EDN Website Blog : What's new

SP5 offers IBM Portal Server ArcGIS Portlet development

eleanord — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:44:00 GMT

ArcGIS Server 9.2 Service Pack 5 includes an enhancement to the ArcGIS Server Java ADF which provides support for IBM Portal Server ArcGIS Portlet development. This gives you the ability to create and publish GIS Mapping Portlets inside IBM Portal Server. In conjunction, SP5 includes a plug-in for the IBM Rational Application Developer (RAD) environment so that you can create and deploy those ArcGIS Portlets more efficiently. The following documents have been added related to this SP5 enhancement.

New article - Install ArcGIS RAD plug-in
Programming language(s): Java
Development platforms: ArcGIS Server
After installing SP5 you will neeed to update the IBM RAD IDE to leverage the ArcGIS RAD plug-in. This article walks you through that process.

New article - Developing ArcGIS Portlet applications in RAD
Programming language(s): Java
Development platforms: ArcGIS Server
This article takes you through the basic steps required to create an ArcGIS Portlet application using the plug-in. The sample application displays a map, toolbar, table of contents, map overview, results, results details, and an empty task pane.

Content updates last week

eleanord — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 22:02:00 GMT

In addition to the rollout of 200+ new topics aimed at Java developers, there were a couple of other content updates last week.

New article - How to leverage the schema cache
Programming language(s): C# or VB.Net
Development platforms: ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Engine
This new article discusses how to best use the schema cache within an ArcObjects application. The schema cache is a cached snapshot of the geodatabase system tables (often referred to as the geodatabase schema). In an enterprise environment the geodatabase system tables (geodatabase schema) are in constant use by ArcGIS. Caching this schema locally can reduce database roundtrips by using the locally cached representation of the geodatabase schema.

NIM012341 - ArcGIS Server EDN link to monitoring performance is broken
Programming language(s): C# or VB.Net
Development platforms: ArcGIS Server
The Overview of ArcGIS Server application performance tuning article has been updated to correctly point to the topics that discuss performance monitoring capabilities and options in ArcGIS Server.

Java, Java, Java...

eleanord — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:42:00 GMT

Over the last few months the Java Engine team has been feverishly producing over 200 new help topics, most of which include code snippets. Since these topics are applicable to 9.2 we've decided to publish them now rather than waiting to deliver them with the next software release. You can find the topics in a new ArcObjects Developer Guide section within the Building cross-platform solutions with ArcGIS Engine using Java book in the EDN Documentation Library. The topics are grouped into a number of sub-sections that focus on different areas of the ArcGIS architecture. These include:

Finding locations with geocoding offers topics detailing the ins and outs of assigning a location to an address.
Next is the Geodatabase management section with a multitude of topics discussing such things as How to create new geodatabases, How to query geodatabase objects, How to create a multimodal network dataset, How to check for topology error features in a geodatabase topology, How to convert simple data to a geodatabase, and How to export a dataset to an XML workspace document among other things.
Key to working with ArcGIS is understanding Geometry and spatial reference. This section includes topics on When do I need to simplify a geometry, Understanding coordinate management in ArcGIS, How to convert between high and low precision spatial references, and many more.
Geoprocessing puts powerful analysis capabilities at your fingertips. Learn how to access geoprocessing tools and toolboxes, use ArcObjects as an input to a tool, and generate your own custom geoprocessing tool.
The Mapping and visualization section deals with--you guessed it--maps, map display, layers, page layouts, symbols, renderers, and more.

As an added bonus, each of these new topics also includes the comment feature! You can use it to ask for additional clarification on the topic, offer suggestions for other related topics of discussion, or provide your own expertise in that area to the Java community at large.

Explorer SDK content updated for Build 440

eleanord — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 22:22:00 GMT

This week the latest version of the ArcGIS Explorer SDK was posted. This release of the SDK coincides with the release of Build 440. While there were no API changes in Build 440, the updated SDK features a Custom Task Style Guide and example code for each of the E2API classes as in the View3D class shown below.

This week's content updates

eleanord — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 18:35:00 GMT

The following content changes related to ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Engine, and ArcGIS Server development have been made this week.

