Latest Contributions by GregoryElwood

I recently used the Clip to Shape function for a Data Frame in 10.1: http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/index.html#//00s90000000q000000 The caveat here is that using this blocked my ability to display labels. I poked around with this problem a bit, but wasn't able to figure it out. If anyone knows the trick to getting labels to display when clipping a Data Frame to a shape, please share. Thanks! Gregory ... View more

Joshua, your response is a really good one. Although I have found that just because Illustrator files are not spatially referenced they are not "stagnant" by any means. Illustrator can open up an entire universe of color and other high-quality printing functions that simply do not exist in the limited sphere of ArcGIS. Also, I have created original artwork in both Illustrator and Photoshop, exported it as a .tif file and then massaged it to a geotiff for use in ArcMap. I say massaged because it seems there are multiple ways to do this and I'm still figuring out what I like and which seems to work the best. With regards to the flak about spending three hours on a map, please refer these philistines to http://imusgeographics.com/ and the many articles about how much time and effort went in to his work. I find that taking the hard cardboard core from an empty roll on the plotter and standing quietly by those who doubt you while they read about David Imus, holding one end of the core in one hand and gently tapping the other end in your opposite palm, works quite well when trying to get the point across that quality maps take time to create. G ... View more

If the license is one that allows you to edit a shapefile try using the Trace Tool to create a line around all or part of a polygon. Then symbolize the line to make it stand out. Co-incident lines (borders) can be a pain, but playing around with symbology and transparency can be helpful. -G ... View more

Oh...and changing polygons to lines is often a huge help. My rant got away from me... -G ... View more

I think I understand what you're asking about. I have a few techniques that I use to try and get map data to appear a certain way, but there are some caveats. I often end up using my elements multiple times in the Table of Contents. Chopped up in to little pieces, definition queried to death and every little bit symbolized differently. That's just for starters. After that we delve in to the universe of Cartographic Representations, where creativity runs free...free, like, in a Salvador Dali painting. After a few days, my Representations have no actual, technical relationship with their underlying geometry because I have scaled, moved, changed colors, re-symbolized and otherwise bastardized the appearance of everything. Then the Boss walks in and asks for the value of the one edge of something that's not even a polygon to be highlighted for the meeting starting in 30 minutes. That's when I just give up and make a line using the Draw Menu. Happy Holidays! Gregory ... View more

I highly recommend: http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Elements_of_Color.html?id=ofvRhNBgoCoC A serious investment in one's ability to work with color might include this: http://www.pantone.com/pages/pantone/pantone.aspx?pg=20819&ca=31 Other resource material may be found here: http://www.textbooks.com/Catalog/HAA/Color-Theory.php Enjoy! Gregory ... View more

From what I've read, and experienced in the field, GPS signals can be blocked by both physical objects (buildings, hilltops, really dense canopy) and certain types of magnetic fields (think transformers on a telephone pole). This may cause the receiver to place points that appear to "jump" or otherwise not be where they're supposed to be. I've had this happen while collecting GPS data both in a vehicle and on foot. Usually, there are not that many, and I just edit them out using Sketch Properties to select the points I don't want (shift-click in the list to select a range of points). If the track or collection of points is much larger, and significant numbers of errors are recorded, I have been known to go back outside and recollect the GPS data. Even doing that, there are still little "blips" or "goofs" that may require manual cleanup in an edit session. This is for your garden-variety, consumer Garmin or Magellan type GPS receivers. If you have target areas that require more reliable acquisition of GPS data, you may wish to look in to the more capable (and expensive) Trimble or Leica, or other, brands of GPS equipment. Some have software where you can set a sensitivity or tolerance level that helps keep the wayward points down to a minimum. Also, there may be post-processing software that can further reduce the amount of unwanted points. Maybe. I've also had to resort to guesstimating a portion of a GPS track by editing it while referencing an aerial photo. Some spots, deep canyons, downtown in a big city, way down inside a heavily vegetated drainage, simply won't get an acceptable GPS signal no matter who's hardware your using. Some times one simply has to draw in the blank spots, as much of a pain as that may be. Hopefully, some of this is helpful. Gregory ... View more

We did install SP4 and the Spatial Join patch. Did I miss a patch for Maplex or labelling? Other considerations for all the ESRI software people who are reading this thread and not posting a reply: The machine is a Dell Precision 690 The processor is the Intel(R) Xeon(TM) CPU 3.20GHz The processor speed is 3.12 GHz The RAM is 4096 MB The OS is Windows XP Professional, version 5.1.2600 Yeah, yeah, I know, we're not on Windows 7 yet on this workstation. Times are tough all over, so one upgrade at a time. This still does not excuse ESRI for releasing V10 with a problem like this in it. Gregory ... View more

Just loaded up version 10 this morning and I'm trying to create an annotation feature class from Maplex Label Engine generated labels. Getting a "General function error" prompt. Is that the same error as the one mentioned in this thread? Was this ever fixed? Do I really have to tell my boss that the new, pricey software upgrade doesn't work? Some help here would be appropriate. Gregory ... View more

