Chapter 1Introducing the MunsysQ Electricity User Manual

MunsysQ Electricity is used to capture and maintain electricity ring and radial networks in QGIS: substations, transformers, poles, junctions and street lights, the overhead and underground cables between them, and the service connections to the parcels. It does not require GIS expertise: the Electricity menus guide you through each function, and the electricity business rules are applied as you work.

MunsysQ Electricity is one of the MunsysQ applications, alongside MunsysQ Cadastral, Drainage, Roads, Sewer and Water. All of them work on the same Munsys database as Munsys on AutoCAD.

About this manual

This manual describes the functions of MunsysQ Electricity: how an electricity network is captured, checked, posted to the database and maintained. It assumes that you are familiar with:

• the electricity business rules of your organisation
• the MunsysQ panel, QAD command line and edit cycle, as described in the MunsysQ Concepts User Manual
• common GIS terminology.

What is in this manual

Additional reading material

Before you use this manual, read the MunsysQ Concepts User Manual. It explains the topics that are the same in every application:

• connecting to the Munsys data, through WFS-T or directly to the database
• the MunsysQ panel and the QAD command line
• Munsys objects, tags, lookup values and application settings
• the edit cycle of capture, integrity check and posting, and record locking
• the Object and Tools menus that all applications share.

Conventions in this manual

The menus use these abbreviations: EHV extra high voltage, HV high voltage, LV low voltage, SL street light, SC service connection, OH overhead and UG underground.

Finding the information you need

• For the manuals, click Help on the MunsysQ panel.
• For help on a function, right-click it in the menu tree and choose Help on, or select it and press F1.
• For help on a dialog box, click its Help button.
• For the latest support options, visit www.openspatial.com.

Chapter 2Getting acquainted with MunsysQ Electricity

About MunsysQ Electricity

An electricity network is built as a ring or radial network from nodes, cables and service connections. It consists of smaller networks for extra high voltage, high voltage, low voltage, street lights and service connections. The connectivity rules of each network are built into the capture functions, so that a cable can only connect nodes that belong to its network: an overhead EHV cable, for example, runs between pylons, and a service connection starts at a transformer, pole, junction or distribution box.

Descriptive information such as cable size and material, cable status and service phase is taken from lookup lists in the database, so that the values are consistent. The electricity business rules are checked before the data is posted to the database.

About electricity objects

Nodes

Nodes show where cables start, end or connect. Each node belongs to one or more node groups, extra high voltage, high voltage, low voltage, street light and service connection, which say which networks it is part of. A switch station, for example, belongs to the EHV and HV groups.

The node types available at your site are defined in the database and may differ.

Cables and service connections

Cables are overhead (OH) or underground (UG), in five networks: EHV, HV, LV, SL and SC. Overhead cables run from node to node through intermediate nodes such as poles. Underground cables follow the road reserves, usually at an offset from the parcel boundaries. The length of a cable includes the slack at each node it connects to.

Service connections connect the network to the parcels. They start at a node and end inside the parcel, overhead or underground.

Other electricity objects

• Ducts carry cables under roads.
• Electricity zones are polygons, usually the supply area of a transformer or substation.
• Notes and dimension arrows add information to plans.

Loading MunsysQ Electricity

Before you start, QGIS must be connected to the Munsys data and the MunsysQ panel must show its menus. Connecting is described in Chapter 3 of the MunsysQ Concepts User Manual.

1. Open the QGIS project that contains the electricity layers.
2. On the MunsysQ panel, select Electricity (EMS) in the Module list. The Electricity menus are displayed in the menu tree.

The MunsysQ Electricity menus

The Electricity functions are grouped in three menus. The Object and Tools menus below them are shared by all applications and are described in the Concepts User Manual.

The functions used most often are also on toolbars, as in Munsys on AutoCAD. See The Electricity toolbars.

The Electricity toolbars

When Electricity is selected in the Module list, MunsysQ shows the Electricity toolbars. They have the same buttons as the Electricity toolbars of Munsys on AutoCAD, and each button runs the menu function listed next to it below. The toolbars of the other applications are hidden while Electricity is selected.