New article - How to extrude features in globe
Programming language(s): C#
Development platforms: ArcGIS Desktop with 3D Analyst
Extrusion is the process of stretching a flat 2D shape vertically to create a 3D object. It is a simple way to create three-dimensional symbology from two-dimensional features. For example, you can extrude building polygons by a height value to create realistic building shapes. The three basic geometry types—points, lines and polygons—all support extrusion. This article explains the process of extruding a feature layer using different extrusion options in globe. Note: At the publish date, the code fragments in this document are provided in C# only. VB.Net code will be added at a later date.

NIM010762 - Document where temporary rasters are created
Programming language(s): VB6
Development platforms: ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Engine
The Working with ArcGIS Spatial Analyst objects article has been updated to document where temporary rasters are created by default and how to control their location...(read more)

Content changes posted to EDN over the past month or so

eleanord — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 01:40:00 GMT

While content updates have continued to roll on over the past month, I have not been around to post about them. Hopefully, you'll excuse the delay. Below is a recap of the more signifcant updates made during my absence. Additionally, lots of topics were updated to fix broken links and formatting issues that were noted by EDN readers. These types of updates are not included in the list below.

Enhanced Export topology errors sample
Programming language(s): VB6
Development platforms: ArcGIS Desktop
The Export topology errors sample has been enhanced to work with high precision and File geodatabases. The Export Errors sample can be used to export topology errors and optionally, exceptions, to Shapefile, Personal or File Geodatabase format. Errors can be exported based on three criteria; shape, type of topology rule, or topology rule.

Create and load a personal geodatabase sample updated
Programming language(s): VB6
Development platforms: ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Engine
The Create and load a personal geodatabase sample has been updated to include license initialization as well as minor changes to the way the spatial reference...(read more)

Content changes posted to EDN this week

eleanord — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 16:00:00 GMT

The following content changes related to ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Engine, and ArcGIS Server development have been made this week.

Corrected issue in the VB.NET version of the Extensions sample
Programming language(s): VB.Net
Development platforms: ArcGIS Desktop
As noted in this forum post, there is an error in the VB.NET version of the item template for creating an extension within the ArcGIS Visual Studio Integration Framework delivered at 9.2.

This line in the template:
If m_enableState <> 0 Or value = m_enableState Then Exit Property

should be:
If m_enableState <> 0 And value = m_enableState Then Exit Property

If the error is not corrected, you cannot enable your extension in the Tools | Extensions dialog....(read more)

Mobile GIS - What content has been added or updated recently?

eleanord — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 21:00:00 GMT

The following content changes related to Mobile GIS have been made since our last entry in the now-defunct "New on EDN" page (April 2007). All information on new & updated content will be posted on this blog from this date forward and the "New on EDN" page will cease to exist.

Mobile Central unveiled
Programming language(s): C# or VB.Net
Development platforms: ArcGIS Server using the Mobile ADF
Last week this new EDN resource was introduced; Mobile Central is focused entirely on developers working in the mobile GIS arena with ArcGIS Server's Mobile ADF. This site and its accompanying blog is authored & managed by the ESRI Mobile ADF Development Team. Keep it bookmarked, sign up for feeds from the blog, and check back often for tips about developing with the Mobile ADF.

MapViewer samples updated for SP3
Programming language(s): C# or VB.Net
Development platforms: ArcGIS Server using the Mobile ADF
New working versions of the MapViewer sample for Windows and PocketPC were released this week.

UC2007 Technical Sessions - Powerpoint slides posted
Programming language(s): C# or VB.Net
Development platforms: ArcGIS Server using the Mobile ADF
The slides from two Mobile-related technical workshops presented at this year's User Conference are now available for viewing: Developing Applications with ArcGIS Server Mobile SDK and Mobile GIS Solutions Overview

Server GIS - What content has been added or updated recently?

eleanord — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 19:30:00 GMT

The following content changes related to ArcGIS Server and ArcGIS Explorer have been made since our last entry in the now-defunct "New on EDN" page (April 2007). All information on new & updated content will be posted on this blog from this date forward and the "New on EDN" page will cease to exist.

