Tag Archives: stormwater
Release of the Editing template for ArcGIS 10 – Part 2
Attribute Assistant
The attribute assistant has some significant changes for ArcGIS 10. When you download it, you will not find the installer that you might be used to. You will just see a simple ArcGIS Add-in. This should help you deploy this extension to your organization. We also modified some of the existing functions and added a few new ones. The table below discus’s the different methods for this extension. W – stores full windows login name as domainusername U – stores just the windows usernameD – stores the connected database user for the edit session If you leave VALUE_DATA blank, it will store the database user name if available otherwise store full windows login. A - if you enter an A it will store the rotation using an arithmetic rotation. If you leave VALUE_DATA blank, it will store the rotation using a geographic rotation. <FieldName>| <optionalSequenceWidth>| <optionalFormatString>[seq] Example:WHYDRANT|0|HYD-[seq] GENERATE_ID_BY_INTERSECT <Layer Name> |<Layer Field Name>|<Sequence Field Name from GenerateID Table>| |optionalSequenceWidth|[id]optionalFormatString[seq]<any order of ID and SEQ> Example: Grid|GRID_ID|GRIDIDX|4|GRID[ID]-[SEQ] The result would look look like GRID5-0002, if the grid you intersected ID was 5 and the next number in the table was 2. This tool requires you create fields in the Generate ID table that are a combination of the GRIDIDX(the Sequence Field Name) and the Grid ID. So the tools looks at the interesected grid, gets the ID from it, combines it with the <Sequence Field Name from GenerateID Table> to look for a field in the Generate ID table to get an seq for that grid. Say the grid you created a feature in was 5, you need a field called GRIDIDX5 in the generate ID table. Expression Example:replace(([FROMMH] & “-” & [TOMH]),”MH-”,”") Optionally enter one of the letters below to format the GUID as desired. N – GUID with no special characters – length 32 D – GUID with dashes – length 36 B - GUID with dashes and braces – length 38 P – GUID with dashes and parenthesis - length 38 default – GUID with dashes and braces – length 38 Leave the ValueInfo Field blank to get the default GUID format. Example: {3F2504E0-4F89-11D3-9A0C-0305E82C3301} <Layer Name>,<Layer Name>,..|<Field Name> Example: ssPressurizedMain,ssGravityMain|DIAMETER <Layer Name>,<Layer Name>,..|Label Example: FiveMeterSurface|Elevation: <Layer Name>, <Layer Name>,..|<Field Name> Example: ssPressurizedMain,ssGravityMain|FACILITYID
Value Method
Value Info
Details
Requirements
GET_ADDRESS_USING_ARCGIS_SERVICE
Url to a Geocoding service
This method preforms a reverse geocode. The default service is the ArcGIS.com geocoding service. You can specify your own.
String Field
TIMESTAMP
None
Stores current date and time.
Date or String Field
CURRENT_USER
Stores current user name.
String Field
LAST_VALUE
None
Repeats the last value used for a field.
X_COORDINATE
None
Stores the X coordinate in database units
Y_COORDINATE
None
Stores the Y coordinate in database units
LATITUDE
None
Stores the Y coordinate projected to WGS84 decimal degrees.
LONGITUDE
None
Stores the X coordinate projected to WGS84 decimal degrees.
FIELD
Field Name
Copies one field to another field in the same feature.
JUNCTION_ROTATION
Stores a rotation angle for a junction feature based on connected edge features by storing a rotation angle in the specified field.
Requires geometric network. Target must be a point feature class that participates in the geometric network as a simple junction. Requires ArcEditor or ArcInfo.
LENGTH
None
Stores calculated length of line feature.
SET_MEASURES
If you leave ValueInfo blank, it will calculate the Ms starting with zero and ending with the length of the line. If you enter a P for ValueInfo, it will calculate the Ms starting with zero and ending with 100.
