PTV Group - Logistics Forum

Hello,

regarding to the thread "Schiersteiner Brücke - how to deal with construction sites?" (xRoute forum) we need to block the road segments in both xTour and xRoute.

- xTour: To consider the blocked segments for tour construction (to ensure the right sequence of transport points)
- xRoute: To ensure that the displayed route doesn't use the blocked segment

In addition these setting should be adjustable by selected users per company via API or 3rd-party-application.


With kind regards,
Patrick

Hi there,

that's quite a big challenge and I'm afraid that the current infrastructure doesn't provide all the mechanisms required. Let me summarize some facts:

• While the xRoute API offers blockings of explicit objects (via ExceptionPath) you can't do the same in xTourThe reason is because xTour offers access to routing parameters only via XML snippet. And from my personal understanding explicit objects are not part of a configuration (same as with waypoint coordinates - you don't store them in a profile).
• Both xRoute and xTour enable you to activate/deactivate feature layers.
• Both xRoute and xTour enable you to activate/deactivate binary files (TruckAttributes or manually created via MAP&GUIDE).
• xRoute 1.x (32bit) enables you to consider ROAD EDITOR database (creates BIN file on the fly) after configuration. Segment attributes changed in MAP&GUIDE will then be applied in a routing right after saving the changes.
• This doesn't work with xTour: configuration of ROAD EDITOR database isn't possible. So: no way.
• The next challenge is then "how to maintain the data" of the bin files? This requires a more or less complicated process - as BIN files do not contain time dependency information. They are more like "SELECT AllButTimedependencyInterval FROM ROADEDITORDATABASE WHERE AllButTimedependencyInterval matches ExportTimestamp"... In other words: each Blocking in the BIN file will be applied - even if it is timedependent. That info gets lost.
• Whatever you try to setup: I recommend to test your scenario very carefully. Let us know what kind of tools you need for tests!
• The future approach of segment attribute maintenance is probably based on feature layer technology. I'd love to have an API for maintaining the attributes. High end would be a frontend, too. This is a large and important topic but requires much efforts.

Best regards Bernd

Both xRoute and xTour enable you to activate/deactivate binary files (TruckAttributes or manually created via MAP&GUIDE).

Is it possible to create the binary files by using an API? So that we could do this for example:

- Determine the blocked road segments on a map and save it to a database (like the ExceptionPath)
- Select this data and pass it to an API in order to create the binary file

In this approach we could ensure that only segments which are currently blocked would be took into account considering the calculation.

The future approach of segment attribute maintenance is probably based on feature layer technology. I'd love to have an API for maintaining the attributes. High
end would be a frontend, too. This is a large and important topic but requires much efforts.

Can you tell us when this feature is available?

Hello again,

quick and dirty responses:

• binary files via API: no. This is the reason why we have to design it for the Feature Layers
• availability: Sorry, I can't. This is a question for product management. I recommend that you get in touch with your sales counterpart to increase pressure

Best regards Bernd