MIGRATING FROM ARCINFO WORKSTATION TO ARCGIS By Vic Dohar, Natural Resources Canada Digital Mapping Techniques ‘04

Scope  Managing datasets in a map production environment  No intention to create a data model or replicate NADM  Geodatabase used for map production  Snapshot of current migration strategies from workstation to ArcGIS (work in progress)

Current Map Production at GSC  A-series and Open File geology maps since 1994, 50 to 70 maps per year  Data is managed in the coverage model using ArcInfo Workstation 8.3  GEMS application  Digital data adheres to Cartographic Digital Standards (CDS)  Stored/archived in ArcSDE (not in a geodatabase)

Migrating to ArcGIS  Change in ESRI technology forces us to change  Geodatabases provide domains and custom topology, used to validate features  ArcGIS is not restricted to coverages model, various formats from various sources  ArcGIS provides connections to databases  Open development for customizing ArcMap  Tiered license: ArcView, ArcEditor, ArcInfo

Migration Goals  Develop a geodatabase schema for managing spatial geology data  Make use of domains for standardizing feature names and validating features  Produce similar maps with ArcMap as with workstation, faster and more efficiently

Migration Strategy  Three stages (ArcGIS Help): 1.Use existing data with ArcMap 2.Data management and editing using the geodatabase 3.Convert to geo-processing tools, ArcGIS 9.0  Decided to bundle stages 1 and 2, due to available resources, training, and managing a production environment

What is a Geodatabase?  ArcGIS Help  ESRI press Publications: Modeling Our World  Resources available from Download sample geodatabases

Geodatabase Case Studies

Designing a Geodatabase  Several different methods 1) ArcCatalog menus and wizards 2) CASE tools using Visio (UML) 3) Geodatabase Designer (XML)  Experimented with importing existing coverages into a personal geodatabase.  Organizing data into manageable features

Geodatabase Designer  Export schema to XML. Edit, modify using an XML editor  XML schema can be imported or distributed  Integrated with ArcCatalog  Free!

Geodatabase for Map Production  Separate geodatabase schemas for bedrock geology data, surficial geology data and cartographic elements  Store datasets, simple features and tables  Domains and topology used to validate features  Sub-types used with domains to group/categorize simple features  Use relationship classes to define relates

Surficial Units Feature Class  Single field used to differentiate geology polygon units

Surficial Geodatabase  Map with compound units and veneers

Surficial Unit Composition Table

Surficial Legend Table

Surficial Unit Composition Table

Complex IDs Table  Description of relationship involving complex units for all surficial maps

Surficial Geodatabase  Labeling polygons using a table

Surficial Unit Label Table

How it all fits together! MAPUNIT VENEERPRIMARY_UNITSECONDARY_UNITCOMPLEX_ID MAPUNITMAPLABEL LEGUNITDESCRIPTION COMPLEX_IDDESCRIPTION Feature classUnit labels table Unit composition table Legend table Complex ID table 1 * 1 11 **** *

How it all fits together!  Expressed in relationship classes

How it all fits together!  Shown when performing a query or identify

Surficial Geology Topology  Topology can only exist for participating features within a dataset  Implementing two simple rules: 1.Surficial units polygons must not overlap 2.Contacts must overlap boundary of surficial units

Geomorphology Line, Point and Area Features  Remaining surficial features are classified into point, line and area simple feature classes  Each of the feature classes contains a sub- type field used to classify or categorize the features  Features are assigned a coded value from a domain that pertains to the sub-type to which it belongs

Coded Value Domain  Domains are properties of the geodatabase

Sub-Type Field  Sub-types are properties of the feature class

Geomorphology Line Feature Class Coded value from domain Sub-type

Making Maps with ArcMap

Style Files and Symbols  Symbolsets from Workstation that utilize custom fonts (IGL, TrueType) do not import into style files  All line, marker, and pattern symbols require to be created from scratch  Thus far have converted all shade colours, and most line and marker symbols  Created true type font of point symbols

 Insert Word, CorelDraw, other files as objects  Custom application for generating title block, and recommended citation, and other surround information  Design specifications and content are XML based  Uses metadata that user enters in forms  Ensures consistent high quality map product, facilitates map production Map Surround Generation

Legend Generation  Current legend generation using ArcInfo workstation is accomplished using a text file and an AML  Proposing to store legend information in an XML file Contain units, minerals, lithology, and symbols Contain description as well as hierarchical levels  Currently developing a XML schema to store this information

Legend Generation  Design interface to populate XML file  VBA script to render legend in ArcMap using native graphics (boxes, lines, text, etc … )  XML file is portable and can be used for other applications

Connections to Databases  Connect to geochronology database to display point data Script to generate graphic Not required to store age data  Minerals database Use of table for labeling point data  Field observations database, others ??? GSC lab #Elevation AgeMaterial x Mn

Remaining Issues and Goals  The verdict is not in on a final geodatabase schema  Better labeling of features to avoid managing/editing annotation (Maplex)  Implement in map production  Next year have all pieces/connections in place (GDR, SDE geodatabase, NADM)

Acknowledgements Parm Dhesi, GIS Specialist & Symbols Roger MacLeod, GIS Specialist & Symbols Norah Brown, ArcObjects & XML Dave Everett, GIS Specialist Sheila Hynes, GIS Specialist Barb Szlavko, ArcSDE/Oracle Admin Terry Houlahan, ArcSDE/Oracle Admin

Vic Dohar Cartographic Applications Specialist Publishing Services Subdivision ESS Info Division Earth Sciences Sector Natural Resources Canada 601 Booth Street Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0E8 telephone: fax: web: Contact me at …