Import in InfoSewer

There are many ways data can be imported into InfoSewer. Depending on the type of data you want to import into your InfoSewer data project choose from among the following.

• InfoSewer Import Manager - Use the InfoSewer Import manager to bring in data such as shapefiles (GIS data), text files and Map Info files (MIF/MID). To learn more about the InfoSewer Import Manager click here.
• ODBC Exchange - Use the ODBC exchange if you want to link to an external data base such as dBASE, FoxPro, Access etc. Click here to learn more about the ODBC exchange process.
• OLE DB Connection - Use the OLE DB exchange if you want to link to an external data base such as Access.
• Generate File - Use this to import ArcInfo Generate files. To learn more about the GENERATE files import process click here.
• H2OMAP Project - (can be accessed through the Project sub menu) Use this to import an existing H2OMAP Project into InfoSewer. Be sure to set your drawing limits by choosing the Create New option and double arrow button . Now chose the import button and browse to your H2OMAP Project. Choose the default settings for the remaining options and then Ok to close the last dialogue box. InfoSewer will create an InfoSewer database and a drawing. Navigate down to the appropriate H2OMAP map file (.H2O extension) and click on it to select it. InfoSewer will first create the InfoSewer project database and subsequently create an InfoSewer drawing from the database. After a successful import, save the newly created InfoSewer project into a location on your hard-drive by using the Save As command under the File menu.

Issues to Consider When Importing GIS data into InfoSewer

If you import data from a GIS you should ensure the following before importing into InfoSewer:

• All pipes (arcs, lines) in the GIS are connected to two unique nodes.
• All pipes in the GIS are snapped together where those pipes represent connected pipes in your water distribution system. In other words, be sure that where two or more pipes should be connected, those pipes should share the same node in the GIS or other external database. It is common to find that in the GIS those two or more pipes are actually dead-end pipes, each pipe with a unique, different node, and those nodes simply share the same location, appearing to a map viewer as being the same node.
• There are no disconnected nodes in the GIS database. Each node should be connected to at least one pipe in the GIS.
• The graphical representation of the pipes in the GIS corresponds to the values in your database that represent the from- and to-node identifiers. In other words, if a pipe in your GIS database has a from-node value of “1” and a to-node value of “2”, then the graphical representation of that pipe on the map display shows that pipe starting at node “1” and ending at node “2”.

Note: If you do not meet the above-listed criteria, you may experience one or more errors when running a simulation in InfoSewer. The two most common situations that may occur if you do not meet the above-listed criteria before importing are the following:

• Isolated Node – One or more nodes are disconnected from the network.
• Coincident Nodes – Two or more nodes share the same location, appearing to a viewer as a single node.

InfoSewer has tools that will help you correct these problems in the event that your GIS is too burdensome. From the InfoSewer Control Center -> InfoSewer button ->Utilities menu, point to Connectivity and select Orphan Nodes or Orphan Pipes. By doing this, InfoSewer will identify which nodes are not connected to pipes and which pipes do not have both an upstream and downstream node.