Data Driven Pages - Still have a way to go

[deleted-user-ATjHIWsdQYmT]

Overall, I would say that the "Data Driven Pages" Tools are a pretty good first attempt at map production and automation.  I think that several will agree that some of the functionality of DSMapBook is Absolutely Necessary to make Data Driven Pages 100%.  In my opinion, some of the critical functionality still required are:

1.  The Map Book TOC panel.  I find this MUCH easier to navigate than a small toolbar with arrows.  Most often I have ~175 pages in a map book.  Scrolling up and down in a list is much easier than clicking left/right or typing in (guessing) at a number.  Also, in the panel you can manipulate each individual page.  In many instances I don't want to print/export every page. I just click off the ones I don't want.  you can also print/export one single page.

2.  Labeling Neighbor tiles is much easier.  No GeoProcessing tools are needed to add fields to your index layer for dynamic labeling.  It Just works.

3.  Select Tile When Drawing.  SUPER handy when you want to highlight just the boundary of that page.

4.  Supressing tiles that don't contain data from specific layers.  Many times I'll do a definition query on a layer to show only specific features (i.e. Show me only FEMA flood zones AE).  Then create map series pages for only those tiles.  Easy as Pie in DSMapbook.  Can't do w/ data driven pages.

5.  Export each individual page to it's own PDF.  This is really handy when you want to link to a pdf on a website.  Also, a PDF of 175 tiles at 15MB each can make one heck of a large PDF File.

Overall, I think that Data Driven Pages show promise, but still have some ways to go.  Oh, I would say that I do REALLY like Dynamic Text Labeling.  Great added feature!

[DavidWatkins]

Hi Gary,

There are actually now two ways to highlight the page you are on. One is with the Page Definition Queries, the other is with some new options in Clip to Shape.

The Page Definition lets you filter features that have attributes that either match, or don�??t match the name of your data driven page index feature. The option to set a Page Definition is a button on the Definition Query Property page, but the button only shows up if 1) you have Data Driven Pages enabled and 2) if the layer is NOT the Index Feature layer. 

Using Page Definition Queries, if you want to highlight the page you are on:
1) Copy the index layer to another layer in your TOC and place it above the Index layer in the drawing order.
2) Set the symbol property of the new layer to the color you want to use to highlight the page.
3) In the Definition Query property page of that new layer, select the Page Definition button.
4) Enble the Page Definition Query to "Match" the same attiribute used for your Data Driven Pages.

The help topic for the Page Definition Queries is at:
http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#//00sr00000004000000.htm


Clip to shape gives you another way to do this.  If you have Data Driven Pages enabled and you go to the Data Frame Properties, under Clip Options there is a new option to "Clip to current data driven page extent." Then there is a button to "Exclude Layers".  This lets you pick the layers that you don't want Clipped.  You can achive all sorts of interesting results by chosing different layers you want to show in the Index feature area, and features you want to show outside of the Index feature. You might want to play around with this a bit to see what you can acomplish. 

The help topic for the new Clip to Shape options is at:
http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#/Clipping_the_Data_Frame/00s90000000q00...

I hope this helps,
David

[maryandrews]

Wish the links to the Python Script above worked!

I really miss the feature that allowed me to only created pages based on a specified layer.  Since I use the same Standard Grid for all my mapbooks it's a crucial feature. Any further info on an easy way to do this without creating a new layer to base my DDPs on would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

[TaufikHidayat]

Hi Gary,

There are actually now two ways to highlight the page you are on. One is with the Page Definition Queries, the other is with some new options in Clip to Shape.

The Page Definition lets you filter features that have attributes that either match, or don�??t match the name of your data driven page index feature. The option to set a Page Definition is a button on the Definition Query Property page, but the button only shows up if 1) you have Data Driven Pages enabled and 2) if the layer is NOT the Index Feature layer. 

Using Page Definition Queries, if you want to highlight the page you are on:
1) Copy the index layer to another layer in your TOC and place it above the Index layer in the drawing order.
2) Set the symbol property of the new layer to the color you want to use to highlight the page.
3) In the Definition Query property page of that new layer, select the Page Definition button.
4) Enble the Page Definition Query to "Match" the same attiribute used for your Data Driven Pages.

The help topic for the Page Definition Queries is at:
http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#//00sr00000004000000.htm


Clip to shape gives you another way to do this.  If you have Data Driven Pages enabled and you go to the Data Frame Properties, under Clip Options there is a new option to "Clip to current data driven page extent." Then there is a button to "Exclude Layers".  This lets you pick the layers that you don't want Clipped.  You can achive all sorts of interesting results by chosing different layers you want to show in the Index feature area, and features you want to show outside of the Index feature. You might want to play around with this a bit to see what you can acomplish. 

The help topic for the new Clip to Shape options is at:
http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#/Clipping_the_Data_Frame/00s90000000q00...

I hope this helps,
David

Really Helpful... :cool:
in case to create a dynamic map locator using data driven page