If several items are selected, then moving any of the selected items will move the entire group.

You can rotate an item, or a group of items, by firstly selecting them and then using the Rotate Selection mode. The rotation is carried out around the first point that you click on in this mode; drag the mouse to control the amount of rotation.

To revert to a previous layout, use the Undo/Redo buttons together with the Save NetCon state in the main application Edit menu or toolbar.

Aligning to a grid

Turn on the Show Grid mode to show a grid that items will snap to as you move them. You can also align everything to the grid by right-clicking in an empty part of the diagram and selecting View>Align Now.

Adjusting spacing

The spacing between all nodes and links can be adjusted by right-clicking in a blank area and selecting Tools>Adjust Network>Link/Arm Spacing. Enter a number representing a percentage by which you wish to increase/decrease the spacing - e.g. 120% to slightly increase the spacing between everything.

Changing properties of items

Right-clicking on any item will show a menu appropriate to that item, from where you can access all its properties (this will show the Data Editor screen), and also certain commonly used items, such as a link's control type.

Note that in some cases you will need to use the Data Outline to access exactly the item or sub­item that you need.

If the Links Data screen or Signals Data screen are visible, then they will update to show data for the currently selected controller stream/link, as does the Data Editor.

Adding and deleting items

If the diagram already contains items, you can delete, make copies and add new items by right­clicking on any existing item and choosing the appropriate Add... or Delete options. Multiple item deletions are also possible by selecting all the items you wish to remove and then pressing the Delete key.

You can also add items by using the toolbox on the left of the NetCon window. There are various alternative ways to do this; some are described below. In general, to exit a mode, right- click in a blank part of the diagram, or click on the arrow button in the main toolbar.

Click on the traffic node icon and then click anywhere in the diagram to add the node to the network. Unlike TRANSYT 13, you do not need to choose a node type now that the controller stream is a separate network item.

Drag the traffic node icon onto the diagram to add a traffic node

Click on one of the link or arm icons (signalled, give-way, unrestricted exit, etc.) and then click anywhere in the diagram to add an item of that type. Each mouse click will add one link/arm section (i.e. a new 'bend' for the link/arm), until you right-click. To add a straight link, click once to set the start point, again to set the end point, and then right- click. You can also finish the link/arm using the middle mouse button, which has the effect of staying in link/arm-adding mode, so that you can easily add further links/arms of the same type.

Drag any of the link icons onto the diagram to add a link of that type (you will then need to reposition it)

NB you do not need to necessarily use the different link or arm icons: you can use any link/arm icon and then right-click on the newly added link/arm and use the menus to change the control type and give-way properties etc.

An OD matrix can be created using the same two methods (drag or clicking) as described for creating nodes. When an OD Matrix is created a single Location will also be created automatically ³

You can also add arms, traffic nodes, links, etc. via the Data Outline, as with any other data item, in which the new item will appear in an arbitrary position in the diagram.

Depending on options you select in the User Preferences screen, NetCon may prompt you to enter an item ID each time you add a new item.

Merging Library Files into your network

You can merge Library Files into your existing network via the Ins у File button on the

vertical toolbar. Library files can be added to the network as many times as you like and at any time. The use of Library files makes the construction of your network a lot quicker as it will often be quickest to add a pre-prepared junction to your network than to start from scratch. Library Files can be regarding as 'building-blocks' for your network.

Connecting items

Use the Connect Items mode to connect items in the following ways:

Click on a link, lane or TS and then click on a traffic node to set that node as the traffic

node for that item. If the link, lane or TS is already connected to a traffic node, the new

node will replace the old node.

Click on a link, lane or TS and then click on a controller stream to set that controller

stream as the controller stream controlling that item. If the link, lane or TS is already

connected to a controller stream, the new controller stream will replace the old controller stream.

Click on a link and then click on a second link to connect the first link to the second link. (I.e., the first link will then be an upstream link (or source) of the second link.)

Click on a lane/traffic stream and then click on a second lane or TS to connect the traffic stream associated with the first lane/traffic stream to the traffic stream associated with the second lane/traffic stream. (I.e. traffic streams are connected, rather than lanes.)

Click on a link and then click on a connector to disconnect the existing source link for that connector (if one exists) and connect the new link as the new source.

