Cell Library Manager

Managing Objects using the Cell Library

Using the Cell Library Manager you can insert new objects, delete objects and display existing objects that are stored in the Cell Library. The objects can be used with the following functions:

Cell Generator

Spaced Symbols

Cells from Database

Brush Area

Single Cell

GeoAS Project users have additional access to MapCAD cells by means of the object configurator.

How to create a new cell:

Cell Library:
Select the cell library you wish to add your cell to.

Cells:
The available cells are listed here. If <new cell> is activated, you can name the currently selected object and add it as new cell to the cell library.

Cell Name:
Enter the new cell name or rename an existing cell here.

Cell Number:
Each cell gets an individual identification number, which is displayed here.

Cell Information:
Information about the cell is displayed here:
a) Object Type: Region, Line/Polyline, Point/MultiPoint or Collection
b) Width and Height of the cell

Cell distance and Line distance

The values entered here can be used for the "Cell Generator" "Spaced Symbols" and "Brush Area" functions.

Special settings for the Brush Area function:

Pattern:

With the „Cell Generator" function a matrix layout of cells is created atop the region object. Overlapping parts are cut off.

Hatch:

Only Line or Polyline objects (horizontal straight lines) or Region objects (x,y axially parallel closed rectangles) can be used for this option.

The lenght of these objects is internally adapted, so that one object is as long as one side of the matrix. The lenght of the objects is therefore not important, as opposed to the width of Region objects. The width determines the width of the Region objects in the hatch.

If the „Hatch" option is selected, a line distance > 0 has to be entered.

Angle in degrees:

This angle is added to the orientation of the selected object.

Offset in %:

This entry determines the offset between objects in adjacent lines.

Complete Cell:

This checkbox determines whether only whole cell objects shall be inserted with the „Brush area" function or if also partyally cut off cell objects will be used.

Align:

This entry determines the orientation of the cells when the „Brush area" function is used.

Special settings for the Spaced Symbols function:

Whole Symbols only:

Only whole symbols are displayed (for example at corners)

Cut Overshoots:

Symbols are extendend into the corners and cut off where the are too long

Connect Symbols at Edges:

Start and end points of the cells are connected if they have the same y coordinate.

Create Regions:

Additionally, a region object is created from the cell objects (only available in combination with Connect Symbols at Edges).

Maintain constant cell distances when crossing nodes:

By default, a cell symbol is placed at the beginning of every segment of a polyline, regardless of the distance to the previous cell symbol. If the original polyline or polygon consists of many relatively short segments, the distances between the spaced cell symbols can look very unregular. For this reason in GeoAS MapCAD 4.6 this function was supplemented with the "maintain constant cell distances when crossing nodes" option. The cell distance is then maintained even when a new polyline segment begins between the cells.

Factor:

Scaling factor for the cells

Position:

Position of the cells relative to the line (Left, Right, Center)

Special settings for the Target Layer presettings

The „Target Layer" tab page contains complete information concerning databases.

Target Layer:

Here, the user can determine, in which layer the cell will be positioned. Under „fixed layer" a specific table can be entered. Die Eingabefelder auf der rechten Dialogseite werden freigeschaltet. Mit Ausnahme des Layernamens sind sämtliche Angaben optional!

If a fixed layer is determined in the cell library, but not open when a cell function is used, or if „editable layer" is chosen and no layer editable, when a cell function is used, the cells are positioned in the cosmetic layer by default.

If cells are used in different layers, the target should set to „editable layer". For cells used for region fill or as spaced symbols by means of the Object Configurator for GeoAS Project Application Modules you should define a fixed target layer.

Layername:

Table name used as fixed layer.

Cell-name to col.:

Enter the column holding the cell’s name.

Cell-No. to column:

Enter the column holding the cell’s number.

Reference Layer/column:

Once set cells can be linked to a reference object via key and the declaration of a reference layer and its reference column. They will be interpreted by the MapCAD routines Single Cell, Spaced Symbols and Brush Area(quod vide).

Use the "OK" Button to save the new or edited cell in the cell.

Use the "Delete" button to delete cells from the library.

Use the "Edit" button to visualize and edit existing cells in a map window.

Use the "Cancel" button to exit the cell library manager withou saving.

Notes:

General samples for Cell Manager Configurations:

Cell used as Brush area /Hatch with a predefined angle

Cell used as a symbol in a predefined target layer

Sample 1: including a "bin" symbol to the cell library

2.	Select all objects and combine them with the <Objects> <Combine…> function into one object.

-	For this example settings of "Brush area" and "Spaced Symbols" are irrelevant.

Sample 2: planning an avenue tree planting by means of the cell library.
The tree distance among each other is to be 10m, the distance to the street 50cm. The tree crown diameter is planned to be 1.50m.

2.	If the tree consists of several map objects, they have to be selected and combined with the <Objects> <Combine…> function to become one single object.

-

You can enter further settings in the "Spaced Symbol" tab page. The cell information field informs about the size of the tree cell object, which is about 2m x 2m. Since the single trees have to be displayed with a crown diameter of 1.50m, the "Factor" of 0.75 will scale down the object. Define a left "Position" to display the spaced symbols left to the line (considering the line direction). Furthermore activate the "Whole cells only" option to avoid displaying incomplete symbols.

The avenue tree cell application is described in the Spaced Symbols chapter.

Sample 3: creating red and white region hatchures.
The hatchures have to be displayed in a 45° angle to the horizontal axis with a 3m line distance, whereas the red stripes shall be 2.5m wide.

1.	Digitize a rectangle with red fill (i.e. on the cosmetic layer). The rectangle’s height has to match 2.5m, its length is irrelevant.

-	Settings in the "Spaced Symbols" area are irrelevant for this example.

The red and white region hatchures application is described in the Brush Area chapter.

Supported Objecttypes