Flextable Report of Multiple Element Types

  Applies To 
  Product(s): WaterGEMS, WaterCAD, HAMMER, SewerGEMS, SewerCAD, CivilStorm, StormCAD
  Version(s): V8i, CONNECT Edition
  Area:  Output and Reporting
  Original Author: Scott Kampa, Bentley Technical Support Group

Problem

Is it possible to create a report (Flextable) for multiple element types instead of having to open each element type's flextable separately? For example a table with both pipes and nodes.

Background

For the storm and sewer products, there are special Flextables for this. However for the water products, this would be done either by exporting the data via ModelBuilder, using the Custom Reports feature, or the Export to Excel feature.

Solution - Network Elements Flextable

This solution applies to SewerGEMS, CivilStorm, StormCAD and SewerCAD.

To show multiple element types in a single flextable, use the Network Elements table. This special Flextable type contains all the element and their respective properties. In SewerCAD and StormCAD, this can be selected from the Flextable manager. In SewerGEMS and CivilStorm, create a new table under "Tables - Hydraulic Model" and choose "Network Elements". 

To show only one or two of those element types create a selection set of elements and open the flextable based on that selection set. There are multiple ways to create a selection set, two of which are described in this wiki. You can use the "by element" selection from the Home menu (CONNECT Edition) to select all elements of a certain type, then right click in the drawing and choose to add to your selection set. After creating the selection set, double click it to select the elements, then open the flextable based on the selection set using the steps described in option 2 here.

Next, if needed, you can sort the table based on upstream-downstream order.

The final step would be to customize the flextable to show the columns you need reporting for.

Solution - Export to Excel

This solution applies to version 08.11.06.58 and higher of WaterCAD, WaterGEMS and HAMMER and 08.11.05.58 and higher of SewerGEMS, CivilStorm, StormCAD and SewerCAD.

If you need to see multiple element types in a flextable because you need an easier way to report all element types, you can also consider the Export to Excel feature. This can be found from File > Export > Export to Excel. See more details here: Export data to an Excel spreadsheet

Solution - Custom Reports

This solution applies to CONNECT Edition and higher of WaterCAD, WaterGEMS, HAMMER, SewerGEMS, CivilStorm, StormCAD and SewerCAD.

Similar to the Export to Excel option above, if you wish to see multiple element type flextables in a single report, this can be accomplished by adding the respective tables to a Custom Report. The printout/export of the report will include attributes from the multiple flextables you select. See more here: Creating Custom Reports

Solution - ModelBuilder Sync-Out

This solution applies to V8 XM, V8i and CONNECT Edition of WaterCAD, WaterGEMS, HAMMERSewerGEMS, CivilStorm, StormCAD and SewerCAD.

The end result of this is similar to the Export to Excel option above, but can be used for older versions.

ModelBuilder has a Sync Out function that can be used to export data back into a source file, such as an Excel spreadsheet.

To use this, you would need to create an Excel spreadsheet with the formatting would like. For instance, you would need to have a worksheet for each element type. In each worksheet, you would set up columns for each of the fields in the element flextables and place the name in of the field in the first cell. You can also create worksheets for each element types, such as junction, pipes, etc.

Next, you would need to create a Modelbuilder connection to this spreadsheet. For more details on this, see: Using the Sync Out function to update source files using ModelBuilder

The article above uses a specific data source type as an example, but the steps will be similar for an Excel spreadsheet. You would select the spreadsheet as the data source type. 

You can follow the steps in the article above until you get to the Field Mapping Section.

Once you get to the Field Mapping step, you will need to assign the Key Field as the element label column and assign the appropriate element properties to the correct columns in the spreadsheet in the section on the lower left.

Assuming that you use a worksheet for each element type, you will need to do this for each worksheet. You will see a list of worksheets in the Excel spreadsheet on the left side of the Modelbuilder dialog.

NOTE: Excel spreadsheets have a default of three active worksheets. If you are syncing out less than three element types, you will need to remove the extra worksheet(s) from the spreadsheet or deselect the worksheets in the first step of ModelBuilder.

Once you have selected all of the properties you want to export for all the element types, click Next. Select "No" for the question about building the model. Then click "Finish."

Once this is done, you will be back at the ModelBuilder manager. Click the Sync Out button and the Excel spreadsheet should be populated with the the data from the model file.

See also:

Updating Source File Using Model Builder [TN]

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