Latest Contributions by Bud

‎04-08-2022

Reason: it’s a possible simplistic way to check M-values for issues: Find polyline vertices where M-value is not cumulative length The thought being: I could check the existing M-sum vs. the theoretical M-sum. If there is a difference, then that would tell me I have incorrect M-values.

‎04-08-2022

I have multipart polylines in an ST_GEOMETRY feature class (in an Oracle 18c EGDB). Using SQL, I want to get the sum of the M-values of each polyline. For example, for the following multipart line, the calculation would be: 11.18 + 33.54 + 43.54 = 88.26 (The M-sum is not to be confused with the length of the line.) How can I do that using SQL?

‎04-07-2022

We need an optional setting in feature classes to do the following: Automatically set m-values to the cumulative length of line (when geometry gets edited) More info here: Route layers using XY instead of M values? That would avoid the need to manually use the "Set as distance" tool...every time a feature is edited. (that’s a huge pain and causes countless problems)

‎04-07-2022

I’ve been asking this same question for the last 10 years. No one seems to understand…just let me base my road events on the length of the line. Why do I need to redefine the M-values via the Set as distance tool every time a feature is edited? I only recently developed a way to automatically redefine M-values (when a geometry is edited): - Arcade attribute rule: Set polyline M-values to cumulative length of line - PL/SQL (could be used in a Oracle db trigger): Update polyline vertices with cumulative length of line But we shouldn't need to write custom tooling for that. We should have the option to do that OOTB...right in the FC properties. Related: Automatically set M-values to cumulative length of line (after edits) Length-based linear referencing event layer Find polyline vertices where M-value is not cumulative length Get sum of M-values using SQL

‎04-07-2022

I'm a GIS power-user (PL/SQL development, Python, attribute rules, data owner etc.). But I'm not in IT. I come from the IBM world, where regular users can create: - Scheduled emailed reports (via the UI; no-code) - Scheduled jobs to pre-compute fields and tables (via the UI; no-code or low-code) That functionality is available OOTB to all applicable IBM Maximo users -- as part of every IBM Maximo implementation. That is a really big deal. IBM Maximo users are empowered to do their own automations...right through the frontend application. It would be great if we could do that sort of thing in ArcGIS too -- create our own scheduled automations via Pro. (No, I don't want to set up scheduled geoprocessing tasks or scheduled Windows tasks on my own computer...which would only run when I'm logged in. That's too fragile and uncentralized…I'm not interested in that.) I'm aware that Esri has ArcGIS Notebook server, which can be used for automation purposes. I've pitched ArcGIS Notebook Server to my organization, but their immediate response was: "It's an administrative tool meant for IT staff only, it would take political will to buy it, and implementation would take time that we don't have. So, no. We have no plans to implement ArcGIS Notebook Server, and even if we did, we'd only use it for IT administration." I think there is a missed opportunity here, which is, empowering everyday users to automate their work...through OOTB tools in ArcGIS Pro. It could very well be that ArcGIS Notebooks can actually achieve the kinds of automation that I'm referring to (although scheduled/emailed reports probably aren't as easy as they ought to be -- and can't be done through the UI). But the point I'm trying to make is that IT departments don't see ArcGIS Notebook Server as a "tool for the people". They see it as an IT-admin tool. The result is: power-users like me are stuck in the stone age...without automation tools. To me, scheduled GIS automation should be OOTB...built into ArcGIS Pro/server, and available to power-users as part of standard ArcGIS implementations. Is there anything Esri can do to make scheduled automation more easily available to everyday users?

‎04-07-2022

Thanks. Are you aware of any publicly available/real-world use cases where regular users (non-IT) are empowered to manage their own automation jobs? (scheduled jobs to precompute data and emailed/scheduled reports) And do you know if ArcGIS Notebook server licensing and privileges are structured in a way that would make it practical for all power-users to manage their own automations? The reason I ask is: I come from the IBM world, where all applicable users are empowered to manage their own automations -- with zero code. There is OOTB functionality for easily making scheduled reports and scheduled jobs -- all via the UI. That is hugely beneficial. Whereas, I'm under the impression that ArcGIS Notebook Server is only really used via administrative tools -- not in the main application that everyday users use (i.e. ArcGIS Pro). I guess what I'm getting as is: it would be fantastic if GIS practitioners could create their own scheduled automations (emailed reports and scheduled jobs) right in ArcGIS Pro -- executed on the server (not the local PC/Windows scheduled task). And with minimal code and as part of a standard ArcGIS implementation -- so that it's all set up OOTB. That would be a game changer. One of the biggest benefits of ArcGIS is that standard ArcGIS implementations have loads of functionality OOTB...forcing IT departments to empower their users. If I'm understanding correctly, it seems like ArcGIS has an opportunity for improvement in this area.

‎04-06-2022

I don't have any experience with Arcade labelling, but this post might be helpful: Arcade: Get endpoint coordinates of multi-part polyline

‎04-06-2022

My organization is currently in the process of developing a GIS Strategic Plan. In my opinion, GIS automation has been overlooked in the strategy...I'd like to see us develop automation mechanisms as part of the strategy, such as: Scheduled jobs: mechanism to easily precompute GIS fields and tables. Not an "IT-only" solution, but something that power-users can use too. Scheduled reports: let all users set up conditional reports that would be emailed to recipients on a schedule. Other - there are likely other areas of automation that I haven't thought of yet. Automation mechanisms like that would help us achieve our corporate IT direction, which is "technology done right". Question: Does anyone have any suggestions about automation areas to include in the strategy? Or can you recommend a GIS Strategy document from another organization who did well in terms of automation? Thanks!