Populates the M coordinates in a line which enables using Add Route Events to point and line events dynamically along line features
Requires a line with M’s turned on
TO_EDGE_FIELD
<Field Name>
Transfers a field value from a connected edge feature to a junction feature.
Must be assigned to a point feature class that participates in a geometric network. Requires ArcEditor or ArcInfo.
FROM_EDGE_FIELD
<Field Name>
Transfers a field value from a connected edge feature to a junction feature.
Must be assigned to a point feature class that participates in a geometric network. Requires ArcEditor or ArcInfo.
FROM_JUNCTION_FIELD
<Field Name>
Stores a value that is obtained from a specified field in the junction feature at the start of the currently edited line.
Must be assigned to a line feature class that participates in a geometric network. Requires ArcEditor or ArcInfo.
TO_JUNCTION_FIELD
<Field Name>
Stores a value that is obtained from a specified field in the junction feature at the end of the currently edited line.
Must be assigned to a line feature class that participates in a geometric network. Requires ArcEditor or ArcInfo.
GENERATE_ID
Increments a column in an unversioned table and stores that newly incremented value. Uses an unversioned table that is typically called GenerateId (change in AttributeAssistant.config) to store and increment unique sequence numbers.
GENERATE_ID_BY_AREA(Removed)
EXPRESSION
Stores the results of an expression.
GUID
Stores a new GUID.
The target field must be a field type string field and must be long enough to store the desired format of GUID.
INTERSECTING_FEATURE
Gets a value from an intersecting feature in the specified layer. You can specify any number of layers to look for by listing them with commas between their names.
INTERSECTING_RASTER
Gets a value from an intersecting raster cell in the specified layer. You can specify any number of layers to look for by listing them with commas between their names.
INTERSECTING_FEATURE_DISTANCE
Gets a value from an intersecting feature in the specified layer and reports the distance along the line. You can specify any number of layers to look for by listing them with commas between their names.
NEAREST_FEATURE
<Layer Name>,<Layer Name>..|<Field Name>|<Search Distance>
Example: wMeter,sLateralPoint|ACCOUNT|100
Gets a value from the nearest feature in the specified layer.
Release of the Editing template for ArcGIS 10
We are happy to announce the release of the Infrastructure Editing Template for ArcGIS 10.This new release takes advantage of some of the great additions to ArcGIS 10. You will find a new datamodel which encompasses many new layers. You will also see an updated symbol set, a symbol set designed to be overlaid on imagery, topographic, and parcel basemaps. The editing map document was updated to show you have to set up feature templates. You will see how we reordered, highlighted and set some fields to read only, as well as hide a few. We think you will like the new data model, symbology and the new mxd. Now on to the tools!
We migrated the Editing and Reporting toolbars and the Attribute Assistant to ArcGIS 10 Add-ins. Not only did we upgrade them to ArcGIS 10, but included a series of bug fixes, config changes and new functions, which all came from your suggestions, so please keep the feedback coming. Lets breakdown the Add-In’s and discuss the changes.
Desktop Editing Toolbar – Changes and New Tools
The first thing you might notice is the Add Laterals icons are missing, but there is a new one that sort of looks like it
. We compressed the Add Lateral tools into one function that looks at the selected features and compares them to the config file and generates laterals from them. This allows you to generate many types of laterals at once. To the right of it, there is a new tool, Connect Closest
. This tool will connect a series of points, say a row of manholes, with a line, such as a sewer main. If we look to the left you will see a a large red button with a ! in it
. This is simple layer inspector. It looks at a feature class and lets you step through each feature one at a time. Real handy for reviewing those redlines or field notes. If we keep moving left, you will see an icon with a line and 123 in it
. This tool allows you to quickly calibrate a line that is M enabled. Should help you plot your CCTV data on your sewer. Next is the Merge Geometric Network Features
, an ArcScript that has been around a while, so we thought we add it to the toolbar. I agree, the icon looks like it is breaking features apart. We will see if we can change this to something more meaningful. On the far right, is a new tool included with the Attribute Assistant
. This tool triggers the change event for all selected features. So you can manually fire out the Attribute Assistant rules. The last new tool on the toolbar is the Incremental Network Loader
. You can find out about the new tool here.
