Advice on using ArcGIS API for JavaScript or ArcGIS Extension for Google Maps API

[JessicaRichardson]

Hello,

I'm working on a project with the desired end result of an interactive web map that can query my data and map out the results.  My data is simply point locations of animal sightings with attributes, including lat/long in decimal degrees.  I have the data in many formats (MS Access database, shapefile, MS Excel spreadsheet, etc.) and can easily transform it into other formats as necessary.  Right now I'm getting bogged down in which technology would be most efficient and work best to get the desired end result.  I want to have a simple Google Maps satellite basemap (or something similar) and a panel or option to select a species and a time range of points to map out.

I realize this may be an exceedingly simple question/task, but instead of continuing to run around in circles I raise my question to the experts.

Any advice/guidance would be much appreciated!!


Thanks 🙂

[derekswingley1]

How much data do you have? How many features?

You should take a look at loading your data into ArcGIS Online and using webmaps to display your data. Once your data is in ArcGIS Online, you have easy access to all the basemaps hosted on arcgis.com as well as bing roads and satellite basemaps.

ArcGIS Online also has a number of application templates that you can use to get started.

Here are some help topics that would probably be helpful:
http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisonline/help/#/Adding_features_from_a_file/010q00000060000000/
http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisonline/help/#/Developing_with_web_maps/010q00000064000000/
http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisonline/help/#/Publishing_hosted_feature_services/010q0000006m000000/
http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisonline/help/010q/010q0000002m000000.htm

[JessicaRichardson]

I have ~1000 points.  Thanks for your suggestion, I'll definitely try it and see if it works out for me!

[derekswingley1]

I have ~1000 points.  Thanks for your suggestion, I'll definitely try it and see if it works out for me!

Good stuff, ArcGIS.com would be a good solution.

[JessicaRichardson]

Using the ArcGIS.com will also allow me to have a user decide what species/time range to show (i.e. query the data and have those results mapped)?

[derekswingley1]

Using the ArcGIS.com will also allow me to have a user decide what species/time range to show (i.e. query the data and have those results mapped)?

You need a time-enabled map service for that:  http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisonline/help/index.html#//010q0000004p000000

The alternative is to write a little more code (not that much more, but it is more effort than using an arcgis.com template) and use the JS API's time slider:  http://help.arcgis.com/en/webapi/javascript/arcgis/help/jsapi/timeslider.htm

[JessicaRichardson]

Thank you so much!  I don't mind a little scripting, I just figured it would be more efficient to pose my question here than to continue digging through the references of code figuring out which to use.

[JeffPace]

Thank you so much!  I don't mind a little scripting, I just figured it would be more efficient to pose my question here than to continue digging through the references of code figuring out which to use.

Those days are over.  The community IS the reference, and these forums are a great one.

[JessicaRichardson]

Hi again,

Using the JS API, what is the best a way to include a simple query with a list to select from based on the values one attribute of my shapefile?  It could be a simple drop-down list or even check-boxes with the different values so that only when a value is chosen it displays. 

Basically, I have points of species sightings over time and I want a user to be able to select a species (or even multiple species) and a range of time and have those points display.

[BetsySchenck-Gardner]

I would suggest using QueryTask to query your layer and return exactly what you want to the map.  QueryTask allows you to use a where clause to limit your searches. Here's a small snippet to help you set up your query:

queryTask = new esri.tasks.QueryTask(<your layer>);
query = new esri.tasks.Query();
query.returnGeometry = true;
query.outFields = ["*"];
query.where = "datecollec >= '01/12/2001' AND datecollec <= '12/31/2001'";
queryTaks.execute(query,showResults)

The attribute datecollec is in my layer so I can query it via a date.  You can look at this website ( http://www.ncddc.noaa.gov/website/AGSViewers/PMN/maps.htm ) and see how I did something similar to what you are trying to do.  The red dots are where the parameters have been met and the black x are all the different locations where information has been collected.

PS The website is best viewed in Firefox ... it has issues with IE ... go figure.