• The Integrity toolbar is in the MunsysQ panel, below the Module list.
• The other toolbars are in the QGIS window, named MunsysQ EMS - Capture and so on. Switch them on or off with View > Toolbars > MunsysQ EMS. MunsysQ remembers where you place them, also after QGIS is restarted.

Integrity toolbar

Shown in the MunsysQ panel, below the Module list.

Button	Name	Same as menu function
	Validate Object Integrity	Capture > Data Integrity > Validate Object Integrity...
	Validate Network Integrity	Capture > Data Integrity > Validate Network Integrity...
	Browse Integrity Markers	Capture > Data Integrity > Browse Integrity Markers...
	Erase Integrity Markers	Capture > Data Integrity > Erase Integrity Markers
	Post to Database	Capture > Post to Database...

Capture toolbar

Shown in the QGIS window.

Button	Name	Same as menu function
	Electricity Settings...	Capture > Electricity Settings...
	Place Electricity Note	Capture > Place Electricity Note
	Place Dimension Arrow	Capture > Place Dimension Arrow

Change toolbar

Shown in the QGIS window.

Button	Name	Same as menu function
	Move Node	Change > Move Node
	Rotate Node 180	Change > Rotate Node 180

Connectivity toolbar

Shown in the QGIS window.

Button	Name	Same as menu function
	Show Cable Direction	Capture > Show Cable Direction
	Change Cable Direction	Capture > Change Cable Direction
	Clear Direction Arrows	Capture > Clear Direction Arrows

Place Node toolbar

Shown in the QGIS window.

Button	Name	Same as menu function
	Place Switch Station	Capture > Place Node > Switch Station
	Place Standard Sub	Capture > Place Node > Standard Sub
	Place Mini Sub	Capture > Place Node > Mini Sub
	Place Transformer	Capture > Place Node > Transformer
	Place Pylon	Capture > Place Node > Pylon
	Place Air Link	Capture > Place Node > Air Link
	Place Kiosk	Capture > Place Node > Kiosk
	Place HV Switch	Capture > Place Node > HV Switch
	Place Distribution Box	Capture > Place Node > Distribution Box
	Place Pole	Capture > Place Node > Pole
	Place HV Junction	Capture > Place Node > HV Junction
	Place LV Junction	Capture > Place Node > LV Junction
	Place SL Junction	Capture > Place Node > SL Junction
	Place SL Pole	Capture > Place Node > SL Pole
	Place SL Highmast	Capture > Place Node > SL Highmast
	Place Street Light	Capture > Place Node > Street Light
	Place Billboard	Capture > Place Node > Billboard

Insert Node toolbar

Shown in the QGIS window.

Button	Name	Same as menu function
	Insert Switch Station	Capture > Insert Node > Switch Station
	Insert Standard Sub	Capture > Insert Node > Standard Sub
	Insert Mini Sub	Capture > Insert Node > Mini Sub
	Insert Transformer	Capture > Insert Node > Transformer
	Insert Pylon	Capture > Insert Node > Pylon
	Insert Air Link	Capture > Insert Node > Air Link
	Insert Kiosk	Capture > Insert Node > Kiosk
	Insert HV Switch	Capture > Insert Node > HV Switch
	Insert Distribution Box	Capture > Insert Node > Distribution Box
	Insert Pole	Capture > Insert Node > Pole
	Insert HV Junction	Capture > Insert Node > HV Junction
	Insert LV Junction	Capture > Insert Node > LV Junction
	Insert SL Junction	Capture > Insert Node > SL Junction
	Insert SL Pole	Capture > Insert Node > SL Pole
	Insert SL Highmast	Capture > Insert Node > SL Highmast
	Insert Street Light	Capture > Insert Node > Street Light
	Insert Billboard	Capture > Insert Node > Billboard

Place OH Cable toolbar

Shown in the QGIS window.

Button	Name	Same as menu function
	Place OH EHV Cable	Capture > Place OH Cable > EHV
	Place OH HV Cable	Capture > Place OH Cable > HV
	Place OH LV Cable	Capture > Place OH Cable > LV
	Place OH SL Cable	Capture > Place OH Cable > SL
	Place OH SC Cable	Capture > Place OH Cable > SC

Offset UG Cable toolbar

Shown in the QGIS window.

