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ObjectTree

Definition

The ObjectTree (menu Tables|ObjectTree) enables to arrange the objects of a project in a hierarchical tree structure by using groups.

Dialog ObjectTree|Definition

The ObjectTree toolbar contains the following symbols:

  • edit object-properties
  • delete object
  • move buttons
  • insert object group
  • copy cell
  • paste cell
  • import objects
  • display objects On / Off
  • Synchronize Graphics
  • open structure of ObjectTree
  • close structure of ObjectTree
  • close ObjectTree dialog

Add objects to the ObjectTree, Grouping objects

After ObjectTree groups have been added by clicking the corresponding icon in the toolbar, they can be filled with objects:

Arranging Object Order

There are two ways to arrange for the order of individual objects or object groups within the ObjectTree‘s hierarchy:

  • by clicking the move buttons or
  • by Drag & Drop using the mouse.

Move Buttons

By the move buttons on the toolbar the active object can be moved to a different location in the ObjectTree‘s hierarchy (features from left to right).

  • move cell upwards in the hierarchy
  • move cell downwards in the hierarchy
  • move cell one level up in the hierarchy
  • move cell one level down in the hierarchy

Drag & Drop

Alternatively, individual objects or a group can be moved or copied within the ObjectTree using the mouse.

  • moving an object or group: Click with the left mouse button on the object or the group and hold down the button. Drag the object or group to the new location in the ObjectTree and release the left mouse button. Subsequently, the object or group is inserted at the new location.

Moving an object by drag & drop in the ObjectTree

  • copying an object or group: Click with the right mouse button on the object or group to be copied and hold down the button. Drag the object or group to the new position within the ObjectTree where the copy shall appear. After releasing the right mouse button, a dialog is displayed enabling to select „Cut from“ or „Copy from“. In addition, the origin and the target group is indicated. With the option „Copy from“ selected the copied objects can be transformed (see Coordinate Transformation).

Copying an object by drag & drop in the ObjectTree

ObjectTree Toolbar

Edit Object Properties

When clicking this symbol the edit dialog of the active object in the ObjectTree will be displayed. In case of group elements (folders) the respective group dialog is displayed. This feature is also accessible by double-clicking on the respective item in the ObjectTree.

Delete Object

By clicking this symbol the active object will be deleted from the ObjectTree, after confirming a prompt. When deleting a group folder from the ObjectTree all folder items inside will be deleted as well. Alternatively, the DEL key can be used to delete items and groups.

Note

On the other hand, when deleting groups in the Group table (see Groups) on the Tables menu, the objects inside the group are retained.

Insert Object Group

When clicking this symbol a new folder will be inserted into the ObjectTree, on the hierarchy level of the active object.

Copy Cell

When clicking this symbol the active object is copied from the ObjectTree and later be pasted at a new location. When a folder is copied, the copy will contain all objects inside.

Paste Cell

When objects have been copied using the command Copy Cell, those objects can be inserted at any other location within the ObjectTree.

For example, in order to paste a copy of group A into the root, copy group A, activate the „Root“ by a mouse-click, and select the symbol „Paste Cell“. Subsequently, a dialog will be displayed offering to transform the copied objects to a new location (see Coordinate Transformation).

Import Objects

Via this symbol the objects from CadnaA-files can be imported into the ObjectTree of the actual file. Besides the CadnaA-specific file format (file extension *.cna) all other import formats are available. A new folder will be generated below the presently active hierarchy level. The folder receives the name of the imported file containing all imported objects.

Display Objects On/Off

This toggle enables to suppress the display of all objects inside the defined groups. This holds also for displaying objects on table Sound Power and Partial Level. So, just the sound power or pressure levels of groups and of the entire arrangement of sources is displayed.

Synchronize Graphics

centers the 2D-graphics on the selected object

Expand Structure of ObjectTree

By clicking this symbol the structure of the ObjectTree with all sub-directories will be opened. So, with this setting, all objects in all groups are visible.

Note

The most recent structure of the ObjectTree is saved to the CadnaA file and will be re-displayed when reopening the file.

Collapse Structure of ObjectTree

By clicking this symbol the structure of the ObjectTree with all sub-directories will be closed. Just the „Root“ directory will remain. By clicking the „Root“ symbol the first hierarchy level will be re-displayed.

Example

For the example shown - an industrial facility - it may be advantageous to define the two main groups "factory_a" and "Road Traffic", where the factory is further subdivided in "Sources Outside" and the different production areas. The sources are then linked to these subgroups.

