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Working with Alert Definition Lists

See Working with Database items for details on how to open, edit, save or delete alert definition lists.

Alert definition lists behave differently to other database items:

  • Alert definition lists reside in a Live group, therefore a Live group and not a Model group should be right-clicked in the Explorer Window to create an alert definition list.
  • To save an alert definition list, either click Close (Close dialog) in the top right corner of the alert definition list and select Yes when prompted to confirm the saving, or click Save (Save button) in the File toolbar.
  • Alert definition lists must be validated before they are used in manifests.
  • Alert definition lists are read-only once they have been used to generate alert instance lists.

Alert definition lists can be imported from CSV files into InfoWorks ICM and exported as CSV for viewing or editing in other applications. See Importing and Exporting Alert Definition Lists for more information.

Important note about grid fields and auto-population

It is highly recommended to fill the grid from left to right.

It is important to note that the number of auto-populated columns depends on the context in which the alert definition list has been opened:

  1. On its own - the level of auto-population is very limited as there is no network or simulation results to derive data from.
  2. In the presence of a network - the standard set of network object types (like Node, Conduit, etc) are automatically added to the columns Target Type A and Target Type B. The list of all available network objects of the relevant type is also added to the columns Target A and Target B, where applicable.
  3. In the presence of a simulation - In this case, not only the same columns as in the presence of a network get auto-populated but also the Target field A and Target field B columns (where appropriate) are populated with any possible result types from the simulation results.
Important: Each alert definition list grid is permanently based off the network it was originally opened on (where applicable). So, even if the network is closed or another network made current, the alert definition list grid will always refer to the original network. The title of the network it is associated with is displayed in the title bar of the grid.

Filling in an alert definition (row) left-to-right is highly recommended as proceeding in this order will auto-populate, grey out or make uneditable the remaining columns as appropriate, and helps the user to create valid alert definitions.

Although these columns are auto-populated, the desired value can still be manually typed into a cell. Validating the alert definition list will highlight any errors.

Create a new alert definition list

  1. Open the desired simulation in the GeoPlan.
    Tip: Alert definitions can be created without a network or simulation but in that case, cells will not be pre-populated with available values.
  2. Right-click a Live group in the Model Window and select New Alert definition list from the context menu.

    The New Name - Alert Definition List dialog is displayed.

  3. Type in a name of the alert definition list
  4. Click OK.

    The new alert definition list appears in the database tree.

  5. Open the alert definition list.

    The alert definition list grid is opened, ready for editing. The title bar of an alert definition list changes when an alert definition list is associated with a network or simulation. The alert definition list name is on the left, followed by the network or simulation name. The read-only state is displayed for the alert definition list.

    Tip: To associate an alert definition list to a simulation or a network, open the simulation (or network) in a GeoPlan first and then open the alert definition list by dragging it onto the InfoWorks ICM background. Dragging and dropping an alert definition onto a simulation GeoPlan generates an alert instance object.
  6. Edit as appropriate. See Alert definition lists for a grid description.
  7. Save the Alert Definition List (as described previously).

Validate an alert definition list

  1. Open the alert definition list.
  2. Click (Validate) on the Validation toolbar.

    InfoWorks ICM displays the Output Window, in which it will list any error, warning or information messages (see Alert Definition List Validation Messages).

  3. Use the window options to investigate the corresponding fields and make corrections, where required.
  4. Close the Output window.

Example of using an SQL SPATIAL search in an alert definition list

The SPATIAL keyword can also be used in an alert definition lists. For example, if you wanted to set an alert when more than 3 radar cells in a polygon exceed an intensity of 11 mm/hr, then you should ensure that the following are entered on the alert definition list:

Field Input
Alert definition ID The name for this alert definition
Priority The priority assigned to this alert definition
Category A description of the alert
Target type A Polygon
Target A The name of the polygon for which you want to set an alert on. In this example the polygon is called POLY1
Target field A SQL
Target SQL Prefix A

SPATIAL NONE;

SET $POLY1=0; SPATIAL Contains Rainfall [Spatial Rain Layer];

SET $POLY1=$PLOY1+IIF(spatial.intensity>11,1,0);

Target SQL Body A $POLY1>3
Parent topic: Alert Definition List

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