Creating structure-equipment relationships

Hierarchical relationships have designated structure and equipment features. A structure-equipment relationship is created to relate features comprising a navigational aid. Navigational aids are composed of two basic types of objects: structures and equipment. The structure object is considered the parent feature, and all the related equipment the child features. A lighted buoy is a good example of a structure-equipment relationship. The buoy is a parent structure with different equipment attached to it, such as lights and navigational devices, which are considered child features.

To create a structure-equipment relationship between two points, the two point features must share the same x,y geometry values. However, when line, area, and point geometry type features are grouped into a structure-equipment relationship, they do not have to share similar geometry values. There could be more than one child feature, but only one parent feature is allowed in a relationship. If you have selected two or more parent features when creating a structure-equipment relationship, you have to choose which one is the parent feature from the selection, and the remaining parent features become child features in the relationship.

1. Start ArcMap.
2. On the main menu, click Customize > Toolbars > Production Editing.
3. On the main menu, click Customize > Toolbars > Nautical.
4. Click the Production Start Editing button on the Production Editing toolbar.

   Note:

   The Manage Features and Create Attributes, Update Attributes, or Metadata Attributes windows automatically appear when you start an edit session using the Production Start Editing tool.

   Tip:

   If the Create Attributes, Update Attributes, or Metadata Attributes window does not appear when you start an edit session, click the Show/Hide Attributes button on the Manage Features window.

5. Select features from which to create one relationship.
6. Click the Relationship Manager button on the Nautical toolbar.

   The Relationship Manager window appears. It is blank by default.

7. You can choose to customize your view. Go to Working with the Relationship Manager window for more information.
8. Right-click Structure-Equipment in the tree view and click Create.

   The new structure-equipment relationship appears in the tree view if you selected only one structure feature.

   Follow the rest of the steps if you selected more than one structure feature.

9. Choose the appropriate structure feature on the Select Structure dialog box.
10. Click OK.

    The new structure-equipment relationship appears in the tree view of the Relationship Manager window.