Example

Path: Examples\ProjectOrg\ObjectTree_E.cna

Industrial facility with source structure

Definition and Editing

This structure is created in Tables|ObjectTree|Definition. With Marker on „Root“ each click on the symbol directory creates a group-symbol. Using the arrow icons this group symbol can be moved to any position inside the structure.

Group structure on dialog ObjectTree|Definition

Note

The group structure on dialog ObjectTree will be displayed as well on menu Tables|Group (using indents).

Assigning Objects

After having created this structure the objects are linked with the relevant groups. There are two methods available: individual and automatic assignment.

Individual Assignment of Objects

With a click to the ObjectTree-Icon to the right of the ID in the edit window of an object the dialog ObjectTree is shown. Click onto a group symbol and close the window by OK will assign this object to the selected group.

Dialog Point Source showing the ObjectTree-icon

Multiple Assignment of Objects

There is also the possibility of the multiple assignment of objects in order to speed up the procedure of addressing objects to groups. Open the dialog Modify Objects for a specific group of objects (e.g. selected via Multiselect) and select the action „Change ObjectTree assignment“.

Deactivated Objects

Deactivated objects or object groups will be marked on dialog ObjectTree|Definition by a red deactivation symbol.

Deactivated objects or object groups

Sound Power Level

On menu Tables|ObjectTree|Sound Power Level a table of sound power levels is produced. The sound power levels of all sources in a group are added energetically and presented as the sound power level of the group. The table „Sound Power Level“ just lists the emission levels for the time periods Day or Night (not for Evening). This procedure corresponds with the rules applied with the protocol (see Calculation Protocol)

In particular, with mixed emission levels (e.g. Lden), maximum levels (LmaxD/E/N) and with expressions f(x) the emission spectrum Day (Ld) is displayed.

ObjectTree: table Sound Power

When this table is sorted with respect to the data in a single column, this sorting is first applied with the groups of the highest level in the hierarchy, then to the groups of the following level and at the end with the sources in each group.

Synchronization ObjectTree - Graphics

Sources selected either on the dialog ObjectTree|Definition or in the table Sound Power will be highlighted in the graphics. This facilitates to check for the location of sources being part of an ObjectTree-group.

Partial Level

After calculation for all receivers a table of the partial levels of all sources at all receivers can be produced via Tables|ObjectTree|Partial levels. This table shows not only the partial levels produced by each source, but also these produced by all sources of a group together. The table is related to the selected variant and evaluation parameter.

ObjectTree: Partial Level table (not displaying octave data,see Suppress Display of Octave Levels)

This table can also be sorted according to the partial levels at a receiver point. In the example shown the data have been sorted according to the column "Aroad_1". From this sorted table it can easily be concluded that road traffic contributes more than the factory and that the different parts of the factory contribute at receiver Aroad_1 according to the sequence:

Joinery - Assembly - SourcesOutside - Forwarding - Offices

Copying Objects

In Tables|ObjectTree|Definition complete groups with all sub-structures and objects can be duplicated with a single copy-action. The selected group is marked and then copied to the clipboard by clicking to the copy-icon. With a further click to the insert-icon a window opens that allows to define a transformation.

After accepting by clicking to OK all objects of this group are copied to the position defined by the transformation. Nothing further must be done - the correct ID's defining the hierarchic structure are written into the ID edit lines of the objects automatically.

This is an extremely efficient method to produce - for example - an array of units in a power plant based on just a single unit modeled originally.

Selection of objects via "Modify Objects"

The groups defined in ObjectTree are also shown in the group list Tables|Groups. Together with all other defined groups. These groups can also be used to restrict an action selected in the „Modify Objects“ command to the objects linked to such a group.

Dialog Modify Objects: restricting an action to the objects within a group

Suppress Display of Octave Levels

Displaying columns with octave levels can be suppressed by a corresponding entry in the file CADNAA.INI. If required open this file and add to the section [Main] the following line:

ObjTreePartLevSpekImmAnz=X

This variable X specifies the number of active receiver points the octave band levels of which are displayed in the table Partial Level of the ObjectTree. If more than X receiver points are active no octave band levels will be displayed. By the setting X=0 no octave levels will be displayed at all.

ObjTreePartLevSpekImmAnz=0: Table ObjectTree|Partial Level without octave levels