KLIC Viewer

The KLIC Viewer is developed to view and understand quickly the result of a Dutch Dig Alert.

It is a good alternative for the free KLIC viewer provided by the Kadaster, the Dutch Mapping Agency, which can be found at http://www.kadaster.nl/klicviewer.

Because this viewer is part of a real GIS system, you can also measure distances, add design drawings as a layer, read multiple Dig Alert Results etcetera.

First you need to know how to obtain the result of a Dutch Dig alert. From here I use KLIC message when I refer to this result of a Dutch Dig Alert. How to obtain it is explained in About WION. After you downloaded the result you will have a zip-archive. You have to extract the contents first in a directory.

The KLIC Viewer has three tabs, Messages,Themes and Options. The viewer, allways starts with the open tab Messages, because the first thing you have to do is open a KLIC message.

When the contents of received zip-archive is extracted to a directory, you can use the button [Open Directory...] to select this directory holding the KLIC message.
It is recommended to first set the default Directory in tab Options so searching starts in selected directory where KLIC messages are expected to be found.
After selection and pressing [OK] this is what will happen:

• The xml file of a KLIC message is read which holds information on the other included files in the Wion Alert
• Next to all images that will be loaded as layers, little files will be created, called world files, to give those images a coordinate system and in fact turning images into maps.
• The legend groups Annotation, Dimensioning, Location, and Background topo are created in QGIS in the layer panel (not in QGIS 1.6.0).
• The maps are loaded in the right order as layers into QGIS and placed in the right legend group.
• The registration number of this KLIC message is added to the list of loaded KLIC messages.
• Also the documents that come with the maps, being PDF files, are sorted out and placed in a list of included files.
• In the tab Themes included themes in the KLIC message become clearly visible.

Before loading, you can first extract the zipfile containing the KLIC message, but you can also use the button [Open Zipfile...] or use Alt-Z.
This Function first extracts the zipfile and then loads the KLIC message in QGIS. You should use this function only once for every KLIC message, the next time it is faster to use [Open Folder...] instead.

When the list with PDF files is filled you can select and open them using [Open file(s)]. When you select multiple PDF files or use Ctrl-A to select them all, you can also open several pdf files at once. Double clicking a file in the list of PDF files opens it directly.

You can load and work with more KLIC messages. After loading another KLIC message, you can select this result in the list of KLIC messages. After selection the list of accompanying documents is refreshed with the ones belonging to that KLIC message.
You can use the button [Goto] or Alt-B to move the map in QGIS to the extent of selected Wion result.
To get the best view of the KLIC message use the button [Best Scale] or Alt-B. Use the button [Close Message], Alt-C to close selected Wion Message.

You can store all information in KLIC message Viewer plugin in a project using the button [Save in project]. This only works when you first have created a project, use the option Save project from the File menu. Then the next time you open a project the contents of the plugin is restored.

Use the button [Quit], Alt-Q or using the [Esc]-button on your keyboard to close the KLIC Viewer. When you open the KLIC Viewer again you will find it in the same state as when you closed it.

After loading, all layers are visible, you can make layers invisible by deselecting the little cross, used to mark the visibility, in front of each layer or several layers for a whole group (for QGIS1.6.0 only from Themes tab).

It is also possible to set visibilities using the Themes tab.

The first two characters followed by an underscore of each layer indicate what kind of layer it concerns.

• AN_ means annotation, and is used to label pipelines, cables etc.
• MV_ holds the dimensioning, the marked distances between pipes and buildings for example.
• LG_ holds the position of the pipelines and cables themselves.
• GB_ holds the background topography provided by Kadaster, the outlines of houses, roads etc.
• PT_ and ET_ hold addition background topography which can be delivered by the netowners.

The tab Themes shows which Wion themes the selected KLIC message contains. It is also a legend of the map. For example the green lines are used to show the position of cables on the map that convey data. The visibility can be changed for active available themes. A theme includes the position, annotation and dimensioning of a cable/pipe. Special themes have also been added to turn on/of the visibility for all layers that contain only annotation, dimensioning, location or topo.

Use the button [Refresh] Alt-R to refresh the contents of the Themes tab. Use this button when you did not change the visibility of layers from the KLIC Viewer, but directly in QGIS Layers panel. In that case the Themes may not correspond anymore with the actual situation in the map. A refresh can in that case be done manually.

