Arc Toolbox
Arc Toolbox
Arc Toolbox
UTD-Briggs
1/16/2008
Geoprocessing is simply the modification and analysis of spatial (geographic) data. ArcToolbox contains a set
of tools to accomplish this processing. Modelbuilder is a graphical interface which allows you to organize
multi-step processing and keep track of what you have done. See Geoprocessing in ArcGIS on P:\ drive for
documentation. For 9.2 updates, see Whats_New_In Arctoolbox.pdf
1. ArcToolbox, Geoprocessing, ModelBuilder Overview
Greatly enhanced in ArcGIS 9---its the big change over 8.x
Dockable window in ArcCatalog or ArcMap, rather than a separate module
Has command line interface available for traditionalists and/or power users
Tools supports all data types (coverages, shapefiles, gdb, raster) rather than primarily coverages
Greatly expanded set of geoprocessing tools
o Available for all the analyses in original, command line ArInfo 7, plus more
Supports multi- step workflow via Modelbuilder and/or scripting
2. Opening and Using ArcToolbox (pp 101-127 in Geoprocessing in ArcGIS available on p:drive as .pdf)
In ArcCatalog, ArcToolbox is available at the bottom of the Catalog tree (left pane)
--if its not there, on Main Menu, go to Tools>Options>General tab and put check by Toolboxes
This is the most assured place to look for tools:
--System Toolboxes: all ESRI tools, and nobody can customize (i.e. remove tools!) from here!
--My Toolboxes: all models & tools you create in any ArcMap or ArcCat application on this computer
Its often helpful also to open an ArcToolbox window (click ), which can be customized (see #5)
In ArcMap, use the Launch ArcToolbox button on the Main Toolbar to open ArcToolbox
--It opens as a window. Dock it where you wish. (Do this now)
--For Geoprocessing, its generally best to use ArcMap since you can display results as you proceed
--any customization (removing or adding toolboxes, etc..) are saved with the map document; they will
not show if you open a new map document, but will be listed in ArcCat under Personal Toolboxes
3. Toolbox organization and creation
Toolboxes simply contain Toolsets (nothing more than optional
subfolders for organization), which hold individual tools
Toolboxes
Toolsets
Tools
Toolboxes can also store:
Models (created through Modelbuilder)
Scripts (written in Python, Jscript or VBScipt)
Click the + box to see further toolsets and tools.
When you right click in ArcCatalog and select a process (eg. to
Define a projection) you are, in fact, running a tool which is also
accessible via ArcToolbox.
4. Tool Availability
Tools available for you to actually use depend on:
--the level of your ArcGIS license (ArcView, ArcEditor, ArcInfo)
--the extensions that you have licensed (3D Analyst, etc.)
--whether ArcInfo Workstation is loaded (adds Coverage Toolbox)
If you get the message license does not authorize you to use this
tool, try the following
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--some parameters are required, such as the name of the input data set
--some parameters are optional and usually have a default set, which you can change if desired
--use Help for information on selecting the parameters
--right click personal toolbox and select New>Model, which opens the Modelbuilder window
--Go to Model>Model Properties, and in the tag of General, as desired:
Name the model: e.g. ModelEx2
Label the model with a longer, more descriptive label
(Keep it short since this is used in directory treesI usually duplicate the Name )
Description allows detailed documentation of what model does,
(if you will give this model to others to use, you may want to write a formal Help file
click the Help tab to do this)
Also, see 9.5 below for information on documentation which is generated automatically
--its quite extensive.
Place check in Store relative path names if you intend to distribute this model to other users.
--all pathnames will then have their root in the folder containing this Model
(do not do this now)
Click OK
--Use Model>Diagram Properties to customize how the model window is displayed on the screen
--this can be useful when you want to print the model in final form after development
-Go to Model>Save to save the model
It should now be listed at the top of Arctoolbox window (if open) in #1-your_initials toolbox,
and also in left pane of ArcCatalog under My Toolboxes/#1-your_initials
9.1 Opening an existing model
--right click on the model (indicated by
icon) and select Edit (not Open!), for example:
System Toolboxes>Spatial Statistics Tools>Mapping Clusters>Hot Spot Analysis with Rendering
9.2 Building a graphic model (including Defining a Projection, Creating a gdb, and Importing data.)
We will build a model to replicate some of the steps we carried out one-at-a-time in ArcCatalog last week.
It may help to narrow the ArcCatalog window to show only the left-most panel, and place on left of screen.