Click on a Location and then click on a link/traffic stream to set that link/traffic stream as an Entry for that particular Location. Click on a link/traffic stream and then click on a Location to set that link/ traffic stream as an Exit for that particular Location. Note how the order in which you attach the link/traffic stream or location determines whether or not the link/traffic stream is defined as an entry or exit for the selected Location.

Use the Share Links mode to set up shared stop lines. When in this mode, click on a link and then click on a second link to assign the second link as a minor link of the first link. The first link must already be a major shared link (which is true by implication if it is the only link at a stop line). To 'unshare' a link, you can view its Properties and untick the Is Minor Shared Link property.

Shaping (source) connectors

It is possible to 'curve' source connectors in order to offer a more realistic visual path for traffic through junctions and to help avoid unnecessary overlaps of connectors. Right-click on the source connector and select Recurve Source - The connector is automatically split into a number

of even-length sections with bend-handles joining each section (similar to those on traffic streams and links) and the connector is curved appropriately for the situation. A connector can be straightened again using the Straighten Source right-click option. Individual sections can be added and deleted using the right-click menu, and the individual bend handles can each be manipulated to form whatever shape is required.

To quickly recurve all source connectors in the network, right-click in NetCon and select Tools>Recurve All Sources. An equivalent option also exists to re-straighten them.

Editing the position of some components of the network can sometimes result in unsatisfactory curves. If this happens, simply use the Recurve option again, either on individual connectors or on the whole network.

9.6.10 Adding labels

You can add textual annotations to the diagram via the Add Label mode. In this mode, click anywhere on the diagram and type the annotation. You can then move and resize the annotation by dragging it as with any other item. To resize it, click on the label and then drag the red handles as either end.

Viewing and visualising data in NetCon

9.7.1

Signal states

The toolbar at the top of the NetCon window provides access to a number of extra modes and menus where you can turn on various features and visualisations. In general, the key at the bottom of the diagram indicates which options are switched on.

Use this icon to display actual signal states for each link or TS, on the complete item and/or just the stop line and/or connectors. Use the Animation Controls screen to set the point in the cycle to display signals for, or start the animation to animate the signals.

Optionally (and by default), the current stage running at each controller stream is shown underneath the controller stream number in brackets.

NEW!

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You may wish to use this in conjunction with the Timings Diagram and/or Stage Sequence screen so that you can see the signal plan for one or more controller stream at the same time, as in the screenshot below.

Signal stages can now be shown on the connector lines - This can help to identify signals which have been incorrectly set up. E.g. green connectors that cross each other path may indicate this. It also makes them easier to see, particularly for larger networks where you will tend to zoom out more.

It is also useful to be able to clearly see which phases are controlling which traffic streams. Selecting the Show phases option displays throughout the network a circle on top of the stop line of each signalled traffic stream indicating the controlling phase(s).

9.7.2

Animated Arrows

For convenience, when a controller stream is selected the phase circles associated with that controller will be displayed, even when the option to show them for the whole network are switched off. The circles also indicate their signal state when using the animation controls.

This mode is useful to check the directions of links or TS and also to give an overview of which links or streams feed into which other links or streams.

Select the Show Upstreams or Show Downstreams modes and then hover the mouse pointer over any link or TS to show yellow arrows on the upstreams or downstreams of that link or stream.

Use the Show Effective Greens mode to show yellow arrows on any link or TS whose controlling traffic stream is showing a green signal, taking into account start/end displacements, for the current point in the cycle. (Adjust the point in the cycle using the Animation Controls screen.) If a link is not signalised then it is considered to be permanently green. This mode can also be useful for displaying the differences between actual greens and effective greens, if you combine it with the Show Signal States mode.

In the screenshot below, link 72 at the bottom right of the diagram is showing actual red, but the yellow arrows indicate that traffic on the link would still be crossing the stop line.

9.7.3

Controller streams and node cones

A controller stream in NetCon is represented by a three-dimensional box. The controller ID is indicated within the box, and when using the animation tool, it also displays the stage that is currently running. Traffic Nodes are represented by circles.

The Traffic Node cones show coloured cones indicating the traffic node for each link or TS. The controller stream cones, shown in a different colour, indicate which controller stream (signals) is associated with that particular link or TS. Each link or TS traffic feeds into the traffic node, but its signals are controlled (if relevant) by the link or TS controller stream.

For clarity, you may wish to turn the cones off. For convenience, when a network item is selected the cones associated with that item will still continue to be displayed, even when the cones for the whole network are switched off.