Essential Schematics vocabulary

The ArcGIS Schematics extension has specific concepts and definitions you need to know before you can configure the use of Schematics, generate schematic diagrams, or edit a diagram's layout. This document introduces this vocabulary:

Term	Description
Schematic dataset	A schematic dataset acts as the entry point for your schematic application. It is the core object that holds any schematic component. It contains a collection of schematic diagram templates and schematic feature classes that share the same application domain—for example, water or electrical. A schematic dataset also contains schematic diagrams that have been generated according to the rules and symbology set for their related schematic diagram template. These schematic diagrams can be organized and stored in schematic folders. A schematic dataset can reside in a personal, file, or ArcSDE geodatabase.
Schematic diagram template	A schematic diagram template holds the database and configuration properties defining the content and presentation of one or several schematic diagrams that will be generated. It holds the properties defining the representation of feature layers that compose the schematic diagrams and so behaves as the template for the display properties of specific schematic diagrams of a network. It allows you to generate a particular type of schematic diagram containing a set of expected types of schematic features. Typically, in the example of an electric network, a schematic diagram template can be defined for a schematic of primaries and switches, and another template can be defined for a schematic of the internal diagrams (inside plant) of the devices.
Schematic feature class	A schematic feature class allows implementation of a particular type of schematic features expected in diagrams implemented by a particular schematic diagram template. It is a collection of schematic features that share the same type of schematic features (nodes, links, and so on), the same geometry type (point, line, or polygon), and the same schematic attributes for a common area. A schematic feature class can be associated with one or several schematic diagram templates that implement schematic diagrams containing the schematic features implemented by this schematic feature class. It is assigned to one schematic dataset, although more than one schematic feature class can be defined for the same schematic dataset. Schematic feature classes always exist as physical feature classes in the schematic dataset and contain the schematic features they implement.
Schematic folder	A schematic folder is used to store a collection of schematic diagrams and can contain subfolders. It is strongly recommended to organize your schematic diagrams in schematic folders instead of keeping all of them at the schematic dataset root. When consuming diagrams through a Schematics service, performance and responsiveness are better when your diagrams are stored in schematic folders.
Schematic diagram	A schematic diagram is a set of schematic features (nodes, links, nodes on links, and sublinks) that has been generated using the Generate New Diagram command in ArcMap, the Create Diagram tool, or the ArcGIS Schematics API. It is displayed in a schematic layer, which is a composite layer composed of feature layers based on the schematic feature classes associated with the schematic diagram template. The content, symbology, and the way the schematic diagram is generated and displayed are configured in its schematic diagram template.
Schematic feature	Schematic features are implemented by a schematic feature class. These schematic features display in schematic diagrams that are generated/opened in ArcMap, previewed in ArcCatalog, or created/visualized via any application developed with the ArcGIS Schematics API. The schematic features contained in a schematic diagram are regrouped into feature layers. There is a feature layer for each schematic feature class that is associated with the diagram template that implements the diagram. Each feature layer has specific layer properties that control how to draw the related schematic features (in one symbol, showing categories, and so forth) or whether to label them, in the exact same way the display is controlled for standard geographic features. The default layer properties are set within Schematic Dataset Editor and assigned to the schematic diagram template.