topic Understanding the trace JSON output in ArcGIS Utility Network Questions

Understanding the trace JSON output

Jens_Dalsgaard — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 11:43:48 GMT

Hi there,

I have a question from my team that I hope someone on this brilliant forum can answer.

When a device is modeled in the Utility Network (UN) and has multiple terminals in the underlying graph, it appears to create a self-reference in the trace output. For example:

"connectivity": [
    {
        "viaNetworkSourceId": 9,
        "viaGlobalId": "{6E9B4C19-D497-4E20-964A-57B8B11CBC6F}",
        "viaObjectId": 8935,
        "viaPositionFrom": 0,
        "viaPositionTo": 1,
        "fromNetworkSourceId": 9,
        "fromGlobalId": "{6E9B4C19-D497-4E20-964A-57B8B11CBC6F}",
        "fromObjectId": 8935,
        "fromTerminalId": 31,
        "toNetworkSourceId": 9,
        "toGlobalId": "{6E9B4C19-D497-4E20-964A-57B8B11CBC6F}",
        "toObjectId": 8935,
        "toTerminalId": 32
    }
]

From my observations, this self-reference occurs only when a device has more than one terminal.

When a device functions as a node (e.g., an EnergyConsumer) and has only a single terminal, I have not observed this behavior. Instead, all connected edges point to the same terminal.

It seems as if the internal connectivity of the device is explicitly modeled when multiple terminals exist.

I need confirmation that this behavior is consistent across all devices with only one terminal—specifically, that a self-reference will never occur in such cases. Can you confirm if this is a general rule?

My additional question: Does this 'self-reference' represent the 'internal connectivity' within the device?

Best regards

Jens Dalsgaard

Re: Understanding the trace JSON output

gis_KIWI4 — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 20:02:52 GMT

@Jens_Dalsgaard - You are correct. It represents the internal connectivity within the device using the terminals. The system uses this internal modelling information to create internal connectivity and workout traces/flows.

Here is an example of HV Switch in our Electric UN. Which simply suggests that Terminal 1 within device is connected to Terminal 2 within the Device.

This is also confirmed in the article by Robert Krisher
https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-utility-network-documents/parsing-utility-network-json-files/ta-p/1314718#:~:text=Things%20get%20more,and%20object%20id.

Hope that helps 🙂

Re: Understanding the trace JSON output

EstherSmith_Dev — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 03:22:22 GMT

As @gis_KIWI4 suggested, it is internal connectivity path for the devices with terminals and is determined by valid terminal paths and device's current terminal path configuration. Usually, devices with three or more terminals will have different possible paths and the entry will tell how device's terminals were traversed in the trace e.g. A to C or B to C for devices with A, B & C terminals. See https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/data/utility-network/about-terminal-management.htm#ESRI_SECTION1_F44D24C494694A2D972BECFD6920BBA6