Desktop Reporting Toolbar – Changes and New Tools
We mainly enhanced the existing tools. We had a bunch of request to return the edges of a trace in the selection set, so we added another trace button below each trace that does just this. There is a new way to run the Isolation trace, in batch. The Summary Isolation trace
will loop through all selected water mains and run an isolation trace for each. The results are stored into a feature class which you will find in the Capital Planning dataset. I warn you against running this on all your mains, it takes a while(don’t worry, the tool warns you to if you make the mistake on clicking it without a selection set). A new tool that we are all excited about is the Profile Graph tool
. This tool lets you pick two manholes, runs a find path trace between them, intersects the result with an elevation surface and plots the manholes, mains and elevation onto a graph for you. We think you will really like this tool. There is a known issue right now though. When the chart opens, you have to turn off the manholes in the chart properties, then uncheck automatic from the left axis. You can then turn the manholes back on. The last tool on the toolbar, Attribute Transfer Loader
, was a request from a user who was transferring data using the attribute transfer tools. If you ever used these tools, you know you had to set them up each time you opened ArcMap. You can now set up the mapping in the config and load it to the attribute transfer dialog.
Desktop Tools – Config File Changes
If you changed the config file for 9.3.1, you will need to move these changes into the new config file. You will see in the new config, we reworked a lot of the entries in a nested xml structure. This allowed us to include some new options and load the config file faster. For example, the Add Laterals Tools. This was a long series of entries and you were limited to the 3 types we exposed. Now you will see you can use these tools on any number features. Here is a screen shot.
Also, you will see that there is an xml array that defines the points along. We had a lot of request to allow the option to add more than one point along the line. With this xml array, you can have it add any number of points along the line, I left a sample in the config to show how to do this, notice it is commented out.
Desktop Tools – Construction Tools
You will also find an installer for a set of construction tools. These construction tools call some of the functions on the toolbar and expose some new functions. These new tools should further speed up editing and creating new assets with ArcGIS. Note: at the moment, the construction tools and the toolbar use the same config, but they each have their own copy. We are looking into how to share one config between them.
Let’s take a detailed look at them.
Screen shot of the new construction tools for points and lines.
For lines, there is one new tool, Create a line with end points. This tool will end two points at the end of the line you sketch. The config file controls will points get added to what line. So you need to modify the config to list the line layer and the ending point layer. Using the new xml config file, you can specify any number of layers for this to work on.
For points, there are a number of new tools. Some are samples that come with ArcGIS, some are new tools we added, let’s start at the top. The Points along a line at is a great sample that comes with in the Developer Kit. A great sample for creating a series of points at an interval. Next is a custom tool, Add a connection and the lateral. This tool does the same thing that the Add Lateral tool does on the toolbar, but this one lets you create the point and immediately connect it to the main. The Create a point and line tool does the same thing Connect Closest tool does, but this does it as you click. Imagine you are creating manholes. Each time you drop one, it searches for the closest manhole and adds the main. The last construction tool is the Add a point and split an intersecting line tool. This does exactly what it says, split the line that you click on.
We are very happy and proud with this template for ArcGIS 10. Let us know if you have any issues or any suggestions. In the next blog, we will talk about some changes in the Attribute Assistant.
Esri Mid-Atlantic Water/Wastewater Special Interest Group
We’ve created a LinkedIn Group for the Esri Mid-Atlantic Water/Wastewater Special Interest Group so we can share more details about our first meeting and answer any questions. Here is a link to the group – http://linkd.in/bum9lz
Going forward we’ll be using this LinkedIn group to plan future SIG meetings and hope it becomes a useful forum for water, wastewater and stormwater ArcGIS users in the Mid-Atlantic region.