Sorry it has taken me so long to reply...got my nose smacked by a map problem here at work and completely forgot about color for a while (them things hurt when they're rolled up real tight!). I have found that starting out with Pantone CMYK numbers entered in your ArcMap document is as good a place to start as any. The problem is not necessarily with ArcMap, although there are times when it appears that the software is doing things with the CMYK numbers that might not make sense. However, if one starts with pure Cyan, Magenta, Yellow or Black (K) one can sometimes get a feel for how the output might look given the individual software-monitor-printer pipeline. In your case, since you're working with an out-of-house printer (that's how I have interpreted your description of your output), the test swatches may be even more important, and perhaps worthwhile to pursue. I know that's not always easy, as the boss doesn't want to pay for anything that's not a final and some printers don't want to expend the ink on "samples". One trick to try to get around this is to use several of the print world's production symbols in the margin of your map. Common ones are registration, crop and bleed marks, as well as little swatches of pure CMYK along the bottom edge or tucked away in a corner. Ever pull apart a cereal box? You'll see what I mean. By including CMYK swatches as part of the final design placed where they migh be cropped out or covered by a frame you can effectively embed your color quality control in every image file that is being printed for you by your vendor. One other technique may be based on the quantity of image files you are bringing to your printer. Doing more than one? Dozens? Hundreds? Lean on your printer to work with you and cough up some color QC swatches. Most of the commercial printing vendors I've worked with, especialily the independents, take great pride in the quality and consistency of their work and are willing to accomodate you, the valued client, with a simple request. Tell them color is your life, that you bleed Pantone DS 102-1 C, that you'll bring them every map you'll ever need printed. I hope some of this makes sense. After all, don't all GIS people rip their Cheerios boxes to shreds? I can't be the only one... Gregory ... View more

This one made me laugh out loud. I have post-it notes on my cubicle with the corporate logo colours in my modified HSV to match the POS HP colour laser we have. It is, unfortunately, the only way that I have found that works with any consistency. If you have enough post-it notes with big, black markings on some of them one can make a huge smiley face on the cubicle wall ! !  😉 G ... View more

There is an entire universe of knowledge about translating colors from display devices (monitors) to static media (paper, film, etc.). After going the distance with ESRI, Adobe, Pantone and Hewlett-Packard on this subject - for years - here is what I do these days: 1. Take the time and effort to set up your monitor or other display device correctly. It's amazing how often people will crank the brightness all the way up on their monitor because the work in an office with an over-abundance of flourescent lights. Some display devices will actually change their color characteristics over time, so lobby the boss to get rid of the flat-screen CRT he paid so much for ten years ago and get something newer. 2. Make a few test images for yourself, like swatches of pure CMYK and RGB values. Or if you need specific colors, like USGS Topo colors, print out some swatches of those as well. 3. Take the time to get to know your output devices, your printers, plotters, etc. Read up on inks, drivers, paper stock, the works. Become familiar with the vocabulary of the print world. This helps a boatload when going to outside vendors for oversize wall maps and such. 4. If possible, get a hold of a Pantone Process Guide. And yes, it can be helpful to have both the Coated and Uncoated versions. Become familiar with the Pantone Matching System, and how CMYK numbers work together. The Process Guides do fade a bit over time, so keep them in a drawer, away from windows and sunlight. 5. Forget about ever matching CMYK numbers from an ESRI map document on your computer monitor to Pantone CMYK print colors. You'll go crazy. 6. Embark upon a life-long campaign of writing down your own color numbers that give you the colors you want from YOUR monitors to YOUR printers/plotters. Compare them to the Pantone Process Guides, and make lists or tables of what values you enter in ArcMap will actually give you what matches to Pantone, or your company/agency logo, or whatever color standards your being compelled to match to. 7. Relax and enjoy. Color can be a lot of fun. It doesn't have to be the stressful voodoo that it seems to be at first. Although, I've heard that swinging that dead chicken around your head does relieve stress in the cubicle, even if it doesn't get your colors to match. Have fun with it all. Make up creative and possibly sarcastic names for all your custom colors based on food groups or local geographic features. Don't get caught by your boss naming colors after him, and don't even think about blaming me if you do. Gregory ... View more

"...I leave the technical stuff on SDE to the DBAs." I must be extra thick this morning...I can't figure out what "DBAs" means. Doing Business As...??? Dead Broke Artists??? Darn Building-block Arrangers??? Of course, it'll be something completely simple, and I'll look (and feel) like a idiot. Happy Halloween everybody! Gregory ... View more

Sorry to have to say this, but you may wish to make a copy of the data and hand edit the Class 6 towns to acheive a dispersal pattern that looks good. Automatic geoprocessing and labelling functions are good, and can save one a great deal of time, but nothing beats the human eye for artistic design. Gregory ... View more