Support FAQ 1

Sam Pless

Support FAQ

• Trying something new• Very open format• Some of the most common questions we get for

WindMilMap support• Ask questions about anything in WindMilMap,

SmartLynk

Table Of Contents• What happens when I call for support? • What makes up the Milsoft Server Database? • Difference between a Feature Class and a Layer• Definition of terms• Other Resources for Help• Continuous Mode• Can I load a PDF file into ESRI as a layer? • How do I copy data from one layer to another? • Why is there no data in my Attribute Table? • How do I get data from WindMil to the ESRI Attribute table?• How to create a new assembly for a Pole? • Create a symbol for a new assembly

Table of Contents• I get an error in ArcCatalog when importing spatial reference.• How to Create Local Linked Model• How to create new WindMilMap Geodatabase• When adding a new pole type, how do I make it look like it does in WindMil? • How do I edit my Consumer name so I see more than the last 3 digits? • What are GUIDs? • Difference between Add Before and Add After• Difference between Back Feed and Change Feed• Q&A

What happens when I call for support?• We log into LifeLine.• We create a case.• We set Status, Name, Found In Release.• Product Category• Product• Duration• Subject• Description• Resolution

What makes up the Milsoft Server Database?

• Milsoft Server/ Milsoft Database– Is not a Server Application– Is made up of two folders

• .wm- contains the section database- contains database settings

• Eqdb- contains the equipment database- must be partnered with .wm

• Every .wm has to have an eqdb.

Difference between a Feature Class and a Layer• Feature Class

– In ArcGIS, a collection of geographic features with the same geometry type (such as point, line, or polygon), the same attributes, and the same spatial reference. Feature classes can be stored in geodatabases, shapefiles, coverages, or other data formats. Feature classes allow homogeneous features to be grouped into a single unit for data storage purposes. For example, highways, primary roads, and secondary roads can be grouped into a line feature class named "roads."

• Layer– In ArcGIS, a reference to a data source, such as a shapefile, coverage, geodatabase feature class, or raster, that

defines how the data should be symbolized on a map. Layers can also define additional properties, such as which features from the data source are included. Layers can be stored in map documents (.mxd) or saved individually as layer files (.lyr).

• A Feature Class stores the data where a Layer is how the data is symbolized.– Definitions where found at support.esri.com

Definition of terms

• Elements– Elements are what Milsoft calls anything viewable in the View Area. – Example: OHlines are elements where the Conductor is not an element.

• Geodatabase– In a geodatabase, a collection of feature classes stored together so they can participate in

topological relationships with one another. All the feature classes in a feature dataset must share the same spatial reference; that is, they must have the same coordinate system, and their features must fall within a common geographic area.

- Definition found at support.esri.com

• External Tables– Are tables that store data that WindMil does not need to do analysis – Typically are Access tables, but can be other databases.

Other Resources for Help

• Milsoft Forum – Managed by Milsoft– http://milsoft.com/forums.php

• Milsoft Users Forum – Managed by the Milsoft User Advisory Board– http://www.milsoftusers.com

• ESRI Support– http://support.esri.com/

How to turn on Continuous Mode

• Select your tool. • Then select the double blue arrows.• Why use Continuous Mode?

– So you can add the same element by only clicking your mouse

– Mostly used when adding Lines to the model

Instead of using Continuous Mode to add lines

• Use the ESRI tool for Arc.

• Use ESRI Draw tool for Line.

• Use ESRI Trace tool.

Can I load a PDF file into ESRI as a layer?

• No, not as a layer in ESRI• But you can as an image in Layout view

How do I copy data from one layer to another?

• Select the elements you want to copy.• Click on the copy button.• Change your Target: to the feature class to

which you want to add the data. • Then click on the Past button.

Why is there no data in my Attribute Table?• The Milsoft Database/Server stores most of the data.

• WindMilMap feature classes, by default, only contain three fields:- Object ID- WindMil GUID- Shape- Lines have a length field

• The WindMil GUID field contains a unique identifier used to link to the Milsoft model.

• Additional fields may produce duplicate data but can be pushed to the database from the Milsoft model. Pushing data to the geodatabase does not keep the data up-to-date!

How do I get data from WindMil to the ESRI Attribute Table?

• There is a Manual Push called “Update WindMil Feature Class in the Geodatabase” and now an Auto Update called SmartLynk.

• SmartLynk will push data to a standalone Geodatabase.

