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Analysis symbols

The analysis symbols on the map fall into four categories — arcs, spatial-analysis encumbrance lines, violation lines, and dimension lines. Each category has its own styling that you can customize per result set, and each entry in the symbols list carries the same set of controls (visibility, color, per-style editor).

Learning objectives

By the end of this lesson you should be able to:

  • Identify each of the four symbol categories on the map
  • Translate symbology back to the underlying analysis state
  • Toggle visibility and adjust styling without affecting analysis output
  • Recognize stale-result symbology and re-run analysis to clear it

The four symbol categories​

CategoryWhat it representsWhere it comes from
Arc stylesThe QD arcs drawn around each PES at the required distanceAnalysis output, typically one arc style per Exposure Type / criteria-set combination
Spatial AnalysisEncumbrance lines — the measured PES → ES face-pair distances built before any QD math runsThe spatial-analysis pass; see project results
Violation LineLines drawn between a PES and an ES where actual < requiredAnalysis output, one violation line per violating pair
Dimension LineAnnotation of a measured distance between two points, with a customizable text labelDrawings and result sets — see Module 8: Result sets

Per-symbol controls​

Each entry in the symbols list carries the same controls:

  • Visibility toggle (eye icon) — show or hide all symbols of this category on the map. Hiding does not affect analysis output, only what's drawn.
  • Color swatch — the border color used for that category. Click the swatch (or the name) to open the per-style editor for line weight, color, dash pattern, and similar properties.
  • Style editor — opens the per-category styling controls. Arc, encumbrance, and violation styles have a single editor; dimension lines have two — one for the line and one for the text label.

Arc styles also carry a union toggle. With union enabled, multiple arcs of the same style merge into a single visual region instead of overlapping as individual circles. Turn it on for a clean composite "bounded zone" view on a deliverable; turn it off when you need to see individual arcs distinctly during analysis review.

info

Arcs / Results must also be selected in their respective display list.

Arc styling​

Arc styles are typically defined per Exposure Type — IBD, PTRD, ILD, IMD — so each kind of required distance is visually distinct. The default styling is criteria-aware: a project that uses both DCMA and DESR has separate arc styles per criteria-set / Exposure-Type combination, since you may want to see them side-by-side without confusion.

Default coloring schema:

  • IBD - Red
  • PTRD - Green
  • ILD - Purple
  • IMD - Blue
  • Fire Protection Distance - Orange
  • Vulnerable Building distance - Black
  • Inclusion Zone - black

Spatial Analysis encumbrance lines​

When the Spatial Analysis style is visible, the map shows lines connecting every PES → ES face pair Siter built during the spatial-analysis pass. These lines reflect which pairs the engine analyzed, not which pairs are in violation — they're the input to the QD math. Useful for sanity-checking that the spatial-analysis pass caught every relationship you expected; if a pair you wanted analyzed has no encumbrance line, it isn't being evaluated. See project results for the tabular view of the same data.

Violation lines​

A violation line is drawn between a PES and an ES whenever the pair is in violation. The line is the visual representation of "this pair did not meet required distance" — a fast triage cue when scanning the map. Customize the violation line color and weight via the symbols-list editor.

Dimension lines​

Dimension lines are annotation, not analysis. They are added intentionally on a result set to call out a specific distance — see Result sets. The dimension line has two paired editors: one for the line itself (color, weight, terminators) and one for the text label, since the label format is often customized for the destination authority.

Stale-result indicators​

After any edit that invalidates analysis (geometry move, attribute change, explosive change, relationship change, layer-flavor change), the Calculate button in the toolbar surfaces a stale-results indicator. The on-map arcs continue to show the prior result until you re-run — they do not disappear or update incrementally. Always re-run analysis before making decisions from on-map symbols.

Customization​

Default symbology is criteria- and Exposure-Type-aware out of the box. The Analysis symbology capability page covers per-result-set customization for when the default does not match an organization's house conventions.

Try it​

Open an analyzed project with at least one violation. In the symbols list:

  1. Toggle visibility off and on for an arc style — confirm the arcs disappear and reappear without affecting analysis output
  2. Click the color swatch on the Violation Line style and change its color — confirm every violation line on the map updates
  3. Toggle union on for an arc style and observe the arcs of that style merging into a single visual region; toggle it back off
  4. Make an edit to a feature (e.g., toggle Heavy Wall) and confirm the Calculate button shows a stale-results indicator while the on-map arcs continue to show the prior result