Mapcapture Interface User Guide v4 - Bentley · Mapcapture Interface User Guide v4.5.docx Ade...

© Exor Corporation Ltd 2008 All rights reserved of 27

Mapcapture Interface User Guide v4.5


Contents

1 Document Control ............................................................................................................... 3 1.1 Author ........................................................................................................................................................ 3 1.2 Document Summary .................................................................................................................................. 3 1.3 Document History ....................................................................................................................................... 3 1.4 Reference documents ................................................................................................................................ 3 1.5 Distribution ................................................................................................................................................. 3 1.6 Quality Assurance ...................................................................................................................................... 3

2 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 5

3 Asset Shapefiles .................................................................................................................. 6 3.1 Files ........................................................................................................................................................... 6 3.2 Naming convention .................................................................................................................................... 6 3.3 Attribute mapping ....................................................................................................................................... 7 3.4 Network locations ....................................................................................................................................... 7

4 FTP Transfers ..................................................................................................................... 8

5 Asset Shapefile Extract ....................................................................................................... 9 5.1 Locator Extract ........................................................................................................................................... 9 5.2 Bulk Download Extract ............................................................................................................................. 11

6 Asset Shapefile Editing ...................................................................................................... 16 6.1 Shapefile Format ...................................................................................................................................... 16

7 Asset File Loader .............................................................................................................. 20 7.1 Bulk Upload .............................................................................................................................................. 20

8 Process Automation .......................................................................................................... 23 8.1 Automated Asset Downloads ................................................................................................................... 24 8.2 Automated Asset Loading ........................................................................................................................ 25

8.2.1 Polling FTP process .................................................................................................................. 25 8.2.2 Spawned Loading process ........................................................................................................ 25

9 Issues and FAQ ................................................................................................................. 27


1 Document Control

1.1 Author

Ade Edwards

1.2 Document Summary

This document provides instructions for using Mapcapture Interface.

1.3 Document History

Document History

Revision Date By Description

1.0 11-May-2010 Ade Edwards Initial Version

2.0 Nov 2010 Ade Edwards Updated to 4.3

3.0 May 2011 Ian Skinner No changes to 4.4

4.0 Nov 2011 Ian Skinner No Changes to 4.5

1.4 Reference documents

N.A.

1.5 Distribution

Exor development staff

1.6 Quality Assurance

Document Details

File Prepared By

Mapcapture Interface User Guide v4.5.docx

Ade Edwards

Document Name Reviewed By

Mapcapture Interface User Guide v4.5 Rob Coupe, Julian Earnshaw

Version Approved for issue by

1.0 Rob Coupe

File Name

Document Centre/Exor/Product Manuals/4.5.0.0 Product Manuals/4.5.0.0 completed documentation/Mapcapture Interface User v4.5.docx


2 Introduction

Mapcapture Interface is a product which (currently) is only shipped to TFL. MCi was originally based on the Mapcapture loader which is used at Larimer. The main difference is that the Larimer loader uses CSV files and MCi uses Shapefiles. There are two main areas of functionality – an Asset Shapefile Extract and an Asset Shapefile Loader. TFL tend to run a bulk job each night to download all of their shapefiles into areas on their FTP site(s) for contractors to pickup. They take these files and either load them into Mapcapture, or into another 3

rd party

application like ArcMap, and perform edits on the assets. These are then saved and deposited back onto an FTP site. The users of Highways at TFL then pick these files up via the application and load them in.


3 Asset Shapefiles

3.1 Files

The shapefile and associated files are typically

DBF file contains the Attribute data. LOG file is produced from the MCi process. PRJ file is a Projection file, and will only be present if the layers are using a SRID. SHP is the binary shapefile. SHX is the shapefile index file.

At the very least MCi requires a DBF, SHP and SHX file to load.

3.2 Naming convention

The shapefile and associated files MUST be named as following otherwise you will have difficulties when it comes to loading. 20100513085447_TFL_NI_HIGHWAYS

The first part of the filename is the date and time and is set at the time of extract out of Highways or

Mapcapture itself. i.e. 20100513 < Date element 085447 < Time (with seconds) The second part is the Admin Unit code and this is based on the user logged into the system when

extracting. i.e. TFL or AMY or RJS. The third part is the 2 character Asset Type.

i.e. NI CW SB The final part is the Username

i.e. HIGHWAYS Followed by the file extension.


3.3 Attribute mapping

To allow compatibility with later versions of Esri SDE (i.e. 9.2 and 9.3.1) attribute mapping files are needed during the upload and download process to map certain column names (i.e. SECTION, OWNER, LINK) which are deemed to be Oracle keywords and rejected by the Esri loading utilities which MCi plugs into. To reduce the impact and to maintain the same file specification across MCi and Mapcapture client, the attribute mapping files are generated during the extract and loading process automatically.

3.4 Network locations

A network location on the shapefile is now an optional field. You can load and extract files without a network reference, however you will need to perform a Refresh of the Layer (using MCP0300 – Maintain Layers module) to ensure the extract view is compatible.


4 FTP Transfers

When Shapefiles are extracted and loaded into the system, then can be transferred to and from one or many FTP site locations if required. TFL choose to work like this, but other customers who may want MCi in the future may not want to use this functionality. It can be switched off by using the MCP product option “DOMCPFTP”. The files can be FTP transferred to a location after the Extract process (for external contractors to pickup) and they can also be deposited on FTP sites for the Load process to pick them up. The FTP metadata can be maintained via HIG0200 using an FTP type of “MCP”. Full details are in the “Mapcapture Interface Configuration Guide”.


