How to set Make Service Area Analysis Layer travel mode

[ViTran2]

Hi,

I have a model (built in ModelBuilder) to run a chain of Make Service Area Layer - Add Locations - Solve tools. Recently, I tried to run this model in ArcGIS Pro and found out that the Make Service Area Layer tool was deprecated. Hence, I switched to the Make Service Area Analysis Layer tool. However, when inputting the Network Dataset from our SDE, the Travel Mode attribute doesn't show a drop-down list of options like the (assumed) equivalent "Impedance Attribute" from the predecessor tool.

So I tried to type in the name of for travel mode as CostLength (We have 2 travel attributes: Cost (driving time) and CostLength (distance)), and the cutoff value to be 1320 (i.e. 1320 ft).  The tool ran but apparently based on the result, I can tell it didn't interpret the cutoff value to be 1320 FEET. 

As this moment of typing, I cannot find the Make Service Area Layer tool in Pro anymore, but can still copy that tool from my old model, and the new model runs fine.

I'm wondering if anyone has any input for this issue?

TIA.

[JaySandhu · Accepted solution]

Travel modes is also a fairly new concept in network datasets. So if your network dataset does not have them defined, then the Make Service Area Analysis Layer tool will use the cost attribute that is set as Use by Default. Typing in the name of one of the cost attributes does not mean it will be interpreted as a travel mode. Travel mode is a collection of cost, restriction and parameter settings. You can read more about them here:

https://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/latest/extensions/network-analyst/travel-modes-concepts.htm

I will suggest that you bring up the properties of the network dataset in SDE and then define at least one travel mode based on the attributes of the problem type you are solving. 

The new Make Service Area Analysis Layer makes it easy to solve using a local network datasets as well as with logistic services from a portal connection like ArcGIS online. Otherwise the old deprecated tools still work, but are not recommended moving forward.

Jay Sandhu

[ViTran2]

Thank you for your prompt answer. I'll discuss this with our team to update our network datasets.