helmet-model-system

This repository contains python files for Helmet 4.1 Model System. Source codes can be found in the Scripts-folder.

Usage

You can run HELMET 4.1 from the command line or by using helmet-ui. In this chapter, we will guide you how to install HELMET 4.1 to work with Bentley OpenPaths EMME software from the command line. The user is not expected to install any new software apart from helmet-model-system and OpenPaths EMME.

If you do not have an Bentley OpenPaths license or you wish to develop HELMET 4.1 further, please scroll down to Development chapter.

Setup

From this repository, copy the contents of the Scripts folder to your computer.

In production, we are using Python 3.11 which is supported by and installed together with Bentley OpenPaths EMME software. We are using those Python dependencies that come with Bentley OpenPaths EMME installation. To get access to these dependencies, you need to add them to your local PATH variable:

1. Open Control Panel.
2. Go to User Accounts, then click again User Accounts, then select from the left hand menu "Change my environment variables".
3. From the top box ("User variables for USERNAME"), find and select "Path" variable, and click "Edit...".
4. Click "New" and write %EMMEPATH%\Programs.
5. Click "New" and write %EMMEPATH%\Python311.
6. Click "New" and write %EMMEPATH%\Python311\Scripts.
7. Click OK in the "Edit environment variable" window, and then click OK again in the "Environment Variables" window.

EMME assignment can be tested without further configuration. Open command line to your local Scripts folder and write:

python -m tests.emme_only.test_assignment

This will create a small EMME test network and run test assignments on it.

You can also initialize a proper EMME project (if you do not want to use the test network):

1. Open OpenPaths EMME desktop application.
2. Create new project in which the path should match your project name and path.
3. Follow external instructions to configure the details of the EMME project. Now, your working folder is filled with EMME project specific folders and files.

Running

Before running from the command line, you can set standard configurations in dev-config.json. Instructions on the configuration settings are found here. Then, open command line to your local Scripts folder:

python helmet.py

Run parameters can be added to the command line call. Run python helmet.py --help to see parameter syntax.

Development

If you do not have Bentley OpenPaths license or you wish to develop HELMET 4.1 source code, you need to set up a development environment. Although not covered here, installing Git is highly recommended!

Environment and dependencies

We are using Python 3.11 because it is supported by Bentley OpenPaths EMME 24 software.

1. Install Python 3.11.
2. Add the path were you installed python (e.g., C:\Python311) and C:\Python311\Scripts to your local PATH variable in "Environment Variables".
3. Open a new Command Prompt and type python --version. You should get Python 3.11.9 or some other Python 3.11 version.

pip is the recommended package installer for Python. The normal Python installation routine installs pip to C:\Python311\Scripts. Type pip --version to Command Prompt to check if pip is installed and in your PATH. The command should return pip 24.1 from c:\python311\lib\site-packages\pip (python 3.11) (pip version may vary).

We are using pipenv to import the same open source libraries which Bentley OpenPaths EMME software uses. pipenv isolates our environment from the other global Python modules and makes sure we don't break anything with our setup. Optional introduction to pipenv can be found from Python docs or Jonathan Cutrer's blog.

1. Open Command Prompt.
2. Install pipenv by running python -m pip install --user pipenv. pipenv should now be installed in %APPDATA%\Python\Python311\Scripts (e.g. C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python311\Scripts).
3. Add %APPDATA%\Python\Python311\Scripts to your local PATH variable.
   1. Open Control Panel.
   2. Go to User Accounts, then click again User Accounts, then select from the left hand menu "Change my environment variables".
   3. From the top box ("User variables for USERNAME"), find and select "Path" variable, and click "Edit...".
   4. Click "New" and write %APPDATA%\Python\Python311\Scripts.
   5. Click OK in the "Edit environment variable" window, and then click OK again in the "Environment Variables" window.
4. Close and reopen Command Prompt and check that pipenv is recognised by typing pipenv --version. It should return pipenv, version 2024.0.1 (pipenv version may vary).
5. Download helmet-model-system repository and open a Command Prompt to its "Scripts" folder.
6. Install dependencies from Pipfile:
   • First setup: pipenv --python 3.11 install --dev
   • Additional syncing if new packages are added: pipenv --python 3.11 sync --dev
7. Depending on your operating system, rename either .env-win (Windows) or .env-nix (Linux) to .env. In Windows, you can do this in Command Propmpt by typing copy .env-win .env.

