Shape Tab

This section describes how to create a marker's shape and access paths using the new marker shape tools, which are currently in beta. If you are using the legacy marker shape tools, see the section on the legacy Shape tab.

The Shape tab lets you specify the location, type, size, and shape of a marker. By default, new markers are circles but you can change the shape to a polygon. The Shape tab also lets you create access paths from and to a marker.


 

Click the location (latitude and longitude coordinates of the center of the marker) text to open a contextual menu. The options shown on this menu are: Find nearest vehicles, Add as route stop, Find activity near here, "Copy to clipboard" and, depending on your account configuration, "Go to link". This option opens the map centered on a location specified by an administrator, overriding the actual location of the marker (see the LatLonLink right for details).

Click the Edit button to place the Shape tab into Edit mode, then follow the instructions that are displayed in the dialog box. These instructions guide you through the process of:
 

•Editing a Circle Marker.
•Changing a Circle Marker to a Polygon Marker.
•Editing a Polygon Marker.
•Changing a Polygon Marker to a Circle Marker.
•Adding an Access Path.

Editing a Circle Marker

To edit a circle marker make sure that you have clicked Edit in the Shape tab of the Marker Details pop-up, and you are in Edit mode.

1:

Click the handle in the center of the marker area to drag the marker to a new location.

2:

The green line is an access path to and from the marker to the road. The default access path links the center of the marker area with the closest point on the road that the marker is on. This point is used as the destination for routes to the marker, unless you edit the access path, or add one or more other access paths for the marker. Arrows on the access path, the color of the path on the map, and an icon at the point the access path meets the road network indicate the direction of travel allowed along the path. Permitted directions are "Approach only", meaning that travel on the path is only permitted from the road to the marker; "Departure only" meaning that travel on the path is only permitted from the marker to the road; and "Bidirectional", meaning travel can be in either direction along the path. To edit an access path, click the green line. See Adding or Editing an Access Path.

3:

The dark blue radius outline, and a less transparent blue fill color, indicate that the marker is in Edit mode.

4:

Click anywhere on the boundary of the circle to change the point on the radius that you select to a small circular drag icon. Drag the circle radius in or out. The radius value of the circle shown on the dialog box changes to reflect its new size.

5:

Edit the Latitude and Longitude fields to change the location details for the marker.

6:

Click the Access Path icon to add or edit an access path.

7:

Specify the exact radius size of the yard in feet or meters (depending on your settings) using the Radius field.

8:

Click Save to save your changes to the location or size of the circle marker.

Changing a Circle Marker to a Polygon Marker

To change a circle marker into a polygon marker:
 

1.Make sure you are on the Shape tab in Edit mode.
2.Under Yard Type click Polygon.
 

 
3.Click the map at a location you want to use as a corner of your new polygon.
4.Click another point that will be used as another polygon corner. Blue lines show the edges as you create them.
5.Click each corner that marks the end of an edge you are creating.
 

 
6.Finally, click the first corner once again to close the polygon, then click the Save button:
 

 
7.The completed polygon shadow is displayed on the map, and your changes are automatically saved:

Editing a Polygon Marker

To edit the shape of a polygon marker:
 

1.Make sure you are on the Shape tab on Edit mode.
2.If you want to adjust the shape of the polygon slightly, you can perform one of these actions:
•Click one of the circles at the corners of the polygon and drag the point to the desired location.
•Click the blue edge of the polygon to create a new drag point, then drag the point to the desired location.
 

 
If you want to create a new polygon shape, click the Redraw as Polygon button and redraw the polygon.

3.Click Save when you are finished editing the polygon.

To remove a drag point right-click the point and select Delete point or click the drag point and hit the DEL or Delete key on your keyboard.

Changing a Polygon Marker to a Circle

To change a polygon marker into a circle marker:
 

1.Make sure you are on the Shape tab in Edit mode.
2.Under Yard Type click Circle.
 

 
3.The polygonal marker on the map is replaced by a circular marker.
4.Adjust the circle using the same techniques as when you edit a circle marker.
5.Click Save.

Adding or Editing an Access Path

An access path is a custom route restriction, typically used to connect a marker location with a street location. The access path dictates the direction of travel permitted along itself by vehicles. This direction can be bidirectional, allowing travel in either direction along the path, or directional: permitting either entry to, or departure from, the marker to an external location on the road network.

This feature allows users to control where vehicles can and cannot enter and exit from the marker's area to the surrounding road network.

When you create a marker, a default access point is automatically created. This default access path links the marker to the closest point on the road network in a straight line. You can edit the default access path and you can add additional access paths.

To edit an access path, click the green access path line and perform one of the following actions:

Adding an Access Path

To create a new access path:
 

1.In Edit mode, click the Access Path icon .
2.Click the marker then drag the light green line to the point on the road network where you want vehicles to enter or exit the marker's yard.
3.A green line connects the marker and the road network in a straight line. You can now create an additional access path or edit the access path.

If you want to create an access path that enters the road network at the point that is closest to the marker, select the Snap to street check box on the Shape tab > Access Path section. You must have the access path selected and the access path must not have any drag points.

Changing the Direction of an Access Path

To change the direction of travel for an access path:
 

1.Make sure you are on the Shape tab in Edit mode.
2.Click the green access path line on the map to select it.
3.In the Marker Details pop-up > Access Path section, set the Direction field to one of these values: "Bidirectional", "Approach only", or "Departure only".
 

 
4.Click Save. The direction of travel you choose is reflected by the color of the access path on the map (dark green for departure only, and light green for bidirectional or approach), arrows above the path indicating the direction of travel permitted, and a direction icon at the point at which the path meets the road.

You can also right-click the access path to open a context menu and change the direction of the access path.

Manually Drawing an Access Path

It is useful to manually draw access paths in cases where the roads within a marker's yard do not exist in the map data, because they are driveways or private roads. When you manually draw access paths you can specify an exact custom route around a larger area, such as a parking lot or depot yard.

To manually draw an access path:
 

1.Make sure you are on the Shape tab in Edit mode.
2.Click the green access path line on the map to create a drag point.
3.Drag this point to the desired location.
4.Create more drag points and drag them to points along the access path route on the map, until you have created the desired access path.
 

 
5.Click Save in the Marker Details pop-up.
•To remove a drag point right-click the point and select Delete point.
•To change the location where the access path intersects the road network, click the black circle on the road and drag it to the desired location.

Deleting an Access Path

To delete an access path:
 

1.Make sure you are on the Shape tab in Edit mode.
2.Click the green access path line on the map to select it.
3.In the Marker Details pop-up under Access Path click Delete.
 

You can also delete an access path using the following methods:

•Right-click the access path to open a context menu and select Delete access path.
•Click the access path to select it and hit the DEL or Delete key on your keyboard.