Configuring Features
The process of configuring Bentley OpenUtilities Designer to the company's data model is what determines the contents of the Features Catalog-that is, the facility names that are displayed on the various pages of the catalog as well as their initial properties and placement defaults.
The configuration process implements a number of decisions that affect the way features are represented and used in designs:
- the set of features needed represent the company's distribution network;
- the set of required and optional attributes needed for defining each feature in the data model;
- the displayed name of the feature (e.g., "Anchor Guy" vs. "Guy Installation");
- the feature's various classifications-such as point, line, or area; commodity group (Electric, Gas, Water, or Sewer and Storm ); feature group (e.g., Structure, Conductor, Device, Service); Structural Component or Flow Component or both; tappable or not tappable;
- the "behavior" of each feature and its relationships with other features (e.g., whether it will be displayed in the GIS window, whether can be annotated automatically, whether it is part of a compound feature, and so on);
- the placement methods to be used for the feature (e.g., where the graphic symbol will be displayed on the GIS map-at the work location, at the attachment point, in a position offset from the trail point, or in an inline position; if an inline feature, whether it will be placed upstream or downstream of the work location).