Data Flags

Data flags are a powerful tool for recording the source and integrity of data in the model. Some types of InfoAsset Manager version controlled item, such as networks, support data flags for many of their data fields.

InfoAsset Manager includes several standard built in data flags.

Additional flags can be added to indicate information about the data. For example, data can be flagged for:

• Source - asset database, survey
• Accuracy - measured, estimated, length of time since surveyed

Each flag has a four character ID and is displayed with a selected colour. The four character code and colour are displayed on property sheets. Only the colour is displayed on the Grid Windows.

Built in flags

There are a number of different built-in flags available in InfoAsset Manager, which are usually used to show the origin of data or to mark data for some form of automatic update.

All the built in flags start with the # character, to differentiate them from user defined flags. Built in flags can not be created or deleted. To prevent confusion, it is not possible to use the # character in user defined flags.

InfoAsset Manager includes the following standard data flags:

• (Asset Data) indicates a value imported from asset data.
• #D (System Default) indicates a default value. The value will be calculated from any combination of:
  • A fixed default value
  • Other values in the same object (for example length of a polyline, or polygon area)
  • Values in other objects in the same network
• #G (Data from GeoPlan) indicates a value generated from external geographical data. This external data is loaded into the GeoPlan Window to carry out the process of setting these values, and is not part of the network. To reset the values, you must repeat the process.
• #I (Model Import) indicates a value has been imported from an external data source.
• IAP (InfoAsset Planner) indicates a value has been imported from InfoAsset Planner.
• #S ( System Calculated) indicates a value that has been calculated by InfoAsset Manager (mainly used for resource management).
• #V (CSV Import) indicates a value that has been imported or updated from CSV data.

More about #D

The values used to calculate the default value are always values within the same network, or a constant value. This is a unique property of #D.

Setting a data flag to #D ensures that InfoAsset Manager updates the data whenever the object changes, or when other nearby objects that might affect the value are changed. If a cell with a #D flag is edited, the flag is removed.

Tip: The length of a polyline, or the area of a polygon is treated as part of the network data, even though projection information from the GeoPlan is used to calculate the actual area. For this reason the #D flag must be used when you want length or area values to be calculated from the polyline or polygon.

Create user defined flags

1. Select Database managementUser defined flags from the File menu. The User Defined Flags dialog is displayed.
2. Type in a four-character name to identify the flag. You must not include the # character.
3. In the Description field, type a description of the flag.
4. Double-click in the Display Color field. Select a colour from the palette. The program will use this colour to highlight data items associated with this flag.
5. Click Close.

Importing and exporting flags to CSV

To export flags to a CSV file, click Export in the User Defined dialog. A standard File Save dialog is displayed. Choose where to save the flag data.

To import data flags stored in a CSV file, click Import. A standard File Open dialog is displayed. Select the file containing flag data. If a flag in the CSV file has the same name as a flag already in InfoAsset Manager, the imported flag will overwrite the existing flag.

To create a CSV file containing flags that can subsequently be imported, the file must have the correct format. The importer recognises the file as a flag file if it has the correct column headers in the first line. The colour value (fourth element in each line) is an RGB value.

Example

id, description, defunct, color
#D, System Default, 0, 15780518
#G, Data from GeoPlan, 0, 65280
#V, CSV Import, 0, 33023
AA, Obsolete A flag, 1, 255
BB, B Flag, 0, 16776960
CC, C Flag, 0, 12639424

Deleting flags

Only users with Administrator privileges can delete flags. Other users may mark flags as obsolete.

Flags can be deleted using the User Defined Flags dialog.

To delete flags

1. Select the rows by clicking on the left hand end of the row.
2. Click Delete or press Delete on your keyboard.

Note: The standard (#) data flags can never be deleted.

Obsolete flags

Users without Administrator privileges cannot delete data flags from the list, but can mark them as obsolete.

Flags can be marked as being obsolete by checking the Obsolete box in the User Defined Flags dialog. Data which already has an obsolete flag is still displayed with the flag, but the obsolete flag is not displayed in the list when editing a flag field. Therefore no new data items can be assigned the obsolete flag.

Setting a default editing flag

A default edit flag can be set that will apply to all future editing operations until the option is disabled. Only user defined flags can be selected for use as an edit flag.

The edit flag is not just applied for basic editing operations, but also for:

• Paste from the clipboard
• Adjusting or replacing a block of values

The edit flag option applies to all changes made on the Grid Windows or property sheets and can be enabled either from the Tools menu or from the toolbar.

From the Tools menu

To enable the edit flag option from the Tools menu

1. Select Use edit flag from the Tools menu. The Select edit flag option is then enabled.
2. Click the Select edit flag option and the Select edit flag dialog is displayed.
3. In the dialog, choose the required edit flag.

InfoAsset Manager will now apply the selected flag to all edits until the option is disabled by clicking the ToolsUse edit flag option.

From the toolbar

To enable the edit flag option from the toolbar

1. On the Edit toolbar, click (Edit Flag) to turn on the option. When the option is switched on the Edit Flag dropdown list becomes available.
2. Choose an edit flag from the dropdown list. InfoAsset Manager will now apply this flag to all edits until the option is disabled by clicking again.

Finding and replacing flags

It is possible to search for specific flags and replace occurrences of these flags with other flags. This functionality can be used to update the flags of an imported network that was originally created using a different flagging system to the one used in the current database.

Note that #D flags will not be available for change.

To find and replace flags

1. Select Find and replace flags from the Tools menu. The Find and Replace Flags Wizard is displayed.
2. Select the networks that the changes are to be applied to from the Common Tree Selection dialog and click OK.
3. In the Select flags page, define the flag changes to be made and click Next.
4. A Confirmation page will be displayed listing the changes that will be made to selected networks. Click Start to carry out replacement.
5. A Summary page will be displayed listing the changes that have been made.
6. Click OK to dismiss the wizard.