Geo Data Wizard
The Geo Data Wizard
The Geo Data Wizard or in short Data Wizard is a series of steps to guide you through the process of importing Geo data in the Engine. There are several different Data Wizards which each guide you through different processes for importing Geo data in the Engine. The different wizards are for importing data as:
- Constructions (Constructions placed based on the shapes defined in the file)
- Construction values (Constructions are modified based on the attributes in the file)
- Terrain
- Neighborhoods
- Zoning (Zones placed based on the shapes defined in the file)
- Areas Areas placed based on the shapes defined in the file)
- Measures
Each of these wizards contain comparable steps which are described below.
When to use your own data
You need the Data Wizard when you want to import data in the Tygron Engine. This may be for a number of reasons:
- The project takes place in a location for which there are no data sources available to create the project
- The default data sources are not accurate or up-to-date enough
- The default datasets are not detailed enough
- To do a more extendend analysis in the Engine
- To use in combination with an Excel Indicator or Panel
- For creating more overview in your project, for example by highlighting areas
In these situations, data in the Tygron Engine can be overwritten or supplemented by the user.
Which data can be uploaded to the Engine
Almost all data can be imported in the Engine, as long as the data is about a specific location and has a geometry. Thus basically when the data is geo data. This means that also spatial plans can be imported in the Engine.
Requirements on Geo Data
There are several requirements for loading in Geo data. The Data Wizard helps you to transform your data to the proper format for importing.
- Geo Data in the Engine are always polygons. Line and point features are not allowed by the Engine. The wizards helps you by buffering the line and point features to polygons.
- All desired attributes must be numerical, so that they can be loaded as valid attribute values. Non-numeric attributes are ignored when attempting to load them as attributes.
How to import Geo Data
There are three methods for importing geo data. These methods can be divided into two: uploading data from a file to the Engine and the other is downloading data through an URL to the Engine.
- Through a GeoJSON file
- Through a Web Feature Service
- Through a Catalogue Service for the Web
The method to choose is based on how you have your data available. If you have a file with data, choose the first option. Make sure you create the GeoJSON file first, if your data is in another format. If you have an URL on where dat is published according to the WFS standard, choose the second option: WFS. If you do not have data available but want to browse through an online catalogue in search for datasets or you have a data catalogue URL, choose the third option: CSW.
Steps in the Geo Data Wizard
The Geo Data Wizard is designed to minimalise the use of a GIS. In the data wizards there are several steps to guide you in transforming your dataset in order for only loading in the relevant features in the data in the Engine.
View
In step 2, the data that is currently in your project in the Engine is visible. The amount of points, lines or polygons in the dataset are visible. Since only polygons are allowed in the Engine, the points and lines need to be buffered. By buffering these features, the points and lines become polygons. The buffer size is adjustable. Based on the data, choose a realistic buffer size. If your dataset contains of lines which represent roads, choose a buffer size that is realistic for the width of these roads. if your dataset contains only polygons, the buffer size is not used.
Filter
In the next step you can filter the features. For example, if you have a dataset containing all sorts of roads, you can filter only the highways in this dataset. The filtering is based on Attribute name ( attribute textual value) or on Attribute value(a numerical condition). For example, if the roads have an attribute max. speed in km/h. You can filter the roads that have a max. speed of 80 or more km/h to get only the highways.
Add or update
In this step you are asked if you either want to add data to your project or if you want to update data already in your project. This is based on the type of data and how you are adding the data. Thus as constructions or areas. If you want to import the roads dataset as functions and there are already roads in the project, updating would be a fitting option for this dataset.
Select attributes
As mentioned in the requirements for importing geo data in the Engine, only numerical attributes can be imported. In this screen all the attributes in the dataset are listed. The attributes that are numerical, are already checked. In the TQL Name column, you are given the option to rename your attribute.
Name the features
If you choose to add new features, the Naming step will be visible. This step is necessary to keep track of the data you imported in the Engine. With a clever chosen name, it is easy to distinguish features from each other. There are three options for naming your features:
- By their file name
- Based on an attribute
- A word with a number
Assign functions
If you choose the Geo Data wizard for:
- Buildings
- Stakeholders
- Measures
you will be asked to choose a function for the features in your dataset. You can choose one function or choose multiple, based on an attribute name or an attribute value. The latter option is necessary when you have multiple different functions in your file, such as trees and roads.
Assign stakeholders
Choose the owner of the features you want to import. Also, multiple owners can be chosen, based on a mapping of attribute names or attribute values.