Latest Contributions by ChrisDonohue__GISP

If the above suggestions don't work, I'd also try using a shorter filename (along with a shorter file path) and not use the underscore in the file name.  For example, go with a very brief filename of "rt" and Jaynata's suggestion of a file path to see it that will allow it to run. I mention this as sometimes the issue seems to be if the combined file path and file name is long it causes issues, even though in theory it should work as it is within the published limits.  If this works, you can always rename the file and move it. Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

To have it show up at the correct scale, one would have to lay it out in CAD in the same coordinate system as is being used in your mxd Data Frame properties.  Most CAD drawings, however, are not done in coordinate systems that are commonly used in GIS.  Furthermore, another complication is that most CAD is in a "flat world" - i.e. outside of their specific GIS add-ons they typically will not account for the curvature of the earth. The practical implications of this is that even if the CAD file is laid out in the same coordinate system, if your store is large, the corners may seen a bit misaligned compared to what you would expect.  I see this often with Developments - an engineering firm will send in a CAD file containing infrastructure plans and it will not cleanly mesh with the existing data in GIS.  So typically it will still need spatial adjustment. Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

Here's an ESRI Support article which may point the way.  The article is for older versions of the software, but I suspect the process is still the same. 36633 - Create a Z-aware shapefile or feature class from a table Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

I have not used this yet, but it may be of help: ArcGIS Data Reviewer extension: ArcGIS Data Reviewer | Key Features - Simplifying the QA/QC Process Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

We should have it divisioned off by country.  That way I don't have to compete against these knowledgeable Canadians....  Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

One more - a specific one since the requirement is that you want Experts /top-level talent. - People become experts by learning and not all learning happens on the job.  Consider if your company can offer ongoing educational opportunities for the candidates.  For example, the company will be willing to pay for classes (like ESRI training in Redlands, CA), attending Conferences (like the ESRI International Users Conference in San Diego), online GIS classes, etc, and can do this on company time.  GIS changes fast, so offering GIS staff opportunities to keep up is quite an attraction.  Top-level GIS talent usually isn't just looking for a paycheck, they also want the opportunity to be effective in their field. If your company is willing to do this, then definitely mention it in your job post as a benefit.  This will differentiate your organization from the many others out there who (unfortunately) do not offer any employer-sponsored training. Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

Just a thought: Given the plethora of issues they deal with, I wonder if the ESRI Tech Support folks have developed a flowchart to help in troubleshooting.  Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

One more: Consider where you will advertise the position.  For example, besides the common GIS job sites also consider the Planning Sites.  For example, consider listing with the American Planning Association Jobs Online , Planetizen Jobs | Planetizen: The Urban Planning, Design, and Development Network , and other Planning related organizations. Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

Some ideas from working for many years in the Consulting world with Urban Planners and more recently with City Planners as a City Employee: 1.  Describe the challenges of Urban Design and Masterplanning.  In particular, I'd stress the dynamic and creative aspect of it, which can be a very different flavor of GIS than say for example doing daily/routine Asset Management.  This will give you a better pool of candidates who are into your type of work. 2.  If the GIS position does not require that the candidate be an Planner by profession, be sure to state so.  If the position does require the candidate be an Planner, then state so.  Be clear so potential candidates are not scared away by assumptions. 3.  If your company has GIS people, ask them for what they see is needed to be successful.  If you don't have GIS people, the first step will be to determine what you will need the GIS candidate to do.  What is the workflow?  What tasks need to be accomplished?  Then, what skills would the candidate need to accomplish this?  If you want someone with strong skills, defining those skills will really help. For example, for your company, what does "strong GIS/Database skills" mean?  Does the Database skills translate to expertise in geodatabases, SQL Server, Access, SDE, AutoCAD, etc?  If you can refine that, it will help quite a bit.  Plus, you will need this understanding not only for the advertisement of the position, but as part of the selection criteria once you get a pool of applicants.  How are you going to differentiate the applicants to pick the one that best fits? 4.  You may need to hire a GIS consultant (or buy a knowlegeable GIS person you know some beer) to help you figure out the GIS particulars for the position.  You will have a better chance of attracting GIS talent if at least part of the ad is in "GIS-speak" - at least as we in the field use it.  Likewise, if the ad is written by someone who has no clue about GIS (which unfortunately is all too common), it will be a turn off.  For example, a commonly-seen phrase like this immediately makes a company look a bit clueless "The GIS candidate must have 10 years experience with ArcGIS 10.3" (i.e this version has only been out a short while). 5.  If the GIS position will involve setting up GIS for the first time, then say so in your ad.  Some GIS folks like the challenge of setting up a shop from scratch, while others would rather be in an established environment.  Again, this may involve hiring a consultant or having a short-time hire to get things set up, then later hiring staff for the position once it is rolling. Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

Sounds like something Melita Kennedy (ESRI staff/Projection-Coordinate System Guru (Guruess?)) could answer. Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

In case an automated method doesn't work out, here's a workaround.  You could potentially do the correction in an Edit Session in ArcMap: 1.  Select all the features in a layer that you want to move (or if all features in one layer, right-click on the layer in the Table of Contents, Selection, Select All) 2.  Click on the "Editor" button on the Editor Toolbar. 3.  Select "Move" 4.  In the "Delta X,Y" popup that appears, type in the values that you need to move the data. Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

The McKinley/Denali example comes from the Wikipedia article under "Interesting prominence situations", and I agree it sounds weird at first read, though it does make sense: The key col of Mount McKinley (also called Denali) in Alaska (6,194 m) is a 56 m col near Lake Nicaragua (unless one accepts the Panama Canal as a key col; this is a matter of contention). McKinley’s encirclement parent is Aconcagua (6,960 m), in Argentina, and its prominence is 6,138 m. To further illustrate the rising-sea model of prominence, if sea level rose 56 m, North and South America would be separate continents and McKinley would be 6138 m above sea level. At a slightly lower level, the continents would still be connected, and the high point of the combined landmass would be Aconcagua, the encirclement parent. Note that, for the purposes of this article, man made structures such as the Panama Canal are not taken into account. If they were, the key col would be along the 26 m Gaillard Cut and McKinley would have a prominence of 6,168 m. Some of the explanation from earlier in the article provides some insight here: the encirclement parent often does not satisfy the intuitive requirement that the parent peak should be close to the child peak ​ Source:  Topographic prominence - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

It's an interesting spatial challenge.  I'm pretty sure it can be done in GIS, I'm just not sure which spatial processes could be used to resolve some parts of it. I wonder if there is another area of GeoNet, or another forum out there that would be more likely trafficked with the folks who would know this particular specialty... Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

Much as what Blake said, my City uses accurate address data for a wide range of services.  Even more so than an Assessor Parcel Number (APN), address data is important, as it more specifically locates things. For example, a large plot that is in the process of being subdivided into dozens of residential lots will have address locations laid out long before the County approves the new subdivided parcels and creates new APNs.  The address locations are important for everyday things like permits and entitlements as development occurs, and for more random but critical things like emergency response should there be an incident in the area. Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more

Dan has a good point - with that much time, there could be considerable variability, calling into question the predictions.  A real-life example, year 2000 Census data projected to 2010 for New Orleans.  Then along comes Hurricane Katrina, which results in a huge demographic diaspora.... I don't envy the people who have to quantify that variability... (i.e. that is not an easy job). Chris Donohue, GISP ... View more