Data driven pages: identifier frame and dynamic queries

Gert-JanVan_der_Weijden

The data driven pages as implemented in 9.4 are too basic to meet my 21st century requirements.
The identifier frame as available in DS Mapbook is a minimal requirement. Dynamic queries as implemented in MPS Atlas and in NW Mapbook are highly wanted as well. These type of queries are required to prevent overlapping pages from showing information from adjacent pages.
I realize that this discussion is also about what functionality to include in core arcgis and what to include in an extension (MPS Atlas).

Gert-Jan
http://www.gisnederland.nl

Gert-JanVan_der_Weijden

To be honest, I didn't. I'm so much used to DS Mapbook where all the Mapbook/DDP functionality is within the Mapbook dialogs, that I forgot to check others dialogs for DDP related functionality.
Thumbs up! Both the dynamic queries and the clipping functionality fullfill my needs. Especially the "exclude layers" option in the latter is very nice.

One suggestion: for easy reference it would be usefull to see the Definition Query and the Page Definition Query in one dialog (instead of a subdialog for the Page Definition).

Will install beta2 ASAP and continue testing DDP

Well, some beta2 experiences:
Page Definition Queries
The "Page definition query" dialog is unfortunately still a subdialog of the "Page Def" dialog.
It also would be usefull to be able to see (read-only!) in the Page Def dialog what the actual field name is that has been chosen as "data driven page" field (and perhaps even some sample values).

Clipping the data frame (to be found at data frame properties)
As an addition to the "exclude layers" and the "border symbology" options I would like to suggest to more options:
1. An option to mask the part of the data frame outside the clip area with a semi-transparent fill (with an option to adjust the % transparancy);
2. An option to buffer the outside of the clip area on-the-fly: this shows the excluded layers for instance for a just the first 2 miles distance outside the clip area;

You might foresee my next wish: a combination of 1 and 2 with the option to let the transparancy range from 100% at the clip border to 0% (opaque) at the "2 mile border"

Gert-Jan