Network Analyst - Directions' description is missing when default configuration is altered

[Rajkaran_Beans]

Hey Team, 

We recently started using ArcGIS Indoors Model and found a weird situation where directions' description leave elements when default configuration is altered.

For example, 

Situation 1 -  Once Network Dataset is cretaed and a route is solved which includes a transision, description is "take the elevatio up to LEVEL #"

Situation 2 - When any part of this description is altered from Network Dataset > Properties > Description (It doesn't matter what you change, any slight change from default) will miss the LEVEL element from description. Descripton from Altered configuration is "take the elevatio up"

Attaching a side by side image for comparision:



@sri_krishnahari 
 

[MelindaMorang]

Can you please post a screenshot of the network dataset property you're altering? I see the problem you're describing in the directions text, but I don't understand from your description of "Situation 2" which property you're changing.

[sri_krishnahari]

Hey @MelindaMorang ,

when we try to modify any of the following changes, the capability to show directions on transition changes to 'Take the elevator up' and the level numbers never show up again irrespective of any other changes in the network dataset property. (Can be reproduced with the Indoor Product files, available in My ESRI downloads).

1. Add field in Pathways

2. Add field in Transitions

3. Confirmation/Turn tolerance changes in Landmarks

4. Any minute change in time/distance cost in pathways/transitions.

5. Enabling Hierarchy

6. Adding new sources in the network dataset ('Network' feature dataset).

Basically any property related or schema related change in the Network Feature Dataset is dropping this capability.

[MelindaMorang]

Just to make sure I fully understand the problem:

• Before making the changes described above, was the network in a built state?  (In other words, you ran Build Network at some point and haven't made any edits to the source features or the network dataset properties since then.)
• Did you re-build the network dataset after making any of the changes you listed above?
• Assuming you re-built the network, were there any build errors?
• Did you re-solve the route before checking the directions?
• After changing the network dataset properties and committing the changes (clicking OK on the properties dialog), check the network dataset properties Directions configuration.  Is it still configured correctly for the Level fields?  Network Dataset Properties -> Directions -> Field Mappings -> Auxiliary Properties -> Level (From) and Level (To)

[MelindaMorang]

Also, what version of ArcGIS Pro are you using?

[sri_krishnahari]

Hey @MelindaMorang ,

Please find the answers in sub-pointers.

• Before making the changes described above, was the network in a built state? (In other words, you ran Build Network at some point and haven't made any edits to the source features or the network dataset properties since then.)
  -------The network was completely build after which these changes were made.

• Did you re-build the network dataset after making any of the changes you listed above?
  --------Yes, rebuilding the network did not fix this issue.

• Assuming you re-built the network, were there any build errors?
  --------No errors.

• Did you re-solve the route before checking the directions?
  --------Yes, resolving doesn’t fix the problem too.

• After changing the network dataset properties and committing the changes (clicking OK on the properties dialog), check the network dataset properties Directions configuration. Is it still configured correctly for the Level fields? Network Dataset Properties -> Directions -> Field Mappings -> Auxiliary Properties -> Level (From) and Level (To)
  ---------No changes in the auxiliary properties field mapping.

We’re using ArcGIS Pro 3.0.3 Version

You should be able to reproduce this issue in the Sample indoors database that is available in My ESRI too. 

[MelindaMorang]

Okay, I was able to reproduce the problem in Pro 3.3 (the latest release).  I logged an issue, and our developers will take a look.  You can track the issue as BUG-000169839 through Esri Support if desired.

For what it's worth, Pro 3.0 is in Mature Support, and it would be a good idea to update your software to the latest version.  I guess you could wait until we fix this bug, though, if you want.

[sri_krishnahari]

Thank you Melinda. In the meantime, if there is any temporary work around you can think of,please do let us know. We will keep an eye for the bug fix.

Thanks,
Krishna

[MelindaMorang]

Until a developer can debug the problem, we don't know what's causing it, and I can't offer a very good workaround.

My only idea is this:

1. Use the Create Template From Network Dataset tool to create an xml template file with your network dataset schema.
2. Open the xml file and edit the Confirmation or Turn Landmarks tolerance  (you'll have to dig through the xml to find where that property is).
3. Delete your network dataset
4. Use the Create Network Dataset From Template tool to re-create the network using your updated xml template.
5. Run Build Network

I'm pretty sure this will work for the Confirmation and Turn Landmarks case because it should be a simple update to the template xml.  But for some of the other items you mentioned, like adding a hierarchy attribute, I suspect the changes to the xml template would be too difficult.

[MelindaMorang]

Hi again.  I saw your escalation request for this BUG.  I wanted to acknowledge that we are looking into it and update you on what we know so far.

The Base Name property of the directions field mappings is set to an invalid field name that doesn't exist in the Pathways source feature class. When you changes certain other network dataset properties, it's triggering some sort of refresh, deleting this invalid property, and causing unexpected changes to the walking directions text.  You can't actually see the invalid field name in the UI because the UI knows that it's invalid and conceals it (something we hope to improve).

We definitely want to improve the behavior of the network dataset for this scenario. However, it seems like the root of the problem is an invalid setting, possibly related to the network dataset template used to create the network.  But, we still don't fully understand the problem, since setting a valid value for that Base Name field mapping property doesn't fix the network.