Bring in spatial data (shapefile), and Define its projection:
--go to ArcToolbox>Data Mngmnt. Tools>Proj. & Trans.>Define Projection
--drag this to the Modelbuilder window,
--it will display in black & white skeleton form not ready to run
--double click the Define Projection process box (square) to open Dialog to set the parameters
--note that this is the same dialog that we used last week to run Define in ArcCatlog
--specify input dataset: c:\usr\avcat\daycare.shp
--click next to Coordinate system box (should say Unknown) and select projection as
NAD 83 North Central Texas FIPS 4202 (feet) zone, then click OK or Apply and close
Boxes should become solid colors (indicating ready to run)
Reposition boxes so that they run vertically down left side
Create personal GDB
--go to ArcToolbox>Data Mngmnt. Tools>Workspace>Create File GDB (or Personal GDB)
--drag this to the Modelbuilder window, to right of existing boxes
--double click the square process box and dialog box opensagain, same box as used last week
--navigate to output location folder in top box (or drag a folder from ArcCat tree into this box)
--type name of GDB in bottom box e.g. DFWnew, and click OK, or Apply then close dialog
--Everything solid color again--rearrange so boxes are vertical.
Create Feature Data Set
--go to ArcToolbox>Data Mngmnt. Tools>Workspace>Create Feature Data Set
--drag this to the Modelbuilder window, below green oval labeled DFWnew.mdb
--double click the process box and fill in the parameters as follows:
Output Location: click the down arrow and select DFWnew.mdb
(relevant names already in the model are listed for selection)
Output Feature Data Set: type in Plano
Click Edit button to select a Spatial Reference System (SRS)
--as we said last week, this is critically important since choice of SRS will determine
--coordinate system (projection) of data to be stored
--the geographic area for which data can be stored (the spatial extent)
--the accuracy with which locations can be recorded (the precision)
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--right-click on any empty section of the Modelbuilder Window and select Create Label
--double click the label and edit as desired
--move label to desired location
--the label stays in same position (approximately!) when you re-arrange model elements
--right-click on any element (box) in the ModelBuilder window and select Create Label
--double click the label and edit as desired (use ctrl-Enter for new line)
--move label to desired location relative to the box (above, below, side, etc.)
--note the grey line linking label to box as you move the label
--the label stays in same position relative to box when you move the box
To print the model diagram, sgo to Model>Print (p 322-326)
--Use Model>Diagram Properties to customize its appearance, if desired (see p. 304-315)
To view processing information for a single process:
--right-click on the process (square box) and select View Messages
--however, the formatting is much better if you view all, as below.
To view all the processing information, go to Model>Report (p 327-328)
--check the View report in a window button and click OK
--click the Expand/Collapse All link in the upper right
--full documentation on the model and its processing is displayed
--right click somewhere in this window for Print and other options
To export this processing information so that it can be used in other applications (e.g. a report)
--close the Report window (if its open), and again go to Model>Report
--check the Save Report to a File button, enter an appropriate file name, and click OK
--the file is saved as an .xml file
--you can open the file in any .xml complaint software (e.g. Internet Explorer)
9.6 Exporting the model as a Script (p. 333-334)
--go to Model>Export>To script and select the desired language
Python, Jscript, or VBScript
--you can then build more sophisticated processing control than available in the graphic window
--its also an excellent way to start learning how to write scripts
10. Setting Environment Settings (p. 177-219)
Basically, these are defaults that you can set and thus:
--avoid repeated information input or option selection
--ensure consistency in processing the data (multiple entry leads to errors!)
Environmental Settings apply to a tool (or a process, since a tool runs a process).
However, they can be set at three hierarchical levels:
-- the Application Level (apply to all Geoprocessing that you do)
--at the Model Level (apply to all processes run in a given model, and override Application settings)
--at the Process level (for a particular time that you run a process, and override Model settings)
Settings applied at lower levels (e.g. the Process level) override settings at higher level (e.g. Model level), so its
a good idea to set at the higher (e.g. application level) then override as needed when you do specific things.
Note: I have had trouble getting these to work correctly!!!
To establish settings at the Application Level:
On ArcCatalog Main menu, go to Tools>Options,
click Geoprocessing tab
click Environments button
--click on
to see and set the settings under any one category,
For example, select General Settings
In Current Workspace, navigate to C:\Documents and Settings\your_id\ My Documents
This will fill in this location as the base folder whenever a file reference is needed.
You could also set Output Coordinate System to State Plane TX North Central Zone.
--then all data sets created would default to this projection
--to do this, change Same as Input to As Specified Below (click down arrow)
--then select the projection system
To establish settings at the Model level (overriding the Application level):
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