Spatial Times

Unofficial thoughts on technology for the spatial world

ArcGIS Pro Layouts and Accessibility cover image
accessibility,  wcag,  aoda,  s508,  arcgis pro

ArcGIS Pro Layouts and Accessibility

Creating beautiful cartographic map layouts can be a difficult journey. Titles, fonts, and picking a north arrow that matches your design…

ArcGIS Pro 3.0 Released cover image
announcements,  arcgis pro

ArcGIS Pro 3.0 Released

Initially scheduled for release in June, Esri was able to release ArcGIS Pro 3.0 with a few days to spare. With the Esri User Conference…

Using JavaScript's Geolocation API cover image
javascript

Using JavaScript's Geolocation API

The location of people and devices is handy if you want to display local weather, show a map, get directions, or even tweak advertisements…

ArcGIS and Log4j Vulnerabilities cover image
javascript

ArcGIS and Log4j Vulnerabilities

The investigation continues into the Log4j vulnerability (AKA Log4Shell) as CVE-2021-44228 was disclosed on December 9, 2021, and related…

ArcGIS Pro Favorites and Folders cover image
arcgis pro,  esri

ArcGIS Pro Favorites and Folders

ArcGIS Pro has been able to store favorites since the 2.x releases. How this is managed in Pro has changed slightly over the years. Well, I…

2021 AODA WCAG Content Compliance in Ontario cover image
accessibility,  wcag,  aoda,  s508

2021 AODA WCAG Content Compliance in Ontario

Public web content in Ontario must meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 AA as of January 1, 2021. This shouldn’t be a shock…

ArcMap to Retire cover image
fyi

ArcMap to Retire

After 2 decades, ArcMap is set to retire. Sure there are still six more years of support, but ArcGIS 10.8.1 is the final release for good…

JavaScript map libraries with WMS Radar data cover image
javascript

JavaScript map libraries with WMS Radar data

In a recent post, we discussed the Canadian Government’s open platform to share Meteorological data, MSC GeoMet. MSC GeoMet provides public…

ArcGIS JavaScript API Key Please cover image
fyi,  javascript

ArcGIS JavaScript API Key Please

It’s not just technology and underwear that change frequently, software requirements and Terms of Service (TOS) can change quickly too. Even…

Canadian Radar Online Access cover image
fyi,  javascript,  weather

Canadian Radar Online Access

When browsing the Canadian weather website the other day I was surprised to read the bold notice “New Weather Radar Map”. I then scrolled…

Append using ArcPy cursors cover image
python,  arcpy,  arcgis desktop

Append using ArcPy cursors

If we are using Python with ArcGIS, there are existing tools to append data. However, calling a Geoprocessing tool from Python doesn’t feel…

Using multiple versions of Python with ArcGIS cover image
python,  arcpy,  arcgis desktop

Using multiple versions of Python with ArcGIS

As Python continues its dominance as the defacto scripting language for GIS software, we hit a point when one Python environment isn’t…

ArcGIS Server Print Service Produces a Pixelated Legend cover image
arcgis server,  developer

ArcGIS Server Print Service Produces a Pixelated Legend

Custom print services allow us to create unique layouts with custom elements such as dynamic legends, scales and automated text labels…

Touch GIS Provides Free Access with GeoInt cover image
fyi,  news,  touch-gis

Touch GIS Provides Free Access with GeoInt

Touch GIS is one of the latest mobile data collection apps to be launched for the field workforce. It has many of the professional field…

Python Script to Overwrite Existing Service in ArcGIS Server cover image
python,  arcpy,  arcgis enterprise,  arcgis server

Python Script to Overwrite Existing Service in ArcGIS Server

ArcGIS Desktop’s ArcPy package gives us the ability to publish a map service from a map document (MXD) inside Python. This can be very…

Parallel Processing in ArcGIS cover image
analysis,  arcgis desktop,  arcgis pro

Parallel Processing in ArcGIS

We’ve all been there - Staring at the progress bar, wondering why task manager continues to say our 32-cores are sitting nearly idle while…

Create a JavaScript Weather App with Location Data Part 2 cover image
javascript,  weather

Create a JavaScript Weather App with Location Data Part 2

In part 1 we went over the main components to create a JavaScript weather app with location data. From finding the device location, getting…

