Section & Lateral Differences
- Steve Peregrine
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The Difference Between Sections & Laterals in WinCan VX
In the WinCan VX interface for all global standards we have 3 tabs for Sections, Laterals and Nodes:
Data access tabs.
The difference between section sand laterals is subtle in that in most territories they are all just pipes, but there are a small number of inspection standards including USA and Germany there are small differences in the observation codes that can be used and the header fields that are available for the 2 different styles of pipe, and in those standards, the definition of the difference between sections and laterals is clear.
In the HADDMS environment of WinCan VX there is no difference to the header fields, pick list options or observation codes that are available to the user between the section and lateral views, and we use this existing user interface design to our advantage and we store the data:
HADDMS continuous items are all stored in the Sections or Laterals tabs.
HADDMS point and region items are all stored in the Nodes tab.
So what is the difference between these object types?
A Lateral is any linear item (i.e. a continuous item) that has a connector node at the downstream end.
A Section is any linear item that is not a Lateral.
Notice that this definition covers all continuous items and makes no distinction between below ground pipes and above ground surface items, or asset sizes.
So, some easy examples of this logic in real terms:
A gully pipe connecting to a catchpit at the downstream end is a Section.
A gully pipe connecting to a connector node on another pipe is a Lateral.
All point and region items are Nodes that can be connected together with Sections or Laterals.
There is a really powerful advantage to be strict about this logic inside HADDMS projects. Inside WinCan VX there is existing logic where laterals can be connected to sections (sections cannot be connected to laterals).
What this means is that if you inspect a 90 m section between two catchpits and code some junction/connection observations at observed distances and clock positions, then we can tie the lateral inspection of the connected pipe into the section at this point.
The life saving usefulness of this feature is that when we import GIS data for the point assets at a future part of the data processing and the coordinates of the catchpits and the gullies all move (they always move, because you can never get the same coordinates of an asset twice with GPS data), then provided the laterals are tied to the section in this way, then the geometry of the lateral-section link will be retained when the points move, or in more plain English, the lateral pipe will remain connected to the section pipe when the section moves.
Without this linking, they become detached from each other. More information is provided in Snapping Objects in WinCan Map.
Sanity Test
It’s a good idea when processing data to always keep an eye on whether the continuous items in the project are in the Sections grid or the Laterals grid, and to update data as needed.
Remember, a lateral is any continuous item with a connector node at the downstream end. If it’s not a lateral then it is a section.
A quick process to check your data and fix errors:
On the laterals grid, open the User Filter and create a single line query that filters all objects where the Downstream Node Type IS NOT a Connector Node.
Then, use the Search & Replace tool to change the ‘Asset Style’ from Lateral to Section on the filtered results.
On the sections grid, open the User Filter and create a single line query that filters all objects where the Downstream Node Type IS a Connector Node.
Then, use the Search & Replace tool to change the ‘Asset Style’ from Section to Lateral on the filtered results.
This quick and easy sanity check will help prevent issues at the point of export and will help to keep the data in good shape.
If you see that this process has moved some objects inappropriately, then the downstream node type is incorrectly set in your data and should be reconsidered and adjusted as required.