A checkbox of a theme and a group in the layers panel can have three statusses with respect to layers belonging to that theme or group.

1. an empty checkbox, no layers are visible
2. A checkbox with a grey cross, some layers are visible
3. A checkbox with a black cross, all layers are visible

Question and Answers

Question: Why is the list of PDF documents empty after opening a saved project?
Answer: Use the button Save in project to retain the state of plugin in the project.

Question: Is it possible to load more KLIC messages?
Answer: Yes you can, only when they do overlap remember that the topography layer delivered by Kadaster (the one starting with GB_) is not transparant. So you better move that layer to the bottom of the list with layers.

Question: How can I load a design drawing from Autocad?
Answer: From QGIS version 1.6.0 you can load autocad dxf as a vector layer.

Error messages

When a directory is selected that holds no (valid) Wion result, you will get following error message:
   Selected directory does not contain
   result of Dutch Dig Alert or it can not be read!
In that case often there is a folder underneath selected folder that does contain a valid KLIC message.

General

In the Netherlands mechanical digging is only allowed according the law WION. The purpose of this law it to bring back the amount of damage caused by digging that could have been prevented when information about pipes and cables was available in one map together with guiding drawings and letters. The law WION has helped to establish a framework for optimal exchange of information between the ones who dig and the netowners. To enforce the law, steep penalty fees have to be paid when digger failed to request information or netowner failed to provide requested information!

History

Net owners have tried for a very long time to protect their underground network. The net owners organised themselves and agreed to provide free information to building companies. A central non-profit organisation was born called KLIC. Building companies could provide a dig alert to KLIC, KLIC informed the netowners, the net owners provided the building companies with information directly.

Although a dig alert was not neccesary then, insurance companies demanded building companies to do so. Less damage meant lower insurance fees, but failing to do a dig alert means damage was not well insured anymore!
The growing amount of information received by the contractor was often hard to interprete and the contractor needed more time to merge this information to one clear picture. Sometimes digging commenced without consulting all received information first.

The law WION

When the law WION came into force, things changed a bit. Mechanical digging was absolutely not allowed anymore without doing first a dig alert with Kadaster. Penalty fees are steep (ten thousands of euro's). A dig alert is not free anymore, a dig alert costs 24 euro (july 2010). The kadaster now collects information from all network owners and the result is returned as layers of maps with network information together with guiding letters and drawings. The layers can be combined into one clear picture. This information can be viewed from inside a free viewer provided by Kadaster, but even better from QGIS using the KLIC Viewer plugin.

3 kinds of requests

Three kinds of requests can be made, each of them serve a special purpose.

1. Digging alert: Three days before digging takes place, this should be requested. A digging alert is only valid for 21 days
2. Calamity alert: When a cable or pipe is broken a calamity alert has to be done. The information helps to prevent further damage and personal injuries.
3. Orientation request: For other purposes like design an orientation request can be done. Mechanical digging can not be done using this kind of request!

Doing a Dig Alert request

The website www.kadaster.nl/klic gives information how to do a Dig Alert request. For companies there is the web service KLIC-online that can be used to do a Dig Alert, registration is necessary. Using KLIC-online you can draw the planned area inside an interactive map, where you want to excavate. Private persons can fill in a form to obtain information.

Within a day you will receive an email with an url where you can download requested information. Be carefull to download this information first without opening it directly. You have only 5 attempts to receive requested information. After downloading the information unpack it and view it using the KLIC message Viewer

For testing purposes, you can also download one of the two free example digging requests from http://www.kadaster.nl/klicviewer

License and terms of usage

The QGIS KLIC Viewer python plugin is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

Because it is free software no claims can be done whatsoever for damage occured due to using this software.
Still it is created with the best intentions and expertise, I am confident it can be usefull to you.

Below you will see a bigger version of the Icon used to start the KLIC Viewer from the menu

The background represents the three coloured flag of the Netherlands. The plugin is especially targetted for use inside the Netherlands.
The Netherlands has maybe the most advanced warning system in the world to protect their underground Infrastructure.

On the foreground you can see the bucket of an excavator representing mechanical digging.

By law, before any mechanical digging is done in the Netherlands, first information on the infrastructure underground has to be aqcuired and viewed carefully. This viewer helps to prevent damage by giving a clear picture that can be compared (by loading) the necessary excavation work according design. For more information on this law named WION and how it works go to About WION.