Button	Name	Same as menu function
	Place Offset UG EHV Cable	Capture > Place Offset UG Cable > EHV
	Place Offset UG HV Cable	Capture > Place Offset UG Cable > HV
	Place Offset UG LV Cable	Capture > Place Offset UG Cable > LV
	Place Offset UG SL Cable	Capture > Place Offset UG Cable > SL
	Place Offset UG SC Cable	Capture > Place Offset UG Cable > SC

Freehand UG Cable toolbar

Shown in the QGIS window.

Button	Name	Same as menu function
	Place Freehand UG EHV Cable	Capture > Place Freehand UG Cable > EHV
	Place Freehand UG HV Cable	Capture > Place Freehand UG Cable > HV
	Place Freehand UG LV Cable	Capture > Place Freehand UG Cable > LV
	Place Freehand UG SL Cable	Capture > Place Freehand UG Cable > SL
	Place Freehand UG SL Cable by Pole	Capture > Place Freehand UG Cable > SL (Pole)
	Place Freehand UG SC Cable	Capture > Place Freehand UG Cable > SC

Place SC toolbar

Shown in the QGIS window.

Button	Name	Same as menu function
	Place OH Service Connection Freehand	Capture > Place OH Service Connection > Freehand
	Place OH Service Connection 45 Deg Direct	Capture > Place OH Service Connection > 45 Deg Direct
	Place OH Service Connection 90 Deg Direct	Capture > Place OH Service Connection > 90 Deg Direct
	Place OH Service Connection Radial	Capture > Place OH Service Connection > Radial
	Place UG Service Connection Offset	Capture > Place UG Service Connection > Offset
	Place UG Service Connection Freehand	Capture > Place UG Service Connection > Freehand
	Place UG Service Connection 45 Deg Direct	Capture > Place UG Service Connection > 45 Deg Direct
	Place UG Service Connection 90 Deg Direct	Capture > Place UG Service Connection > 90 Deg Direct
	Place UG Service Connection Radial	Capture > Place UG Service Connection > Radial

The electricity layers

Each type of electricity object is stored in its own spatial table and shown in QGIS as its own layer. A MunsysQ project normally holds them in an Electricity group in the Layers panel.

MunsysQ finds the layer that a function needs by its spatial table, so you can rename the layers or move them to other groups.

Chapter 3Electricity data in the project

In Munsys on AutoCAD, electricity data is brought into the drawing with the Query menu: all electricity objects, the objects of one network (EHV, HV, LV, SL or SC), the network objects, or zones, ducts, notes and dimensions. In MunsysQ there is no query step. The electricity layers are connected to the database while the project is open, and QGIS reads the objects for the area that you are looking at.

The electricity network

The network is made up of the node, cable and service connection layers, with the notes and dimensions that belong to them. Keep these layers switched on while you capture or change the network, so that every function can find the objects that it connects to.

Working with one network

To see only one network, for example the low voltage network, filter the Electricity Cables layer on its cable type column, or use rule-based styling on that column. Filtering layers is covered in a separate chapter.

Chapter 4Creating electricity data

Capturing electricity data

An electricity network is normally captured in this order:

1. Nodes first: substations, transformers, poles, junctions and street lights.
2. Cables between the nodes. A cable can only connect nodes of its own network.
3. Service connections from the nodes to the parcels.
4. Zones, notes and dimension arrows at any time.

When the network is complete, check its integrity and post it to the database.

Electricity capture settings

The Electricity settings are the defaults that the capture and integrity functions use. They are maintained by the GIS administrator in the Munsys Management Console (MMC). You can change many of them for your current session to speed up capture; settings that only the administrator may change are greyed out.

To specify electricity capture settings

1. Choose Capture > Electricity Settings.... The Electricity Settings dialog box shows the current session settings.
2. Select a setting to see its description in the box below the list.
3. To change a value, click it, and then type a new value or choose one from the list.
4. Click OK.

The new values apply to objects that you capture from now on, until you change them again or close QGIS. They do not change objects that already exist.

Capturing electricity nodes

A node is placed next to a parcel boundary or other segment, or inserted on an existing cable, which breaks the cable there. The same node types are on both menus.

