Layers

Owned by Isabelle Avery (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Jul 12, 2022 by Charlotte Dakin-Norris
4 min read

Introduction

This section covers what the PPI Layers are, their function and how to create and configure them. It is especially important to understand layers with reference to Situational Awareness Videos: .

Contents

Overview

Layers are essentially the different, overlapping planes of the PPI. They function very similarly to the Layers of digital design canvases, whereby different aspects of an image are overlaid to create a whole image.

Example

Purposes

The purpose of creating layers within the PPI is to separate or replicate the different display features, so that they can be viewed all together or individually depending on which layers are active. Display features include:

  • Carriageways

  • Highways Radar

  • Detection Areas

  • POI (Point of Interest)

  • Tracks

  • Section Labels

In general, most feature of the PPI display an be viewed together on a single layer, because they are either irrelevant when separated from the collective features, or can be toggled visually on or off within a single layer. For instance, it would be unnecessary to have the tracks and the carriageway on separate layers.

However, a separate layer is required for certain display features to be replicated onto for export to a Situational Awareness Video. The S/A Layer requires only a duplicate carriageway, tracks and any POI, as the S/A Videos are simplified to these three features.

Creating a Layer

  1. Enable the Config Function. In the Configuration Panel, select New.

     

  2. Select New UI Layer.

     

  3. The Create New UI Layer window will open. Name the new layer, then press Finish.

     

  4. A new layer will not have any PPI features listed under, Type, User ID, Name etc.

  5. Select:

    Active: For the layer to be visible. Layers can be activated on a user by user basis through the .

    Is Interactive: To be able to add display features onto the layer - by default, this will already be selected.

  6. Click Save to finish the layer creation. The new layer should now appear under the Layers folder in the Configuration Tree.

     

  7. You can now begin to add PPI features to your new layer. The wizard of any new feature will stipulate a choice of layers from a dropdown list. Your new layer will now be part of that list, e.g. here is the New POI wizard:

Configuring a Layer

Editing a Layer

Editing a layer is not dissimilar to the creation process.

  1. Enable the Config Function. In the Configuration Tree, select the layer you wish to edit.

  2. Select Edit.

  3. Retype in the Name text bar to change name, or select:
    Active: For the layer to be visible.

    Is Interactive: To be able to add display features onto the layer.

  4. Select Save to finish your layer edit.

Duplicating a Layer

A layer can also be duplicated:

  1. Select the layer.

  2. Select Copy.

  3. Retype in the Name text bar to change name, or select:
    Active: For the duplicate layer to be visible.

    Is Interactive: To be able to add display features onto the duplicate layer.

  4. Again, select Save to confirm any changes to the duplicate layer settings.

Adding Entities to a Layer

Entities can be added to a layer, or change layers:

  1. Select the layer that an entity is being added or transferred to in the Configuration Tree.

     

  2. Select Add in the Configuration Panel. The Select Entities window will open.

     

  3. Use the search bar to find and select an entity to add to the layer. Multiple entities can be selected be using Ctrl+Click or Shift+Click. Select OK to confirm the choice.

     

  4. The new entities will appear in the Configuration Panel.

This standard method of editing, copying and deleting layers can be applied to any configurable feature of the software. For instance, all the layers can be edited, copied or deleted at once if - instead of selecting a specific layer - their parent folder, the Layers folder in the Configuration Tree, is selected instead. The same configuration keys are available on the configuration panel: Edit, Copy etc. Please refer to for more information.

 

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