topic Re: Positioning Traffic Cones in InfraWorks Forum

Positioning Traffic Cones

neilyj666 — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 08:03:01 GMT

What is the most efficient method for positioning traffic cones in IW?

It is easy enough to drop a few in directly but I need to show them on a curve to delineate the extent of traffic management requirements (e.g.over a hundred).

If I was showing them on a plan, I'd just array a block along a path but not sure how approach this task in IW

As always, all suggestions gratefuly received

Thanks

Re: Positioning Traffic Cones

jutters — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 10:58:45 GMT

Easiest way is to draw a barrier line using the traffic cone 3d model style of your choice.

If the cones align with/on a street feature, you could also tweak the used street style (best to tweak a copy/duplicate of the currently used style to not affect other roads using the same street style) by adding a decoration to the specific track of the procedurally generated horizontal road profile.

Re: Positioning Traffic Cones

jutters — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 11:22:37 GMT

Two "easy" ways (depending on your conception of "easy" 😉

Draw a barrier path/alignment with the barrier tool and a use the 3d model style of your choice* (e.g. some traffic cone model). After drawing the path is automatically selected and you see only one model representing the barrier poyline feature. Open the property inspector and adjust the "Object Spacing" property to the distribution of the 3d model you want (and the "Rotate Z" property if necessary).

* note for R4+ versions: by default the barrier draw tool filters for barrier styles only -- activate the "3D Model" facet in the filter options of the style picker to also include 3d model styles within the style picker for selection as draw style

The nice advantage with using this approach over drawing a CityFurniture alignment with a 3d model style is that

a) you have explicit control over the object spacing (CityFurniture alignments only allow to tweak the "feature density" more loosely)

b) the 3d models nicely align/orient themselves along the path (e.g. to produce a real seamless 3d model-based wall/barrier)

If the cones should be aligned with some part/lane of a road feature, you can also add a 3d model style-based decoration to the track of the used street style representing the target part/lane of the road feature. Best is to tweak a copy/duplicate of the currently used street style of the road feature to not unintentially affect other road features using the same street style.

The advantage of this approach is that the decoration stays in sync with changes to the alignment of the road feature and you don't have to manage an separate barrier feature manually.

Re: Positioning Traffic Cones

Todd_Rogers — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 13:37:47 GMT

Not sure if you know this, but I'm going to post it anyway ...

When placing 3D models or city furniture, obviously if you double click it places the model. On another note, you can pick a point, and start a line. This will place multiple 3D objects along that line.

Re: Positioning Traffic Cones

Todd_Rogers — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 13:39:07 GMT

BTW, what's your main software used Jutters? Has anyone recommended you to be an Expert Elite?

Re: Positioning Traffic Cones

jutters — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 19:11:21 GMT

Yes, double-click with point feature tools (city furniture, pois, trees), creates a single feature (using the selected 3d model style of the tool), while starting off with a single click lets you define paths or an area (depending on the tool) on/in which the 3d models are placed.

The trick with the barrier tool (using a 3d model style for drawing + the object spacing property) is kind of hidden behind the walls :). Also, I don't know how many people have a clue how to utilize decorations in street style track definitions.

As always there is more than one way to skin the cat 🙂

Regards,
Sascha

PS: I'm one of the developers (don't betray 😉 involved in InfraWorks since it's inception but no one recommended me as an expert yet ^^

Re: Positioning Traffic Cones

neilyj666 — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 08:24:56 GMT

I can't seem to get the path thing to work...

I can do the double click and place cones (or anything else) individually but single clicking does nothing for me

Can you suggest what I'm doing wrong?

Re: Positioning Traffic Cones

jutters — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 10:00:28 GMT

Can you draw a barrier (path) using the barrier tool at all (single-clicks to define the control points for the path, double-click to end the path)? Note, a path must consist of at least two distinct points 😉

If you can do that, you can also apply the 3d model style to the created barrier afterwards by drag&drop or using the property inspector for the selected barrier and then do the Object Spacing / Rotate Z tweaking as necessary.

If you can draw point-based features via double-clicks but can't draw any polyline-based features (barrier, railway, road, river, etc.), I'm a bit puzzled about the possible root-cause (maybe something related to the terrain?).

Cheers,
Sascha

Re: Positioning Traffic Cones

neilyj666 — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 12:21:49 GMT

Thanks for this - got it working now...:)

That'll save some time