topic Re: Spatial Landmarks not recognized in NA in ArcGIS Network Analyst Questions

Spatial Landmarks not recognized in NA

BrandonMcAlister — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 17:54:00 GMT

Hey everyone I was tasked with creating a local government Network Dataset for our facility. I have fully built the network and it is able to route around our facility with no issue. A restriction we have in our facility are vehicle gates, some with badge access and some that are manual gates. There is a restriction set up to only allow routing through gates with badge access.

My goal is to have the badge access gates show up in the directions. The gates are a points that are added as a junction to the Network, they are set to connect at any vertex along the edge feature (roads) and the edge feature is set to allow any vertex. However when the Route goes through the gate it does not say the gate name it passes through. The gate junction is set up to support directions and the base name field is filled out.

From my research it seemed the best course for me to take was to add the Gates as a Spatial landmark so when the route passes by the gate it would input a predetermined text block into the directions. However it does not do that, the shapefile I use for the spatial landmarks is exactly that same as the junctions shape file, so it does intersect with the edge feature (roads). I have not tested it with a shapefile that does not intersect with the edge feature (roads)

I followed pretty much everything outlined in this help page: https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/3.0/help/analysis/networks/how-to-create-a-usable-network-dataset.htm

Does anyone know what I should do differently to allow the gates name to show up in the directions?

Network Analyst built on ArcGIS PRO 3.0.1, we have since upgraded to 3.1

Re: Spatial Landmarks not recognized in NA

JaySandhu — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 18:50:33 GMT

Can you try the spatial landmarks as feature classes in a geodatabase as opposed to being a shapefile?

Jay Sandhu

Re: Spatial Landmarks not recognized in NA

BrandonMcAlister — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 16:21:18 GMT

My apologies I wasn't clear, the file I am using for the spatial landmarks is contained in the same feature dataset as the Network Dataset. To my knowledge anything that is added to a Network dataset has to be contained within the same feature dataset.

So yes, the spatial landmarks "shapefile" is a feature class within a geodatabase. I have tried it on a file geodatabase and on our SQL geodatabases and have not been successful in either.

Re: Spatial Landmarks not recognized in NA

RachelApplebaum — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 21:17:16 GMT

Are the gates set up as a turn or confirmation landmark? That might be what's going on. If they're set up as Turn landmarks, then if they're at the intersection of 2 edges that constitute a straight "turn" (within a 30 degree azimuth, I believe) then you might not be getting them used in the directions. Also make sure that you have the label field set up for them, so that it's reporting the right info.

To check the type of landmark, look at the Guidance column.

Re: Spatial Landmarks not recognized in NA

BrandonMcAlister — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 11:51:46 GMT

The gates are set as a confirmation landmark, currently the label field is text which is just the gate names.

Re: Spatial Landmarks not recognized in NA

RachelApplebaum — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 15:30:06 GMT

Are you able to remove the gates as junction sources in the ND? We don't recommend having landmarks as edge or junction sources and it could be causing some issues.

If that doesn't work, would you be able to post a sample of the data, with a network dataset and a route through a gate, showing that it's not generating the direction?

Re: Spatial Landmarks not recognized in NA

BrandonMcAlister — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 16:11:33 GMT

If I understood you correctly, it is not recommended as have the same "feature class" as both a junction and landmarks. In my case I have two feature classes: Gates_Source_features, which is added as a junction under the source features tab; and Gates_Landmarks, which is added under the spatial landmarks tab. You can see them below.

Below is the print out of the route layer in ArcGIS Pro, this route travels through 3 different gates and should have the name of the gate show up between "Bear right on Linberg Exit Ramp/Continue forward on Amelia Earhart Boulevard", there is a gate right after "Turn right on Byrd Highway", and the final gate is between "turn left on Earhart Drive and Continue forward on perimeter road" However as you can see they don't show up in the directions.

Attached below is the same route that is run on our Enterprise portal and it has the same issue.

Re: Spatial Landmarks not recognized in NA

RachelApplebaum — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 16:15:42 GMT

Ah, ok. Are the Gates_Source_features and the Gates_Landmarks feature spatially coincident?

Re: Spatial Landmarks not recognized in NA

BrandonMcAlister — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 16:50:33 GMT

Yes, Gates_Landmarks is just a copy of Gates_Source_Features.

Re: Spatial Landmarks not recognized in NA

RachelApplebaum — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 16:53:02 GMT

Ah, ok. Let me do some testing here. I can reproduce that situation fairly easily. Hopefully I can reproduce the results just as easily.

Re: Spatial Landmarks not recognized in NA

RachelApplebaum — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 15:32:28 GMT

I noticed that in the screenshot of Pro that you provided, the one in dark theme, below the directions instructions, there's a part for Events, and that's where the landmarks get reported.

When you expand Events, does that show the correct reporting of the landmarks?

In some sample data, I copied some system junctions to a new feature class, gave them names, and set them up as landmarks. When I solved a route for that area, I did see the landmarks reported under the Events expander.

I'm not sure what's going on with the directions in the enterprise portal, so I'll continue to look into that.

Re: Spatial Landmarks not recognized in NA

BrandonMcAlister — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 16:03:42 GMT

Well that is a weird way to show it, but glad to know its working in ArcPro. Do you know if there is a way to have it show up as a step and not be hidden in a drop down "event" menu?

Re: Spatial Landmarks not recognized in NA

RachelApplebaum — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 21:48:37 GMT

No, there isn't a way to customize directions or how they're displayed at this time. Also, I'm still investigating the issue in enterprise portal. Would you be able to tell me what version of portal you're using?

Re: Spatial Landmarks not recognized in NA

BrandonMcAlister — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 12:04:53 GMT

We recently upgraded to 11.1

Re: Spatial Landmarks not recognized in NA

RachelApplebaum — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 15:36:39 GMT

Haven't forgotten this. We're still looking into the enterprise portal part.

Re: Spatial Landmarks not recognized in NA

RachelApplebaum — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 21:14:43 GMT

Hi Brandon,

I'm sorry this took so long but I have an update. The Directions widget in Map Viewer Classic won't show spatial landmarks. Even the new Map Viewer doesn't show the spatial landmarks, although it could, because it has the information; it just doesn't show it. We're working on getting it updated. I don't have a timeline for you on when it will happen, but please know that we do want it to happen and are moving towards it.

Let me know if you have any other questions!