ArcSDE, Get Data From ArcPad, and self-intersecting polygons

JamesMudd1 · ‎11-08-2011

Hi All,

We are beginning to centralize our project databases into a multi-editor geodatabase on an ArcGIS Server for Workgroups v.10 running SQL Server 2008 R2. We collect a lot of GPS data and would like to be able to get data for/from ArcPad v.10 directly from the multi-editor geodatabase. However, self-intersecting polygons are a common occurrance when collecting GPS data (not intentional, but sliver loops created due to gps glitches). The geodatabase will not allow storage of geometry errors, so the Get Data From ArcPad tool fails to load the polygons with errors. Since the checkout feature data are stored in an .axf file and hence unavailable to the ArcGIS Desktop client, the Repair Geometry tool is not a solution. Finding and editing the problem polygons in ArcPad is very difficult and prohibitively time-consuming due to the limited editing and query tools available in ArcPad. Can anyone help me come up with a suitable workflow to allow us to deal with self-intersecting polygon geometry errors to allow arcpad checkin to an ArcSDE geodatabase? This seems like it should be a very common issue. I can imagine that I'm the first to have to deal with this. Thanks for your feedback.

ForrestKaye · ‎11-10-2011

This would be a bit of a work around but have you thought about opening the .axf in ArcPad studio and exporting the shape file of interest and then load the shape file data directly to the database. You could then run ArcMap tools to fix the problem.

-Forrest

DeniseKing · ‎11-11-2011

James,

Your post didn't say what versions of ArcPad and ArcGIS Desktop you are using and what I am going to introduce you to is only available with ArcPad 10.0.3, released earlier this month. New at ArcPad 10.0.3 is the ArcPad AXF Extension for FME which allows ArcGIS users with FME 2011 SP3 to browse AXF files in ArcCatalog, drag/drop AXF files into ArcMap, and export AXF files into a Geodatabase. For more information, please review the ArcPad Help on ArcGIS Resource Center.

Now you can read your ArcPad AXF files directly in ArcMap or ArcCatalog using the ArcPad AXF Reader for FME.
The ArcPad AXF Reader for FME is available right now in FME 2011 SP4 and FME 2012 beta. If you already have a license for FME, download either of these and start using the extension now. If you do not have a license for FME, you can obtain a free temporary license right now from www.safe.com/arcpad. The ArcPad AXF Reader will be integrated in the ArcGIS 10.1 Data Interoperability Extension.

Cheers,
Denise

JamesMudd1 · ‎01-19-2012

Hi Denise,

Thanks for the reply. I have explored this workflow. However, the FME extension only allows you to view the .axf data, or export it to a new geodatabase featureclass, but not to edit the data in-place in the .axf. This means it would require a manual editing session to move the features from the new featureclass into the original geodatabase from which it was checked-out. This isn't too big an issue when you are collecting new features, but if you are editing existing features, it is a big issue to avoid duplicates. So, our workflow is going from check-out/check-in to check-out/export/repair geometry/load/(edit). The goal is to make the process of collecting features in the field and getting them into the organization geodatabase easier and less prone to errors. We have about 15 project managers collecting data throughout the field season needing to get the data back into the geodatabase on a daily or weekly basis. An involved manual workflow will be a problem to manage. Can it really be this problematic to collect polygon GPS data and sync it with a geodatabase? Are we the only ones trying to do this? I find that hard to believe. I'm sorry if my frustration is showing, but this seems like such a basic function I can't believe it's this problematic. I would hate to have to abandon our ArcGIS Server development and go back to project-level personal geodatabases.

--Jim

James,

Your post didn't say what versions of ArcPad and ArcGIS Desktop you are using and what I am going to introduce you to is only available with ArcPad 10.0.3, released earlier this month. New at ArcPad 10.0.3 is the ArcPad AXF Extension for FME which allows ArcGIS users with FME 2011 SP3 to browse AXF files in ArcCatalog, drag/drop AXF files into ArcMap, and export AXF files into a Geodatabase. For more information, please review the ArcPad Help on ArcGIS Resource Center.