As we’ve previously announced, the SIG’s first meeting is at the ESRI Mid-Atlantic User Group Conference December 1st in Philadelphia, PA. More information about the MUG Conference and the SIG can be found here – http://bit.ly/bZGvCX
We’d also like to announce that we’ve selected our first user presentation for the December 1st SIG meeting. Joe Spollen will be presenting on “A Day in the Life of a Water Company GIS Analyst”. During this presentation Joe will share his experience using ArcGIS Desktop and Server applications at a large private water utility to maintain water distribution system data, create and share maps, support capital planning and other common daily tasks for water utility GIS users.
We’ll be sharing more of the agenda as we confirm other user presentations.
Updated Water & Wastewater Utility Data Models
Newly updated water and wastewater data models are available for download here – http://resources.arcgis.com/content/water-wastewater-and-stormwater-data-models
These data model updates include a number of changes that reflect our shared knowledge of how water, wastewater and stormwater utilities are currently modeling their utility networks for in GIS. So these updates include input from the user community as well as the experience of Esri professional services creating data models for water utilities using the downloadable data models as a starting point, and our knowledge of how water utilities are expanding their use of GIS to go beyond asset management.
The Benefits of the Data Model
So whether you are implementing GIS for the first time or updating your schema to support another business function at your utility with GIS, what are the benefits of starting with the downloadable data models?
Because using the downloadable data models help you (or your consultant) reduce the cost, time and complexity of implementing GIS or of updating your schema.
The data models reduce implementation cost because you aren’t building a data model from scratch, instead you start with a data model that reflects the way most water utilities are storing their data in GIS. Before the downloadable data model, you had to pay a consultant to build you a data model from the ground up. So being able to download the data model as a starting place saves you somewhere between $20,000 and $100,000 depending on the size of your utility, the complexity of your utility networks and your GIS needs.
The data models reduce the time it takes to implement a GIS because you can focus on determining the gaps between the data models and what your GIS needs are. We’ve even seen some small utilities that have downloaded the data model, changed the spatial reference and started to populate it without doing any customization of the schema (not that we recommend this, but it has been done).
The data models reduce the complexity of implementing a GIS because it gives you something to work against. You can immediately use the downloadable data model for a pilot to understand how to bring your existing data into GIS.
These same principles hold true whether you are implementing GIS, doing a comprehensive modernization of your schema or just making minor modifications like adding a new feature class or new attributes.
The Relationship Between the Downloadable Data Model and the Template Schemas
Since we’re on the topic of data models, we also wanted to clear up some confusion about the downloadable data model and the schema that is used for the Water Utility Templates.
If you examine the downloadable data model and the schema used for the Water Utility Templates you’ll notice that they are not the same. Simply put the schema the templates are configured for and the sample geodatabases included with them aren’t the same as the downloadable data models.
So, why is the schema for the templates different than the downloadable data models?
It’s because when we created the templates, we followed the exact same process that you should follow when implementing, expanding the role of or deploying a GIS application at a utility. We downloaded the data models and then created a schema that was customized to meet our needs. Our needs in this case were to create a set of applications and maps with ArcGIS for data maintenance, planning, mobile GIS, operational awareness and customer interaction.
After downloading the data model, we identified the data we needed to support our maps and applications and then customized the data model until we had the necessary schema. Once we had designed and created the data model for our templates we then transformed and loaded the sample data from Fort Pierce, Florida into our new template schema. For each of our templates we also did a series of pilots to ensure that maps, applications and our schema met our needs.
Esri Mid-Atlantic Water/Wastewater Special Interest Group Meeting on December 1st
We’re excited to announce that an ESRI Mid-Atlantic Water/Wastewater Special Interest Group is forming and the first meeting is December 1st at the Esri Mid-Atlantic User Group Conference – http://www.esri.com/events/mug/index.html.
