Quick start configuration for Transportation

Anyone that has their GIS data in a network dataset can very quickly and easily setup and configure a schematic dataset to be able to generate diagrams from their underlying data. Due to the major changes in this release, symbology and labeling issues of the past are gone, so configuration is easy. You can have a dataset ready for diagram generation in just a couple of minutes now, just follow this simple 6 step program...

1. Use Catalog to right-click the desired geodatabase, in which the schematic dataset will be created (or create a new geodatabase), and choose New > Schematic Dataset from the pop-up menu.

2. Change the schematic dataset name if desired.

3. Right-click the schematic dataset and choose Edit... from the pop-up menu. Schematic Dataset Editor opens.

4. Click the New Schematic Diagram Template button on the Schematic Dataset Editor toolbar.

5. Change the name of the template (if desired) and pick Network Dataset Builder in the Schematic Builder section, then click OK.

6. Click Save on the Schematic Dataset Editor toolbar.

That is it. Open your mxd, create and solve a route, service area etc... and generate a diagram.

Once generated, you can use core symbology and labeling in ArcMap, just like regular feature layers (because the schematic objects are now just features). Note that you may want to use a join to get back to all the attributes of the 'real' network dataset features. Once you get the symbology and labeling the way you want it, you can save off the layer file from your diagram. Then you can either import that to other diagrams you create, or you can edit your schematic dataset again and import that as your 'default' symbology for the diagram template. Anyone that generates a diagram using that template will now get the symbology and labeling that was setup. This is very useful for companies that have to report to multiple agencies or you use contract companies for labor and those agencies/companies all have different standards for the look and feel. You can setup a layer file for each agency/company. Then your users just generate a diagram, import the correct layer file and print it. Simple... and this was near impossible to do without a lot of customization in 9.3.1 and below! You can start a schematic edit session and apply a smart-tree algorithm to a route diagram and immediately get a nice 'straight-line' diagram like you see above the doorway on busses, trains, etc.