HI. Tools and Extensions

Owned by iarmstrong
Last updated: Jul 04, 2023
7 min read

In addition to the panels and buttons described in the previous sections, Haul Infinity also has a top tab bar located at the very top of the application, above the Setup and Network tabs. The features available through this panel are described in the sections below.

Top tab bar location in Haul Infinity

Import and Export

The Haul Infinity app offers numerous options for importing and exporting your haul network data in a variety of formats, such as CSV, XML, DXF, or ZIP archive.

Detailed description of all the Import and Export options see in the HI. Imports and Exports section.

Scheduler

When querying a haul from Scheduler (Alastri Tactical/Production Scheduler), you can import blocks and schedule directly from the scheduling software.

Importing Blocks from Scheduler

  1. Make sure that relevant Inventory Model is uploaded:

    1. In Tactical Scheduler, in the Setup tab > Choose Data Sources step.

    2. In Production Scheduler, in Setup tab > Data Sources step.

  2. In Haul Infinity, in the Network tab locate the Scheduler tab.

  3. Select “Import Blocks from Scheduler”. Imported blocks will be populated in the Blocks panel (bottom left).

Imported blocks from Scheduler

Importing Schedule from Scheduler

  1. In Tactical Scheduler or in Production Scheduler:

    1. Run all the Setup Tasks.

    2. In the Schedule tab, run Scenario or Full Schedule.

  2. In Haul Infinity:

    1. In the top tab bar locate the Scheduler tab.

    2. Select “Import Schedule from Scheduler”. Imported strings will be displayed as a list in the Scheduler Auditor tab.

Extensions

The following extensions are available through the Extensions tab:

Simplify Network

When a haul network grows larger with many segments and errors, the network becomes hard to manage.
Haul Infinity offers a way to simplify your network design. By using "Simplify Network" function, segments which approximately lies on the same line, are merge into a single segment. How your segments are merged can be customize.

Example of simplifying network:

  1. In the Extensions top tab select “Simplify Network” option.

  2. In the Simplify Network window enter an angle of error, in degrees. Segments with equal to or less than this angle change between them will be combined.

3. Press OK.

4. In the next window, enter the length of the segment to be discarded, in meters. Segments with this length or shorter will be merged regardless of angle.

5. Inspect the network.

The “Simplify Network” extension is used to remove excess points from the network. If the next point is within the specified distance and angle, it will be removed from the network.

Calculation time will be faster with less segments in the network.

Assign Joins Based on Segments Names

This function is used to force blocks to only connect to certain roads.

See HI. Assign Joins Based on Segments Names in Haul Infinity section for this function explanation and examples.

Calibrate

The Haul Infinity also has a model calibration function based on data imported from the FMS (Fleet Management System).

See HI. Fleet Management Model Calibration section for this function explanation and examples.

Remove Calibration

If necessary, select the Remove Calibration option to remove model calibration.

Tools

The following options are available through the Tools tab:

Append Version to Filename

When ticked version number will be appended to the filename.

Change Skin

To suit your visual preferences, all the applications from Alastri are available in a variety of colors and designs.

More details on Skin Themes change see here.

Project Settings

You can also use the Tools tab to open the Project Settings window. This window consists of three tabs allowing you to set custom colors, thresholds for error messages, customize the grid display, and add new custom properties.

General tab

  • The top part of the General tab contains the Viewport area where you can change the display options for the items in the viewport.

Background

Change the background color of the viewport to suit your preferences. The default background color is black. Use the dropdown to select top, middle, and bottom colors.

Digitizing Colors

If necessary, change the current and past digitizing colors to suit your preferences.

Selection Color

If necessary, change the colors of the selection and active selection to suit your preference.

Mouse Snap Search Radius

Specify the search radius for snapping a point. Used to adjust the sensitivity of the mouse cursor to automatically snap the dragged object to the nearest point.

Segment Direction Indicator

Shades segments corresponding to the applicable direction.

Used for better visual representation of haul routes, which can be useful for presentations and reports, but it slows down the planning and network operation.

By default, this feature is unchecked.

Curved Roads

Used for a smoother roads display.

Used for better visual representation of haul routes, which can be useful for presentations and reports, but it slows down the planning and network operation.

By default, this feature is unchecked.

  • Under the Viewport area of the General tab is the Issue Resolution fields, where you can flag checkboxes for the types of errors and set their thresholds, that you wish to see in the Error List panel.

New users are advised to leave all the checkboxes flagged and threshold values by default to show the maximum number of error messages.

  • In the bottom part of the General panel the default values for rolling resistance, maximum and final speeds are listed.

Default speeds (maximum and final) are explained in HI. Trucks Speeds section.

More information on these project settings see in the HI. Model Calibration FAQ section.

Grid tab

Open the Grid tab to change size, color and labels of a grid to suit your preferences.

Use Grid lines colors dropdowns to change lines colors to suit your preferences.

Custom Properties tab

Open the Custom Properties tab to create a new node property and give it a default value.

New property created in the Custom Properties tab will be displayed in the Available Fields list of the Nodes tab and can be added to the nodes attributes via Grouped Fields list.

You will also see the new property added in the Properties panel.

Through Tools > Project Settings > Custom Properties you can add any number of new custom properties, change their order, and remove unnecessary ones at any time. Any changes will automatically be added to the appropriate Network tab panels.