Geometric Network Connectivity Rules when using the Local Government Information Model

[JoeBryant2]

I am trying to find some clarification on a question that came out of taking the Working with Geometric Networks for Utilities class. When using a geometric network to speed up common editing tasks, the exercises had us define "Subtypes" (not Domains) on participating feature classes that could then be used to set up connectivity rules. For instance, when snapping a lateral to a main line, a fitting of Subtype "Tee" is automatically created. Other rules might be: a hydrant can only connect to a hydrant lateral, and only 1 meter can connect to each service lateral.

However, it was stressed that the subtype fields must be integer fields (with coded domains).

I just finished migrating our district data to the Local Government Information Model. Yet, the LGIM does not use integer fields for the attributes I would create subtypes for (FITTINGTYPE, LINETYPE, WATERTYPE etc.); it uses string fields which cannot have subtypes created and thus it cannot have connectivity rules defined in the geometric network.

Am I missing something? Does the Water Utility Network Editing Solution from ESRI work around this?

[RyanKirkham]

We experienced the exact same thing.  We only realized this after we had finished designing our new model off the LGIM and had to go back and convert specific domains into subtype fields to allow the more granular rules we wanted to build and enforce.  I can send you an XML file of our current schema as a reference if that helps.

[JoeBryant2]

Hi Ryan,

I think we took the same class in February; small world! I would be very interested in what the City of Sacramento is doing, especially since it sounds like you are at the same stage. Plus, Carmichael Water District's data and your data will likely feed the same regional hydraulic model in the future. I "followed" your profile on GeoNet, so you should be able to send me a personal message now.

Our contractor who helped us just finish our LGIM migration is an ESRI gold partner; the current answer I'm getting from him is that the custom tools in the Water Utility Editing and Analysis Solution give you the same type of rules enforcement as using subtypes in the Geometric Network. We are just about to install and test our custom configuration file that informs these rules - I will report back on how it goes.

If, for some reason, the integer subtypes are necessary we will go back and modify the migration. But thinking ahead, we've been told that the LGIM is moving toward the new Utility Network schema, and that the custom tools in 10.4 Desktop will be built in to ArcGIS Pro. Staying at the July 2016 version of the LGIM/Geometric Network and then using ESRI's migration solution to the Utility Network and Pro (after it has been vetted) is our plan.