Import Links From a Text File

This is a step by step procedure for importing link text files. Usually the link text files are delimited with commas or tabs, but they can also be fixed width. Pathloss 5 is flexible enough to read either.

Example link text file in CSV format:

Site name 1,Site name 2,Latitude 1,Latitude 2,Longitude 1,Longitude 2,Elevation 1(m),Elevation 2(m),...
Woking,Fairview,55.47972222,55.83722222,-118.74722222,-118.59666667,925.61,574.02,...
Fairview,Brownvale,55.83722222,56.07333333,-118.59666667,-117.87972222,574.02,612.84,...
Beaverlodge,Demmit,55.21391667,55.46194444,-119.26891667,-119.88944444,928.60,834.99,...

Step 1 - Open text (CSV) file

Click View - Site List to bring up the Site index. You can also click the Site list button on the toolbar.

Click Import - Site text file

A file open dialog box will appear. Select the text file you would like to import and click Open

Step 2 - Select text file type

This is a comma delimited file with column headers. Select Delimited and because we do not want to import the column names, set Start import at line to 2.

Step 3 - Select delimiter

Click the Next button. Make sure that the delimiter is set to Comma and click the Next button.

Step 4 - Assign column names

Click on a column to select it, for each column you need to:

Select the appropriate data category and then select the column name to assign.

Note: It may be useful to leave the "Start import at line" from the second step above at 1. This will make assigning the column headers much easier. One the assignments are complete you can click the <Prev button to the first window and set the "Start import at line" to 2.

Set the location (Site 1 or Site 2) and click Assign to column

Once all columns have been assigned, you can save these import definitions in a file. This file should be included with the text(csv) file when sending to other users.

Step 5 - Verify coordinate and group settings

For this example we need to set the Longitude to +East. Normally the Eastern hemisphere is positive and the Western is negative. Depending on the source of your coordinates you may need to change the hemisphere you are in to positive. The same applies to Latitudes and whether they are in the North or South hemisphere.

At this point you can also specify the group you would like the sites to appear in, or you can also create a new group to add the sites to. For more of groups see Pathloss 5 - Using groups

Click Finish to import the sites into your site list.

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Sites and links can be imported from a text file. The required format is as follows:

Each line must contain two sites. A site name and its coordinates must be specified for each site.
The fields must be separated by a delimiter such as a comma or the data must start on the same column number.
The import file can contain radio and antenna data and transmit channel assignments. If these fields are to be imported, then the associated PL6 files must be created as part of the import. Otherwise, only the links in the network display will be created.
Duplicate links between two sites can be created.

If the site coordinates in the text file are in a projected format, then the site coordinates projection in the GIS Configuration must be the same as that used in the text file.

The import procedure uses the standard text import utility described in the General Program Operation chapter.

The column definition used in the link text file import is divided into the following categories:

Site data
Antennas 1,2 and 3
Radio equipment
Design parameters
TX channels 1 to 12

Each of these categories has a list of fields which will be assigned to their respective columns. The Design Parameters category contains the fields Link Type, Link Status and LoS Status. These are the thematic settings to display the link lines. Refer to the section on Thematic mapping for details.

The column assignment procedure is described below:

Click on a column to select it.
Set the corresponding category. The available fields in this category will be displayed in the list box.
Select the corresponding field.
Set the Location for the field. This can be either Site 1 or Site 2 in the case of an antenna or site field. In the case of radio equipment, the field can apply to both sites. The design parameters are not site specific but apply to the link.
Click the Assign to column button.

The last step in the link import procedure requires additional definitions. The Latitude, Longitude, Units, and Projected coordinates settings have been described in the Site text file import procedure section above. The remaining options affect the data saved in the individual PL6 files. If the Create Links Files option is not checked, these options are not required and only the links will be drawn in the network display.

Polarization

If the frequency is formatted to include the polarization e.g 5878.875V, then this will be used; otherwise, select the polarization format used in the file.

Frequency

Set the frequency units used in the file. If necessary, these will be converted to MHz.

Calculation options

The application, design frequency and polarization are displayed. These are the default calculation options which will be saved in the individual pl5 files. Click the Edit button to access and set these options as required.

Antenna cross reference table

The import file may not include the antenna data file name. A cross reference can be created between the antenna data file name and some antenna parameter in the import file, such as the antenna model. The column definition would show the antenna data file name as the header for the antenna model column.

The import procedure will scan the cross reference table for the model number and substitute the antenna data file name. The antenna data file will be used to set all antenna parameters which are not defined in the import file.

Radio cross reference table

The import file may not include the radio data file name. A cross reference can be created between the radio data file name and some radio parameter in the import file, such as the radio model. The column definition would show the radio data file name as the header for the radio model column.

The import procedure will scan the cross reference table for the model number and substitute the radio data file name. The radio data file will be used to set all radio parameters which are not defined in the import file.

Add links to group

The imported links can be added to a group. This is independent of the Create pl5 files option. Select the group from the drop-down list or click the New group button to create a new group. The name “No group” means that the links will not be assigned to a group.