PTV VISUM TIPS & TRICKS:

HOW TO CHOOSE AN APPROPRIATE

COORDINATE SYSTEM?

“I imported network data in WGS84, calculated my link lengths, but they are all still zero.
Why is that and how can I get to correct link lengths?”
* WGS84 stands for World Geodetic System

The PTV Vision Traffic Support Team often receives this question. Given that PTV Visum
is not a GIS system it threats coordinate values as unit less numbers, without knowing
that WGS84 leads to nodes with coordinates in geographic degrees. On calculating link
lengths, you end up with degrees, which are for example 0.0001 long. So you need link
lengths in meter? Then you need your coordinates in meter too. This answer is
associated with the wide theme of coordinate systems and how to use them.

First, a coordinate system is useful:

 To be able to easily add or exchange network data with external sources

 To add stop points or line routes collected using GPS equipment

 To be able to use the AddIn “Google Maps”

 To be able to calculate the correct link lengths, important to obtain correct travel times

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PTV Visum: Tips & Tricks

How does PTV Visum handle a coordinate system?

To understand this better, we will need a short detour through some geodesy basics. The
term coordinate system, or better spatial reference system can, simplified said, contain
three components:

1. A so-called Datum describing the Earth mathematically as some spheroid or

ellipsoid.

2. A projection to match the spheroid’s surface to the flat surface of a map or screen.
However, a spheroid’s surface cannot be flattened without distortion. Instead, you might
put the spheroid inside a narrow cylinder. The circle where spheroid and cylinder have
direct contact is never distorted. The surface closely to the circle will take only minor
distortions. So you could project this surface from the spheroid onto the cylinder, “strip
off” this are, unroll it and you’ll have a flat surface. This is the basis for all Mercator
projections.

If you would lay down the cylinder, the contact circle leads over the poles. This is the idea
behind the Transverse Mercator Projections, on which the German Gauß-Krüger system
or the international UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) are based.

3. A Cartesian coordinate frame, describing that flat surface with an origin point,
orientation of its X and Y axis, their scale and offsets.

If it uses Meters as unit scale, it is a metric coordinate frame. It may be however a

spherical coordinate frame, offering longitude and latitude to describe a spherical surface
in degrees.

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There are numerous spatial reference systems, each valid for some piece of the Earth’s
surface. To create a correct map in PTV Visum, you need to choose one matching to
your model area, preferably a “Projected Coordinate System” (as PTV Visum calls it).
Usually a metric system is used.

Be aware, that an appropriate spatial reference system will minimize distortion, but it will
alays be a trade off between preserving distances (correct lengths), areas (correct
surfaces) or angles (correct “shapes”). Distances are important to calculate the correct
link lengths. Shapes are important, if you want to use a background image, showing
some aerial image or map.

The World Geodetic System, abbreviated as WGS84, can be viewed as a special spatial
reference system. It uses its own “WGS84 datum” (in fact it is an adapted GRS80
ellipsoid). It uses a spherical coordinate frame, describing the Earth’s surface with a
geographic coordinate system, dividing the spheroid in longitude and latitude degrees. To
display a map or aerial image onto the computer screen, it needs a projection.

Accurate implementation in PTV Visum:

Thus if you imported network data in WGS84, you first need to inform PTV Visum that
your current network data complies with this spatial reference system. WGS84 is found
as follows:

1. Go to Network  Network Parameters  System of co-ordinates  Choose “From

file”  Click the “…” button  Geographic Coordinate Systems (double click to open) 
World  choose “WGS 1984.prj”

Zum Schluss beide Dialoge mit “OK” bestätigen.

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PTV Visum: Tips & Tricks

Leave both dialogs with “OK”.

2. If you want to change it to some matching projected coordinate system, look in:
Network  Network Parameters  System of co-ordinates  (click the button
“GCS_WGS_1984”)  Double click “Geographic Coordinate Systems” to close them) 
Projected Coordinate Systems

3. Das deutsche DHDN (Deutsches Hauptdreiecksnetz), auch als Gauß-Krüger

bezeichnet, findet man unter: Projected Coordinate Systems  National Grids  drücke
die Taste <d> und wähle die entsprechende Zone:

For example the German DHDN (“Deutsches

Hauptdreiecksnetz” = main triangulation), often simply
denoted “Gauß-Krüger” is found in: Projected Coordinate
Systems  National Grids  press <d> and choose the
appropriate zone:

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PTV Visum: Tips & Tricks

If you can’t find any matching national system, you will always be able to find a UTM
system, as following: Projected Coordinate Systems  Utm  Wgs 1984  choose a
zone:

A helpful overview of the UTM zones can be found on Wikipedia.

Germany is within the zone 32. You do not need the latitude bands, coded like “32U” for
Germany. Sufficient is “N” or “S” for the northern or southern hemisphere respectively.
Thus choose for Germany “WGS 1984 UTM Zone 32N.prj”.
Note that these spatial reference systems use the “WGS84 datum”, share a transverse
Mercator projection and define a Cartesian coordinate frame per zone.
Still in need for your local system, which is not listed in PTV Visum’s Projected
Coordinate Systems? Than look in http://spatialreference.org/ref/epsg/, which offers to
download PRJ files too. Please copy these in a user defined folder in …\Documents and
Settings\ [Username]\Application Data\Visum\115\Projections\Projected Coordinate
Systems\and not in any …\Program Files\PTV_Vision\ folder.

Once a matching metric spatial reference system has been set, you will be able to obtain
correct link lengths:

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