The CrescentLink Web Experience is an app used to share view-only access to a CrescentLink geodatabase without the need for GIS software on the viewer's side. The viewer will need to login to their Geograph account and may also need to login to ArcGIS Online and/or the organization's ArcGIS Portal to view the data, depending on where the web map is stored.
This article will introduce you to the app's following functions:
- Web Map Functions - basic tools for moving around the map and viewing the data.
- Network Manager Functions - view all the connected components of your network along with some familiar capabilities such as creating a Splice Diagram and seeing port-strand connections.
- Trace Functions - an interactive panel that walks you through a circuit of your network.
The first step after opening the web app is to login to a user's Geograph account. The Sign In button is in the panel to the left of the map. After logging in there is an account icon to the right of the CrescentLink search bar that will provide details related to the account, license status, and CrescentLink Web Experience version.
Web Map Functions
Select / Clear: there are several selection options to choose from by selecting the dropdown menu to the right of the Select Tool. After selecting an individual item an Attribute Window will open.
Attribute Window: Selecting a feature in the map opens a pop-up attribute window.
Selecting the Dock button will move the pop-up window to the right side of the app so that the map features can be viewed clearly. Clicking on the Selected Feature Arrows will highlight each feature that shares the originally selected feature's location.
Zoom In / Out: the + and - buttons adjust the scale of the map. Alternatively, use the mouse scroll wheel to zoom.
Default Map View: This is the "Home" button that returns the map to its initial position and scale. Panning in the map is achieved with the left mouse button in a click-and-drag method.
Find My Location: With location services turned on the map will orientate to the user's location.
Reset Compass Orientation: Right-click on the mouse button and hold to turn the orientation of the map. Select the Reset button to return to a North-up orientation.
Search: This search button is a map function that by default searches for addresses globally; however, this can be modified in your WEb Map settings to include CrescentLink data by layers, such as Splice Points based on the stationID field or Support Structures based on Pole Number.
Layers: This button opens a panel showing all the layers on the map with the option to turn layers off by clicking on the eye symbol. The Legend tab allows the user to view the symbology for each layer.
Basemap: A selection of Esri basemaps available for online customers.
Measure: The measure tool has options for areas (plus perimeter) or line segments.
Fullscreen: With the window maximized, selecting Fullscreen will expand the web map to the border of the monitor. The CrescentLink Network Manager is currently not available in Fullscreen.
Network Manager Functions
The Network Manager is a panel on the left side of the map. This panel allows the user to view details related to cable strands, splice point inventory, equipment ports, and their associated connections.
The Network Manager panel is populated by either searching for a feature in the CrescentLink search bar or by selecting a participating feature such as a splice point or a cable from the map and then clicking on the CrescentLink button in the Attribute Window.
A Cable feature is indicated by an electric plug symbol followed by the Cable ID (facilityID field). Below the Cable ID are the splice points at either end of the cable feature. Clicking on one of the points will open the cable strands that connect at that point. Each strand has the count associated with it, a distance trace option, and a fiber trace option.
A Point feature is indicated by a location pin symbol followed by the StationID name. Below the point are the cables and equipment that connect at the selected splice point. The menu to the right of the splice point name has a set of options to create a Splice Diagram pdf, Pan-To, or Zoom To the feature.
Sample of the Splice Diagram PDF:
- Selecting a cable (indicated by the cable spool symbol) below the splice point will open the strand information that provides the trace and distance trace functions as well as the Trace All button. Equipment and port connections will be visible for each strand if they exist. Selecting the equipment name (bold) will open the equipment port information.
Clicking on the double arrow button on the right side will pan the map to the opposite splice point that the cable segment is connected to. It also loads that splice point in Network Manager. Clicking on the double arrow button again will return back to the original point or its possible to continue following a route through your network. - Selecting a piece of equipment will open the port configuration. The front port list is open by default. Clicking on the drop-down arrow to the right of the front port line item will close (Hide) the front port list so that the backport list can be viewed.
Click on the Back button (top left above the selected feature name) to return to the Splice Point contents in the Network Manager panel. Or click the item above the currently selected item hierarchically. Click on the Back button again to clear the Network Manager panel.
Trace Functions
Tracing is done from a feature listed within the Network Manager panel, similar to CrescentLink Desktop.
Trace All: clicking this button on a cable within Network Manager will return the total number of circuits along with the color-coded numbers of strands that are fully lit (yellow), half-lit (red), and dark (black).
Port/Cable Trace: selecting the trace button on a cable strand/pair or piece of equipment will return a list of connected items. Clicking on an item will highlight and zoom to the circuit in the map.
- Trace from a piece of equipment:
- Trace from a cable strand:
Selecting the View Trace Details on one of those items will show greater details of the trace result including each splice point, equipment port, and cable strand/pair within that circuit. Hovering the mouse cursor over each item in the list will turn the yellow highlighted feature in the map to purple. Clicking on the item will zoom to that feature.
Distance Trace
The Distance Trace tool is available on cables or equipment. If the equipment is not connected to a cable then no marker will appear.
Clicking on the Distance Trace button will open a data entry block. After entering a numerical value click on the trace arrow on the right side of the entry block. This will run the tool and place a red marker on the cable at the distance indicated.
A pop-up window will also provide the coordinates of the marker as well as the splice points on either end of the cable feature.