Questions on Creating Aviation Charts with ArcGIS Pro3.4

[songqin]

Question 1: Differences between Importing XML and Using Python Scripts for AIS Database Configuration

When configuring the AIS database, I found two methods:

1. Directly importing from XML.
2. Creating using Python scripts.
   Is there any difference between these two methods?

Question 2: Issues Encountered While Creating a Simple Chart

Can you help me identify the issue? My workflow is as follows:

1. I have successfully created the AIS database.
2. I downloaded data from Data Sets Germany and successfully used the Import AIXM 5.1 Message tool to import the data, which shows as points (about 1550 records) in German airspace.
3. When I used the Generate Aviation Cartographic Features (Aviation) tool, I set the Source Feature to ADHP and the Target Feature to ADHP_C. After running the tool, there were no records in ADHP_C. The tool execution prompt see below 。What could be the reason? Did I miss any settings or steps?

Generate Aviation Cartographic Features
=====================
Tool Path

Source and Target Cartographic Features ENCO\ADHP ENCO\ADHP_C
Area of Interest Features ENCO\AIS_AOI
Extraction Query Table
Cartographic Exceptions Table
Updated Cartographic Feature Classes ENCO\ADHP_C
=====================
Messages

Start Time: 2025年3月11日 16:27:56
Skipping cartographic feature generation for AOI feature 1 due to incomplete attributes.
Succeeded at 2025年3月11日 16:28:02 (Elapsed Time: 5.83 seconds)

[DanPatterson]

Were you following this?

Set up an aviation geodatabase—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

is this for a local project or enterprise?

and was this for a new geodatabase or an existing one?

There are other places in the documents that may require your attention

[KiyoshiYamashita · Accepted solution]

Hi @songqin,

The documentation that Dan linked to above is a great place to start.  But to address your specific questions...

Question 1: Differences between Importing XML and Using Python Scripts for AIS Database Configuration

There's not a huge difference between these approaches; both will use the workspace XML provided in the product files to build out an AIS geodatabase.  However, using the Import Workspace XML tool will only build the schema exactly as it's defined in the XML.  Using the python utility enables a couple of other options, like registering tables as versioned, enabling archiving and editor tracking, etc., when working with an enterprise geodatabase.  

Question 2: Issues Encountered While Creating a Simple Chart

It looks like you may be missing a couple of attributes on your AOI feature.  Try making sure that you've given your AOI a value for each of these attributes:

You can find specific instructions for creating the AOI here: https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/production/aviation/define-areas-of-interest.htm 

[songqin]

Thanks all for the reply. I have updated the information in the AOI and executed it again, obtaining the desired results.

Next, I ran the "Prepare Aviation Data" tool, which completed successfully, but I didn't see any changes on the map display.

I imported the "Aviation Charting ICAO.stylx" file and finally executed the "Match Layer Symbology To A Style" tool. I pasted the syntax "adhp_c_symbol_arcade_icao.lxp" in the "Match Values (Field or Expression)" field, and only then did I get the results as shown in the figure.

I believe that executing the "Match Layer Symbology To A Style" tool is not necessary, but I'm not sure what the subsequent steps are after running the "Generate Aviation Cartographic Features" tool (which generates ADHP_C data).

[KiyoshiYamashita]

The Prepare Aviation Data tool is essentially a data mining tool.  It gathers attribute information from related features and writes it out to fields on the carto features.  If you were using one of the template maps available in the product files, the layers would already be configured with an Arcade expression to parse this information and apply a symbol or label to the feature in the map.

Since it looks like you're starting with a brand new map, you likely wouldn't see any changes after running the tool unless you had the attribute table open and were looking at the *_Info fields that Prepare Aviation Data writes to.

Typically, we would apply the Arcade expression (i.e. adhp_c_symbol_arcade_icao.lxp) to the layer symbology.  This way, when the *_Info fields are populated by Prepare Aviation Data, the layer will automatically apply the right symbol to the features.

Then we would use the Match Layer Symbology To A Style tool make sure that the actual symbols used by the layer are the ones we want to use and not just generic point symbols.  But we really only do this the first time we configure a layer (or if our data or configuration changes such that we need to add a new symbol to the layer).

It looks like you may have found a bit of a shortcut by using Match Layer Symbology To A Style first... at least in terms of doing a configuration from scratch.  The bottom line: you need a layer that is using the Unique Value renderer with an Arcade expression applied.  This expression will parse the *_Info fields to apply a symbol... or more specifically: return a symbol name.  When we first build a layer, we then use Match Layer Symbology To A Style to make sure the right symbol is used for each each symbol name in the layer properties.  Once that configuration is done, all you should need to do is run Generate Aviation Cartographic Features and then Prepare Aviation Data.

[songqin]

Thank for all. Through the explanations above, I have got some of my own understanding.

Firstly, it is necessary to convert the source data table into a cartographic data table. Then, some work needs to be done to transfer the attributes over, and finally, the symbol matching work needs to be executed.

I continued experimenting with another dataset, which is still a point type (NavAidSystem). Following the above steps, I completed all the procedures, but I have some doubts:

1. NavAidSystem actually includes several parts such as NavAidComponent and NavAidAssociation. When I execute the Prepare Aviation Data tool, it reports the following warning error:
   Info: The following fields are missing from the table: NavCom_Info.
   I checked the file ..\SampleConfigs\ICAO\Enroute\PrepareAviationData\navaidsystem_c_config_icao.json, and indeed this field is used. However, in the NavAidSystem_C table that I initially created in the AIS database, this field is not included. Eventually, I manually added this field to continue the workflow.
2. In this directory ..\SampleConfigs\ICAO\Enroute\PrepareAviationData\, there are only about 7 JSON files, which means 7 features. However, the AIS database contains over 100 features. If similar JSON files are needed for the remaining elements, do I have to write them myself?
3. Next, I would like to try creating a more complex chart, such as a visual flight chart or an airway chart, but I am not sure how to get started？

[KiyoshiYamashita · Accepted solution]

Hi @songqin,

1. You are right, the Prepare Aviation Data config for Navaids is configured to write to a field called NavCom_Info that is not included in the AIS schema by default.  This is because we've found different agencies configurations to sometimes vary - not everyone needs the NavaidComponent information.  Thus we only include the Main_Info field on the cartographic features (*_C) and allow users to add additional fields as needed.  I'll look into whether this can be better communicated in our documentation.

2. The sample config directory you mentioned is intended to be a starting point for Enroute charts, which only have limited feature types displayed.  But the AIS model is designed to store much more than that so that it can support other chart types and general data management activities as well.  So yes, if you need to make a chart that includes other feature types, you can expand the configuration as necessary to fit your requirements.

3. To get started, you would need to do a few things.  First, determine what features you'd like to add to the chart and build an understanding of how the data (i.e. the features, their attributes, and any related features/attributes) supports the charting requirements.  Next, generate cartographic features.  Then, start to build your Prepare Aviation Data json configuration.  The basic idea is to build "rules" that gather data from the main features and any related features that are necessary.  Next, run Prepare Aviation Data to populate the Main_Info and any additional *_Info fields you might add.  Then you can start to build the Arcade expressions for symbology and labeling based on your *_Info field data and your business rules.  The sample configs are a great starting point to use as a reference.

I hope that helps.  If you would be interested in more dedicated support or technical exchange, you can inquire with our services team at aero@esri.com.

Thanks!