Creating network analysis objects using Create Network Location

Available with Network Analyst license.

The Create Network Location Tool adds network locations to the selected analysis class in the Network Analyst window.

The following steps demonstrate how to use the tool:

It is assumed you have opened ArcMap, added a network dataset, and created a network analysis layer.
1. On the Network Analyst toolbar, click Create Network Location Tool .
2. If the Network Analyst window is not already present, click the Network Analyst window button on the Network Analyst toolbar.
3. In the Network Analyst window, click the name of the network analysis class you want to add objects to.

   

4. Click on the map to create the object.
   • For point objects, click once, and the object is created.
   • For linear objects, click to create a vertex. Each subsequent click adds another vertex. After at least one vertex has been added, double-clicking adds the last vertex and creates the linear object.
   • For polygonal objects, click to create a vertex. Each subsequent click adds another vertex. After at least two vertices have been added, double-clicking adds the last vertex, closes the polygon, and creates the object.

   The new object appears and is selected in the map display and in the Network Analyst window.

   The following sets of graphics show the results of creating point, line, and polygon objects, respectively.

   

   

   

   

   

   

With the Create Network Location Tool selected, various keys provide additional behavior:

• Type the first letter of a network analysis class in the Network Analyst window to switch to that class. For example, typing S would change the active analysis class to Stops. If you have multiple classes starting with the same character, like Routes and Route Zones, pressing the R key multiple times cycles through the corresponding classes; however, the tool is deactivated when Routes is selected because the tool cannot create routes.
• Press the 1 key to flash the position on the network that a point-based network location would reference given the current location of the cursor.

  

  The cursor with the flag shows where the network analysis object would be created if you clicked the mouse. Pressing the 1 key displays a green dot that shows where that object, if created at the given location, would reference the network.

• If you have configured Network Analyst to reference an address locator, press the 2 key to flash the position on the network that the new network location would reference if created at the current cursor position and display its geocoded address in the status bar of the Network Analyst window.

  

  The cursor with the flag shows where the analysis object would be created if you clicked the mouse. Pressing the 2 key displays a green dot that shows where that object, if created at the given location, would reference the network. If an address locator is specified in the Network Analyst options, the status bar of the Network Analyst window shows the result of reverse geocoding from that position.

While using the Create Network Location Tool, you can add objects to one network analysis class and inspect and edit properties of objects in another class, all while remaining in the map display. For example, you could do the following:

1. Add a stop to a route analysis layer.
2. Right-click a pre-existing point barrier in the map.
3. Choose Properties from the context menu.
4. Inspect the properties of the point barrier.
5. Click OK.
6. Continue adding stops.

Network Analyst automatically activates the Point Barriers and Stops classes. This frees you from having to shuttle your mouse to the Network Analyst window after step 1 (to activate Point Barriers) and after step 5 (to reactivate Stops).

The order of precedence when searching for an analysis object by right-clicking is as follows:

1. Selected item in active network analysis class
2. Selected point item in other network analysis class
3. Unselected item in active network analysis class
4. Unselected point item in other network analysis class
5. Selected line item in other network analysis class
6. Unselected line item in other network analysis class
7. Selected polygon item in other network analysis class
8. Unselected polygon item in other network analysis class

To exemplify the first point in the list above, consider that while adding stop objects, you right-click at a place on the map where there is both a stop and a barrier. The stop will be selected. An example of the second item on the list follows: if two objects from another analysis class are at the same place where you right-click, and only one of the objects is selected, the object that was already selected continues to be selected. These examples should help you understand the rest of the list.