ArcExplorer (build 900) - GIS for Everyone finally...

ArcExplorer (build 900) - GIS for Everyone finally... who has a pc'

There has been quite a wait for this version of ArcExplorer from ESRI. Though finally a product that can be used by all users.
Think along lines of Microsoft Office now has a geo-spatial browser.


GIS for Everyone finally...

What is new and why it is finally a useful product?

• New User Interface (very Microsoft Office ribbon like)
• 
  
• GIS analysis (such as visibility, direction finding, and proximity search)
• GeoRSS feeds import
  
• New basemap galley for easy access to different base maps
• 2D/3D modes now caters for the 2D map perspective.
• Improved KML support and support for layer packages (.lyr support & the .lpk introduced at ArcGIS 9.3.1)
• GPX data import
• JPEG 2000, GeoTIFF, MrSID import
  
• New presentation mode - useful for presentations.
• Bing Maps *free to ArcGIS Desktop users - Though visit Bing Maps to view for free.
• Localisation - dependant on your language
• Projections - Expansion package required.

Other notes:
ArcGIS Explorer SDK (direct link to .exe file) - 24.5mb
"For developing custom add-ins which extend the capabilities of ArcGIS Explorer. Requires Visual Studio .NET. Note: The SDK must be installed after installing ArcGIS Explorer. For more information read the ArcGIS Explorer SDK Installation Guide"

Optional Expansion Packs:
(direct links to .exe files)

Data Access Expansion Pack (9.9mb)
Expands geodatabase functionality by allowing direct connections to multi-user geodatabases

Fonts Expansion Pack (2.7mb)
Adds more ESRI fonts for use with ArcGIS Explorer. ESRI fonts are used when displaying ArcGIS Layer files and Layer packages.

Projection Engine Expansion Pack(15.2mb)
Adds more projections and geotransformations for use with ArcGIS Explorer

Source:
http://blogs.esri.com/Info/blogs/arcgisexplorerblog/archive/2009/08/13/what-s-new-in-arcgis-explorer.aspx

Official Page:
http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/explorer/index.html

What's New Guide (with video)
http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/explorer/whats_new.html

Demos:
http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/explorer/demos.html

System Requirements
http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/explorer/system_requirements.html

Download Page:
http://resources.esri.com/arcgisexplorer/900/index.cfm?fa=home
(the main program is 78.4mb)

@Mapperz

OpenJump GIS

OpenJump GIS [Free Java based GIS]

update 21/04/2009

OpenJump 1.3 (more GIS analysis, faster, better)

http://www.openjump.org/wiki/show/New+OpenJUMP+Release
source: SlashGeo

There are more and more Open Source Projects coming along though which is the better of the bunch?
Not saying this is the 'best' though users are different to the developers.
OpenJump GIS is one of the better all round 'Free GIS' programs because:

1. It supports common GIS formats (.shp, .tif, .gml etc).
2. You can EDIT the data - lots are free but this one you can fully edit the data.
3. You can do some GIS Analysis!
   

Buffering for Free, OpenJump does do plenty of spatial analysis.

Spatial Analysis built-in (no plugins required!)

• Intersect, Buffer, Union, Symmetrical Differences, Centroid
  
• Generalisation
• Polygonise (converts lines to polygons)
• Join attributes by spatial location
• Thiessen Polygon Creation
• Attribution Queries

Additonal 'Plug-ins' can be loaded - though it's best the download them separately and unzip them on you computer the folder.


More Geometry Functions: Line Merge

More information on Open Jump

http://openjump.org/wiki/show/OpenJUMP


Future Suggestions? - More of the same, this is great for students and non-commercial, non profit organisations with limited budgets.
Maybe a Print View/Layout function if need to print
Support for (.osm and .gpx for OpenStreetMap) would be very helpful to many 'map makers'

OpenJump can also export to common formats (.gml, .wkt, .shp and postgis tables)

via SlashGeo
We mentioned other open source GIS software such as Quantum GIS, GRASS GIS, uDig and gvSIG amongst others.

Spatial Join (Analysis) Returns to ArcGIS

Spatial Join returns to ArcGIS 9.2, This function has been missing since ArcView 3.x, which is a much needed function in the GIS field.

This geoprocessing function is found in Analysis Tools>Overlay>Spatial Join

Please note this function is not Spatial Join by attributes as in previous versions of ArcGIS nor the Join on the tables.

This Spatial Join (Analysis) is by the features location.
"Creates a table join in which fields from one layer's attribute table are appended to another layer's attribute table based on the relative locations of the features in the two layers."

There is are three very powerful new functions also available in this example.

• Spatial Join (Analysis) is available in the Model Builder
• Spatial Join (Analysis) works with the new batch mode
• Iterations can be applied to the analysis if required.

This quick example is setting up the Spatial Join selecting the Rivers that fall with different countries and assigning the river with a country name using intersect
.
Data is from the ESRI DVD World Data that was shipped with ArcGIS 9.2


The spatial join using one to many on intersect features



Using the Model Builder to create this process (yes there are new funky shapes in model builder)



Model of Spatial Join but with 3 Iterations using values in the search radius (10, 20, 30 kilometres are examples)

The batch can be created by right clicking the saved model and selecting batch.
More info on batch set ups here

Google Maps and Topology

Quick update:
clickable circle with topology
creating your own circle on the fly with the inside/outside topology result.

Google Maps and Topology

Mapperz stumbled across this on the Mike Williams Website

Though he might or might not realise that this is simple Topology in effect.


Link to live page

What is Topology?

In GIS Terms it is "a spatial relationship between features" a set of rules that control features and errors between feature classes.

There can be many terms of this topology. A very simple example is a Point Feature has to be either Inside(1) or Outside (0) a Polygon Feature(s).


Image from Richie Carmichael (ESRI Prototype Labs)

To view this in Action modified slightly from Mikes code.

Why the fuss?
Using this type of analysis in google maps api can be applied and bringing the google mapping api into a very simple GIS.

In this Markers (or Icons) can be selected and stored as a collection of arrays.

This could be 'select ice cream vans (points) with the county of somerset (polygon) only.'
or
'select available houses to rent in the Royal Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames'


Geographic Information System (GIS). An organized collection of computer hardware, software, geographic data, and personnel designed to efficiently capture, store, update, manipulate, analyze, and display all forms of geographically referenced information.
www.fws.gov/data/IMADS/glossary.htm

Topology can be very powerful and very complex - this post only caters in the most primitive format of Topology.