• The Manual push allows you to push data to the Geodatabase you are working o

Update WindMil Feature Class in the Geodatabase• Allows you to push

data from WindMil or External Tables to the Geodatabase

• Remembers the settings from the last push

• Both ArcCatalog and ArcMap

Update WindMil Feature Class in the Geodatabase

•Push Data does not Auto Update

•Have to update data manually Original

Pushed

Publish Personal or File Geodatabase

• Creates a Copy of the GDB selected

• Severs the link between WindMilMap and ESRI

• Can push data from WindMil or ET before publishing GDB

How to create a new assembly for a Pole

• Double-click on a Pole to bring up the Pole Editor.

• Click on Add Assembly.

How do I create a new assembly for a Pole?• Takes you to the

Equipment Editor• Create Category• Create new Assemblies • Classify Assemblies• Can Import• Once selected, click OK.

Note that is you hold down the Control button you can select more then on assembly to add

Create a symbol for a new assembly.

• Once the assembly is added to the pole

• Need to make sure you have Distance and Angle

• Click OK.

Create a symbol for a new assembly

• Go To WindMilMap Menu > Display Options.• Last Tab is Assemblies• Select the Assembly.

– Set zoom Scale.– Line or Point Symbol

• Each Assembly has its own zoom scale.

I get an error in ArcCatalog when importing spatial reference.

• Error message reads: "...cannot create dataset...from high level precision dataset..."

• It's a problem with a low-precision dataset from a pre-ArcGIS 9.2 geodatabase. The database needs to be upgraded to high-precision before importing its spatial reference.

How To Create Local Linked Model

• Creating a Local Linked Model can only be done in WindMil.

• Open WindMil.• Go to File > Create Local Linked Model.• First window asks where the server database is.• Second window asks where to put the new Local Linked

Model.• Click Save; WindMil creates and opens the new Local

Linked Model.

How to create new WindMilMap Geodatabase • Open ArcCatalog.

• Browse to a Milsoft model (.wm).- The model should be a linked model if used in an enterprise environment.- Create a File or Personal Geodatabase in the .wm folder.

• Click on “Add or Remove WindMil Feature Classes.”- First button on the ‘WindMilMap Catalog” toolbar

• Check desired feature types.

• Select coordinate system.- Coordinate system XYs should match the Milsoft model

Add or Remove WindMil Feature Classes• Black - means that there is at least one of

those elements in the circuit model

• Grey - means that there is not an element in the model, but the feature class can be created so elements can be added later

• Grayed Out & Not Checkable - means that there are not poles orpole types in the WindMil model

• Add Grids - adds your WindMil gridsNote that the more grid layers you add, the longer it will take to build.

• Spatial Reference is just like the ESRI Spatial Reference.

Spatial Reference

• Just like ESRI• Select

– from what ESRI has by default

• Import– from an already- created

layer

When adding a new pole type, how do I make it look like it does in WindMil?

• Applying WindMilMap Renderers– Right-click– Properties

How do I edit my Consumer Name so I see more than the last 3 digits?

• You need to use the Symbol Test Editor.• Symbol Text

– Text definitions place attributes on symbols.– Always present on every symbol– Definitions are shared by symbol values.

• Go to the Layer Properties.• Select the Symbol you want to edit the text .• Right-click and go to Define Text.

How do I edit my consumer name so I see more than the last 3 digits?

• Opens the Symbol Text Editor• In the Expression text area, there’s a

short VB script to show the right-most 3 digits of the name.

• Delete the Expression. • Choose Element Name from the Text

Fields box.• Click Append.• Now [Element Name] is in the Expression.• Verify the Expression.• Click OK and now the Map will show the

entire consumer name.

What are GUIDs?

• A GUID is a special type of identifier used in software applications in order to provide a reference number that is unique in any context.

• A WMGUID is a GUID created by Milsoft for tighter integration.

Difference between Add Before and Add After

• Insert Before - The Insert Before command makes it possible to add a new circuit element between a selected circuit element and its parent.

• Insert After - The Insert After command makes it possible to add a new circuit element between a selected circuit element and its children.

Insert AfterInsert Before

Difference between Back Feed and Change Feed

• Change Feed - The Change Feed command makes it possible to disconnect a selected circuit element from its existing parent and then connect it to a new parent. This operation also changes the feed of all elements downline from the changed element.

• Back Feed - The Back Feed command makes it possible to feed part or all of a circuit from a different direction; that is, children become parents, and parents become children.

Q&A

• Questions about WindMilMap• Questions about something you have seen here

at the User Conference• Request for Features