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Pathways

Pathways represent the physical routes that cables follow between structures and locations. Each pathway has a LineString geometry defining its geographic path.

Pathway Types

Conduit

A pipe or duct that cables are pulled through. Conduits are the most common pathway type for underground infrastructure.

Field Description
Material PVC, HDPE, Steel, Concrete, Fiberglass
Inner Diameter Inside diameter in millimeters
Outer Diameter Outside diameter in millimeters
Depth Burial depth in meters
Conduit Bank Optional bank assignment at a structure
Bank Position Position within the bank (e.g., A1, B2)
Start/End Junction Optional junction endpoint (instead of structure)

Aerial Span

An overhead route, typically between poles.

Field Description
Aerial Type Messenger, Self-support, Lashed, Wrapped, ADSS
Attachment Height Height of cable attachment in meters
Sag Maximum sag in meters
Messenger Size Messenger wire specification
Wind Loading Wind loading specification
Ice Loading Ice loading specification

Direct Buried

A cable path buried directly in the ground without a conduit.

Field Description
Burial Depth Depth in meters
Warning Tape Whether warning tape is installed
Tracer Wire Whether tracer wire is installed
Armor Type Cable armor specification

Innerduct

A smaller duct installed inside a parent conduit to subdivide capacity.

Field Description
Parent Conduit The conduit this innerduct is inside
Size Innerduct size (e.g., 1.25", 32mm)
Color Innerduct color for identification
Position Position within the parent conduit

Innerducts inherit start and end structures from their parent conduit if not explicitly set.

Endpoints

Every pathway has a start endpoint and an end endpoint. These can be:

  • Structure — An outdoor structure (pole, manhole, etc.)
  • Location — An indoor NetBox location (room, floor)
  • Junction — A conduit junction (conduits only)

You can mix endpoint types. For example, a conduit starting at a manhole (structure) and ending at an equipment room (location) models a building entrance path.

Creating a Pathway

  1. Navigate to the appropriate pathway list (e.g., Plugins > Pathways > Conduits)
  2. Click Add
  3. Set the name, endpoints, and type-specific fields
  4. Draw the path on the map widget or enter geometry manually
  5. Save

Tip

The map widget snaps to nearby structures when drawing paths. Start and end your line near your selected structures for accurate geometry.

Pathway on the Map

On the interactive map, pathways render as colored lines:

Type Line Style Color
Conduit Solid Brown
Aerial Span Dashed Blue
Direct Buried Dotted Gray
Innerduct Solid (thin) Orange
Cable Tray Solid Green
Raceway Solid Indigo

Clicking a pathway line opens the sidebar with details including endpoints, length, type-specific attributes, and routed cables.

Filtering

Pathway lists support filtering by:

  • Pathway Type — Conduit, Aerial, Direct Buried, etc.
  • Start/End Structure — Filter by connected structures
  • Site — Filter by associated site
  • Material — Conduit material (conduits only)
  • Tenant — Owning tenant
  • Has Path — Filter pathways with/without geometry

Intermediate Locations

Pathways can pass through intermediate locations (sites or rooms) along their route. Use Pathway Locations to record these waypoints with sequence numbers for ordering. This is useful for documenting that a conduit passes through multiple manholes along its route.