SP3 - Continued updates and improvements to the ADF API Reference
Programming language(s): C# or VB.Net
Development platforms: ArcGIS Server
To coincide with SP3 we posted an updated version of the ADF API Reference. The Server Team has been working very hard to improve the API reference and fill-in major holes and gaps in the documentation that was delivered with 9.2. Look for improvements to be posted on a regular basis through the end of the year. They're working from a list of gaps that has been prioritized based on anticipated usage and incidents logged through Support so contact Support if you see a significant & important gap in the API Reference documentation that should be filled in sooner rather than later.

NIM010048 - Modified file paths and names of the ADF API Reference
Programming language(s): C# or VB.Net
Development platforms: ArcGIS Server
NIM010048 reported a problem accessing and viewing the ADF API Reference when using IE7. After a few clicks navigating down through the TOC tree, the page would freeze and result in IE7crashing. We determined that this was caused by the exceptionally long filenames and folder paths for the pages and republished the system using shorter filenames to resolve the problem. Unfortunately the downside of this resolution is that the filenames are no longer intuitively named; they're just topic###.html instead of concatenating the assembly, namespace, class, member, etc together to form a filename. We decided that actually being able to view & interact with the help on the web was more important...

New discussion of the Web ADF Common Data Source API
Programming language(s): C# or VB.Net
Development platforms: ArcGIS Server
The ADF is designed to support data from multiple sources, including ArcGIS Server and ArcIMS; this multi-source architecture allows you to integrate and interact with data from different sources at the same time, in the same application. This set of topics provides context for this capability.

New topic about working with graphics
Programming language(s): C# or VB.Net
Development platforms: ArcGIS Server
The Web ADF manages a set of classes to support Web-tier graphics data sets and layers using Web ADF geometry, symbols, and renderers. This article discusses the consolidation capabilities of the Web ADF particularly in relation to graphics.

Common Print Task sample
Programming language(s): C# or VB.Net
Development platforms: ArcGIS Server
The Common Print Task sample was posted in May to accompany a blog post on the ArcGIS Server Development Blog but was never highlighted on EDN. While demonstrating printing from a Web ADF application, this sample also illustrates how a custom task works and the use of Web ADF features such as the use of CallbackResults to handle client callbacks, among other things.

New ArcGIS Server SOAP API Object Model Diagram
Programming language(s): C# or VB.Net
Development platforms: ArcGIS Server
An object model diagram for the ArcGIS Server SOAP API is now available within the API Reference material.

Updated Explorer SDK for version 1.0.0.410
Programming language(s): C# or VB.Net
Development platforms: ArcGIS Explorer
The Creating custom tasks for ArcGIS Explorer SDK has been rereleased to accompany ArcGIS Explorer version 1.0.0.410. This update includes a summary of the E2API changes made in this version of ArcGIS Explorer. The most notable API enhancement at this release allows developers to undertake custom drawing in ArcGIS Explorer using OpenGL. There is a new developer sample and documentation to demonstrate this new capability; it’s just one of several new sample tasks and documentation included in the new SDK.

Desktop GIS - What content has been added or updated recently?

eleanord — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 18:00:00 GMT

The following content changes related to ArcGIS Desktop and ArcGIS Engine have been made since our last entry in the now-defunct "New on EDN" page (April 2007). All information on new & updated content will be posted on this blog from this date forward and the "New on EDN" page will cease to exist.

Cadastral fabrics and the cadastral editor
Programming language(s): VBA, VB6, VC++, C#, or VB.Net
Development platforms: ArcGIS Desktop with the Survey Analyst extension
SP3 includes the addition of the cadastral fabric and its data model to the ArcGIS Survey Analyst extension to ArcGIS Desktop. The initial API Reference documentation for working with cadastral fabrics is available online now.