Now, you should have a virtual environment in C:\Users\USERNAME\.virtualenvs\Scripts-xxxxxxxx\Lib\site-packages.

Use pipenv when executing scripts. For example:

cd Scripts
pipenv run python helmet.py

Mock assignment run in Helmet UI

Refer to this manual: https://hsldevcom.github.io/helmet-docs/kaytto-ohje.html#helmet-asennus.

Change the config settings

1. Download latest version of helmet-model-system in Projektin asetukset (edit: or set this manually to helmet-model-system\Scripts folder which you probably downloaded when installing Python environment!).
2. Find out where that version is saved by hovering over the text box (for example: C:\Users\xxx\helmet-model-system-v4.1.3-24-04-1684924655775)
3. Open dev-config.json inside that previous folder and modify OPTIONAL_FLAGS argument:

   • `"OPTIONAL_FLAGS": ["DO_NOT_USE_EMME"]`
     

Set Helmet UI settings

1. Click "Projektin asetukset" button
   • Python from previous virtual environment, for example C:\Users\xxx\.virtualenvs\Scripts-AJXyDTuP\Scripts\python.exe
   • helmet-model-system was set previously
   • Projektin kansiopolku: your choice
   • Lähtödata: helmet-model-system\tests\test_data\Base_input_data
   • Tulokset: your choice (copy Matrices folder from to the location) or helmet-model-system\tests\test_data\Results
2. "Uusi Helmet-skenaario" button
   • Skenaarion nimi: your choice
   • Emme-projekti: create an empty (dummy) text file and save it with file extension .emp
   • Liikenneverkon sisältävä skenaario: default
   • Syöttötiedot: helmet-model-system\tests\test_data\Scenario_input_data\2030_test
   • Iteraatioiden enimmäismäärä: default (do not cross "loppusijoittelu")
   • The rest can have default values (edited)

Run your first demo model run

1. In case your scenario name is not test, copy the helmet-model-system\tests\test_data\Results\test\Matrices folder to [your-result-folder]\[your-scenario-name]\Matrices.
2. Select scenario with checkbox and click Käynnistä (1) skenaariota. When running the first model run again and again, just do #2. When you create more scenarios, always copy matrices (#1) first to a new location. (This is a demo model thing that needs to be done because we are independent of EMME.)

Running mock assignment in command line

Alternatively, you can run the mock assignment with the help of command line

1. Make sure your virtual environment is activated (As described in Environment and Dependencies)
2. Adjust the following variables in dev-config.json (while replacing the YOUR_PATH variable with absolute path to the helmet-model-system folder)
   • "SCENARIO_NAME": "test",
   • "RESULTS_PATH": "YOUR_PATH\\helmet-model-system\\Scripts\\tests\\test_data\\Results",
   • "BASELINE_DATA_PATH": "YOUR_PATH\\helmet-model-system\\Scripts\\tests\\test_data\\Base_input_data",
   • "FORECAST_DATA_PATH": "YOUR_PATH\\helmet-model-system\\Scripts\\tests\\test_data\\Scenario_input_data\\2030_test",
3. Type the following to the command line: pipenv run python helmet.py --do-not-use-emme. You can also use the shorter pipenv run python helmet.py -m.

Visual Studio Code

The following extensions are recommended when developing with Visual Studio Code:

• Python extension
• Python Debugger

Alternatively, these test views seem to work with any version of the Python and Python Debugger extensions:

• Test Explorer UI
• Python Test Explorer for Visual Studio Code

A couple of tips to get it all working:

• Remember to first setup your development environment. After that, open "Scripts" folder in Visual Studio Code, and select your virtual environment from bottom left Python interpreter list.
• To configure tests, click Ctrl-Shift-P, type Python: Configure tests, select pytest framework, and tests as the directory containing tests. Tests should appear in the Test Explorer (click the chemistry bottle from the left).

OMX

OpenPaths EMME supports OpenMatrix library for exporting matrices.

• More info here: https://github.com/osPlanning/omx/wiki/EMME
• Python source codes: https://github.com/osPlanning/omx-python
• Useful tool for exporting from cmd line: https://github.com/bstabler/EMXtoOMX