VISUM 12 Highlights in Detail

The scenario management has been delivered in two stages. In VISUM 11.5 new functionality was introduced to support data management and analysis of different scenarios within a project.

VISUM 12 builds on these components and provides an integrated tool that:

• organizes variants of a model (related to input data for both supply and demand) in a non-redundant way,
• allows users to define scenarios as combinations of model blocks building on each other,
• permits batch runs of the model for some or all of its defined scenarios,
• supports scenario comparison by cross-tabulating selected network-wide measures of effectiveness.

Detailed Release Notes (PDF)

The new Viewer for Model Transfer Files (*.tra) displays the differences between two networks and the changes to the network resulting from reading a *.net file additively. The Viewer is also available outside of the project scope.

Detailed Release Notes (PDF)

User-defined attributes may now be defined as arithmetic expressions composed from constants, other attributes of the same objet type and indirect attributes. The different components can be combined using one of the operators +, -, x, /, %, min, max. The expressions defined in this way are evaluated on-the-fly right when being accessed and thus always provide an up-to-date value for the attribute.

Detailed Release Notes (PDF)

Similar to formula attributes, also matrices can be defined as arithmetic expressions. They share most of the characteristics of formula attributes. The arithmetic expressions used for the calculation of the matrix values are defined using the controls for ‘Combination of matrices and vectors’ already known from other dialogs in VISUM.

For all network object types, the data model now contains relations to the single network/network parameters object, making global parameters easily accessible for calculations. Furthermore, the reverse relations from the network to ALL objects of every network object type were introduced as well. In combination with the rich set of aggregation functions available for indirect attributes, this allows for extensive aggregated analysis across different network object types.

The operation sequence plays a key role in all transportation models and is altered and executed frequently during model building and calibration phases of a project. In our effort to optimize the user experience and effectiveness of VISUM, we addressed this central element of the user interface.

• Separation of the former common dialog “operation sequence” and “global operation parameters” (‘Functions’) in two areas.
  While the ‘Functions’ part - now called ‘General procedure settings’ - remains mostly unchanged, the operation sequence is now edited through a completely new modeless view. Just as the other views in VISUM, this window can stay open while you’re working with other parts of the software.

• Extension of the operation control.
  Operation control allows now single-stepping through the operation sequence, executing a selected set of operations, direct setting of the next operation to be executed, and running the model up to a certain operation. These features are very helpful when debugging an operation sequence or when calibrating a model.

Detailed Release Notes (PDF)

VISUM now offers a quick workflow to use internet maps as background images. The map tiles covering the current network view are automatically downloaded, transformed to the network projection and integrated with the VISUM background management. VISUM currently offers the choice between satellite/aerial images and pre-rendered vector maps in an adjustable level of detail for the usage as backgrounds. The user interfaces for managing backgrounds has been extended by a tree view which facilitates working with the sets of individual files resulting from the tiled structure and the many available levels of detail of the internet maps.

With this release some operations were added to the Matrix Editor and further extensions and improvements yield in a great user experience.

• The cell selection in the matrix editor can by synchronized with the network window in order to highlight the corresponding OD pairs.
  
  The matrix editor grid visually distinguishes diagonal elements and active/passive OD pairs. Besides defining formats for these elements, the graphics parameters allow to apply a classified styling depending on actual matrix values (even from other matrices) or attributes of the zones or OD pairs associated with each cell and their related objects and attributes.

• A new view allows the visual comparison of two matrices.

Detailed Release Notes (PDF)

In addition to the matrix editor, the VISUM lists have also received some new features and usability enhancements. It is now possible to aggregate the data displayed in most lists by grouping it with respect to one or more of the attributes displayed in the list.

Once the aggregation columns are selected through the context menu of the column headers, VISUM automatically applies an appropriate aggregation column (sum, average…) to the remaining attributes. The result is a condensed list with rows representing the discrete combinations of grouping attribute values present in the data.