‎04-04-2022

How To: Set up an Oracle DBMS spatial table for editing via a feature service I wonder if something similar could be done in PostgreSQL.

‎04-02-2022

@DavidPike For what it’s worth, the St_geometry docs (page 18) explain it like this: The ST_LineString is simple if it does not intersect its interior. The graphic below shows examples of ST_LineString objects: (1) is a simple, nonclosed ST_LineString; (2) is a nonsimple, nonclosed ST_LineString; (3) is a closed, simple ST_LineString and, therefore, a ring; and (4) is a closed, nonsimple ST_LineString—it is not a ring.

‎04-02-2022

Related: ST_Geometry SQL function reference (page 14) Dimensionality The dimensions of a geometry are the minimum coordinates (none, x, y) required to define the spatial extent of the geometry. A geometry can have a dimension of 0, 1, or 2. The dimensions are as follows: • 0—Has neither length nor area • 1—Has a length (x or y) • 2—Contains area (x and y) Point features have a dimension of 0, lines a dimension of 1, polygons a dimension of 2. Dimension is important not only as a property of the subtype but also in determining the spatial relationship of two features. The dimension of the resulting feature or features determines whether or not the operation was successful. The dimensions of the features are examined to determine how they should be compared. The coordinates of a geometry also have dimensions. If a geometry has only x- and y-coordinates, the coordinate dimension is 2. If a geometry has x-, y-, and z-coordinates, the coordinate dimension is 3. If a geometry has x-, y-, z- , and m-coordinates, the coordinate dimension is 4. So it sounds like there are different concepts of “dimensions”: Geometry dimensions Coordinate dimensions What's the difference between coordinateDimension and spatialDimension?

‎04-01-2022

The following test script works in Pro 2.6.8. It adjusts the Y-coordinates, instead of the M-coordinates. var geom = Dictionary(Text(Geometry($feature))); var paths = geom['paths']; for (var path_idx in paths) { for (var point_idx in paths[path_idx]) { paths[path_idx][point_idx][1] += 10 } } return Polyline(geom); However, if I change the script so that it updates the M-coordinates, instead of the Y-coordinates, then it doesn't work. I don't get any errors, but the M-values just get updated to Nan, which isn't what I want. var geom = Dictionary(Text(Geometry($feature))); var paths = geom['paths']; for (var path_idx in paths) { for (var point_idx in paths[path_idx]) { paths[path_idx][point_idx][2] += 10 } } return Polyline(geom); That tells me that there is a bug in Pro 2.6.8. It isn't able to update the geometry's M-values correctly. (And for what it's worth, I tried using the Geometry() function, instead of the Polyline() function, to return the value to the geometry. Similarly, that worked for the Y-coordinate, but not the M-coordinate). I don't have that problem in Pro 2.9.2. The script can update M-values without issue: So I think Esri must have fixed the problem in later versions. Note: I came across an additional bug in 2.6.8 (a problem with true curves): Get paths of polyline with true curve (Pro 2.6.8)

‎04-01-2022

I have an Arcade expression that outputs polyline paths as text: Dictionary(Text(Geometry($feature)))['paths'] That expression works as expected when the polyline doesn't have true curves: However, if I use a line that does have true curves, then it fails: Failed to create new feature(s). The row contains a bad value. Note: I don't have that problem with Pro 2.9.2. The expression works on a line with true curves, without issue. Question: Why does the paths expression fail for lines with true curves in Pro 2.6.8? Background info: Attribute rule works in Pro 2.9.2, but not in Pro 2.6.8 Thanks!

‎04-01-2022

What spatial type does Esri recommend for Oracle EGDBs? SDE.ST_GEOMETRY? SDO_GEOMETRY? The reason I ask: SDE.ST_GEOMETRY seems to have gone stagnant in the last 5-10 years. There haven’t been many enhancements made in recent memory, despite there being open ideas/requests submitted. Has Esri shifted focus away from SDE.ST_GEOMETRY, and are now recommending we use SDO_GEOMETRY instead? It would help if Esri could provide clarity in this area. Thanks.

‎04-01-2022

It would help if Esri could add St_Geometry functions (in Oracle) for converting to and from JSON. Similar to what we have for SDO_GEOMETRY, ArcPy, Arcade, etc. Related: Select SDE.ST_GEOMETRY as JSON text (using SQL) Select JSON text of SDO_GEOMETRY using SQL

My Ideas

Latest Contributions by Bud

Re: Get sum of M-values using SQL

Get sum of M-values using SQL

Automatically set M-values to cumulative length of line

Re: Route layers using XY instead of M values?

Scheduled automation for everyday ArcGIS Pro users

Re: Automation - GIS Strategic Plan

Re: Create a Label at the Start or End node of a line?

Automation - GIS Strategy

Re: Geodatabase vs database effective differences in ArcGIS Enterprise

Re: Arcade IsSimple() function docs: Explain what “topologically simple” means

Re: Arcade: What does "zero-dimensional geometry" mean?

Re: Attribute rule works in Pro 2.9.2, but not in Pro 2.6.8

Get paths of polyline with true curve (Pro 2.6.8)

What spatial type does Esri recommend for Oracle EGDBs?

ST_Geometry JSON functions

Would a EGDB constraint attribute rule error messa...

Advanced views without locking layer schemas

Computed column (SQL expression field) in AGOL tab...

What are the rules when setting default values for...

Run Notebook from Enterprise Data Pipeline

Experience Builder Tips and Tricks

Roads and Highways User Group (RHUG)

ArcGIS Arcade

GIS Jobs

Mapping and Charting Enterprise Databases