New samples related to working with animation
Programming language(s): C# or VB.Net
Development platforms: ArcGIS Desktop

The new Move a graphic along a path in ArcMap sample moves a point graphic element or a text element along a selected line feature or line graphic. A new animation type and a corresponding keyframe are implemented to support this functionality, along with an ArcMap command for creating move-object-along-path animation. The sample illustrates how to create a custom animation type in ArcMap as well as how to implement an ArcMap command to import the animation tracks.
The Layer effects animation in ArcMap sample illustrates how to create custom animations in ArcGIS Desktop. This sample implements a layer effects animation type for ArcMap. It allows the user to animate through layer brightness and contrast. Note that this animation only works with raster layers which support contrast and brightness as layer properties.
A shortcut for creating time animations in ArcGIS Desktop applications is implemented in the Create a time layer animation sample. It illustrates how to create time animations using a variety of data sources (NetCDF, feature class, raster catalog, etc). This sample tool allows the user to create a time layer animation in one step using the Create Time Layer Animation dialog box; in ArcGIS 9.2, the standard way of creating a time animation requires multiple steps using the Create Animation Keyframe and Animation Manager dialog boxes.

New topics related to working with the geodatabase
Programming language(s): C# or VB.Net
Development platforms: ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Engine

The article How to sort tables shows the workflow to use with the ITableSort interface to return the ordered results of searches and selections on a table that has ObjectIDs. The results of the sort can be accessed via a cursor or an enumeration of ObjectIDs.
How to create relationship classes details how to create a relationship class inside a feature dataset or create a standalone relationship class within a geodatabase. Relationship classes manage the associations between objects in one class (feature class or table) and objects in another. Objects at either end of the relationship can be features with geometry or records in a table.
The ISchemaLock interface is used to establish an exclusive lock on a dataset when changing its schema or when performing other operations that require exclusive access to the data. The ISchemaLockInfo interface is used in conjunction with ISchemaLock, in order to supply information concerning the schema lock such as the type of lock and the dataset to which it has been applied. How to use schema locks with the Geodatabase is discussed in this new topic.

NIM010236 - How to connect to a geodatabase
Programming language(s): C# or VB.Net
Development platforms: ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Engine
Corrected a typo in the code examples shown in the .NET topic How to connect to a geodatabase. This had been logged as NIM010236.

NIM007387 - Add a field to an INFO table
Programming language(s): VBA, VB6, VC++, C#, VB.Net, C++, & Java
Development platforms: ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Engine
Fulfilled the request logged as NIM007387 to add a sample showing how to add a field to an INFO table and updated the documentation for the Field class.

Building a custom geoprocessing function tool
Programming language(s): C# or VB.Net
Development platforms: ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Engine
Updated the sample Building a custom geoprocessing function tool to work correctly in both ArcMap & ArcCatalog, resolving an issue reported by an EDN reader. Note: the sample still contains an issue when working with versioned sde data so expect a further update of this sample in the future.

Cloning an object using persistence
Programming language(s): C#
Development platforms: ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Engine
In many cases when you are writing your own custom objects you need to support serialization. For example, a custom symbol or element needs to be saved with the map document and reloaded when the map document is opened. In most cases, you can achieve this functionality quite easily by implementing IPersistVariant, giving you an elegant solution. However, in some cases, IPersistVariant is not enough and your object must support IPersistStream. A new sample demonstrates an implementation of a clonable object through serialization.

Dynamic display documentation additions & improvements
Programming language(s): C# or VB.Net
Development platforms: ArcGIS Engine
Coinciding with the release of the dynamic display caching patch, a number of issues related to documentation for dynamic display capabilities in ArcGIS Engine were also addressed. A number of topics have been added, along with reorganization & editing of some existing materials. The About dynamic display topic is the entry point into this area.

Vertex and reshape editing commands in the ArcGIS Engine Controls
Programming language(s): C# or VB.Net
Development platforms: ArcGIS Engine
A new sample provides 4 tools that can be used in conjunction with the out-of-the-box ArcGIS Engine Editing commands. Three tools relate to vertex management: AddVertex, InsertVertex, and DeleteVertex. The fourth, ReshapePolyLineTool, allows the user to perform a reshape on the selected feature.

Building a map viewing application using the ArcGIS Engine Controls
Programming language(s): C# or VB.Net
Development platforms: ArcGIS Engine
Corrected minor issue reported by an EDN reader with the MXD path in the Building a map viewing application using the ArcGIS Engine Controls walkthrough.