Now you can read your ArcPad AXF files directly in ArcMap or ArcCatalog using the ArcPad AXF Reader for FME.
The ArcPad AXF Reader for FME is available right now in FME 2011 SP4 and FME 2012 beta. If you already have a license for FME, download either of these and start using the extension now. If you do not have a license for FME, you can obtain a free temporary license right now from www.safe.com/arcpad. The ArcPad AXF Reader will be integrated in the ArcGIS 10.1 Data Interoperability Extension.

Cheers,
Denise

IngridHogle · ‎01-19-2012

Hi Jim

Did you ever get this resolved?? We have avoided the transition from shapefile checkouts (still available in ArcGIS 9.3.1) to axf checkouts for exactly this kind of issue (among others). But we are finally gearing up to upgrade to ArcGIS 10 and we need to resolve this exact issue. Your input would be VERY much appreciated!

Ingrid

JamesMudd1 · ‎01-20-2012

Hi Ingrid,

After a few calls with ESRI tech, it appears that this is a 'design feature' and not a bug. The ArcSDE geodatabase does not allow storage of geometry errors. ArcPad isn't as smart, so allows the errors to be collected. The limited functionality of arcpad is mainly due to the limited processing power of the mobile device; esri can only do so much. So, our solution is to use geodatabase replication to create check-out file geodatabases for each project and generate arcpad checkouts from the file geodatabases, which will allow the errors to be checked-in. The errors can then be resolved in ArcMap desktop, which is much easier. To give you a little more info on our system design strategy, we will be using the replica file geodatabases as our primary project databases, checking-in and checking back out on a regular basis. We will use the server geodatabase as a tool to syncronize and aggregate the multiple project replica geodatabases. One drawback is that we can't have multiple editors on the project file geodatabases, but we can have them edit the server data directly if we're in a crunch. One benefit is that the project managers can edit the replica databases with ArcView, reducing the need for more expensive ArcEditor licenses. Please reply to this thread if you come up with any other work-arounds or if you have more questions. Good luck.

--Jim

Hi Jim

Did you ever get this resolved?? We have avoided the transition from shapefile checkouts (still available in ArcGIS 9.3.1) to axf checkouts for exactly this kind of issue (among others). But we are finally gearing up to upgrade to ArcGIS 10 and we need to resolve this exact issue. Your input would be VERY much appreciated!

Ingrid

IngridHogle · ‎01-20-2012

I'm going to investigate whether it might be possible to create an ArcToolbox model to repair geometries prior to checkin, which is how we handled this before when dealing with shapefiles. I'll let you know what I find out. (It may take a few weeks, though!)

AndrewOrtego · ‎09-16-2014

Hi Ingrid,

Were you able to come up with a model, tool, or script that repairs geometry errors in an AXF file prior to check-in?

IngridHogle · ‎09-16-2014

Nope. But with some help from the ArcPad team I got instructions for how to do a definition query of the features that fail to check in, so that it is easier to find them and edit them in ArcPad. I do this by noting the OBJECTID of the features during the failed checkout, and then immediately opening ArcPad to edit the failed features. Then I got a SQL query from them that will change the status of the previously new feature, which was now edited and thus set as modified rather than new, back to new. For example, for our features (Poly_Spartina_14), the code would be:

UPDATE POLY_SPARTINA_14 SET AXF_STATUS = 1 WHERE OBJECTID= 123456

This will update the modified record (code 2) and switch it back to a new record (code 1).

Our other option is to export the failed features from axf to shp, edit them, and then bring them into our dataset. In this case, we have to change all domain fields that were left as blank in the axf back to null, since the shapefile converts them all to “ “ or “”.

Both methods are relatively time-consuming, unfortunately, but I know of no automated way to fix tangled vertices.