Straight Line Diagram Web Service Bruce Aquila Security, Government & Infrastructure
Introduction Brief history of Straight Line Diagrams (SLD s) What is an SLD Examples of a few of SLD s Challenges with SLD s Why a web service? A Web Services approach to SLD s Benefits to a Web Services approach A look at the output Page 2
SLD History SLD s have been used for over 50 years One of the first tools to analyze linear data Among the primary users are: Transportation agencies Railways Pipeline companies Utility agencies Engineering firms Traditionally published in books Page 3
What is an SLD? SLD Is a view of a roadway as lines Displays features along the road linearly bridges road intersections crashes, etc. Graphically depicts road characteristics linearly speed limit, number of lanes, lane width, etc. Can consist of one or multiple pages per alignment section Created manually or through automation Page 4
Maintaining SLD s In most cases manually generated SLD s are published once or twice a year Automated SLD s can be either: A connection to a live database Or a connection to a static warehouse Static warehouses must be updated in accordance with SLD publication rules (annually, semi annually, etc.) Page 5
SLD Components No SLD s look the same The components vary by implementation needs There are usually 3 basic components to an SLD: Plan View Schematic Attribute View Let s look at a template example and then will discuss each component of an SLD Page 6
Template example Hawaii DOT Page 7
Plan View Shows the horizontal alignment for a specific portion of the alignment Can show other routes in the corridor Can contain imagery Page 8
Schematic View Alignment is straightened out Displays single or dual carriageways Shows intersection information Can display symbology along alignment (traffic signal, overpass, underpass, etc) Page 9
Attribute View A series of horizontal bars depicting attributes along the alignment Can consist of one or two sets of bars (both sides of the road) Common attributes are: Pavement ADT Shoulder width, etc. Page 10
Miscellaneous Components Legend depicting symbology Route name and duration fields Title block with: Scale information Publication date Authorship Page 11
Examples Australia Ohio DOT Cherry Creek Watershed, PA Page 12
Australia Page 13
Ohio DOT Page 14
Cherry Creek Watershed, PA Page 15
Has anyone see this before? Page 16
Challenges with Manual SLD s Very time consuming to produce Only updated occasionally Out of date quickly Only accessible to those with physical access to the published book Notes can be made to COPIES of SLD s that never get to the official book Page 17
Challenges with Custom SLD s May require development skills or maintenance budget May or may not access live operational data May still serve up out of date data Page 18
Business Drivers for Real Time SLD s Analysts want the data indigenous to their business problem (not to much information) Integrate and publish SLD s with enterprise portals Specific information to selective groups Enterprise Ad Hoc queries are in greater demand Need for up to date road characteristics information Allow normal daily operations on the database to do the updating for the DOT Reductions in staff Technology allows the exploitation of stakeholders data Page 19
Services Oriented Architecture (SOA) and Web Services An SOA builds composite applications by using a collection of loosely coupled services. A stateless service is a discrete business function executed by a reusable software component with a well defined, standards based interface. Page 20
Web Services Approach DLL OLE/COM DLL s Distributed development developers worldwide Reusable desktop, web Discoverable via registry Web Services Distributed development by people you don t even know Reusable PDA s, telephones, thin clients Discoverable via web Distributed processing on servers worldwide Data independent e.g. routing without knowing network data format Scalable Page 21
Intergraph s SLD Approach Automatic generation of SLD s from live databases Ability to create based on selected details dynamically SVG Based Details include Map view, Intersection view and Road characteristic view Flexibility to customize the look & feel SLD Engine as a Web service A packaged light weight SLD Client Page 22
SLD Web Service SLD engine packaged as.net based web service Access data using GeoMedia WebMap Pro Provides ability to integrate the publishing of SLD s on a web portal Provides flexibility to customize SLD generation Page 23
Intergraph s SLD Approach Map Intersection Attributes Page 24
SLD Lightweight Client Windows Client Allows selection of Route and required road characteristics Ability to pick # of miles per drawing sheet Provides limited interaction with SLD Page 25
SLD Process Page 26
Key Benefits Ease of creation Traditional SLD creation is time consuming Flexibility Users selects data they want Never obsolete Traditional SLD s are snapshots More information Tool tips, measurements, color coding Print on demand What you need, when you need it Uses existing data LRS and operational databases Can integrate with enterprise web portals No web site necessary Delivered with thin client Easily distributable Page 27
Let s look at some Sample SVG!! Page 28