The 2010 Esri Mug Conference is November 29th to December 1st in Philadelphia and the Water/Wastewater Special Interest Group Meeting is taking place from 1:30 to 5:00 PM on the last day of the conference. Mug Conference registration is required to attend the Water/Wastewater Special Interest Group Meeting and you can register here: http://www.esri.com/events/mug/registration/index.html
The Mug Conference is the capstone Esri event for the Mid-Atlantic Region and holding the Water/Wastewater Special Interest Group at the Mug conference gives water and wastewater users the opportunity to learn, interact and forge relationships with other utilities and GIS users across the region.
The Mid-Atlantic Water/Wastewater Special Interest Group is for the water, wastewater and stormwater ArcGIS user community in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Washington D.C., West Virginia, New York City, Long Island and surrounding areas.
We are currently working on the agenda for the inaugural Water/Wastewater Special Interest Group. We anticipate this first meeting will include presentations from Esri on the ArcGIS 10 updates of the Water Utility Resource Center Templates, software product briefings, user presentations, discussions and organization for the next Special Interest Group meeting that will be held in approximately 6 months.
Going forward we anticipate the Mid-Atlantic Water/Wastewater SIG will be meeting twice a year. One meeting will be at the Mug Conference in December and another meeting will be in the spring at a user site.
We’d also like to encourage our water utilities to exhibit your maps in the Mug Conference Map Gallery – http://www.esri.com/events/mug/participate/map-gallery.html
Keep watching this blog or follow us on Twitter for more announcements about this Special Interest Group meeting.
Data Precision vs. Map Scale
The trend in the water and sewer industry is for utilities to capture and maintain in GIS more detailed information about their utility networks at a higher level of precision.
Yet most water utilities are still trying to display all of this increasingly detailed data using the same paper map products they’ve historically used, particularly for use in the field.
Simply put – it ain’t easy to get all of the data in your geodatabase onto paper field maps using the same scale and map grid that your utility has always used. Continue reading
Water & Wastewater Activities at the 2010 ESRI User Conference
The 2010 ESRI International User Conference is next week, and we thought it would helpful to call out some activities, sessions and suggestions for water, wastewater and stormwater GIS users that are attending.
MONDAY
8:30 – 3:30 – The Plenary Session
Not to be missed. Start your UC week off with some vision, some knowledge and some knockout demonstrations of ArcGIS 10!
We’ll be Tweeting during the Plenary about how what’s being presented benefits water, wastewater and stormwater GIS – http://twitter.com/ESRITeamWater
Come marvel at some great cartographic output. We often get asked from water utilities for examples of how other utilities are taking advantage of GIS to produce maps that communicate information better; this is your chance to see the maps your peers are creating.
Tuesday
8:30 – 9:45 – Public Utility Applications Using ArcGIS
Join the team that manages the Water Utility Resource Center to learn more about the resource center and the templates, talk about changes that are happening to the resource center with the release of ArcGIS 10, see the templates in action and talk about how to leverage them. Also this is a chance for you to share your feedback with us.
3:15 – 4:30 – Tools for the Public Works Enterprise
Many public works departments mange water, sewer and stormwater utility networks, so this session will touch on using GIS for water and wastewater as well as other public works applications across a department.
Wednesday
12:00 – 1:00 PM – Water/Wastewater User Group Meeting
Join your peers to learn about what is happening with the Water/Wastewater User Group and how you can participate.
1:30 – 2:45 – Geometric Networks in the Geodatabase
Learn about some new enhancements to the geometric network at ArcGIS 10.
7:00 – 10:00 PM – The World Famous Water/Wastewater Pool Party
Will there be a pool this year? Or better yet a pool and a pond? Who cares, because there will be a party! This a great opportunity to network with your peers in an informal setting and listen to some music and unwind.
