to the Asset Package Configuration Report we included in the previous release, this tool generates a report of the results of selecting a rename value when applying an asset package.  This report makes it easy to review the new nomenclature with stakeholders to ensure the resulting Utility Network meets their expectations.

Change Log

Asset Package Configuration Report

  • Added new parameter to select a Rename value.

Asset Package Rename Report

  • A new tool to compare rename entries in the Asset Package. Very helpful to see the result of applying an asset package and selecting a rename table.

Batch Trace

  • Option to skip calculation of values on the starting points.
  • Bug fixes and improvements for calculations on services and child versions.

Build Starting Points

  • Support of layers and views for the starting points parameters.
  • Starting points parameter now supports lines layers. The midpoint of a line is used to generate the starting location to trace from. Parameter display updated to Starting Points or Line Layer.
  • Expression exposed to filter inputs, this may be removed in a future version, please filter the input layer or view.
  • Filter Classes parameter added to filter results that are added to the output class.
  • Result is now a feature class and stores geometry of the starting locations.
  • A new parameter, Compare Output Name Field, was added to support comparing the value to existing records for an update vs an insert.
  • A new parameter, Skip Found Features, added to skip starting locations that were returned in a previous trace. This is useful when specifying a line layer as a Start Point input. The following scenario explains how to use this parameter.

In an electric network, I want to use the build starting points to identify section devices.

  • First, I add a trace configuration that uses a find connected trace, that stops at open devices and devices with a section device category. I also add an output filter to the section device category and a category to identify the MV lines.
  • Second, I select all MV lines and use that as in the Starting Point or Line Layer input in Build Starting Points.
  • Select Skip Found Features and add ElectricLines as a filterclass.
  • This trace will loop over every selected line and place a starting point at the centroid. The result from a trace will return switches, fuses and the MV lines. The tool stores the ID of those MV lines and if a line was returned already, that line is not traced again, as it would result in the same section devices.

Configure UN Layers

  • A new option was added that will add an Arcade expression to the popup to traverse the subnetwork table to find all adjacent and parent subnetworks.

Create Association Lines

  • Resulting geometry now includes Z information.

Create Utility Network System Table Views

  • Added System Junctions and Dirty Areas to the output, not support services.

Extract Logs from REST

  • Resolved bugs where sites had multiple servers.

Generate Reporting GDB

  • New tool to create a SQLite/Mobile GDB with the Utility Network classes and information for reporting. Domain and Subtype descriptions are stored as both the original code and as descriptions. This is a prototype and we are evaluating adding views to support different reporting needs.

Update Data Sources

  • A new option was added to update the map spatial reference to that of the most common spatial reference in the target layers.

Thank you for your feedback and please log any issues you encounter in our repo with the tools.

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