What is your take on ArcGIS Pro

ChadKopplin · ‎03-09-2018

I have started using ArcGIS Pro for a project looking at Groundwater Vulnerability to Nitrate contamination. I decided that this would be a good project to use to really become acquainted with Pro. I am glad that I am using Pro, I am finding that it is truly much more responsive than using the desktop. Actions that would take upwards of of half hour or more are only taking seconds. I am been able to clip every statewide layer down to the county that I am modeling first. I took me a little bit to get used to the interface, and Esri has been very accommodating to help me get off and running.

There are some quirks with the interface that I would like to see changed or added in time, but all in all I am very impressed. I am wondering what everyone else who is using Pro, what is your opinion of the product? Please give me your true thoughts.

Good job with this products usability.

Chad

VictoriaAnderson1 · ‎03-09-2018

Hi Chad,

I have had great experiences with ArcPro. Like you said, it works so much faster. I have had issues with ArcMap crashing in the past, and ArcPro seems to be doing better than ArcMap. I believe it is also more user friendly as well. There have been some glitches, however most of the ones that I have noticed have been worked out. There are some functions that are missing, but over time I believe these issues will be sorted out as well.

Victoria

KoryKramer · ‎03-10-2018

Hi Victoria,

As I've commented to Chad, please make sure to share with us specifics about "some functions that are missing." While they might just happen to appear over time, that time gap will likely be shorter if we know what it is you need, why you need it (i.e. how you use the functionality), and how many other ArcGIS Pro users are requesting the same functionality. You can communicate these through the https://community.esri.com/community/arcgis-ideas?sr=search&searchId=1b78797e-eb44-4768-b0d9-eeb0cef...‌ site (search to see if an idea already exists, up vote and add your story to the comments), or submit an enhancement request with technical support. We look forward to hearing more from you!

Cheers,

KKramer-esristaff‌ Customer Advocacy Lead - Desktop

ChadKopplin · ‎03-13-2018

I agree it is getting better over time, and the issues that I have are minor and are not game stoppers. They will make the experience better if they get addressed over time.

DanPatterson_Retired · ‎03-09-2018

I have liked PRO for some time. I must admit that I don't have the need to make maps, but I use the analysis tools in Arctoolbox extensively. I also do a lot of programming and Python is a great language, particularly on the teaching front.

I must comment esri, on their efforts to add a channel to other open source programs like those in the SciPy stack (scipy, numpy, matplotlib etc etc), and little things the R-bridge. The only place that I think they blew it was with the ArcGIS module and bringing Pandas into the fold while skipping direct import of numpy data as well (it might make a lot of the Spatial Analyst redundant I suppose)

I have always found Pandas bloated for doing simple things with arrays, whether they be raster images, raster data or tabular data. Numpy is lurking beneath the skin and they have some good functions in the numpy to featureclass/table conversion suite, but they make it a pain to bring array data back into Pro. It isn't a game stopper, just a pain, and everyone loves pandas.

I would like esri to spend less time on the cool display stuff and put more effort into analytical and statistical tools. Shuffling that to R is catering to a particular market and missing out on opportunities as the newer generation begins to take over the helm. I have this conversation with a wall everyday, but I suppose it won't change.

I think they also should draw the line on trying to deploy all analysis in all platforms and devices. If a complex network analysis needs to be done, then do it on a standalone machine. Trying to push some of these analyses to the web might have a market, but it causes more problems than not.

I will retire, thankfully, before ArcHydro is deployed on the iPhone , but until then, if people would remember that ArcMap isn't Pro and vice-versa, then they might enjoy the good bits that both have to offer.

For now, Pro is the future, but I also thought every piece of software since the mid-70s was the future

ChadKopplin · ‎03-12-2018

Thank you for the response Dan, I have always liked doing the processing on the backside and pushing out to the web. For me this would save the people that may have a limited internet speed. Here at DEQ we are starting to move into the analytical side of GIS, before I started here most analysis was done by consultants, and then we shared the product with them. Now we have the capability to most in house, it has taken a while to get to this point, but I am excited where we are heading. For this project we are using a modified version of the EPA's DRASTIC model to look at groundwater susceptibility to Nitrate contamination. In the late 90's we had a groundwater vulnerability study down that looked at the the groundwater susceptibility to pesticide contamination. I look forward to sharing the results with you all. Thank you.

CharleyPalmer1 · ‎03-29-2018

I'd be interested in seeing the results of your study (and the pesticides study)! We recently created a story map looking at maximum nitrate results for public water systems statewide (see http://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=501a631ddf804a5095499b7b775d3bad). Feel free to contact me directly if you'd like to discuss this further, charley.palmer@alaska.gov.

ChadKopplin · ‎05-02-2018

Thank you Charley, I just saw this in the discussion, I will post the results once we very the model. Thank you for the link to the page.

KoryKramer · ‎03-10-2018

Chad Kopplin‌ Please let us know about

There are some quirks with the interface that I would like to see changed or added in time

You can always check the https://community.esri.com/community/arcgis-ideas?sr=search&searchId=c525b7e8-adfb-4185-8d6e-aadc43d...‌ site for the things you're thinking that you'd like to see added. If you don't find anything there already, submit an idea of your own. Or log an enhancement request with technical support as a way of getting your user story and request for new functionality to the development team.

Cheers,

KKramer-esristaff‌ Customer Advocacy Lead - Desktop

ChadKopplin · ‎03-12-2018

Thank you Kory, I am just about ready to combine my layers in a model to see how Pro responds with ~9 layers being combined at the same time. The big issues that I ran into were identifying features, there was nothing to let me know where to identify. Second, I was unable to tell where to set layer transparency, I did find out how with a help search. These are miner details that once I figured them out it made using Pro just a little better. The only other thing was some of the functionality was shuffled from where I am used to seeing it on the desktop side, so, once again it was just figuring out where it is located. Last just getting used to the geoprocessing dialogue when using the tools. Thank you for your responses.

Chad