Link Editor

The Link Editor access level grants access to the Link Editor menu and all functions contained by it.

Import from Exchange table

Concerning older TMC versions:

The format in TMC Studio is different from former versions. Therefore you will not be able to open the database created with TMC Editor in TMC Studio.

You have to create a new database from the exported tables as Exchange Format. TMC Studio is able to import from Exchange Format ANSI and UTF-8.

Start TMC Studio

→ Welcome Screen & Data Requirements for First Time Use

Define Network database for attributing map liks

To be able to link TMC Paths and Map, you will require the additional license for these functions. Once you have these licences go through the following steps:

Menu → Link Editor → Import Network Database form Shapefile

Shapefile: Double click. Click on folder and select the shape file with the network data.

Link ID: Select the field that contains the ID for the segment. It's mandatory your network table contain a unique ID for each segment.

Link Name: Select the field that contains the street names; optional, but it's use is recommended.

From Node: Optional and has no effect on linking - field with information from node.

To Node: Optional and has no effect on linking – field with information to node.

From Segment: Optional and has no effect on linking – field with information from Segment.

To Segment: Optional and has no effect on linking – field with information to Segment.

Link Type: Select field that contains information regarding Road Type. It's usually named FRC

Link Type Filter: The filter will show which road types are available in the shape file. You can select all types for import or limit the import certain types. If you select 1, 2, and 3 you will be able to import 4 and 5 later.

Connection Settings: If you want to import into an existing database, choose it here.

Create Database: If you want to create a new database enter the destination here. With Firebird local it must always be on a local hard drive.

Delete existing data in network database: !!

Depending on the number of imported segments this task can take several hours. An approximate estimation is shown in the import screen. It will also show how many segments already been processed.

Configuration of the Link Editor

Menu → Tools → Options → Link Editor

Enable: When using Link Editor this box should be checked Connection Settings: If you imported your data from Shapefile, these setting should already be in order.

• Database Type - must be Firebird (local)
• Database - click on folder to select database
• User Name - must be sysdba
• Password - must be masterkey

Layer Properties: Configuration of the network layer, see next entry.

Network Cache File / Directory: Define where the cache file will be stored.

Display Network Link: Define the color and pattern of network links on the map.

Display TMC Link: Define color and pattern of TMC links on the map.

Layer Properties

Network database contains linear data. Here you can define how the various roadtypes should be represented on the map.

Name: Define name of the level.

Visible at scale from/to: Define the scale from where to where the individaul levels are visible.

• It makes little sense showing all levels constantly since this slows down the program. It is therefore sensible to define different parameters depending on the road's importance.
• For Instance: Motorway from 0 to 500'000; Main roads from 0 to 100'000; Secondary roads from 0 to 50'000; Urban roads from 0 to 25'000

Transparency: Can be kept at 100.

Filter: Set 'ROADTYPE =' and then select road level.

Lines: Define color and pattern.

Configuration for Routing

Menu → Tools → Options → Link Editor → Routing

Define a cost factor for the various road types. It depends on the structure of your network what makes most sense and gives the best results. As soon as you use the routing function you will see if the results make sense.

Creating and clearing Cache Files

Menu → Link Editor → Routing → Create Cache File

This function MUST be performed after the creation of a network database. Without this the performance of Routing will be very poor. Depending on the number of segments in your database this function will take several hours.

Menu → Link Editor → Routing → Clear Cache File

Use this function if you import new data into your network database. After this is done start 'Create Cache File'.

Importing Network Links

Menu → Link Editor → Import XML

If you had already defined TMC Links in the TMC Editor that information must be transferres to TMC Studio with Export XML. This will create an XML File containing all the information.

Source File: Double click. Click on folder and select the file you want to export. The program will look for ZIP files by default, so change it to XML.

Clear Existing Links: Check this box if you want to delete links that have already been created in the database. If you don't check the box the link information in the database will be kept if it doen't already exist in the XML file. !!! To be able to click the OK button you will be required to click the field, even if you don't check the box.

Depending on the number of TMC paths defined in the XML file this function can take several hours.

Importing Network Links

Menu → Link Editor → Reorganize → Update Geometry / Attributes of network links from Network Database

The program will go through the defined network segments in the TMC path and will search for these segments in the network database. If the segment is found, the program will store the geometry and direction of the segment. Segments that are not found will be shown in the TMC path in red. At the end of this process a summary will show the results of the update.

Now you will be able to start working with the Link Editor.