Note:
Nonspatial junction and edge objects are available with Utility Network version 4 and later.
Junction and edge objects are nonspatial network objects used to model and work with a large number of real-world features that share a common geographical space, for example, the strands inside of a fiber cable or conductors in an underground duct. This allows organizations to model their network in more detail without the need to create features with shapes for every asset.
Junction and edge objects are unique among tables in that they support connectivity with other features and can act as a container (such as a switch box that contains multiple ports). Associations are used to model connectivity, containment, and structural attachment between junction objects, edge objects, and other features in the network.
The structure and domain networks that comprise the utility network include two additional tables to model nonspatial objects.
- EdgeObject
- JunctionObject
- StructureEdgeObject
- StructureJunctionObject
One of the primary capabilities that expose the power of the utility network is the ability to model assets as they appear on the ground with a high degree of realism. Rows in both the JunctionObject and EdgeObject attribute tables participate in the network topology in the same way as spatial features to enable analytic capabilities such as tracing and diagrams.
In industries such as electric, gas, or water, junction and edge objects can be used to model underground structures such as the conduits, ducts, and inner ducts that represent the hierarchy of underground structures necessary to maintain cables and pipes. Asset modeling is not limited to simple representation of devices, cables, pipes, and so on; it also includes how they can be used for analysis.
Consider the example of telecom cables and the individual strands of fiber that exist in each cable. Telecom cables can contain thousands of fiber strands that transport data through the network. With assets such as these, it is necessary to model each individual strand, since each customer service may only use one or two. These nonspatial objects allow additional levels of granularity to be modeled effectively in this scenario. Representing thousands of fiber strands as spatial features could prove to be problematic, as you would have to work with stacked geometry, which would negate the value of spatial representation.
When modeling network features that contain multiple levels of granularity, such as in an underground electric or telecom network, you have to consider that large hierarchies of equipment exist at both the substation (for example, rack, device, slot, card, and port) and cable level (for example, cable, buffer tube, and strand). Only the highest-level asset in the hierarchy must be represented as a feature with a shape, while all the other assets can be represented in a tabular format as either a junction or edge object associated with the spatial feature. In the previously mentioned example, the telecom cable could be modeled as a line feature and serve as a container for the fiber strand content represented as edge objects. The line feature is used to display a spatial location for the fiber strands to the user.
Locatability
Nonspatial objects are added to the network topology when the network topology is enabled or during validation through an association with a spatial feature in the association hierarchy.
Associations are used to determine the location of, and visually represent, nonspatial objects on a map. For example, a port modeled as a nonspatial junction object can be associated with a switch device as content in a containment association. If the association is deleted, or does not exist when the network topology is enabled, this can create a scenario in which the port is unlocatable.
The locatability of nonspatial objects is important because spatial features provide a mechanism to create dirty areas and validate edits made to nonspatial objects to update the network topology. Junction and edge objects are locatable when they are contained by or structurally attached to a feature within their containment or attachment hierarchy. Edge objects may also be located when associated with a junction at its endpoints or in situations where the edge object is associated with a locatable junction object (through a junction-edge or junction-edge midspan connectivity association).
Note:
While nonspatial objects are added to the network topology during the enable operation, it is important to note that they are considered unlocatable if they do not have a necessary association with another feature or locatable object.No dirty areas are created when edits are made to an object that is not locatable. As a result, these edits are not reflected in the network topology. Updates such as network attribute edits require you to disable and enable the network topology to reflect the changes. The Trace and Set Subnetwork Definition tools provide a Validate Locatability option to identify objects traversed during a trace that are not locatable through a containment, attachment, or connectivity association in their association hierarchy. When unlocatable objects are discovered, the tools return an error that includes the class name and global id of the objects for inspection.
To learn more, see Ensure locatability of nonspatial objects.