Latest Contributions by ChrisDonohue__GISP

That's it.  It was re-arranged a few years back, though I don't know the backstory behind the change.  Darren Wiens might know. Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

One option is to do a Spatial Join: ArcGIS Help 10.1 Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

I believe so, but this can get complicated by several variables: To help us answer this: What have you tried and what issues have come up? What software are you using?  What version?  What license level? Are you working out of a File Geodatabase, an SDE Version, a shapefile, a CAD file, etc?  What format is the data in? When you say "complex polygons" is that in reference to the "donut holes" or are there other complications?  If there are other complications, can you post a screenshot of the how the data looks spatially and a sample of the attribute table? Will the final output need to retain the attributes of the input? Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

To help contributors answer this, what version of SDE are you using?  Also, is it tied to Oracle, SQL server, or another?  And what version? Enterprise GIS Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

This can be done with the Network Analyst Extension using either an OD Cost Matrix or Closest Facility: In trying to decide between the two, ESRI offers this: Tip: The closest facility and OD cost matrix solvers perform very similar analyses; the main difference, however, is in the output and the computation speed. OD cost matrix generates results more quickly but cannot return the true shapes of routes or their driving directions. It is designed to quickly solve large M x N problems and, as a result, does not internally contain the information required to generate route shapes and driving directions. Alternatively, the closest facility solver returns routes and directions but performs the analysis more slowly than the OD cost matrix solver. If you need driving directions or true shapes of routes, use the closest facility solver; otherwise, use the OD cost matrix solver to reduce the computation time. ArcGIS Desktop Important Note on the example image, which can be confusing - the lines depicted in this image do not show the actual path calculated on the road network, but instead depict the directly connected locations for simplicity.  The analysis does use the road network. Source:  ArcGIS Desktop Here's some resources to help get started: ArcGIS Desktop - Network Analyst Workflow http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/pdf/network-analyst-tutorial.pdf General advice - realize that you may have to spend quite a bit of time acquiring and cleaning up the data before you can actually run the analysis.  There are lots of streetline datasets out there, but most are not topologically correct to the extent that Network Analyst requires.  It just takes one small gap between two lines which should be connected to throw an analysis.  Oftentimes these gaps are very small, to the point where you can barely see them when zoomed way in.  So a dataset which everyone else will look at and say is totally fine, as visually  at a normal viewing scale it looks great - could be actually be riddled with gaps. Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

I looked into this a bit and suspect you will have to convert them. I downloaded a file from the 2000 Census (ftp://ftp2.census.gov/geo/tiger/tigerua/CA/) and it looks like it is a zipped RT datafile. I've have not dealt with RT files myself, but there are suggestions in an older forum link: Census Bureau 2000 TIGER/Line Files.  This discussion offers 3 solutions to convert Tiger RT to a Coverage format: If you have access to ArcInfo Workstation, using TIGERARC or TIGERTOOL commands in the command-line to create a coverage: Basic Tiger Conversion—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop ArcGIS Desktop Help 9.2 - Basic Tiger Conversion (Coverage) http://dept.kent.edu/gis/FileLib/AdvGIS/4aiDConv/4c%20-%20ai%20TIGER/ex9.pdf There is the TIGER to Coverage tool in ArcToolbox (but you will need an Advanced license). There apparently was a custom tool which will go right to a shapefile that you can look into: TGR2SHP software from www.gistools.com. However, the link no longer goes to an active site. Now, your are probably wondering why most of the suggestions go to a Coverage instead of a Shapefile.  According to the documentation, the Coverage format was standard until 2007. Starting in 2007, the U.S. Census Bureau switched to a shapefile based format. Use the Feature Class To Coverage tool on these. Source:  Advanced Tiger Conversion—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop If you are able to convert to a Coverage, you can then convert them to a shapefile (several methods). CAUTION:  When you do get a Coverage set up, DO NOT try to copy or modify it outside GIS.  Use ArcCatalog to move it.  Be aware that each Coverage creates a multitude of files and folders - you will suddenly see lots of stuff on your drive - that is normal.  The format was created long before Windows existed.  Don't mess with these files and folders with Windows Explorer unless you are experienced, or the data will soon be corrupted. Also, let me add someone very knowledgeable and ArcInfo here in case she has additional ideas: Rebecca Strauch, GISP Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

Adding some ESRI folks to the mix so they get a notification in case they have insights to add: Jake Skinner Vince Angelo Asrujit SenGupta Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

One way to resolve this is when the "CAD to Geodatabase (Conversion)" tool is run.  There is a provided option to choose a spatial reference. As both Darren Wiens and Xander Bakker pointed out, you will need to know what coordinate reference system the CAD file should be in.  Given that the visible drawing elements are not at X,Y close to 0,0, it looks like a coordinate reference system was probably used.  Note that it is common for AutoCAD dwg files to be created without using a common coordinate reference system, in which case typically the drawn elements begin at or near an X,Y of 0,0 (the lower-left corner.  These cases can be difficult to work with, as they are essentially in a "local" system). So the challenge now is to figure out what the coordinate reference system (crs) that was used.  I'd contact the source of the dwg file.   Be aware that CAD folks don't use CRS like we do in GIS, so you may have to do some explaining/educating so they realize what you are after. Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

That works! Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

How about a ESRI Staff Contributor MVP (or something similar) badge for the ESRI staff?  (And the badges for Xander Bakker and Jayanta Poddar would be wearing a mask)  Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

Thanks for your contributions!  I know several of you have mentioned that it is not part of your regular job at ESRI to contribute, but you do so anyways.  We appreciate the skills and expertise you provide. Thanks! Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

Just curious - any idea if the suggestion of allowing the setting of the default to Python (instead of VB script) has been submitted to ESRI already as an enhancement? Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

Wait, Dan, what happened to the smoking one-liner (of code)?    (just kidding) Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more