Placing nodes

1. Choose Capture > Place Node and the node type, for example Transformer.
2. At Select segment to snap to:, select the boundary segment that the node belongs to.
3. At Specify insertion point:, click where the node must go.
4. At Specify side for node:, click on the side of the segment where the node must lie.
5. If the Node Descriptions setting is on, select the description of the node from the list and click OK.

The settings Align Nodes with Cadastral, Snap nodes and the symbol offset distance of the node type control where exactly the node is placed. With Automatic Node Placement on, you are not asked for an insertion point.

Inserting nodes into an existing network

Use this to add a node to a cable that is already captured, without capturing the cable again.

1. Choose Capture > Insert Node and the node type.
2. Select the point on the cable where the node must go. The cable is broken at that point and the node is placed there.

Capturing cables

Every cable runs from a start node to an end node of its own network. If a node does not allow the cable type, MunsysQ tells you so, for example The selected start node has no substation connectivity for this cable type. The cable is connected to the nodes at the tie-in distance of each node type, and its length includes the cable slack of the nodes.

The Cable Information dialog box

When the Cable Info setting is on, the Cable Information dialog box is shown after you have placed a cable:

• In the Cable Info group, select the Cable Size and Cable Material.
• Set the Start Status and End Status of the cable to OPEN, CLOSED or FIXED.

Click OK to apply the values. When the setting is off, the cable receives the defaults.

Placing overhead cables

1. Choose Capture > Place OH Cable and the network: EHV, HV, LV, SL or SC.
2. At Select start electricity node:, select the node where the cable starts.
3. At Select end electricity node:, select the node where it ends.
4. At Select intermediate electricity nodes, or press Enter to continue:, select the poles or pylons that the cable runs over, in order, and press Enter.
5. Complete the Cable Information dialog box if it is shown.

Placing offset underground cables

1. Choose Capture > Place Offset UG Cable and the network.
2. Select the start node, then the end node.
3. At Specify first point or [Offset segment]:, either pick the points along the boundary and press Enter, or type O to pick boundary segments instead.
4. At Specify point on side to offset:, click on the side where the cable must lie.
5. Enter the offset distance, or press Enter for the Cable Default Offset Distance. When picking segments, enter a factor at Multiply offset by <1>: and finish with Done selecting offset segments [Yes/No] <Yes>:.
6. Complete the Cable Information dialog box if it is shown.

Placing freehand underground cables

1. Choose Capture > Place Freehand UG Cable and the network.
2. Select the start node, then the end node.
3. Specify the points of the cable between the nodes and press Enter.
4. Complete the Cable Information dialog box if it is shown.

Capture > Place Freehand UG Cable > SL (Pole) places a street light cable that runs from pole to pole: select the start node, the end node and the intermediate poles, as for an overhead cable.

Capturing service connections

Service connections connect the network to the parcels and must end inside the parcel. Overhead service connections start at a transformer, pole or LV junction; underground ones at a standard sub, mini sub, pole, LV junction or distribution box.

The service connection information dialog box

When the Service Connection Info setting is on, a dialog box is shown after you have placed a service connection. Select the size and material in the Cable Info group, and the Phase and Phase Type in the Service Connection Info. group, and click OK.

Placing overhead service connections

Placing underground service connections

Checking cable direction

The direction of a cable runs from its start node to its end node. Check it when the network is complete.

Capturing electricity zones

An electricity zone usually shows the area supplied by one switch station, substation or transformer. Its tag is the node ID of that supply node.

To draw a zone boundary

1. Choose Capture > Electricity Zone > Draw Zone Boundary.
2. At Specify first point:, pick the first corner of the zone, then the next corners at Specify next point:.
3. Press Enter to close the boundary. It is closed back to the first point.

The zone polygon is created directly, and its tag is placed with the Zone Tag Height from the Electricity settings.

To generate zone polygons

Builds zone polygons from existing boundary lines and tags, for example after a drawing has been imported and its text converted with Extras > Convert Text to > Zone Tag. A polygon is built only where a tag lies inside a closed boundary.

1. Choose Capture > Electricity Zone > Generate Zone Polygons.
2. At Select objects..., select the lines that form the boundaries and press Enter.
3. At Select tags..., select the tags inside those boundaries and press Enter.