Detailed Release Notes (PDF)

A new dialog allows to edit attributes directly such as vehicle combination, valid days, preparation times and UDA values of individual vehicle journey sections (as opposed to the multi-edit dialog as before). It is accessible through context menus from the vehicle journey sections list and from the line blocking view.

The line blocking view has extended graphics parameters for conflicts, user defined block elements and direction of block elements. A new search function triggered by the F3-key helps to quickly find vehicle journey sections by their name or number in a line blocking.

All procedures for signal optimizations (green split, cycle time, offsets) now also apply to signal controls coded externally in VISSIG.

Numerous details of signal optimization were improved, including the option to snap the result of green split optimization to either whole seconds or tenths of a second.

Detailed Release Notes (PDF)

The ICA calculations in VISUM have been updated to support the new guidelines published in HCM 2010. HCM 2010 has been added as an option for the node impedance calculation for All-way-stop, Two-way-stop and signal controlled intersections. When selecting HCM as the calculation method for roundabouts, VISUM now applies the final algorithms published in HCM 2010.

VISUM 12 features a new type of external signal control applying the Ring-Barrier-Controller concepts prevalent in the U.S. Like the external signal control in VISSIG, signalization data for intersections controlled in this way is stored in external files (extension *.rbc) and can be shared between VISUM and VISSIM. VISUM ships with a user-friendly graphical editor for manipulating RBC signalization data.

It is now possible to use LUCE as the assignment algorithm in assignments with ICA, bringing in many of the general benefits of the LUCE algorithm. Using LUCE will in most networks lead to faster calculation (including blocking back), a richer path set and better convergence.

VISUM 12 enables to put farepoints in addition to boarding, goings through and alighting, all related to time profile items. For this reason the following attributes for time profiles have been implemented:

• NumFarePointsBoard
• NumFarePointsThrough
• NumFarepointsAlight

These attributes can be populated either individually on the line route editing or with multi-editing using appropriate filters.

As a result the fare system offers more flexibility in putting in fare points and enables to model a number of fare systems, such as

• Combined distance fare and base fare (simplistic decressive fares)
• Zone fares with zone boundary at stops.

Detailed Release Notes (PDF)

Flow Bundles

The results of flow bundle calculations are now saved with the version file and are thereby available without recalculation directly after loading the version. The definition of flow bundle queries has been extended by several options.

Detailed Release Notes (PDF)

PuT-Isochrones based on arrival time

Isochrones for PuT can now optionally be based on arrival time. When this option is selected, the isochrone time results from the travel time of the connection having the latest possible departure and reaching the destination before the desired arrival time plus the difference between desired and actual arrival time.

An additional „frequent use case“ for reading and writing of *.net files has been added which streamlines reading and writing of main nodes with their polygons etc.

When reading a network additionally, it is now possible to generate a detailed report on the modifications applied to the network model. The report is provided through the model transfer file viewer described in Data Model and Management.

The Google Transit import provided as an Add-In now optionally works additively, facilitating the successive construction and updating of PuT networks.

VISUM 12 supports the import of railML^®, the standard XML exchange format for railway data. The railML^® interface imports only some portions of the railML^® data which are relevant to strategic modeling in VISUM. Time table data and basic information on vehicle usage are imported into an existing PuT network by matching the corresponding elements (stops etc.) through their IDs.

The HAFAS import has been extended to support destination coaches, marshaled from one train to another. When destination coaches are present in the HAFAS files, they are represented in the VISUM data model as additional vehicle journeys which are coupled with the vehicle journeys representing the multiple trains to which the destination coach is attached on its journey. Besides this, the import of couplings has been improved in order to be more fault-tolerant and reduce failures.

PTV now automatically ships license files etc. for both architectures, 32-bit and 64-bit to all customers using CodeMeter dongles. There is no longer a need to order extra licenses for 64-bit systems. The current distinction of architectures in separate license files and the respective naming scheme are continued.