TransCAD

Creating and Editing Geographic

Files

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 Geographic File Formats
• TransCAD geographic files come in two formats, with
two file extensions:
– A compact, read-only format that displays very quickly (.CDF)
– A standard, editable format that takes more disk space and
displays less quickly (.DBD)
• When you create new geographic files, they are in the
standard, editable format, so you can modify them right
away. But most TransCAD geographic files are
delivered in the compact, read-only format, and before
you can edit them, you must first convert them in to the
standard format.
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To Convert Between Geographic
File Formats

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To Create a New Point or Area
Geographic File

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To Create a New Line Geographic
File

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Using the Point Editing Tools

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Using the Line Editing Tools

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 Setting One-Way Segments
• TransCAD offers two ways to set the directionality of segments
in a line layer:
– Selecting segments and marking them as one way north, south, east,
or west, using the Network/Paths-Link Directions command. This
requires you to first select all the segments that are to be set as one
way. This command also lets you reset one-way segments as two way.
– Indicating nodes along a shortest path and setting segments as one
way in the direction of the path, using the Tools-Map Editing-Set One-
Way Segments command
• However, this product will not run on Academic TransCAD. You
need full TransCAD.

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To Copy and Paste Segments

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To Add Areas or Split Areas into Parts

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To Cut a Hole in an Area

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To Change a Hole into an Area

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 To Remove a Hole Click on the
surrounding area and
Follow the procedure then on the are that
used to be the hole.
above to change the
hole into an area

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To Create an Area with Islands
Use the Join tool
to join any islands
together into a
single area.

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To Split Off One Island into a
Separate Area

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To Move an Area Centroid

Drag it to the desired location

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To Create a Geographic File of
Centroids

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