Placing electricity annotation

Placing electricity notes

1. Choose Capture > Place Electricity Note.
2. Specify the insertion point of the note.
3. Enter the note height, or press Enter for the Note Tag Height setting.
4. Specify the angle: type it, pick it on the map, or type A to align the note to a segment.
5. At Enter note value:, type the text of the note and press Enter.

Placing dimension arrows

Dimension arrows state the distance of a cable or node from a parcel boundary or another object, which helps maintenance teams to find the services.

1. Choose Capture > Place Dimension Arrow.
2. At Select first segment for dimension:, select the segment that the arrows must be perpendicular to.
3. At Select second segment for dimension:, select the point on the second segment that the arrows must align to.
4. At Enter distance or [Actual]:, type the distance, press Enter for the Cable Default Offset Distance, or type A to use the measured distance.

Checking electricity integrity

The integrity check validates new and changed objects against the electricity business rules before they are posted. The rules are held in the database; MunsysQ reads them through the Munsys REST service and applies them, so they are the same as in Munsys on AutoCAD. The check works on the objects that you select, or on all objects with pending edits when nothing is selected. It has two parts:

• Object integrity checks each object on its own: its geometry and its attributes.
• Network integrity checks how the nodes, cables and service connections fit together: that cables end at nodes of their own network, that nodes are connected to the right kinds of cable, and that there are no duplicate cables or nodes. It also looks at neighbouring objects that you did not change.

The checks and the integrity markers are described in full in the Concepts User Manual.

To check electricity object integrity

1. Select the electricity objects to check, or select nothing to check all objects with pending edits.
2. Choose Capture > Data Integrity > Validate Object Integrity..., or click the button on the Integrity toolbar.
3. The MunsysQ Integrity message reports how many objects were checked and failed, how many issues were found, and how many integrity markers were written.

To check electricity network integrity

1. Select the part of the network to check, or select nothing to check the objects with pending edits.
2. Choose Capture > Data Integrity > Validate Network Integrity....
3. Read the result in the MunsysQ Integrity message.

Browsing integrity markers

Each problem is marked on the map by a point in the Integrity Errors layer. Capture > Data Integrity > Browse Integrity Markers... zooms to the markers and opens their attribute table. Select a row and use Zoom map to the selected rows to go to it.

Erasing integrity markers

Capture > Data Integrity > Erase Integrity Markers asks for confirmation and then removes all the markers. Markers are never posted.

Posting electricity data to the database

1. Choose Capture > Post to Database.... The Post to Database dialog box lists each electricity layer with pending edits and the number of objects to be inserted, updated and deleted.
2. Check the totals and click Post.
3. The Post to Database Results dialog box shows what was posted, with a status and a message for each layer. Click Close.

After posting, the edit highlight is cleared, your locks on the posted objects are released, and the changes are visible to all users. Connectivity between nodes and cables is updated in the database when you post.

Chapter 5Maintaining electricity data

The Change menu provides the functions for moving nodes and for changing the attributes of nodes, cables and service connections. When you change an existing object it is locked for you, and the change is a pending edit. Changed objects must pass the integrity check before they are posted.

Changing nodes

To move a node

1. Choose Change > Move Node.
2. Select the node, then specify its new insertion point.

To rotate a node by 180 degrees

1. Choose Change > Rotate Node 180.
2. Select the nodes and press Enter. Each node is turned around.

To change a node description

1. Choose Change > Node Attribute > Change Node Description....
2. At Select electricity nodes..., select the nodes and press Enter.
3. Type the new description and click OK.

To change a node group

The node groups say which networks a node belongs to.

1. Choose Change > Node Attribute > Change Node Group....
2. At Select electricity nodes..., select the nodes and press Enter. The Change Node Group dialog box shows the current groups if you selected one node.
3. Select the groups, Extra High Voltage, High Voltage, Low Voltage, Street Light and Service Connection, and click OK.

Changing cable attributes

Changing cable and service connection size and material

1. Choose Change > Cable Attribute > Change Cable Size... or Change Cable Material..., or Change > SC Attribute > Change SC Size... or Change SC Material....
2. At Select electricity cables... or Select electricity sc(s)..., select the objects and press Enter.
3. Select the new value from the list, searching by code or description if needed; when one object is selected, its current value is highlighted. Click OK.

