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ObjectTree

The ObjectTree (menu Tables|ObjectTree) enables to assign objects in a project to a hierarchical group structure. By this feature, CadnaA offers a feature for a semi-automatic definition of groups and the allocation of objects to these groups.

The sequence of actions required consists of the following steps:

  1. definition of the ObjectTree-structure,

  2. allocation of the objects to the ObjectTree-groups,

  3. evaluation of partial sound power levels and partial receiver levels.

Entering Objects

At first an example file is created with point sources into two groups. Proceed as follows:

  • Enter a point source using the mouse having an A-weighted sound power level of 100 dB(A).
  • Select the command Duplicate from the context menu of the point source (right mouse button).
  • Enter 5 copies in horizontal and -5 in vertical direction.

Note

Due to the input of a negative value -5 the duplicates will be generated in negative x-direction.

  • Enter 10 meters for horizontal and vertical gaps and click OK.

Subsequently, the 25 point sources with the same emission are generated and displayed on the screen. Now, this group of objects shall be copied to a distance of 100 m to the right.

  • Draw a closed polygon object around this group of 25 point sources. Use e.g. the calculation area for this.
  • Finalize the input of the polygon by clicking the right mouse button.
  • Change you to edit mode (symbol: ).

25 point sources being enclosed by a calculation area

  • Click with the right mouse button onto the polygon of the calculation area and select the context menu command Modify Objects.
  • Select the action „Transformation“, the range „Inside Polygon“, and the „Point Source“ as object type.

Duplicating the point sources using action „Transformation“

  • Click OK and enter on the subsequent dialog Transform Coordinates - with the option „Rotation + Translation“ selected - into the first input box for „Translation“ a value of 100. This will cause that all objects concerned will be shifted by Δx=100 m to the right.

Translation transformation of the duplicates by 100 m to the right

  • IMPORTANT: Activate the option „Keep Original“ on the bottom of the dialog and click OK.
  • Confirm the action by „All“.

Transformation: group of point source being duplicated

Defining a Structure for ObjectTree

In the next step, two groups are defined within the ObjectTree.

  • Open the dialog ObjectTree from the menu Tables|ObjectTree| Definition.

  • Set by a single click the focus to the "Root" and click twice onto the file icon on the dialog’s symbol bar. Two group symbols will be inserted into the root, named "(untitled)".

  • Rename the groups by double-click into „group 1“ and „group 2“.

ObjectTree with two groups

Now, objects can be assigned to those two groups.

Assigning Objects individually

In order to assign objects to the ObjectTree each edit window has the ObjectTree icon to the right of the ID input box. When a group symbol on the dialog ObjectTree is selected and the dialog closed by OK, a corresponding group specification is added to the ID automatically.

  • Double-click on a point source within the left group.

  • Click on the symbol to the right of the ID input box.

  • Click on "Root" in order to display its contents.

  • Double-click on „group 1“.

Subsequently, the dialog Select is closed and an automatically generated identifier is written in front of the ID.

  • Close the dialog Point Source.
  • Open the dialog ObjectTree on the menu Tables|ObjectTree| Definition once again.
  • Click on the + symbol in front of „Root“ and then in front of „group 1“.

The point source is listed within the object group 1.

Assigning Objects automatically

To speed up the assignment of objects to ObjectTree-groups a further procedure of automated assignment is available.

  • Click with the right mouse button on the border of the calculation area delimiting the sources on the left and select the command Modify Objects from the context menu.
  • Select the action Modify Attributes, the range „inside Polygon“ for „Point Source“ as object type and click OK.
  • On dialog Modify Attribute select the attribute „ID“ and activate the option „Replace Strings“.
  • The ObjectTree is accessible via the symbol . Click on this symbol.

Dialog Modify Attribute, enabling access to the ObjectTree

  • Open the Root directory and double-click on „group 1“.
  • Confirm the action on dialog Modify Attribute by clicking OK.
  • In the dialog Modify Objects click on „All“.
  • Open the ObjectTree via menu Tables|ObjectTree|Definition to check for the result.
  • Click on the + symbols in front of „Root“ and then in front of „group 1“.

All 25 point sources have been assigned to group 1. Now, the remaining point sources will be assigned to group 2.

  • Click with the right mouse button on the border of the calculation area enclosing the point source to the left and select again the command Modify Objects from the context menu.
  • Select the action Modify Attributes, and this time the range „outside Polygon“ for „Point Source“ as object type. Click OK.

  • On dialog Modify Attribute select the attribute „ID“, activate the option „Replace Strings“, and click on the symbol to access the ObjectTree once more.

  • Assign the objects this time to group 2 by a double-click.

  • Return to the main window by clicking OK and „All“.
  • Open the dialog ObjectTree via the menu Tables|ObjectTree| Definition.
  • By click on the respective + symbol all objects within the groups 1 and 2 are displayed. So far, the point sources do not have any name.

Naming of the Point Sources

  • Close the dialog ObjectTree and select from the Tables menu the sub-group Sources|Point Source.
  • Click with right mouse button in column „Name“ and select the command Change Column.
  • On the dialog Change Column select the option „Replace Strings“ and enter in input box „Replace with“ the string „PS ##“.

Assigning names to the point sources

  • After clicking OK and confirming with „All“ the point sources are named and numbered consecutively.
  • Close the table Point Source by clicking the button „Close“.
  • From the dialog ObjectTree|Definition you can see that the point sources are listed with their respective names now.

Sound Power Level Table

The table of sound power levels displays all partial sound power levels of the sources, and the energetic sum of each group, and the overall sound power level of all sources in the ObjectTree for the presently selected performance parameter.

  • Open table of sound power levels via menu Tables|ObjectTree|Sound Power Level.

Table Sound Power Level on menu Tables|ObjectTree

In column „Name“, the groups and the objects within each group are indented versus the root directory. In column „A“, the A-weighted sound power levels of the sources, of the groups, and the overall sound power level is displayed. Since - in this example - the emission of the sources has been specified based on A-weighted sound power levels the columns of the octaves and column "lin" remain empty.

Partial Level Table

  • On the toolbox, select the receiver point and enter three receiver points.
  • Name the receivers on table column „Name“ by R1 to R3 (menu Tables|Receiver). Write directly into the table cell and close the table.
  • Click into the white area of the screen and select the command Modify Objects.
  • Select the action „Generate Label“ for the receiver and click OK.
  • Select the attribute „Name“, click OK and confirm with „All“.

All receiver points are labeled by their name now.

  • Run the calculation by clicking the pocket calculator-symbol on the symbol bar.

  • Now, open the table Partial Level on menu Tables|ObjectTree.

The partial level table lists the partial levels by all sources in the ObjectTree for the presently selected performance parameter per receiver point using the specified group structure. In column „Name“, the groups and the objects within each group are indented versus the root directory. In each column, either the A-weighted overall level, or the A-weighted group level, or the A-weighted partial level of the each source are displayed.

Table Partial Level on menu Tables|ObjectTree

By a double-click in a line of the table Partial Level the corresponding source dialog is opened.

Note

Whether the columns for the octave band levels are displayed or not is controlled by a corresponding entry in the file CADNAA.INI. Per default, the file CADNAA.INI is located in the WINDOWS-directory on your disk drive C:/. If required open this file and add to the section [Main] the following line:ObjTreePartLevSpekImmAnz = 0This variable controls the maximum number of receiver points whose octave band levels are displayed on the table Partial Level of the ObjectTree. With the above setting (zero) no octave band levels will be displayed.

Table ObjectTree|Partial Level, octave band levels suppressed