Efficient GIS Problem Solving: Tools, Tips & Techniques

2. Chapter Overview

3. Solving Problems in GIS

4. What Kinds of Problems?

5. Example Workflow Planned Highway Expansion: Find properties within the expansion area and determine the total value – commercial and residential – to see potential expenses

6. ArcToolbox

7. ArcToolbox • Access from Standard toolbar • Dockable • Contains: • Toolboxes • Toolsets • Tools • Models • Script tools

8. Search for Tools • Search window  Tools filter • Search by tool name • Click to open tool or help

9. Finding Tool Help • From ArcToolbox • In the ArcGIS Help: Geoprocessing  Tool Reference

10. License Levels • Tool availability depends on license • Basic, Standard, Advanced • Show locked tools • Hidden by default • Help

11. Geoprocessing Menu • Commonly used tools can be accessed straight from the geoprocessing menu • Additional resources • Search for tools • Results • Options • Environments

12. Intersect • Combines two or more feature classes • Keeps attributes from each input feature class • Works for points, lines and polygons • Only areas common to all input feature classes are included in the output

13. Union • Combines two or more feature classes • Keeps attributes from each input • Empty attributes where no overlap • Works for polygons • Areas from all inputs are in the output

14. Dissolve • Merges features based on matching attributes • Creates new feature class • Option for statistics on numeric columns • Examples: • Dissolve zip code polygons on city name attribute to create city polygons • Dissolve contour lines on the Z-value to remove unnecessary pseudo nodes

15. Merge • Appends feature classes • Combines attributes • Creates new output feature class • Example: Combine three days of data gathering into one single feature class

16. Geoprocessing Options

17. Geoprocessing Options • Overwrite output • Warning instead of error when populating tools • Background processing • ModelBuilder • Prompt for parameter • Results Management • Keeping too many results will slow down ArcMap

18. Environments • Set Environment variables, such as current workspace and scratch workspace • Environment settings affect all tools

19. Results • Access to all messages resulting from running tools • Shows how tools were previously run • Right-click  Open to re-run a tool with the same settings • Generate a Python code snippet

20. ModelBuilder • Use ModelBuilder to: • Create custom tools in ArcToolbox • Automate tasks • Easily test alternate scenarios • Document workflows

21. Python

22. More Tools to Consider • Feature To Polygon • Creates a feature class containing polygons generated from areas enclosed by input line or polygon features.

23. More Tools to Consider • Points to Line • Creates line features from points.

24. More Tools to Consider • Add XY Coordinates • Adds the fields POINT_X and POINT_Y to the point input features and calculates their values. It also appends the POINT_ZandPOINT_M fields if the input features are Z- and M-enabled.

25. More Tools to Consider • KML to Layer • Converts a KML or KMZ file into feature classes and a layer file. The layer file maintains the symbology found within the original KML or KMZ file. • Learn more about KML support in ArcGIS • http://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/10.3/manage-data/kml/what-is-kml-.htm • Data Conversion Toolbox

26. More Tools to Consider • Generate Near Table • Calculates distances and other proximity information between features in one or more feature class or layer. Unlike the Neartool, which modifies the input, Generate Near Table writes results to a new stand-alone table and supports finding more than one near feature.

27. More Tools to Consider • Table to Ellipse • Creates a new feature class containing geodetic ellipse features constructed based on the values in an x-coordinate field, y-coordinate field, major-axis field, minor-axis field, and azimuth field of a table.

28. Chapter Review