Querying Sign and Support Data

Sign Query Tool

Signworks Inventory has a new and improved tool to help you easily find locations and supports for the tasks you do most.  It's found at the top left corner of the app.

Just select the type of query you want to do, start typing what you are looking for, and a dropdown of results will appear if the query finds a match.  If you zoom or pan the map around, the query will automatically update your results on the map.  Below are more details about the types of queries you can do.

Query by Address

The Address type uses the DC Master Address Repository (MAR).  For detailed information, go to the site (https://dcatlas.dcgis.dc.gov/mar/) , but all you have to do is start typing the address you want and matches should appear in the results box.  Not just plain addresses either, here are some other types you can do -

STREET ADDRESS: An address consists of a street number, a street name, and a quadrant (NE, NW, SE, SW). The address number and street name are required.  Example: 441 4th ST NW

INTERSECTION: An Intersection consists of two streets.  Example: 14th ST NW and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, or 14th ST NW & Pennsylvania Avenue NW, or 16th ST NW over Military RD NW, or Military RD NW under 16th ST NW, or North Capitol Street NE Northbound and ramp from Irving Street NE Eastbound

BLOCK: A block consists of a street and any other cross streets.  Example:  4th ST NW from D Street NW to E Street NW or 400 Block of 4th St NW 

PLACE NAME: A place name consists of common place names and public/institutional building names.  Example:  "White House" or "Dupont Circle" or "Wilson Building" or "Wilson High School" or "Woodrow Wilson House"

When you select a choice from the results the map will update to be centered on the location.

Here's what an address query will look like-

Query by ID

To query by a support or sign ID ( ex., {F1F0E5A5-9358-4964-ADDD-F3802F82228D} )  simply put the entire ID in the search bar.  Make sure it has both its brackets {} on the id, and no blank spaces or white space on the ends.  You will only get one choice back, it will be the support you are looking for or the support that holds the sign you are looking for.  Click the result and the map will center on it.

Query by MUTCD and Sign Text (Sign Type)

This type works slightly differently than the other two, but is still very easy.  You will notice when you switch to this type you get some additional fields - we'll get to those in a minute.

To do a simple query for MUTCD start typing either the MUTCD code or description into the search box, i.e., either 'r4-1' or "do not pass" (don't include the quotation marks!).  Using the code is the fastest and surest way, using descriptive words might take some experimentation to narrow down the results.  Regardless, you should be able to find your sign type in the results.  Click on the result you want and all the supports that have matching signs will be marked on your map.  The query will update the map with new results if you pan or zoom the map, but be aware that using a large area on the map can impact the performance, so try before you search to have the map show, as closely as possible, the exact area you want to search.   You can clear your search terms at any time by clicking the 'x' to the right of the term.

The MPH dropdown will become enabled AFTER you select a sign type that is a speed limit sign.  You can choose a mph hour number to narrow down the results you see to signs with that specific speed limit.

The Sign Text field can be used in two different ways.  If you have already selected a sign type, type specific text here that you expect to find in the Sign Text field of the sign.  It will narrow down your results to signs of the selected type that also include that text within the Sign Text field.  Additionally, you can use Sign Text as a stand-alone search without choosing a sign type, thus allowing you to find all signs of any type that have that text in the Sign Text field.  IMPORTANT: unlike the main search input, you will need to hit ENTER after typing your term in order to start the search.

Query Parking Zones

This function will allow users to show the parking zones that are defined by parking signs.   When this option is chosen, the base map will change to a dark grey background for added visibility of the query result symbols.  It has several components.

Steps

1. Change the search type dropdown to Parking
2. To the right, select the parking search type, by using the Type... dropdown. 
3. Optionally, you can use the Enter a Parking Group search to filter for a specific Parking Zone type (see Parking Groups for a listing of available types).

There are two ways you can search for parking zones:

Doing a "Point in Time" Search

Selecting this query will narrow down results to only zones that apply to the specific times chosen in the controls.  The slider control to the left select the day, and the one on the right selects the time.  The time selected will appear in the red bar under the slider controls.   For example, if you wanted to see all zones that are active on Wednesday at 7 AM, move the sliders to the appropriate values and the zones that appear will have the selected time fall inside their time restrictions. 

You can also use the day slider without using the time slider, and vice versa.  If you select the ANYTIME or SCHOOLDAYS checkboxes, they will include those time restrictions in addition to whatever other time and parking group selections you have made.  They can also be used without selecting a group, day, or time, in which case they will only show zones with ANYTIME or SCHOOLDAYS values.

Doing a "Range" Search

This type of query works similarly to the point-in-time query, but is a little  more complex.  With this query you select a range of time with the two 'handles' on the slider controls.  The red bar between the handles shows the range.  So if you want to see what zones are active Monday through Friday, 7 AM to 1 PM, you would set the controls like this.

A limitation to this is that you cannot select ranges that cross the boundary between Sunday and Monday, and 3:45 AM and 4 AM.  But there are zones that cross these boundaries.  To query them,  put your mouse on one of the handles and double-click.  This will 'invert' the slider and the range will now be indicated by a blue bar.  So if for some reason you needed to find zones that run Saturday to Tuesday, 1 AM to 7 AM, double-click the handles on the sliders and set the range like this.

Using Anytime and School Days

The ANYTIME and SCHOOLDAYS checkboxes work the same as in with the point-in-time query, with one important exception - if you click the Exact Match checkbox.   Exact Match is exactly what it says - if you check this box the results will only show zones that exactly match the criteria you selected.  So if the sliders are set to M-F  7AM- 2PM, a zone that runs M-Th 6:45AM - 1:45PM will not show up, even though it falls completely within the selected values.  To keep this logically consistent, there are restrictions placed on the controls as follows.

• If you have selected a day or time range and then click ANYTIME, the day and time sliders will be cleared (and disabled) and only ANYTIME results will be shown.  This is another way to easily show just ANYTIME results without having to reset controls.
• Likewise, if you check the SCHOOLDAYS box while Exact Match is checked, the day and time will be cleared and only SCHOOLDAYS zones will be shown.  The day slider will be disabled, but you can still select a time range.

Using the Parking Groups Type Filter

You can filter for specific Parking Groups by entering the code into the main search bar (see Parking Groups for listing of types).  If you aren't sure of the code, simply go to the search input and hit the space bar on your keyboard - that will list all available codes.  Once a code is selected from the dropdown all zones that match (within the extent shown on the map) will be shown.  Zooming in/out or panning the map will automatically update the query.

To the right of the main search input is a dropdown  labelled "Type".  This will allow two other types of queries, "point in time" and "range".  These can be used without entering a parking group, and will show all matching zones regardless of parking group.  If a parking group is selected, these queries will only show results from that group that meet the additional criteria.

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