Configuring the Standard builder to build diagrams from custom queries

When generating Standard builder diagrams whose contents are entirely built from custom queries, users have no particular input context to provide. In this case, the Standard builder works from custom queries that have been configured on the schematic feature classes associated with its diagram templates. These queries can be configured to operate from any type of databases from which they return record sets. Then the Standard builder operates from those record sets to build the associated schematic features expected in the generated schematic diagrams.

When the Standard builder operates from custom queries only, no particular property needs to be specified on the builder properties page. The configuration of the builder in this case mainly consists of the configuration of the custom query on each schematic feature class that participates in building the diagram content. A custom query is also often specified at the diagram template level when the Standard builder is expected to build several diagrams. The Configuring custom queries to generate the content of Standard schematic diagrams section below briefly explains how these queries need to be configured.

With Schematics versions prior to 10, the schematic diagrams whose contents were entirely built from custom queries were managed by a specific builder called Custom Query Based builder. With this builder, none of the schematic features contained in the Custom Query Based diagrams were stored in the schematic dataset—the queries configured on the schematic feature classes associated with diagram templates based on this builder were dynamically executed in memory at diagram generation and reexecuted each time the diagrams were reopened. With Schematics now, the Standard builder configured to generate such diagrams operates in the schematic dataset like any other predefined builder. At diagram generation, the schematic features built from the custom queries are stored in the schematic feature classes in the schematic dataset. When the schematic diagrams are reopened, their content comes directly from those schematic feature classes without automatically reexecuting the custom queries. However, you can force the reexecution of the custom queries each time the diagrams are displayed to mimic the behavior you had with previous Schematics versions. The Configuring dynamic Standard builder diagrams section below explains how to configure the automatic reexecution of the custom queries each time such diagrams are displayed.

Configuring custom queries to generate the content of Standard schematic diagrams

Configuring a query to generate a set of predefined diagrams

When it works from custom queries, the Standard builder can be configured to build a schematic diagram (a diagram that will contain all the expected data) or a set of predefined schematic diagrams (each diagram will contain filtered data [one diagram per county, one diagram per station, and so on]). When the Standard builder is supposed to implement several diagrams, you must configure the following on the diagram template:

1. The first step consists of specifying the query that will be used to return all the expected schematic diagram items. In the same configuration phase, you also have to specify how each diagram identifier will be built. All these parameters are configured in the Query/Identifier section of the Properties tab related to the schematic diagram template.

   Learn about specifying a schematic diagram template query and schematic diagram identifiers

2. The next step consists of creating the schematic attribute whose values will be used to filter out data per diagram. This attribute must be configured at the diagram template level. It is usually related to an ID or name field whose values are also available in the tables that will be queried to build the schematic features expected in each diagram (for example, the station or county name).

Note:

When the Standard builder is supposed to implement a diagram, the configuration phases explained above are not required.

Configuring the queries on the schematic feature classes associated with the Standard diagram template

The Standard builder will create the schematic features expected in a diagram from the custom queries configured on the schematic feature classes associated with the diagram template. The next configuration phase consists of creating and configuring these schematic feature classes. This phase comprises four steps:

1. Create the schematic feature classes.
2. Associate the schematic feature classes with the diagram template based on the Standard builder diagram template.
3. Then, on each associated schematic feature class, configure the query that is going to return the record set from which the Standard builder has to create the schematic features expected in each predefined diagram. You must also specify the way the identifier for each created schematic feature must be built. These parameters are configured in the Query section of the Properties tab related to the schematic feature class.

   Learn about specifying a schematic feature class query and schematic feature identifiers

4. The last step impacts only the link schematic feature classes. Schematics will be able to correctly generate the links contained in the schematic diagrams only after the ExtremityNode and OriginNode predefined attributes have been configured on each link schematic feature class. Those attributes must be created and configured to return the identifier of each link's origin and extremity nodes.

Configuring dynamic Standard builder diagrams

The schematic features created from the custom queries are all stored in the schematic feature classes in the schematic dataset when the diagram is generated. Then, each time the diagram is reopened, those custom queries are not executed anymore, by default—the diagram content is queried directly from the schematic feature classes in the schematic dataset. However, you can establish specific configurations so the diagrams are dynamically rebuilt each time they open. To configure such a dynamic mode, there are several parameters to set:

• You must configure the schematic diagram template so each diagram it implements is automatically loaded in memory when the diagram is opened.

  Learn about loading schematic diagrams automatically in memory

• You must configure each schematic feature class associated with the diagram template so its custom query is automatically reexecuted each time diagrams are loaded in memory.

  Learn about configuring dynamic custom queries on schematic feature classes

• You must configure the attributes specified on each schematic feature class associated with the diagram template so they are automatically reevaluated at diagram loading.

  Learn about configuring attributes so they are evaluated each time a diagram is loaded in memory

Note:

When Standard builder diagrams are configured in dynamic mode, the content of schematic feature classes in the schematic dataset is never reflected in the diagrams that open. In fact, even if at diagram generation/update schematic features are built and stored in the schematic feature classes in the schematic dataset, when the diagram is loaded in memory, the custom queries and attributes configured for the schematic feature classes are systematically reevaluated, and the diagrams that are displayed automatically reflect those new evaluation results.

Caution:

If you want to automate your schematic diagram contents using schematic rules, you must not configure this dynamic mode. Schematic rules don't process on schematic features coming from schematic feature classes with custom queries configured to be launched when the diagram is loaded; they only apply to schematic features coming from schematic feature classes with custom queries configured to be launched at diagram generation and update.