Terminology for working with network diagrams

There are terms associated with network diagrams that you need to know before working with them; for example, diagram template, diagram layer, diagram map, diagram features, diagram rule, diagram layout, diagram rule and layout definitions, diagram layer definition, and so on.

Diagram template

When you generate a diagram, you choose a template on which you want your diagram to be based. The diagram template contains the definitions of the diagram rules and layouts, and the definition of the diagram layer; that is, it holds the configuration properties defining the content (rule and layout definitions) and presentation (diagram layer definition) of network diagrams that will be generated.

The following three out-of-the-box diagram templates are installed by default when you create a utility network or trace network:

• Basic—This is the default template used to generate diagrams. Use this template to generate basic diagrams from the network elements currently selected in your map. A diagram feature is created for each selected network element. Any content features or objects represented in the diagram receive a diagram feature to represent the container.
• ExpandContainers—Use this template to generate diagrams with expanded containers represented by diagram polygon containers.
• CollapseContainers—Use this template to generate diagrams with collapsed containers represented by collapsed diagram junctions and collapsed diagram edges. A single diagram line or point feature represents a container and its set of content.

As the database and portal owner, you can create and configure your own diagram templates and delete those installed by default if needed.

Also, while defining the subnetworks related to a tier, you can assign one or more diagram templates to that tier. In this case, diagrams representing each tier subnetwork are automatically created or updated when running the Update Subnetwork tool. These particular diagrams are called subnetwork system diagrams.

Learn about subnetwork diagram templates

Diagram rule and layout definitions

The diagram rule and layout definitions are set up on a diagram template. They specify how the diagrams are built based on that template; for example:

• The details of the diagram rules that are used to build the content of the diagrams
• The list of the diagram layouts that can be run on the diagram features (whether those layouts are automatically run when the diagram is being created or not)

Diagram rule and layout definitions allow the generation of a particular type of network diagram that contains a set of expected types of diagram features. For example, you can set up a diagram template for a schematic of primaries and switches, another for a schematic of the internal diagrams of the devices, another for each circuit, another for single lines, and so on.

Learn more about network diagram building

Learn more about how to manage rule and layout definitions on your templates

Diagram layer definition

The diagram layer definition is set up on a diagram template. It specifies the representation of feature layers that compose the diagram layers; that is, the representation of the layers under the network diagram layers. It behaves as the template for the display properties of specific diagrams of the network.

Learn more about network diagram layer and diagram layer definition concepts

Default diagram template

The default diagram template is the one at the top of the diagram template list that opens when you click the New drop-down arrow on the Utility Network or Trace Network tab.

It is also the one selected by default in this list when you start any new ArcGIS Pro session. As the one selected in the list, it is the active template used by default to generate your diagram if you click New without picking any other template in this list. If you pick another template in the list to generate a new diagram, it becomes the new selected template in the list and the default template for any new diagram generated.

Network diagrams

Network diagrams are representations of network features or network objects that participate in the utility network or trace network.

They contain diagram junctions, edges, and containers that are related to utility network or trace network elements. A network diagram is based on a diagram template. Most often, it is displayed in a diagram map as a diagram layer, and that layer renders based on a diagram layer definition. Any newly generated network diagram is temporary by default and flagged in the database to be discarded when its last diagram map view closes. As needed, you can store a network diagram in the database by clicking the Store Diagram button .

This allows you to use the diagram in more than one ArcGIS Pro session and open it from the Find Diagrams pane.

During its life cycle, a network diagram may become inconsistent regarding the network topology space. To make an inconsistent diagram return to a consistent state, you can update the diagram. Updating a diagram synchronizes its content with the network features and objects so changes on these network elements are reflected in the diagram.

Diagram layer

The diagram layer is a composite layer that contains feature layers that are joins between network diagram feature classes and their associated network source classes or object tables.

Learn more about diagram layers

Diagram map

A diagram map is a canvas on which a network diagram displays by default. When a new diagram is created, it opens in a diagram map view and a diagram map project item appears on the Catalog pane. Diagram maps can be saved with the project. As with any other map, you can have several map views related to a diagram map. However, for this particular type of map, closing the last map view of a diagram map removes the related diagram map item from the project's Maps list.

Subnetwork system diagram

A subnetwork system diagram is a network diagram representing a subnetwork. Subnetwork system diagrams are fully managed behind the scenes by the Update Subnetwork tool; that is, the tool creates, updates, and deletes the diagram.

Learn more about subnetwork system diagrams

Diagram graph and top graph of diagrams

During network diagram building, the system manages a diagram graph, which is composed of containers and junctions that are connected by edges. Depending on the rules specified on the related diagram template, this diagram graph can change several times, such as after each diagram rule runs, or when diagram features have been removed, added, or aggregated in the diagram graph. At the end of the diagram building process, the final diagram graph is the network diagram itself.

The top graph of a diagram is the diagram graph in which each container is considered a whole junction. It is very similar to what the network diagram looks like when all its diagram containers are collapsed.

Diagram features

A network diagram contains three types of features: diagram junctions, diagram edges, and diagram containers. These diagram features represent network elements; that is, network features or network objects.

Diagram junctions

Diagram junctions are depicted using symbol point geometry and represent the following network elements:

• Point features, such as valves, transformers, switches, and connection points
• Junction objects
• System junctions and system junction objects
• Particular edges that are reduced as junctions in the diagrams
• Polygon features that are collapsed as points in the diagram; for example, boundary structures such as pumping stations or electric substations

These sample diagram junctions are network point features and system junctions.

These sample diagram junctions represent a reduced busbar and a collapsed structure boundary.

Diagram edges

Diagram edges are depicted as line geometry and represent the following network elements:

• Line features
• Edge objects
• Junction-junction connectivity associations
• Structural attachments that are not represented in the network map
• Reduction edges that aggregate several network elements in the network diagram

These sample diagram edges are network line features and connectivity associations.

These sample diagram edges represent structural attachments and reduction edges.

Diagram containers

Diagram containers represent network features or junction objects that contain other network features or network objects, including the following:

• Point junctions such as structure junctions, assemblies, or particular point devices
• Junction objects such as structure junction objects
• Polygon structure boundaries

They are depicted as polygon geometry regardless of the geometry of the related network features they represent. Diagram container geometry is computed so the container always draws around its contents.

Learn more about containers in network diagrams

Diagram rule

A diagram rule is a specific task that runs on the initial diagram content to build the final diagram content during network diagram generation or update. Rules can be used to discard certain network elements, add extra network features or network objects (through connectivity, for example), and simplify diagram content by aggregating network elements (reduction rules and collapse rules, for example). Diagram rules are also used to configure specific flags, such as root junctions in diagrams.

Learn more about diagram building

A diagram rule is configured on the diagram template to be run for each diagram based on that template at its generation and update. Several rules can be configured on a template. They are chained in their entry sequence order, with rule 1 running on the diagram features initially built from the set of network features or network objects used as input and rule N on the diagram features resulting from running rule (N-1).

Learn more about diagram rules

Diagram layout

A diagram layout is an algorithm that is used to clarify and normalize spacing between diagram features.

This sample diagram layout is obtained using the Square Edges layout chained after the Grid layout.

This sample diagram layout is obtained using the Smart Tree layout.

This sample diagram layout is obtained using the Force Directed layout.

Diagram layouts can be run on the fly on either the entire content or parts of a network diagram that are currently displayed in a diagram map view. A diagram layout can also be configured on the diagram template to be automatically run at diagram generation. Several layouts can be configured on a template to be automatically run, each in turn, in their entry sequence order, each time a diagram based on the template is generated.

Learn more about diagram layouts