Latest Contributions by BondHarper

Will data driven pages work for you? http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/index.html#/What_are_Data_Driven_Pages/00s90000003m000000/ Sounds like the default functionality might be all you need, but you can also customize as the data driven functionality can be accessed via Python as well (I've tweaked it to batch export JPGs to a specific job folder structure). ... View more

Dissolve should keep your fields if you make sure you add them to the Statistics Field(s) list. Sounds like you would want to choose 'Last' for your fields of interest (unless you need to sum up areas). Try that and see if it gives you what you want. Best of luck! ... View more

As long as all your layers have a projection assigned, when you convert to KML/KMZ using the conversion tools, your data will be automatically placed in the correct coordinates for GoogleEarth. The coordinates of the map itself don't matter, just the coordinates of each feature class in the map. ... View more

I've had ArcMap crash if there are additional features in the model space (graphs, profiles, tables, etc). If there is anything in your DWG's model space other than the drawing itself, try deleting it in AutoCAD before bringing it in to ArcMap. Extra items in paper space do not seem to have any effect. ... View more

I don't know that you can store it in the Mxd, but I've used a txt file that prompts the user to update it through a custom script. Then other scripts can read the value from the txt file. I've also used tabular files as well when there are multiple variables. ... View more

There's a lot you could do related to cost savings and efficiency. You could show how you can use GIS to route trash services or drainage complaint responses more efficiently allowing smaller crews and faster response time. GIS is also often used in cost-benefit ratio analysis for things like floodplain buyouts or environmental mitigation (these can help a city get money through federal grants). Self-service web maps also save money by reducing the number of call takers you need (citizens can log on using their mobile device to see if an electrical outage was already reported). Unrelated to making money or saving money, GIS can help map where your city revenues are coming from and where they are getting spent. A lot of cities have issues with perceived inequity (the rich part of town gets all the new parks kind of thing) and GIS can show whether this is true or false. You can use pie graphs or other cartographic methods to show the breakdown of spending by department by geographic area (maybe your downtown is getting a lot more spent on roads than your suburbs due to aging infrastructure). You can also use GIS to help predict where you will need to spend money in the future (most concrete pipes last 50 years so you can map the length of pipes near subdivisions greater than 50 years old to estimate how big of a budget your drainage utility will need). Some population growth models are also GIS based (and growth equals expanded tax base which must be balanced with expanded city services). GIS is also great for city planning to help make your city a desirable place to live (keep people out of floodplains, give them sustainable transport options, everyone close to greenspace, preserve scenic views) so you don't lose tax base through people leaving (think Detroit). Just a few ideas to get you thinking! ... View more

If you just want to select every 10th point regardless of its spatial relation, you could just use the select by attributes with a unique id field: mod("FID",10)=0 where FID is your sequential integer id field ... View more

Have you tried using the built in transformer? Here is a list of vertical transformations: http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/003r/pdf/geographic_transformations.pdf. I would think they would be available to use if ESRI provides them, but I've always just used Corpscon, so I have no real experience using them. ... View more

Thanks Stuart! The ArcHydro folder is back today. ... View more

I can log on to the ftp just fine, but for some reason I don't see ArcHydro. Am I missing something? I thought it used to have its own folder here? [ATTACH=CONFIG]33397[/ATTACH] ... View more

You could try putting the portion of the model with the iterator as it's own model and then embedding it back in the main model. Alternatively, it might be easiest to write a simple Python script for only the iterated portion and add the Python script at the that step of the model in lieu of the iterator. Or you could try exporting the whole model to Python and troubleshooting from there. I've only had success with iterators in ModelBuilder when I'm iterating the entire model process. ... View more

Civil 3D can definitely use LAS files, so I'm not sure why they told you that. Is this a traditional ground elevation Lidar survey, or is it a ground-based point cloud (like a scan of a 3D object)? For terrain elevations, in Civil 3D if you go to Create Ground Data, Create Point Cloud, LAS is one of the many options available to pick from. For point clouds of solid objects (like a scan of a bridge), they'll want to use this tool: apps.exchange.autodesk.com/ACD/en/Detail/Index?id=appstore.exchange.autodesk.com%3apointcloudfeatureextraction%3aen You can convert LAS to multipoint in GIS and from there to a text file, but better to just use LAS in Civil 3D. They can also create surfaces from shapefiles or survey files/contours on your SDE server. Civil 3D is very GIS data friendly. It sounds like these are folks who are used to the older AutoCAD that doesn't support all this functionality. ... View more

I've used this Python script before to do a similar task: http://arcscripts.esri.com/details.asp?dbid=15756 You can also use the construct cross-section tool on the HEC GeoRAS toolbar (but if you are not actually making cross sections for a hydraulic model, downloading that may be more trouble than it is worth). ... View more

You could use ModelBuilder with a Feature Class Iterator to do this task. Just add the Iterator, point it to your geodatabase, add the Project tool, fill in Project tool parameters. ... View more