Pidpa chose to use ArcIMS and created a site named GeoLink as the central application to retrieve GIS data linked to corporate data. An ArcIMS site can be easily accessed from any network PC with a Web browser without additional software, is easy to maintain and expand, provides fast access to all data, and has a flexible licensing structure. The GeoLink application is HTTP based, and additional development was done in JavaScript and Active Server Pages.

Pidpa uses SAP for its enterprise resource planning (ERP). Therefore, at the ERP end, the standard SAPGui was chosen for interfacing. The interfaces are based on the SAP DCOM connector. SAP DCOM connector is migrated to the SAP .NET connector for optimal use in a Windows XP environment.

The link between GIS and other information systems, such as SAP, is established by using identifier attributes. Some examples are

GIS –> SAP: Retrieve Maintenance Orders
This interface works on a selection of one or more consumer connection points in the GeoLink ArcIMS application. Each connection point feature has an attribute that contains the connection ID that is also used as a partner in SAP. When the selection is active, a SAP interface button is displayed and uses the connection IDs as parameters for an ABAP function that calls transaction IW39 where a list of orders is displayed.

GIS –> SAP: Retrieve Maintenance Orders at the Street Level
This interface is similar to the interface above but works at the street level instead of as consumer connection points. It is used by selecting one street name in the GeoLink ArcIMS application. Each street name line feature has an attribute that contains the street connection ID. With this street connection ID all separate connection IDs that occur on that street can be retrieved via an interface to the CIS on the mainframe. Interface 1 is subsequently used to pass the connection IDs to the SAPGui and display all maintenance orders as parameters for an ABAP function that calls transaction IW39, where a list of orders is displayed.

GIS –> SAP
Several infrastructure features that exist in the GIS also exist as functional locations in SAP. Examples are water towers, water production centers, pumping stations, etc. This interface can be used

• By selecting an infrastructure such as a water tower point feature that contains a functional location ID that references SAP. When the feature is selected, a SAP interface button allows this parameter to pass to SAP and display the functional location in transaction IH01.
• By using the SAP interface tool as a hyperlink tool and just clicking on a functional location feature. The result is the same.

GIS –> SAP
When a substantial problem occurs on the drinking water network, a marker in the form of a calamity point is made. When one or more calamity point features are selected, the attribute order number that references a SAP order is used as a parameter to an ABAP function that calls transaction IW33.

GIS –> CIS Intranet
Every consumer connection point has an attribute containing the connection ID. By using the standard hyperlink functionality of ArcIMS, a scanned sketch of the way the house connection is constructed can be retrieved from the CIS Intranet. The Intranet has archive Web pages that allow passing a connection ID as a parameter via the URL to retrieve an overview of documents linked to that connection ID.

GIS –> CIS
Select a street name in the GeoLink ArcIMS application. The attribute street connection ID from the street name line feature can be used to retrieve all connection IDs in that street and display the customer information (name, address, telephone number, etc.) from those connection IDs from the CIS. The information is displayed in tabular format within the browser.

SAP –> GIS
Using user enhancement IWO10018, an extra tab page was added to the order display. On this page the SAP HTML control is used to display the GeoLink application. A partner number from the order is passed via the URL to position the map to the relevant location.

GIS –> SCADA
Select a water tower in the GeoLink ArcIMS application. The attribute SCADA ID can be used in the standard hyperlink functionality to be passed via a URL to the SCADA Web application and to display the real-time water level of the chosen water tower in a browser window. There's also a button to display the short-term history of the water level.

For more information, contact Bart Reynaert or Ren� Horemans, Pidpa (e-mail: gis@pidpa.be).

See also "Pidpa Successfully Implements ArcGIS and SAP Software."