WHAT IS NEW

IN PTV VISSIM/VISWALK 10
 Preamble

Copyright:
© 2017 PTV AG, Karlsruhe
PTV Vissim® is a trademark of PTV AG
All brand or product names in this documentation are trademarks or registered trademarks
of the corresponding companies or organizations. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer:
The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice and should
not be construed as a commitment on the part of the vendor.
This document may not be used for any other purpose than the personal use of the pur-
chaser.
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any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
edited or translated, except as permitted under the terms of the copyright, without the prior
written permission of PTV AG.

Imprint:
PTV AG
Traffic Software
Haid-und-Neu-Straße 15
D - 76131 Karlsruhe
Germany
Tel. +49 721 9651-300
Fax +49 721 9651-562
E-Mail: info@vision.ptvgroup.com
www.ptvgroup.com
vision-traffic.ptvgroup.com

© 2017 PTV AG, Karlsruhe

 Preamble

Content

Preamble 4

1 Visualization 5
1.1 Turn Value Visualization 5
1.2 Legend in Network Editor 6

2 Handling 8
2.1 Start Page 8
2.2 Aliases for Attributes 8
2.3 Scenario Management: Run Control 9
2.4 User-defined Attributes 9

3 Vehicle Simulation 10
3.1 Reversing out of parking spaces 10
3.2 User-defined Static Routing 10

4 Dynamic Assignment 12
4.1 Matrix Correction 12
4.2 Flow Bundle 13
4.3 Node Evaluation in Meso Simulation 14
4.4 User-defined Attributes 14

5 Pedestrian Simulation 15
5.1 Smarter Navigation to the End of a Queue 15
5.2 Result Attributes “Number of Pedestrians” 15

6 API 16
6.1 Driving Simulation Interface Extensions 16
6.2 Unity Example for Driving Simulator Interface 16

7 Technical Changes 17

What is new in PTV Vissim/Viswalk 10 © PTV AG 3

 Preamble

Preamble

This document provides an overview of the most important changes in PTV Vissim/Viswalk
10 compared to version 9 in handling and behavior. Functionality which has been added
already in a version 9 service pack ist not included in this document. Please see the version
9.00-xy release notes for these features. Please see the version 10.00-xy release notes for
several additional new features which are not covered in this document.
A detailed description of how to use the new functionality can be found in the Vissim 10
HTML help and in the document “Vissim 10 - Manual.pdf”.

4 What is new in PTV Vissim/Viswalk 10 © PTV AG

 Visualization

1 Visualization

1.1 Turn Value Visualization

For each evaluation node which has the attribute “Show turn value visualization” set to true,
attribute values of movements are visualized in a new type of chart.
Turn value visualization can be activated and configured in the graphics parameters for
nodes:

What is new in PTV Vissim/Viswalk 10 © PTV AG 5

 Visualization

One attribute each can be selected for the width and for the color of the turn value bars.
Similar to link bars, the size and scaling of the turn value bars can be set. The display of the
total values per leg (separate for entry/exit) can be switched on or off.
The total size of the turn value visualization circle can be set for each node independently in
the node attribute “Turn value visualization size”.
Turn values can be shown only after the evaluation graph has been created. This happens
automatically if a list showing movement data is open when the layout is loaded, and it can
be triggered manually in such a list, e.g. in the coupled list nodes/movements.

1.2 Legend in Network Editor

A legend listing the class limits or meanings of active color schemes can be shown in the
network editor window.

The location and size of the legend can be set in the basic graphic parameters of the network
editor window ( button):

For each color scheme option in the graphics parameters of a network object type (for the
objects themselves and for their labels), there is the new additional option “legend includes
… colors”. If this is active, the class limits of the respected color scheme are shown in the
legend.

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 Visualization

Node colors determined by “color by function” and vehicle colors determined by “color by
driving state” can be shown in the legend as well. If multiple schemes are selected for display
in the legend, they are arranged automatically within a rectangular area.

What is new in PTV Vissim/Viswalk 10 © PTV AG 7

 Handling

2 Handling

2.1 Start Page

All PTV Vision products (PTV Visum, PTV Vissim and PTV Vistro) welcome you on the new
start page. This page allows you to access easily the recently opened files, as well as all
PTV help channels. The start page also provides an up-to-date collection of product news as
well as interesting PTV highlights. With the introduction of the PTV Vision start page, you are
now actively notified of new service packs within the program. The full functionality of the
homepage is obtained if the PTV product has Internet connection. The start page can be
tabbed, closed and opened (from the View menu) as all other Vissim windows.
Before the official release, you will see information about the beta phase on the start page.

