Cube now incorporates ESRI’s ArcGIS technology

Oakland, CA - September 17: Citilabs, the world leader in Transportation Planning software, is proud to announce the release of its next generation product-line, Cube 5.0. This new version of Cube has been developed using ESRI’s ArcGIS Engine, providing our software users significant advancements in productivity, analysis, and data-sharing. Cube users will now be able to store transportation networks as ESRI geodatabases, utilizing ESRI feature classes. Moving data back and forth between models and GIS has never been easier, saving transportation agencies and consultants time and money.

“The new functions available in Cube 5 continue the strategic integration of tools necessary for transportation planning agencies and consultants”, states Michael Clarke, Citilabs President and CEO. “This software release fulfills much of the promise of our strategic partnership with ESRI by providing a more fully integrated software suite for transportation planners than ever before. This new software is much anticipated by many of our users.”

The introduction of Cube 5 closely coincides with Citilabs’ International User Conference, Futura07. Scheduled for October 21-24 in Palm Springs, California, delegates to Futura07 will be introduced to Cube 5 with both live demonstrations, and hands-on software labs. In addition, the first software training class (Cube 5 for Users of Cube 4) is scheduled as a pre-conference event on October 20 in the conference hotel. For information about the conference, please visit: http://www.citilabs.com/events/futura07/.

Cube 5 will allow an existing Cube user the choice to keep the traditional Cube networks, or to convert their roadway data with a click of a mouse to an ArcGIS personal geodatabase. This capability makes it much faster and easier to pass data between ArcGIS applications and Cube applications. This is a 2-way capability, so information generated or stored in a Cube model run can be passed to an ArcView application for further processing and analysis. As well, any information stored in a geodatabase can be passed more easily to a Cube model. For agencies with significant commitments to ESRI software and employee training in this area, the improved productivity offered by Cube 5’s ability to directly process and store geodatabases will enhance the return on their GIS investments.

“Given the myriad uses of GIS software at state, local, and regional transportation agencies, I believe the productivity and flexibility Cube 5 offers will be eye-opening”, suggests Ernie Ott, Citilabs VP. “In the past, both ESRI and Citilabs software users would have to very carefully consider how they approach a complex analysis, in order to take advantage of the strengths of each platform, as well as where data might reside or be generated. The interoperability of applications using an ArcGIS geodatabase and applications based in Cube will remove some data processing steps from the workflow, and overall, reduce the complexity of their processes.”

Cube 5 users will gain access to additional features in the following areas:

• Additional on-screen map tools
• Improved Identify tool
• Measurement tools
• More map search and navigation options
• Gain access to additional data types
• Image data from MrSID and ECW
• CAD data (e.g. .DXF)
• Expanded use of shapepoints and feature classes
• Utilize ESRI developed geographic projection capabilities
• Including on-the-fly projection
• Improved Mapping
• “WYSIWYG” maps
• Layout views and templates
• Access to ArcGIS symbology libraries
• Uses ESRI map documents directly
• Improved posting
• Greater Editing flexibility
• Customized editor and topology for transportation networks
• Multiple selection methods
• Group editing of selected features
• Simpler attribute editing
• Improved Analysis
• Additional spatial analysis tools
• ESRI table of contents tools

Cube 5 is currently at the end of an extensive testing period, and we are accepting further input from our testers. However, development has reached a stage where the software is both stable and quite useful. We anticipate completing final testing during the next month, and anticipate a commercial release on October 19th. At that point, Citilabs will make another announcement of Cube 5.0 General Availability, allowing immediate ordering of Cube 5.0. Existing Cube 4.x users under a software maintenance contract may upgrade their existing modules at no additional charge. To learn more about Cube and other Citilabs products, please visit www.citilabs.com today.