GIS System Architecture Design
Anyone who spends a bit of time in the GIS industry will find the importance having a solid system foundation. If you or your company is new to GIS, then it would be wise to adequately plan the system infrastructure before investing in a system. But how do you know what to plan for? It can easily be overwhelming and costly if not well educated in this topic.
For help with this topic, Dave Peters with ESRI has put out a new book called Building a GIS: System Architecture Design Strategies for Managers. This book has laid the following areas to help present the facts before any decision is made.
Part I: Understanding the technology
Part II: Understanding the fundamentals
Part III: Putting it all together
Related Information:
Press Release: Directions Media
System Architecture & Design Zen…
http://gisdk.blogspot.com/2008/07/building-gis.html
http://www10.giscafe.com/nbc/articles/view_article.php?articleid=562364
GIS Job and Education Webinar
I recently found an online webinar from Directions Media on GIS jobs and education. Although I did not catch it live, I did see the recorded version. It was very interesting to see and hear about the various education and job opportunities from individuals who are either in the education or professional industry. This is part of a three series webinar job fair. See below for future dates.
http://www.directionsmag.com/sponsors/webinar.php?webid=8&from=webinar
Tuesday, September 23 (2008)
Tuesday, January 13 (2009)
Tuesday, May 12 (2009)
More Information on the Job Fairs…
Related Blogs:
It’s the Economy…& Jobs, Stupid
Programming with ArcObjects
November 3, 2008 by Timothy
Filed under GIS Books, GIS Programming
I have been doing some light programming in GIS for about two years now. I had figured out how to download various scripts and VBA code snippets and piece them together to preform various tasks. By doing this, I was beginning to pick up some basic concepts in the Visual Basic for Applications environment.
I recently pick up this book, Getting to Know ArcObjects. It was really helpful. It has helped me to understand VBA a lot more. It covers various applications including customizing ArcDesktop, Creating Forms, Automating Page Layouts, Creating UIControlButtons, Automating Labels and Symbology and so much more. The chapters are layed out with instructive text and then a hands on tutorial.
Once I got this book, I worked through it in 5 days. If you have been wanting to learn more about programming in GIS then this is the book for you. Check it out today!
Getting to Know ArcObjects (With CD-ROM)
Find other book reviews here!
What’s New in ArcGIS 9.3
October 22, 2008 by Timothy
Filed under GIS Software, GIS Tips, Videos
Now that ArcGIS 9.3 has been out a few months, people are starting to migrate over to the new version. So what is new? ESRI has put together a few videos to show what cool additions they have added. Check them out!
ArcGIS Desktop 9.3: Options for Working with Graphics
ArcGIS Desktop 9.3: Layer Legend Enhancements
ArcGIS Desktop 9.3: Bookmark Manager
ArcGIS 9.3: ESRI Resource Centers
ArcGIS Desktop 9.3: Pause Labeling
ArcGIS Desktop 9.3: Geoprocessing Tool Progress and Messaging
ArcGIS Desktop 9.3: New KML Export Support
ArcGIS Desktop 9.3: Improved KML Support
ArcGIS Desktop 9.3: WYSIWYG Representation Editing
ArcGIS Desktop 9.3: Identify Tool Enhancements
ArcGIS Desktop 9.3: New HTML Popup Tool
ArcGIS Desktop 9.3: Table Enhancements
ArcGIS Desktop 9.3: Custom Relative Scales
Blogs:
Press Releases:
- ArcGIS 9.3 Improves Your Entire GIS Workflow
- ESRI Offers a Free ArcGIS 9.3 Seminar for Improving an Entire GIS Workflow
Our World GIS Education Series
A new book series was just released in June 2008 by ESRI Press. This “Our World GIS Education” series helps teachers present GIS to their students.
Putting geography, spatial thinking, and GIS in front of the students early on helps educate each student in an adventurous way that will impact them for a lifetime.
Thinking Spatially Using GIS: Our World GIS Education, Level 1 (Our World GIS Education)
- Basic Tools of GIS / Recognizing Patterns and Analyzing Map Trends
Mapping Our World Using GIS: Our World GIS Education, Level 2 (Our World GIS Education)
- Data Collection, Mapping, and Critical Analysis with GIS
Analyzing Our World Using GIS: Our World GIS Education, Level 3 (Our World GIS Education)
- Inquiry-based learning in geography through GIS
Making Spatial Decisions Using GIS, Level 4 (Our World GIS Education)
- GIS in Problem Solving and Decision Making
Compare Vehicle MPG by Map
October 14, 2008 by Timothy
Filed under GIS Software, News, Websites
A new website produced by ESRI will map the distance that your car will be able to travel as compared to an another vehicle of your choosing base on one gallon of gas. The site, http://mapmpg.com, allows you to select a vehicles by year, make, and model. A distance polygon is calculated for each vehicle and then routed based upon the location that you select.
Although this is pretty neat feature, ESRI is using this site to promote its BusinessMap software. This software uses tools to help businesses run extensive analysis.
Other than the BusinessMap motive, this site is pretty cool!
ESRI Training and Education Center
Although all GIS does not revolve around ESRI software, ArcGIS holds a big portion of it. When you open ArcMap for the first time, it is a bit overwhelming. You wonder if you are ever going to be able to use all of the features and even more understand what everything does. With all of this confusion, ESRI has provided an excellent place to gain training and understanding.
The site that ESRI has created is called ESRI Training and Education. On this site you can find Read more
Customize ArcMap Toolbars
One of the greatest benefits of ArcMap is the ability to customize the tool bars. There are many tools that are not visible on the standard tool bars. Some users do not even know the extra tools exist. The process requires only a few steps.
1. Click on the Tools menu at the top of the map document.
2. Select Customize….
This will open the Customize dialog. The Toolbars tab allow you to select which toolbars are visible. The Commands tab will bring up tools organized by categories. The Options tab will allow you change certain settings. I recommend browsing through the commands; you never know what you might find.
3. Once you find the tool you want, click and drag it to a location on a toolbar.
Customization of ArcGIS is a great benefit once you learn how to do it. It will allow you to add and remove tools. Customizing the interface can go as far you your imagination will take you. For additional tips on customiztion and the begining of using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), I highly recommend the book: Getting to Know ArcObjects. I got so hooked to this book that I read and worked through it in five days. Get your copy today!
ArcGIS 9.3 Enables More Functionality in Adobe PDF
As GIS users begin migrating to ArcGIS 9.3, they will find more functionality when they export their map as a PDF. I have been using 9.3 for a few months now, and I have found that ESRI has made things a lot better for this export option. Options that I have found include:
1. Ability to enable a viewer to turn on/off layers in PDF
2. Ability to include map georeference information within PDF
3. Ability to embed attribute data in PDF
The coolest of these options is the ability to embed the attribute data. The user looking at the PDF can actually query by pointing and clicking the visual features to get the attribute data returned just like the Identify Tool in ArcMap.
The press release from ESRI discusses the new functionality in ArcGIS 9.3 and Adobe PDF 9.
Do I need GIS College Training?
As you embark into the world of GIS, you may ask yourself, “Do I need GIS training?” And if so, what type of training do I need? I’m sure that this is a question that we all have asked at some point. And I have found that it is all up to the individual evaluating their current situation with these few questions:
- Where do I want to go with GIS?
- What previous education do I have?
- What is my learning style?
