Latest Contributions by KenLucas

I tried the feature to point tool and couldn't get it to work, ie place a point in the center of the multipoint features.  I input 3 points in a feature class, "points",  and left the box in the tool unchecked. The tool created 3 points, but they are all just coincident with the original points; it did not set a point in the center of the 3 points, as I expected and need it to.   I hope someone can tell me what I'm doing wrong. I also tried it with the box checked.      However, encouraged by the Wayne and Tish's comments, I did some trial and error and would like to throw these procedures out to the community to comment on. I'd still, really, like to find out the way to use ArcGis to make a least squares or similar weighted average of a set of point. Procedure to adjust a traverse to remove error indicated by a tie in with a survey monument. Finding and changing a bad bearing or distance. ArcInfo license/COGO toolbar and list of traverse bearings (deg min seconds or dec degrees format) & distances required. Create a line feature [the cogo tool req a line feature to create a traverse] �?? start editing the line feature �?? editor options �?? set to north azimuth & dec degrees �?? activate the COGO traverse tool - set the start point �?? enter all of the traverse shots, ending at the tie to the survey monument �?? right click on a traverse entry, in the traverse window, that you believe has an inaccurate bearing or distance �?? properties �?? change the bearing or distance [ this will adjust the whole traverse] �?? evaluate how much closer the end of the traverse is to the tied survey monument �?? repeat with other traverse shots until you�??ve eliminated as much error as possible and the end of the traverse is as close to the survey monument as poss. When it�??s close enough to the survery monument finish the traverse.  Procedure to adjust a series of side shots to a corrected traverse.   These are side shots made off of the original traverse, as adjusted above. Set a point at the end of the adjusted traverse, the point nearest the survey monument �?? create a feature class of all of the side shot points you think need to shift �?? start editing the feature class �?? set snapping to vertex - Select all of the side shot points �?? use the editor tool to drag the side shot points onto the traverse point Ken N ... View more

Phil,   I appreciate your thoughts on this and agree with your point about the risk of globally shifting all of the points; some could likely move further away from their true location. In this case, the 4 of our points that were taken over survery monuments show us that the error, of the 4,  is consistently 10' northeast of the 4 matching survey monuments. This could be interpreted as the error happended ue to a single surveying mistake.  Where, we don't know. We could simply shift all of the points 10' to the northeast, using the edit selection tool. However, I'd like to take advantage of the apparent consistentcy(less statistical variability) in this case, to shift all of the points mathematically or systematically, using least squares or some other averaging option. I'm hoping the gis community will comment on some of the ways we could shift these points and what other ESRI applications or geoprocessing tools their preferred method would require.  I believe that survey analyst could handle this challenge. However, for those of us who can't afford to purchase Survey A are there other,"poor mans", options for globablly shifting points. Ken ... View more

Juan,   Thanks so much for providing the links and screen capture. I read the gis help on the links and now understand that the legend property columns just breaks up an specific legend item intom multiple columns; it does not lay all of the legend items out horizonatlly, like I need to. However, your help gave me an idea: I could make insert a bunch of legends into my mxd, each with just 2-3 items, I could arrange these legends together, stacked, on top of a white graphic background, and delete the word legend from all but one.  Thus, I can quickly create a "horizontal" legend. Check out the attached screen capture. I appreciate you inspiring me to come up with a work around, Ken ... View more

Arek,   It took another full hour of trial and error, after recieving your last thread, but I fianally got your sample code to work. It turns out that the script has to be saved to, and run, from a diff folder; I've always ran script from the same folder. Even with researching the the arcgis help I would not have been able to Addlayer to multiple mxds without your kindness and patience helping me. Thanks so much. Ken ... View more

Arek,    Thanks so much for trying to help me.    I modified your code to insert the paths and change the names.  How should I correct this code to get the script to work.  After a lot of trial and error I still get an "Invalid MXD filename" error import arcpy add_layer = arcpy.mapping.Layer('C:\Temp2\Dams.lyr') mxds_path = ('c:\Temp2') mxds = ('T1.mxd', 'T2.mxd') for mxd_name in mxds:   mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument(mxds_path + mxd_name)   df = arcpy.mapping.ListDataFrames(mxd, "Layers1")[0]   arcpy.mapping.AddLayer(df, addLayer, "TOP")   mxd.save() Ken ... View more

Nathan,   Thank you so much for the help; it worked! It still required a half hour of trial and error to make your code chunk work.  I couldn't find the "Make Feature Tool" you suggested. I created a lyr file, using the "Save as Layer file" feature.  The script would not run until I specified a DIFF folder pathway  in the SaveACopy line. A diff folder than the one holding the original mxd. So one folder must contain the original mxd and the script code and another folder must be specified to hold the output mxd. Plus, I don't the command works if the layer file is named the same as a feature class in the mxd; must be attempting to add a diff named lyr file. I really appreciate the prompt help; I really struggled with this. Ken ... View more

I've since determined that adding a north arrow corrupts the mxd, ruining the formating of the embedded tables. The formating gets ruined, even if a add the north arrow before I embed the tables. Adding a scale bar does not seem to ruin the formating. Ken ... View more

We tried everything, but that simple thing. It worked, Thanks ... View more