2.2 Aliases for Attributes

For each attribute of any object in the data model, an alias can be defined, either in the list
of Aliases, accessible from the main menu ([Lists –] Base Data – Aliases]), or through a new
button in the attribute selection dialog:

A defined alias is listed alphabetically in the attribute selection dialog on the left side and can
be selected as any other attribute. At any place where the original name of an attribute with
an alias would be shown, the alias is shown instead (except at the left side of the attribute
selection dialog and in static labels in dialogs). This is especially useful for indirect attributes

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 Handling

with long names in list windows (column headers), charts, the legend and everywhere else
where a shorter but still significant name is more helpful.

2.3 Scenario Management: Run Control

In the Project Explorer sidebar, there are three new buttons for running multiple scenarios.
The first button (“Play”) runs simulations for all selected scenarios. The second button (“Fast
Forward”) runs simulations for all scenarios, regardless of the current selection. The third
button (“Stop”) stops the current simulation run and cancels all further runs. The status of
each affected scenario is shown by an icon on the right side: “Check” for successfully com-
pleted simulation, ““Play” for a running simulation, “Hour glass” for upcoming simulation.

2.4 User-defined Attributes

User-defined attributes are now also available for distributions.

What is new in PTV Vissim/Viswalk 10 © PTV AG 9

 Vehicle Simulation

3 Vehicle Simulation

3.1 Reversing out of parking spaces

It is much easier now to model diagonal or perpendicular parking spaces where vehicles park
in forward and reverse out. Trick modelling with links turning by 180° and overlapping on
themselves are not required anymore. The link for the parking lot simply ends downstream
of the parking lot, and the parking lot needs to have the new attribute “Parking direction” set
to “Forward > reverse”. Everything else is done automatically: At the start of the simulation
run, priority rules are created which make the parking out vehicles yield to the main flow.
Additional special priority rules are created for vehicles wanting to park: those leave gaps for
vehicles parking out. If the gap in the main flow is sufficiently large, the vehicle parking out
moves in reverse from the parking lot link across the first upstream incoming connector (could
be coming from a different link than the vehicle came from) until it is completely on the link
that this connector starts from. At that position, the vehicle stops for a random time drawn
from the “Direction change duration distribution” assigned to the parking lot. Then, the vehicle
switches to forward driving again and continues its trip back to its original route.

3.2 User-defined Static Routing

Static vehicle routing decisions, partial vehicle routing decisions, managed lanes routing de-
cisions and partial PT routing decisions all allow dynamic user-defined routing now: A user-
defined attribute "UseVehRouteNo" (type Bool) needs to be defined for routing decisions and
a user-defined attribute "NextRouteNo" (type Integer) needs to be defined for vehicles. Then,
the value of "NextRouteNo" is checked when a vehicle passes a routing decision with “Use-
VehRouteNo” set to true. If “NextRouteNo” is empty or negative or zero, the routing decision
works normally. If “NextRouteNo” is the number of an existing route of that decision, that
route is assigned to the vehicle. If the value is a positive value but no route exists with that

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 Vehicle Simulation

number, the routing decision has no effect. The two user-defined attributes are defined in
defaults.inpx, so they can be immediately used in new networks, typically by COM scripts
which send vehicles along specific routes.

What is new in PTV Vissim/Viswalk 10 © PTV AG 11

 Dynamic Assignment

4 Dynamic Assignment

4.1 Matrix Correction

A matrix can be adapted to traffic counts on links through the main menu item Traffic - Dy-
namic Assignment – Matrix Correction.

In the dialog, the matrix to be corrected has to be selected, as well as the link attribute(s)
where the traffic counts are stored, and the path attribute(s) where the volumes are stored.
There is a new link attribute “Counted Data” with subattribute vehicle class which can be
used to enter traffic counts which are then used for matrix correction. The (total of the) path
attribute(s) should contain the total volume on the path for the vehicle class(es) of the matrix
for the (total) period of the link count attribute(s). If multiple matrices for different time intervals
exist, each one needs to be corrected separately with suitable values stored in the link count
attribute(s) and a suitable subattribute selected for the path volume attribute(s).
The method for matrix correction is the method of least squares similar as in Visum 17. The
sum of squares of differences between counts and volumes plus the sum of squares of dif-
ferences between corrected and original matrix values is minimized. (In contrast to Visum,
there are no weighting factors, and the number of iterations is fixed at 1000.) OD cells with
value zero are not affected, but all others can be adapted.

