arcbridge vs arcgis network analyst

8/8/2019 ArcBridge Vs ArcGIS network analyst

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Network Analysis Solution for ARCGIS 8xBy Priti Mathur, President, ARCBridge Consulting & Training Inc.

Earlier in the month of October 2003, Virginia-based ARCBridge Consulting and

Training Inc. (ARCBridge) released NETSolv a Network Analysis toolbox for

ESRIs ArcGIS 8x. ARCBridge is an ESRI business partner and developer, offering

software products and services to the GIS community nationwide. CRIMESolv for

crime incident analysis, FIRESolv Net

for fire department station service area analysis,and FIRESolv Plan for fire incident analysis, are some of the other products developedby ARCBridge that are currently in use by agencies like District of Columbia; Fairfax

County, Virginia; and Montgomery County, Maryland, among federal and local agencies

nationwide.

The release of NETSolv has in many ways come at a good time. There was a growing

demand for network analysis tools for ArcGIS and with the current hectic production

schedules; ESRI is not planning on a release until Version 9x. NETSolv can meet the

demands of many ArcGIS users that are seeking network analysis solutions similar to

the functionality that was available in ESRIs Network Analyst for ArcView 3x.

NETSolv works within the ArcGIS environment as an extension. It offers comparable

functionality to ESRIs Network Analyst. The purpose of this article is to compare thefunctionalities of the two products so that users can evaluate the usability of

ARCBridges NETSolv.

The three main functionalities of NETSolv are:

Best Route

Closest Facility

Service Area


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Figure 1: Visual Comparison of ESRI Network Analyst and ARCBridge NETSolv*1

NETSolv comes with an installation program. The installation program creates a

shortcut on the Windows desktop. By Clicking on this icon, an instance of ArcMap is

initiated. ArcMap is loaded with a NETSolvmenu providing access to all the above

functionality.

Fig. 2 - NETSolv Icon

Fig. 3 NETSolv Menu


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The Best Route Module:

NETSolv has the capability of deriving the best route on a network using time ordistance as a cost factor. The stops may exist as a shapefile, or can be picked graphically

using the Graphic Pick Tool.

Figure 4: Best Route options

An analyst can choose the user-defined order for stops option, select the sorted order

option, or define a closed route, meaning that the route must end at the original startingpoint.

The system allows the user to change the order of stops, add stops, and delete stops.

Once a route is generated, the system is able to provide street-by-street driving directions

as well as a saveable text file.


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Figure 5: Directions

Closest Facility Module:

The closest Facility Module determines the closest facility, or facilities, to anevent. This module needs a both facilities layer and the streets layer. The eventitself may be a shapefile containing a number of points, or a graphic pick for asingle point. The Closest Facility Module is able to determine either a selectednumber of closest facilities to the event, and the corresponding best routes to getto them, or the closest facility to a number of events. The closest facility route isrendered by cost to visually display the closest facility or facilities. The systemalso provides the directions to or from events.


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Figure 6: Closest Facility Module

Service Area Module:

The Service Area Module requires the street network file and facilities file(s). A user

specifies a cost in either time or distance, and based on that parameter, the system selectsall the streets around the facilities which are within the specified cost, and color codes

them.

The result from the Service Area Module is two layers that are generated, selected streets

and the corresponding bounding polygons. The cost is defined in terms of time ordistance.


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Figure 7 Service Area Module

Create Nodes:

Network analysis requires a clean street network file with the nodes correctly numbered.If the network files are not topologically correct, it is not possible to get an optimized

route . NETSolv, has a Create Nodes module that lets a user select this option to re-node or re-number any given street file nodes. This option is equivalent to the Re-node

option available in Arc/Info.


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Product Release & Availability Information:

NETSolv is ready for shipment in November 2003.

Address all trade inquiries to:

ARCBridge Consulting & Training Inc.

203 Elden Street

Suite 303Herndon, Virginia 20170

Contact Gary Siorek, GIS Business Development ManagerTel: 703-834-6511 ext. 127

Fax: 703-834-6514

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.ARCBridge.com

ESRI, ArcView, ArcGIS, ArcMap, and Network Analyst are trademarks of Environmental Systems

Research Institute, Redlands, California.

NETSolv, CRIMESolv, FIRESolv Net, and FIRESolv Plan are trademarks ofARCBridge Consulting and Training, Inc., Herndon, Virginia
http://www.arcbridge.com/http://www.arcbridge.com/

arcbridge vs arcgis network analyst

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