topic Re: ForwardStar or something like that in ArcGIS Pro SDK Questions

ForwardStar or something like that

FenuxLabs — Sat, 08 Jul 2023 15:18:16 GMT

ArcObjects had ForwardStar, GetToFromJunctions, and GetAdjacentEdges that allows walking the network for analysis purposes and to help with interfaces to other system.

Is there something like that available in the Pro UN API?

Re: ForwardStar or something like that

RichRuh — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 15:04:24 GMT

Since the utility network is primarily a services-based system, access to fine-grained topology is not available on the client, which includes the Pro SDK.

If the existing analytics framework is not sufficient for your use cases, you can write a custom Server Object Extension using the Enterprise SDK. This SDK, which runs on the server, provides IForwardStar-like capabilities.

I hope this helps answer the question.

--Rich

Re: ForwardStar or something like that

RobertKrisher — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 14:42:40 GMT

@FenuxLabs Another approach is to use the Export Subnetwork or Trace tool to export the connectivity to a JSON file and use the resulting file to walk the graph. You can find a code sample of how to do this along with instructions over on this community article page: Parsing Utility Network Exports (esri.com).

Re: ForwardStar or something like that

EdwardBlair — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 19:19:27 GMT

Hey @RobRob and/or @RichRuh -

As documented in the article you reference above, the export subnetwork JSON describes an "un-directed graph" of the subnetwork. Without writing one's own equivalent of a ForwardStar, is there some way to define directionality on this?

Currently in the UN we use the ArcFM FeederTrace to create a device hierarchy for a feeder. That is, each device knows its parent device. I was hoping to create the same from a subnetwork export, but am currently stuck on the "un-directed" part.

Thx,

Re: ForwardStar or something like that

RobertKrisher — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 19:23:14 GMT

If you export the results of a trace using export subnetwork (or upstream/downstream trace) using ArcGIS Enterprise 12.1 and ArcGIS Pro 3.7 you will see an "include flow direction" option that will let you know the orientation of each line in the network with respect to the flow calculated by the subnetwork controller.

See more here: What's new for ArcGIS Utility Network with the 2026 Network Management Release

Re: ForwardStar or something like that

EdwardBlair — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 19:29:59 GMT

Of COURSE .... its in the next release. You're killing me man. Anyway, thanks for the info.

Re: ForwardStar or something like that

RobertKrisher — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 19:50:24 GMT

ArcGIS Pro 3.7/ArcGIS Enterprise 12.1 is latest publicly available Network Management Release and not the release coming out later this year. But you may be referring to current as in the release of ArcGIS for the project you're currently on.