While defining the subnetworks related to a utility network tier, the system allows you to assign one or more diagram templates to the tier. Then, when the diagram templates have been set up, running the Update Subnetwork tool on that utility network tier updates attributes, classes, and tables for the related specified subnetworks in the database, as well as builds system diagrams based on each of those assigned diagram templates to diagrammatically represent each related specified subnetwork.
Subnetwork diagram template specifics
System diagram generation occurs at the end of each subnetwork update process. A subnetwork trace is run in memory to retrieve all the network elements and connectivity associations related to the newly built subnetwork. This set of network elements is then provided as input for generation of the subnetwork system diagram. For this reason, diagram templates specified as subnetwork diagram templates for tiers must be considered as specific templates.
The three out-of-the-box diagram templates provided by default with the utility network at its creation—Basic, Expand Containers, and Collapse Containers—are not best suited for assignment as subnetwork diagram templates for utility network tiers. It is strongly recommended that you design your own subnetwork diagram templates and ensure your template settings obey the following design rules:
- Do not set up an Add Connectivity Associations Rule when configuring such a diagram template, since connectivity associations are already part of the input network elements provided for subnetwork diagram generations. Addition of this rule will impact performance of the update subnetwork process.
- Since a subnetwork system diagram represents a subnetwork, avoid configuring its template with diagram rules that could add network elements that belong to other subnetworks when the diagram is built, such as Trace, Spatial Query, and Expand Containers rules.
- On the other hand, to avoid creation of subnetwork system diagrams that strictly represent network elements in the subnetwork and don't provide more value than subnetwork traces do, set up subnetwork diagram templates with diagram rules that will simplify the subnetwork representation, such as Reduce Junction, Reduce Edge, and Collapse Containers rules.
Design subnetwork diagram templates
In summary, when designing subnetwork diagram templates, avoid using diagram rules that will slow down the update subnetwork process in addition to denaturing the resulting subnetwork diagram. Instead, consider diagram rules that will help build system diagrams to show simplified and readable representations of subnetworks.
The table below lists the configuration geoprocessing tools recommended for use when designing diagram templates that will be specified as subnetwork diagram templates for tiers, as well as those that should be avoided:
| Not recommended for subnetwork diagram template configuration | Recommended for subnetwork diagram template configuration |
|---|---|
Add Connectivity Associations Rule Add Expand Container Rule and Add Expand Container By Attribute Rule | Add Diagram Feature Capability By Attribute Rule Add Collapse Container Rule and Add Collapse Container By Attribute Rule Add Reduce Junction Rule and Add Reduce Junction By Attribute Rule |
Tip:
You should also consider adding diagram layouts on these specific templates so the subnetwork system diagrams generated are automatically laid out during the building process.