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 Dynamic Assignment

4.2 Flow Bundle

The volumes of all paths passing a specific link position can be shown as flow bundle link
bars now. Optionally, multiple link positions can be combined by logical “and” or logical “or”.
A flow bundle is a new network object which is defined by at least one filter cross section on
a link. If a flow bundle has multiple cross sections assigned, the attribute “Cross section
relevance” defines if a path needs to pass all these cross sections or at least one of them in
order to be counted for the flow bundle. The dynamic assignment evaluation time interval
selected for the flow bundle refers to the start time interval of the counted vehicles. Optionally,
a specific vehicle class can be selected (which needs to have been selected in the dynamic
assignment parameters for separate data collection before the simulation run when the path
file was created).
The flow bundle volumes are calculated from the path volumes in the path file, so that file
needs to be read in in order to show any flow bundle values. The values are available in the
calculated attributes “Flow bundle volume x” of link segments. This means that only links
which have the attribute “Link evaluation active” show flow bundle values, and the “Link eval-
uation segment length” determines the division of the link into segments which have inde-
pendent flow bundle values. If the segment length is changed, the path file needs to be read
in again in order to update the flow bundle values.
As long as the list window for flow bundles is synchronized, the flow bundle is displayed in
the network window immediately upon selection in the list. The graphic parameters for flow
bundles (fixed color and scaling) affect that visualization.
Alternatively, the segment-based attribute “Flow bundle volume x” can be selected as attrib-
ute for link bar display in the link graphics parameters. In that case, the color for the link
bundle can be defined by a color scheme, even for a different attribute if desired.

What is new in PTV Vissim/Viswalk 10 © PTV AG 13

 Dynamic Assignment

4.3 Node Evaluation in Meso Simulation

The node evaluation now provides results for evaluation nodes in meso sections as well. So
far, only the volumes (numbers of vehicles and persons), the delay (per vehicle and per
person) and the LOS attributes are available. Queue length, stopped delay and stops as well
as the emission values are all zero. The start section for each internal travel time measure-
ment is placed at the first start of a meso edge at least as far upstream as defined in the
node evaluation configuration for “Start of the delay segment”.

4.4 User-defined Attributes

User-defined attributes are now also available for paths, edges, and meso objects.

14 What is new in PTV Vissim/Viswalk 10 © PTV AG

 Pedestrian Simulation

5 Pedestrian Simulation

5.1 Smarter Navigation to the End of a Queue

Pedestrian areas have two new attributes: “Queue approaching method” and “Queue ap-
proaching direct line radius”. The queue approaching method has two possible values: “Di-
rect line” (default) and “Static potential”. If “Direct line” is selected, pedestrians approaching
the end of a queue starting on that area always walk in a straight line which can cause them
to be permanently blocked by obstacles. If “Static potential” is selected, the pedestrians cal-
culate the shortest possible path to the end of the queue instead (circumventing obstacles,
as if approaching the area of their next routing point). As this new option causes additional
calculation effort, it should be selected only when necessary. The queue approaching direct
line radius defines the size of a circle around the end of the queue where the pedestrians
always use “Direct line”.

5.2 Result Attributes “Number of Pedestrians”

Pedestrian areas and ramps have several additional result attributes which contain the aver-
age (maximum, minimum) number of all pedestrians on the area / ramp within the time inter-
val of the areas & ramps evaluation. Additional attributes contain the average (maximum,
minimum) number of pedestrians waiting for a public transport vehicle. “Walk-in count”
(“Walk-out count”) contains the number of pedestrians who have entered (left) the area /
ramp in that time interval.

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 API

6 API

6.1 Driving Simulation Interface Extensions

If the simulator runs at a frequency (frame rate) higher than the simulation resolution in Vis-
sim, the interface performs an automatic linear interpolation between Vissim time steps now,
which is completely transparent for the simulator.
The simulator can optionally set a maximum distance from the front end of a simulator vehicle
(pedestrian) for a Vissim vehicle (pedestrian) to be passed to the simulator.
The maximum number of vehicles / pedestrians / detector activations / signal group states
passed from the simulator to Vissim and vice versa can now be set by the simulator before
the start of the simulation run (with an upper limit of 231).

6.2 Unity Example for Driving Simulator Interface

A simple driving simulator built in the gaming engine Unity is provided as an example for the
usage of the interface. This simulator allows to drive a vehicle through a Vissim simulation in
an example network, controlling the vehicle with the arrow keys on the keyboard or with a
steering wheel and pedals connected to the computer. It demonstrates how the Vissim vehi-
cles react to the simulator vehicle.

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 Technical Changes

7 Technical Changes

PTV Vissim 10 doesn’t officially support Windows Vista anymore which is no longer sup-
ported by Microsoft.
The operation of network licenses has been made more robust through a series of measures,
e.g. by introducing a latency before searching for fallback license servers in case of lost
connections. This reduces impacts of short network disruptions. Also, the license acquisition
at program start now works faster.
The CodeMeter Runtime deployed with PTV Vissim has been updated to CodeMeter 6.50a.
During the installation, an update of the dongle firmware may be triggered.

What is new in PTV Vissim/Viswalk 10 © PTV AG 17

PTV AG
Haid-und-Neu-Straße 15
76131 Karlsruhe
Germany
Phone +49 (0) 721 9651-300
Fax +49 (0) 721 9651-562
E-Mail: info@vision.ptvgroup.com
www.ptvgroup.com
www.vision-traffic.ptvgroup.com