Configuring Inspection Route Sheets

You can provide inspectors with the ability to create inspection route sheets so they can efficiently plan inspections. This feature helps inspectors minimize the time and distance they travel to complete inspections, which enables them to map their route with maximum efficiency for their business objectives.

For example, inspectors can minimize travel distance using the Optimized by Distance option, and can minimize travel time using the Optimized by Time option.

Another example is that inspectors can click the Order By button and select a routing type from the drop-down menu to optimize the inspection route by choice of routing type such as walking, driving, and public transit. Before inspectors can have this feature, you must integrate a third-party route optimizer with Civic Platform. Civic Platform sends requests to this route optimizer and the optimizer returns the optimized route to Civic Platform. Civic Platform then updates the sequence of the inspections in a route sheet accordingly.

To configure inspection route sheet functionality, you must configure the corresponding Function Identifications (FIDs) and Standard Choices. For more information, see “Planning Inspection Route Sheets” in the Land Management chapter of the Civic Platform Configuration Reference.

This section provides you with instructions about integrating a third-party route optimizer. You can integrate a third-party route optimizer with Civic Platform with either of these approaches:

JAR Package Integration

To integrate a third party routing optimizer using the JAR Package approach

  1. Write a class that implements the following interface:

    com.accela.aa.routeoptimize.RouteOptimizer

    • Method: 
      optimizeRoute
    • Description: 
      List<String> optimizeRoute(TravelMode travelMode, Set<String> waypoints, String startPoint, String endPoint) throws RouteOptimizeException

    • Parameters:

      travelMode The parameter specifies the mode of travel for the route. The possible values are Driving, Walking, and Public Transit.
      waypoints The parameter specifies a set of waypoints.
      startPoint The parameter specifies the start location of a route.
      endPoint The parameter specifies the end location of a route.

  2. Package your class into a JAR file.

  3. Place the JAR file under the Civic Platform system classpath.

  4. Configure Standard Choice: ROUTE_OPTIMIZER_PROVIDER.

    For more information, see the Standard Choice listing in the Accela Civic Platform Configuration Reference.

REST API Integration

To integrate a third party routing optimizer using the REST API approach

  1. Develop a route optimizing REST API.

    • Parameters:

      mode The parameter specifies the mode of travel for the route. The possible values are driving, walking, and transit.
      origin The parameter specifies the start location of a route.
      destination The parameter specifies the end location of a route.
      waypoints The parameter specifies a set of waypoints, separated by a vertical bar: |

    • Response:

      Success Result The success result contains a set of waypoints in an optimized order, separated by a vertical bar: |
      Error Message error: + error messageFor example, error: cannot calculate route.

    • Example:

      Request URL http://www.bridgeview.gov/restful/route?mode=driving&origin=O&destination=H&waypoints=A|B|C|D
      Response Success response: “A|C|D|B”Error response: error: cannot calculate route

  2. Configure Standard Choice: ROUTE_OPTIMIZER_PROVIDER.

    For more information, see the Standard Choice listing in the Accela Civic Platform Configuration Reference.