Editing Element IDs & Descriptions

CivilGEO software allows the user to edit the ID and description of project elements so that they can be clearly identified throughout the model. This article describes how to update element IDs and descriptions and explains how meaningful naming conventions can improve model organization, review, troubleshooting, and project handoff.

Why Element Naming Matters

Project elements should be named in a way that is easy to recognize and easy to manage. A meaningful element ID can describe the element type, location, stationing, drainage area, or modeling purpose. A useful description can provide additional context that does not need to be included in the element ID itself.

• Improved model review: Reviewers can quickly understand what each element represents.
• Better troubleshooting: Meaningful names make warnings, errors, tables, and profile plots easier to interpret.
• Cleaner exports and reports: Element IDs often appear in reports, CAD exports, shapefiles, and modeling data files.
• Consistent project handoff: A clear naming convention helps other team members continue model development without guessing what each element means.

Editing Element ID on the Map View

The quickest way to rename an element ID is directly from the Map View. To do this, double-click the element’s ID label shown on the Map View. An inline editing field will appear directly over the label, allowing the user to edit the existing element ID.

Editing Element ID & Description in Data Dialog Box

Each project element’s data dialog box also allows the user to edit the element ID and description. This is useful when the user is already working in a data dialog box and wants to update the element ID without returning to the Map View.

For example, from the Map View, double-clicking a Reach displays the Reach Data dialog box. Alternatively, from the Input ribbon menu, click the Routing Reaches dropdown menu and select the Reach Data command.

The Reach Data dialog box will be displayed.

The user can select any reach available in the project from the Reach ID dropdown entry. After selecting a reach, clicking the edit option (i.e., Pencil icon) next to the Reach ID dropdown entry enables the editing field, allowing the user to type a new reach ID. In addition, the user can edit the description associated with the selected reach in the Description field.

Similarly, the user can edit the ID and description of other project elements, such as subbasins, junctions, diversions, sources, and sinks using the data dialog boxes of the corresponding elements.

Edit Element IDs & Descriptions Command

For projects with many elements of the same type, CivilGEO software provides an Edit Element IDs & Descriptions command. This command displays a dedicated editing dialog box that lists all elements of the selected type in a single table, making it easier to edit element IDs and descriptions in one place.

The Edit Element IDs & Descriptions command is available for the following project elements:

• Subbasins
• Junctions
• Reaches
• Manholes
• Terminal Outfalls
• Diversions
• Sources
• Sinks, etc.

For example, from the Input ribbon menu, click the Routing Reaches dropdown menu and select the Edit Reach Names & Descriptions command.

The Edit Reach IDs & Descriptions dialog box will be displayed. All available reaches in the project are listed in the table, and the user can edit the ID and description of each reach directly within the table.

Conclusion

CivilGEO software provides three flexible methods for editing element IDs and descriptions: inline on the Map View for quick single-element edits, within each element’s data dialog box when reviewing or entering data, and through the dedicated Edit Element IDs & Descriptions command for efficient table-based editing. Using clear, consistent element IDs early in a project helps simplify navigation, improve collaboration, and make model results easier to interpret.