Install

System Requirements

Hardware

• Storage: 200GB of free space
• Memory: 64GB RAM
• Processor: Optimal performance with high clock speed processors. The 13th and 14th generation Intel i9 processors offer slightly better performance than a 48-core Xeon.

Software

Required

• TransCAD: Version 9.0, Build 32930, September 26, 2023, or later version.
• Anaconda: Version 2.3.2 or later. A sample version can be found at Anaconda3-2022.10-Windows-x86_64.exe. It is recommended to be installed "for all users."

Recommended

• Visual Studio Code (VSCode): With GISDK and Python extensions, available at VSCode.

Download

1. Select Appropriate Drive:

   Choose a drive with at least 200GB of free space.

2. Create Installation Folder:

   Identify or create a folder for installing the model (e.g., "D:\apps\myproject").

3. Download Model:

   Obtain the model package ("tdm23.zip") from the link provided in your email.

4. Extract Files:

   Unzip the "tdm23" file to your target folder (e.g., "D:\apps\myproject\tdm23"). After extraction, you should see the following files and folders:

   • code: Contains all scripts (e.g., GISDK, Python).
   • ui: Includes user interface configuration files.
   • inputs: Organized by input type (networks, parameters, zonal).

   For a comprehensive list of data elements and outputs in TDM23, please refer to the Data Dictionary.

Video Tutorial

Follow the steps below to configure Python environment and TransCAD on your computer. For a detailed video tutorial, please refer to the link.

Python Environment

1. Launch Anaconda Prompt as Administrator:

   Search for “Anaconda Prompt” in the Windows start menu or search box, then select "Run as Administrator." Alternatively, right-click on the “Anaconda Prompt” shortcut and choose "Run as Administrator."

2. Navigate to Environment Folder:

   Change directory to where the TDM23 model's environment folder is located. If TDM23 is in "D:\apps\myproject\tdm23", use:

   cd D:\apps\myproject\tdm23\code\utilities\environments
   

3. Check for Existing Environment:

   To see if the tdm23_env_1 environment is set up, type:

   conda env list
   

4. Install or Update Environment:

   • To install the environment if it's not listed:

   conda env create -f tdm23_env_1.yml
   

   • To update the environment if it exists:

   conda env update --name tdm23_env_1 --file tdm23_env_1.yml --prune
   

5. Find the Conda Path:

   Anaconda is installed for all users, conda.bat should be in the "C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\condabin" folder. Otherwise, locate the path for conda.bat.

TransCAD Configuration

In this section, we'll configure Python path (mandatory) and parallel processing (optional) for TDM23 in TransCAD.

Set Conda Path

• Open the “CTPS_TDM23.model” file in the TDM23 folder. In TransCAD, select "Design or Edit Model" in the scenario box to apply the Python path to all scenarios.

• Open "Model Parameters" by double-clicking in the black space in the model window.
• Go to the "Config | Python and Threads" section.
• Update the "condaBat" entry to the location of your "conda.bat" file (from Step 5 in the "Python Environment" section).

• Select "Apply" to save changes.

Set Parallel Processing (Optional)

For computers with many cores (usually more than 24), enabling parallel processing can reduce runtime.

• Select "Design or Edit Model" in the scenario box to ensure the Python path is applied to all scenarios.
• Open "Model Parameters" by double-clicking in the black space in the model window.
• On the "Runtime" page, enable the option "Run sibling steps in parallel." Ensure that "Display parallel task monitor" is also enabled.
• Select "Apply" to save changes.