ESRI Showcase:
Make sure and stop by these areas in the ESRI Showcase
Geodatabase Management
Visit with the ArcGIS Workflow Manager (formerly known as JTX) & the Production Mapping (formerly known as PLTS) folks at the Geodatabase Management Island. We’re often asked about how water utilities can take advantage of these solutions and they’ll have a demonstration specifically for water utilities.
Water Industry Solution Island
Be sure and stop by the Water Island in the Industry Solutions Area to say hello and ask any questions you have about using ArcGIS for water, wastewater or stormwater. We’ll also have some new demonstrations with ArcGIS 10.
Enjoy the UC!
Visit ESRI at the 2010 AWWA ACE Conference
Stop by booth 1133 to visit ESRI and some of our business partners at this year’s AWWA ACE Conference in Chicago. Among the things we’ll be highlighting are beneficial ehancement for water utilities in ArcGIS 10, The Water Utility Resource Center & ArcGIS.com.
Leveraging ArcGIS.com for Water Utilities
If you haven’t had the opportunity to explore the recently launched ArcGIS.com I wanted to bring to your attention some of the benefits it has to offer to water, wastewater and stormwater utilities. I also wanted to urge those of you have either public facing web or mobile applications or have published services to register them with ArcGIS.com.
Building the Online Community for Water Utility GIS
We are frequently asked by water utilities how they can engage with ESRI and the broader water utility GIS community. These discussions often include how to begin sharing or better share GIS information (interchange, consume or publish) with other entities using GIS within a utility’s service area such as local government, state government, other utilities, environmental groups, etc.
ESRI has always had a strong water/wastewater GIS community that has in person meetings and collaborates on things like best practice and datamodels. For years we’ve had discussion forums on our website where you can share thoughts and ask questions to the user community (If you haven’t been to the forums lately take a look, we recently upgraded the forum functionality).
Last year we launched the Water Utility Resource Center which is focused on formally sharing best practices within the community.
Now we’ve launched ArcGIS.com, which enables water utilities to better share information with organizations in your service areas, utility stakeholders and with the broader GIS community.
Here are a few ways that water utilities can benefit from ArcGIS.com
Finding Content
You can search for web content such as map services, web GIS applications, mobile GIS applications and user groups as well as data that has been uploaded and shared by individual users.
For example, if your utility serves the Philadelphia area you can use Philadelphia as a key word to search for Web Content. Doing so returns a list of application and maps that other users have registered with ArcGIS.com. The 2nd entry in this list is a detailed basemap service of the City of Philadelphia that you could use as a basemap in ArcGIS Desktop or a web mapping application published from ArcGIS Server.
Making a Map
You can make maps with ArcGIS.com using either content you’ve published or content you’ve found. For example here I’m adding an internally published web mapping service of water and sewer workorders published with a basemap on ArcGIS.com.
And now I have web application that’s ready to use with my workorder locations on top of the ArcGIS.com basemap.
Sharing Content
ArcGIS.com enables water utilities to share GIS content and applications. For example I can share files such as layer packages or map documents, web mapping services, web mapping applications and ArcGIS Mobile Applications.
Files can be shared with the public or with groups. A group is an effective way of sharing your content with limited numbers of people that you control. For example you could set up a group to share a layer file of proposed capital projects with the GIS managers at other utilities and local government in your service area.
Web mapping services you add to ArcGIS.com can be discovered and used by other organizations to create web mapping mash ups or used in ArcGIS Desktop. So if you’ve published a map service of your capital projects than other organizations in your service area can mash up that service in their web applications.
You can add web mapping and mobile GIS applications, making them easily discoverable for those who would benefit from using the applications, such as when you want to gather volunteered geographic information from the general public. Adding your applications to ArcGIS.com showcases the good work you are doing to the broader water utility community and can helps make GIS more visible at your utility.
Help Build the Community
Since ArcGIS.com is truly a tool for the water utility user community we’d like to ask those of you who have content that can be shared to spend a few minutes (that’s all it takes) sharing it on ArcGIS.com so we can all collectively benefit.
