Project handling

The Project handling tab is used to create, select, import, export, and delete Districts projects. It is also used to manage project versions, which allow different model states or model variants to be organized within a single project.

A project provides the common working environment for a Districts model. It contains project-wide information such as the coordinate reference system, shared resources, and common settings. Existing projects can be selected from the project list, and their associated versions can then be loaded or edited.

The data is stored in tables in a PostgreSQL database. These tables are referred as layers in QGIS, in which fields define the structure of the table. The entries of a layer are called features and consists of the field name and value pairs.

Project

The Project section contains the basic project functions.

Create new project
Creates a new Districts project. When a project is created, the required project structures are prepared. Depending on the selected template, the project can be created as an empty project or with predefined content.

Delete project
Deletes the active project. This action cannot be undone. Use this function only if the project is no longer needed or has been exported beforehand.

Set coordinate reference system (CRS)
Defines the coordinate reference system for the project. The coordinate reference system is important for the correct spatial display and processing of geometries such as pipes, buildings, customers, energy plants, and nodes. It should be set as early as possible, especially before importing or creating geodata.

See also CRS

Import project
Imports an existing Districts project from a ZIP file.

Export project
Exports the active Districts project. Depending on the export options, additional content such as PRN results, database results, or invoked features can also be included.

Version handling

A project can contain several versions. Each version stores its own model state, including geometries and attributes of model elements such as customers, energy plants, pipes, nodes, buildings, connections, and other version-dependent layers.

Project-wide elements are managed centrally and are shared across versions. These include resources, sensors, high-level control, and parameter mappings.

Create base version

Use Create base version to create a new independent version. A base version is not dependent on another version and can be used as a starting point for further model variants.

Use a base version when you want to create an independent model state, for example for a new scenario or a fundamentally different planning variant.

Delete version

Use Delete version to remove the selected version. Since a version contains its own model state, it should only be deleted if it is no longer needed. Before deleting a version, it is recommended to export important project states or save them as a separate version.

Load version

Use Load version to open the selected version. The layers and data belonging to that version are then loaded into QGIS and used as the active project version.

Always load the version you want to work in before editing geometries or attributes.

Context menu in the version tree

Additional functions are available through the context menu in the version tree. Depending on the selected version, you can create a subversion, save a version as a new base version, rename a version, delete a version or load a version.

Create subversion
Creates a new version based on the currently selected version. The model state of the parent version is copied and stored as a new child version.

Save version as new base version
Copies the selected version and saves it as an independent new base version. This allows an existing model state to be used as a separate starting point for further variants.

Rename version
Changes the name of the selected version.

Notes

Use clear and concise names for projects and versions. Since versions are managed internally as database schemas, names should be kept simple. Avoid special characters, very long names, or unclear version names.

Always make sure that the correct project and version are loaded before making changes. The active version determines which geometries and attributes are edited.