First released in version: 3.4

Creating areas for use in ACS

In ACS, areas are used to partition the site model. Usually an area will represent some complete, but relatively self-contained region of the site, such as one floor of a building, or one functional area of a large floor. Before you can use areas in ACS, you must define them either in SmartSpace Config or by using command-line tools to import area definitions: see Creating areas for use in ACS. Areas created in SmartSpace Config are not visible in the ACS Main GUI and you cannot define an area's walls using SmartSpace Config: use the command-line tools if you need to see the area in ACS or add walls to an area.

If you choose to add areas using SmartSpace Config, there are several stages to the process: creating areas as instances of the Generation2 Area object type and defining the spatial extents associated with them. Once defined, you can add the areas to ACS. These steps are described in the following sections.

You can also retrieve areas currently defined in ACS for modification in SmartSpace as described in Copying areas from a Generation 2.X program. If you do this, you must remember to push the changed areas back to ACS. See Copying areas to a Generation 2.X program

Creating a new area object

To create a new area:

  1. In SmartSpace Config, click TYPES / OBJECTS to open the Types and objects workspace.
  2. Drag the Generation2 Area object type from the Types list into the Object Browser workspace.
  3. Choose <Create new object>.

  4. Give the area a unique name.

    You do not need to change any other properties.

  5. Click Save.

screen shot of Types and objects workspace with a generation 2 area object being created

Adding a spatial extent to an area

To add a spatial extent to the area:

  1. In SmartSpace Config click SPATIAL PROPERTIES to open the Spatial properties workspace
  2. Select Generation2 Area from the <Select a type> dropdown.

  3. Select extent from the <Select a property> dropdown.

    All areas with specific spaces already defined are listed.

    screen shot showing addition of specific spaces for generation 2 areas and additional buttons for pulling and pushing areas

  4. Choose <Create new specific space>.

  5. Select an area from the Choose an object dropdown.

    Only areas without a defined specific space are listed.

  6. Define the extent for the area. See Configure space properties of typesinformation how to define the extent of an object.

    • Select the Generation2 Area extent check box to highlight all areas with defined spatial extents.
  7. Click Save.

When you have defined all your site's areas you can copy them to ACS.

Copying areas to a Generation 2.X program

To copy areas to ACS:

  1. In SmartSpace Config click SPATIAL PROPERTIES.
  2. Select Generation2 Area from the <Select a type> dropdown.

  3. Select extent from the <Select a property> dropdown.

    All areas with specific spaces already defined are listed.

  4. Choose Push areas to Generation2.X.

  5. Click Replace areas to confirm.

Copying areas from a Generation 2.X program

To copy areas from ACS into SmartSpace:

  1. In SmartSpace Config click SPATIAL PROPERTIES.
  2. Select Generation2 Area from the <Select a type> dropdown.

  3. Select extent from the <Select a property> dropdown.

    All areas with specific spaces already defined are listed.

  4. Choose Pull areas from Generation2.X.

  5. Click Replace areas to confirm.