Changing cable status

1. Choose Change > Cable Attribute > Change Cable Status....
2. At Select electricity cables..., select the cables and press Enter. The Change Cable Status dialog box is displayed.
3. Set the Start Status and End Status to OPEN, CLOSED or FIXED, and click OK.

Changing other attribute data

Editing electricity object attributes

Change > Edit Attributes... shows the attributes of the selected electricity objects of one type, for example cables, in the columns Attribute, Value and Status. Attributes with a fixed list of values offer the list. Attributes that may not be changed are unavailable.

1. Choose Change > Edit Attributes....
2. Select the objects and press Enter. If they are of different types, choose the type to edit.
3. To give all the selected objects the same value, select Edit multiple objects simultaneously. To edit them one by one, clear it and use the arrow buttons to move between objects; select AutoZoom to object to have the map follow.
4. Change the values and click OK.

Editing linked table attributes

Some information about electricity objects is kept in linked, non-spatial tables. Change > Edit Linked Table Attributes... lets you step through the linked records of an object, change them, and insert or delete records, depending on your privileges. Linked table changes are written to the database directly, so you can only select objects that have already been posted.

Adding comments

1. Choose Change > Add Comment....
2. At Select electricity object:, select the objects. The Electricity Comment box is displayed.
3. Type the comment and click OK. It is stored in the COMMENTS column of each selected object.

Deleting and undeleting electricity objects

Objects of a network that is no longer in use are deleted. A deletion is a pending edit: the objects are removed from the database when you post.

To delete electricity objects

1. Choose Change > Delete Electricity Object.
2. Select the electricity objects and press Enter. Objects that are not electricity objects are left out of the selection.

The objects are marked for deletion and shown in the DELETED group at the top of the Layers panel until you post.

To undelete electricity objects

1. Choose Change > Undelete Electricity Object. The objects marked for deletion are shown.
2. Select the objects to keep. They are no longer marked for deletion, and any changes made to them before they were deleted are kept.

Restoring a deleted object

Change > Restore Deleted Object brings back an object whose deletion has already been posted, from the archive that the database keeps of deleted objects. See the Concepts User Manual.

Chapter 6Converting drawing entities to electricity objects

After a drawing has been brought into QGIS with Import CAD/DWG, or geometry has been drawn on a construction layer, the Extras functions convert it to electricity objects. The procedure for imports and the Object Conversion dialog box are described in the Concepts User Manual.

Some basic attributes are set during conversion. Complete the remaining attributes afterwards; then check integrity and post as for captured objects.

Converting blocks to nodes

1. Choose Extras > Convert Block to and the node type, for example Transformer.
2. Select the block references and press Enter. One node is created for each block.

Converting text to zone tags and notes

1. Choose Extras > Convert Text to and Zone Tag or Electricity Note.
2. Select the text and press Enter.

Zone tags can then be built into zone polygons with their boundary lines; see Capturing electricity zones.

Converting polygons to zones

1. Choose Extras > Convert Polygon to > Zone.
2. Select the polygons and press Enter.

Appendix AElectricity menus

This appendix lists the Capture, Change and Extras menus of MunsysQ Electricity. Click a function to go to its description. Menus are stored in the database and can be tailored by an administrator, so the menus at your site may differ.

ReferenceGlossary

Cable slack

The extra cable length allowed at a node, added to the length of each cable connected to it.

Cable status

The state of the start and end of a cable: open, closed or fixed.

EHV, HV, LV

Extra high, high and low voltage.

Intermediate node

A pole or pylon that an overhead cable runs over between its start and end node.

Node group

The networks a node belongs to: extra high voltage, high voltage, low voltage, street light and service connection.

OH, UG

Overhead and underground.

Radial service connection

A straight service connection from a node to a point in a parcel.

Service connection (SC)

The connection between the network and a parcel.

SL

Street light.

Tie-in distance

The distance from a node at which a cable connects to it.

Zone

A polygon showing the supply area of a node, tagged with the node ID of that node.

For the terms that all applications share, see the glossary of the Concepts User Manual.