5 Asset Shapefile Extract

The shapefiles can either be downloaded from Locator (NM0572) from within Asset Manager or Bulk Download (MCP0100) from within Mapcapture product.

5.1 Locator Extract

Select assets for download, and use the “Select To” box to send the assets to the download function (defined via Theme functions)


This is an example of downloading multiple Assets into a shapefile. Assuming the configuration is correct, the files are then FTP‟d onto the desired location.

This asset shapefile can then be picked up by the contractor. The shapefiles are also archived into the archive directory as defined in the FTP metadata (see configuration guide for full details) –


5.2 Bulk Download Extract

The user can download many different asset types in bulk using MCP0100. The can optionally add a basic ROI condition. This module is found under the Mapcapture product on the Launchpad –

Here is an example of Bulk Download. Performance will vary depending on the ROI (or lack of) and the number of asset items.


A log is available for each file extracted, and this is based on the output of the Esri SDE2SHP command executed on the server.


The output files will be available on the FTP site (or database server if FTP is not configured).


If archive locations are defined, copies of the files will also be there.


This is a diagram to represent the process flow of an Export using MCI. The end user (inspector) would have to connect to the FTP to manually find the files and download them to his/her device.

1. Select Assets for

Download

2. Downloaded to Database Server 3. Transferred to FTP Site

4. Inspector picks up the Shapefiles


6 Asset Shapefile Editing

Once the contractors have picked up the shapefiles, they can go ahead and edit them using either Mapcapture, or an application like ArcMap.

6.1 Shapefile Format

Here is a typical example of the format of an Asset shapefile. There are a number of fixed attributes, i.e. Asset ID, XSP, Start Date, Asset Type, Network Location and Shape. The Asset flexible attributes are defined as ATR_<n>. This may appear a little confusing, but we are

restricted to 10 character attribute names in DBF files, so this method produces valid attribute names. BS - Bus Shelters asset


The shapefile can be dragged into ArcMap and edited (to mimic what Mapcapture does). Once the file is opened, locate your asset and highlight it. Use the Editor menu to start editing the shape and attributes.

Perform a reshape if desired –


From the image above, the following key columns have to be set -

1. EDITMODE – must be either „M‟ – modification (with Asset History), „C‟ – Correction (without Asset

History) or „I‟ for insert. 2. SUR_DATE – must be set to the Survey Date i.e. today or whenever the Asset was surveyed. 3. SUR_TIME – must be set to the Survey Time i.e. the time in which it was surveyed. 4. Modifying the ATR_<n> must be done with care – domain values and lookups are only available in

Mapcapture by virtue of the PEDIF file. 5. If you are doing an „I‟ – Insert, you must set INV_ID to -1.


Once you have finished editing the feature and attributes, save the edits.

This is the editing complete.


7 Asset File Loader

7.1 Bulk Upload

The files must be deposited on the FTP site for the MCP0200 module to pick up. This can load a single Asset shapefile, or a batch of many shapefiles. The shapefiles must be consistent in terms of Admin Unit code, and there is security in the form to prevent users from loading files they have no permission to load. Once loaded, the status of the Batch can be checked –

This output shows the SDE upload log on the bottom left panel, and the Asset loader on the bottom right panel. If the SDE upload fails, the Asset loader will not start. From this example it shows the 1 Asset edited in a shapefile being processed, and the other 33 left in the holding table unprocessed.


The asset can then be queried and checked in the Map to ensure the edit has gone through OK.


Here is a simple diagram to show the process flow of the Upload.

3. Downloaded to Database Server

2. FTP Site

1. Inspector carried out survey, deposits

files onto the FTP Site

4. Shapefile(s) picked up and loaded

into Exor

.


8 Process Automation

In 4.0.5.2 the Extract and Upload of Asset shapefiles were trigger by users in Highways running the processes from the forms. In 4.2.1.0 the process can be fully automated. Here is a simple diagram to show the changes in terms of Uploading Asset shapfiles –

FTP Site “Drop Box”

Shapefile

Loader Asset Loader

Inspectors PC

Process Automation Framework

Alert Manager

Provides feedback to the

user at various stages

Files from FTP site are picked up at a regular

interval and a load process is spawned.

Exor Highways

Upload of Asset Shapefiles via Automated MCi

MCi Loader

User drops files onto FTP

Site


8.1 Automated Asset Downloads

A MCi Extract process type is shipped with MCi at 4.2.1.0. This is a process that will call a package to extract ALL asset types at a set interval – likely to be once a day (midnight). This is shipped as metadata, so it will need submitting as a process to kick it off.

The Process Monitor can be used to check the processes have executed OK, and some high level feedback is provided. To check on the download process in detail, press the “More Details..” button for each Process Execution – this will launch the “Bulk Download” module in MCi.

The files will either be deposited on the FTP site or the database server depending on settings. The process will ONLY run as the Highways owner – and this has been agreed to be acceptable by TFL even though it‟s a departure from how the currently work.


8.2 Automated Asset Loading

This is a slightly more complicated process which involves –

8.2.1 Polling FTP process A process called “MCi File Move” will run at a certain interval and will poll the incoming FTP areas.

If files are found, they are FTP‟d to the Upload area on the DB server, and a Load process is automatically spawned. If no files are found, the FTP process will simply do nothing.

8.2.2 Spawned Loading process If the parent FTP “MCi File Move” process finds files and transfers them successfully, a Loader process will be spawned.


The load process is logged at a high level in the Monitor Processes form. The “More Details” button will take you to the MCP0200 module for more information –


9 Issues and FAQ

Mapcapture Interface User Guide v4 - Bentley · Mapcapture Interface User Guide v4.5.docx Ade...

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