Run ArcGIS Models as Scheduled Tasks

Posted on by
Reply

ModelBuilder in ArcGIS Desktop is great. It enables the functionality of scripting without needing to know scripting. If you know how to use tools in ArcToolbox, typically in less than 30 minutes you can start automating redundant and long multi-step workflows using ModelBuilder. When it comes to taking this automation one step further, to have the computer automatically perform this workflow at a scheduled time, this is where difficulty can arise.

Windows cannot run a model as a scheduled task. Windows can however, run a Python script as a scheduled task. A Python script can run a model as a scheduled task. Using a three line Python script, a model can effectively be run as a scheduled task. The scheduled task calls the Python script and the Python script calls the model. The script looks like this…

import arcpy

arcpy.ImportToolbox(r"C:\pathToToolbox\Toolbox.tbx", "TBX")

arcpy.Model_TBX() <a href="http://joelmccune.com/2011/05/05/run-models-as-scheduled-tasks/#more-116" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&rarr;</span></a>

Esri Disaster Response

Posted on by
Reply

Today I received an email highlighting the assistance Esri is standing by ready to offer for those assisting with disaster response. This email included a link directly to the Esri Disaster Response Webpage. Types of assistance include everything from software to data and even consulting. Most all types of disasters are included, wildfires, earthquakes, flooding, hurricanes and cyclones, spills and volcanic eruptions.  All you have to do is ask. Nothing is guaranteed, but if you have a need, you never know unless you ask!

Teaching Paperless with GoodReader on the iPad

Posted on by
1

Yes, I am a geek. This I will freely concede. Just before Christmas I looked seriously at the iPad, but decided to wait in lieu of the second generation soon to come out. Among the reasons this was interesting to me was the possibility of going paperless when traveling and teaching GIS.

Typically when traveling and teaching, I am carrying at least two books, the lecture and exercise books for the class. Many times I am teaching back to back classes, upping this count to four. If it is a more technical class, many times I grab a good reference too, adding another to the mix. It does not take long before my backpack is holding five books, a laptop and all the associated peripherals for working on the road with a laptop. As you can easily imagine, this can become quite a load.

When purchasing my iPad2, one of the first workflows I started exploring was how to get all my materials onto the iPad. Already I have access to most of my references and course materials in pdf format. The difficulty was figuring out how to get them onto the iPad and manage them once there. GoodReader was the answer.

GoodReader allows synchronization with a multitude of server types not only at the file, but also at the directory level. Since I use MobileMe, this means all I have to do is keep all my course materials in a directory together. If I need to add or remove something, all I have to do is change the content on the server. These changes automatically are also performed on my iPad, making file management infinitely easier.

In addition to the file management capabilities, this sync functionality applies to individual files as well. Since GoodReader facilitates notes, highlights and annotations in the pdf documents, these changes are automatically synced back up to the documents on the server where I can access and view them on my desktop. GoodReader, it answers on part of my goal toward moving increasingly paperless at work with the iPad as part of this plan.

Creating Map Books Using Data Driven Pages

Posted on by
1

With the release of ArcGIS Desktop 10 comes the ability to create data driven pages. Data driven pages facilitate creation of multiple maps from a single layout. This means the layout only has to be created once. Referencing a layer in the map, data driven pages moves from one feature to the next, creating a new page for every feature. Once created, these pages can be printed or exported individually or collectively.

Believing experience is the best teacher, the rest of this post is a tutorial of how to use data driven pages. To be able to complete the tutorial, you will need a copy of ArcGIS Desktop 10 at any license level (ArcView, ArcEditor or ArcInfo). The data will be downloaded directly from ArcGIS Online as a map package. With the data in hand, you will create data driven pages, a page definition query, an extent indicator in a locator map and add dynamic text to the layout. Additionally, I am assuming familiarity with ArcGIS Desktop. As a result, details of tasks typical to using ArcGIS Desktop are not detailed. Only the unique steps of creating data driven pages are detailed.

Continue reading →

Lat/Long Table to Feature Class using Modelbuilder

Posted on by
Reply

Going from a flat table with latitude and longitude to a point feature class in ArcGIS Desktop using ModelBuilder can, at first, be a somewhat daunting task. My first attempt at this took most of a morning. Accomplishing this requires using the Make XY Event Layer and Copy Features Tool together as shown in the image below.

The reason for needing both of these tools is Make XY Event Layer only creates an event layer, a representation of the locations stored in RAM. The data is not permanent yet. To make the data permanent as a feature class, this is what Copy Features does. Hopefully this makes your life easier than my own, so you do not spend the better part of a morning trying to figure this out.

Simple Test Box Setup for Esri’s Silverlight Viewer

Posted on by
Reply

The new Esri Silverlight Viewer has recently been released for for public beta. This locally hosted Silverlight web application is by far the quickest and easiest method to create a very professional web mapping application.

Testing this new technology does not require administrative access to an installation of ArcGIS Server. It can be tested using existing services hosted by Esri and other agencies. All you need is a Windows testing environment with IIS, Microsoft’s web server.

If you do not have an existing Window’s web server set up or would rather not use a production server, IIS can quickly be installed and configured on any Windows operating system using the Microsoft Web Platform Installer. To do this, first install Microsoft Web Platform Installer. Next, use this to install IIS. Finally, install the Silverlight Viewer Builder. Continue reading →