Converter Factory

Reference documentation for the ConverterFactory class instance that can be collected from the top-level Planit() instance to create, i.e., manufacture, converters of a specific type. The most common use case for creating a converter would be to convert a network from one format into another, e.g., parse an OSM network and persist it as a PLANit network for example.

Converters provide an easy way to convert one data format into another by means of a predefined process that requires:

• Reader (input configuration)
• Writer (output configuration)
• Converter (perform the conversion from input to output)

The reader extracts data from a certain input format and presents it to the converter internally as a PLANit memory model. The writer accepts a PLANit memory model and persists it in its output format. The converter takes both a reader and writer and performs the conversion via a dedicated procedure.

PLANit-Python currently supports the following types of converters:

• NetworkConverter: supports the conversion of road and/or rail infrastructure
• ZoningConverter: supports the conversion of origin-destination zones, and transfer zones (bus stops, train platforms)
• DemandsConverter: supports the conversion of origin-destination trip demands
• IntermodalConverter: combines multiple converters into one to allow for conversions of networks and (public transport) services and infrastructure in a single process

There exist a number of reader/writer implementations that are supported out-of-the-box in PLANit-Python.

As a user you can create your own reader/writers as well, although to use them you would need to utilise the Planit-Java implementation. PLANit-Python only provides access to the officially supported readers/writers detailed in this manual.

Configuration of reader/writers

All readers/writers are to be created by your converter. Once you have create a reader and writer, it may need specific configuration. To achieve this, all readers and writers have one or more settings properties, see Example 1. The properties and options vary per reader/writer, but all provide a settings property. In case of a converter that encompasses multiple converters (like the intermodal converter). The settings of such a converter, in turn provide access, the to settings of each underlying sub-converter.

This approach of configuring all readers and writers in the same way can largely be done without providing complex parameters. However, it does mean that the user - depending on the chosen reader/writer type - has to provide a bare minimum of configuration settings before any conversion can proceed. To aid the user in what settings must be configured explicitly, each reader/writer page in this manual details these settings to avoid any confusion.

Methods

The ConverterFactory instance exposes the following methods

Properties

N/A

Example 1

from planit import *

# create a network converter
planit_instance = Planit()
network_converter = planit_instance.converter_factory.create(ConverterType.NETWORK)

# example Open Street Map (OSM) network reader        
osm_reader = network_converter.create_reader(NetworkReaderType.OSM, "Australia")
osm_reader.settings.set_input_file("<path_to_input_file>")

# example PLANit network writer
planit_writer = network_converter.create_writer(NetworkWriterType.PLANIT)
planit_writer.settings.set_output_directory("<path_to_output_dir>")
planit_writer.settings.set_country("Australia")

# perform conversion
network_converter.convert(reader,writer)

See also

NetworkConverter for more information on how to create and configure a network converter
ZoningConverter for more information on how to create and configure a zoning converter
DemandsConverter for more information on how to create and configure a demands (od trips) converter
IntermodalConverter for more information on how to create and configure an intermodal converter

Source code

Class ConverterFactory in converter.py