Create a JavaScript Weather App with Location Data Part 1 cover image
javascript,  weather

Create a JavaScript Weather App with Location Data Part 1

In the previous post, we discussed the possibility of writing our own location-based weather application. So let’s try it! In part 1 we will…

Weather apps and location data in the news cover image
fyi,  weather

Weather apps and location data in the news

For some reason, my news feeds have recently been filled with articles about Weather Apps and how many of them are selling our location data…

Upgrading Spatial Times cover image
fyi

Upgrading Spatial Times

Spatial Times is getting an upgrade. OK, more of a rebuild from scratch. After 5 years, it was time to update the interface and clean-up…

ArcGIS Online User Levels are Changing cover image
fyi,  arcgis collector,  arcgis enterprise,  arcgis online

ArcGIS Online User Levels are Changing

A major change to ArcGIS Online User Levels are coming December 4th, 2018. This is a welcome change to the current “Level 1” and “Level…

Use ArcPy to Connect to SDE and Versions cover image
python,  developer,  arcsde

Use ArcPy to Connect to SDE and Versions

This post will discuss how to use ArcPy to Connect to SDE, create a new version, and switch to that version all inside a Python script. At…

Collector for ArcGIS Updated v18.0.1 cover image
fyi,  arcgis collector

Collector for ArcGIS Updated v18.0.1

Collector for ArcGIS v18.0.1 is now released for all supported platforms. For iOS users, this includes the use of Leica’s Zeno GG04 plus…

SXBlue Platinum, In the Field cover image
gnss,  arcgis collector,  sxblue

SXBlue Platinum, In the Field

It was finally time to get bundled up and test the SXBlue Platinum in nature. Not only to test the functionality, but with the recent -20c…

SXBlue Platinum, an Introduction cover image
gnss,  sxblue

SXBlue Platinum, an Introduction

The SXBlue Platinum is one of the newer members to Geneq’s SXBlue family. As discussed below, there is really more than one Platinum - with…

Multiple Field Key to Single Field Key for Relates using ArcPy cover image
python,  developer,  arcgis desktop,  arcgis pro

Multiple Field Key to Single Field Key for Relates using ArcPy

An issue with multi-field unique keys (composite key) is that we can’t use them to setup a join or relate between objects (Feature Classes…

ArcMap Layers to LYR Files with Python cover image
python,  developer,  arcgis desktop

ArcMap Layers to LYR Files with Python

A tiny Python script to show how to export ArcMap Layers to LYR Files with Python. Although it’s a short script, it shows how easy it is to…

Secure Map Service to Shapefile with Python Part 3 cover image
python,  developer,  arcgis enterprise,  arcgis server

Secure Map Service to Shapefile with Python Part 3

This post is inspired by the many emails I’ve received on the first two posts in this series. This article will address the most most…

Collector for ArcGIS update cover image
fyi,  gnss,  arcgis collector

Collector for ArcGIS update

Collector for ArcGIS has its first feature update in 2017. The list of new features includes a few community request items we should all be…

Web GIS metrics and patterns with Google Analytics cover image
analysis,  arcgis enterprise,  javascript

Web GIS metrics and patterns with Google Analytics

Scouring through some blogs the other day I came across an article from Esri regarding the “Most frequently used Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS…

ArcGIS Javascript API 3.20 cover image
fyi,  developer,  javascript

ArcGIS Javascript API 3.20

Phew. The long hiatus of posting updates is over. As expected, the world continued to move on without me. This includes an update to Esri’s…

ArcGIS JavaScript API 3.19 cover image
fyi,  developer,  javascript

ArcGIS JavaScript API 3.19

As we are all waiting in line at the mall to buy some final holiday gifts, ArcGIS JavaScript API 3.19 and 4.2 were released so we could…

iOS ArcGIS Collector 10.4 with the Bad Elf GNSS Surveyor cover image
gnss,  arcgis collector,  bad elf

iOS ArcGIS Collector 10.4 with the Bad Elf GNSS Surveyor

I’ve wanted to try ArcGIS Collector with the Bad Elf series of devices to see how it stacks up against some other external GPS/GNSS. I’ve…

ArcGIS Server 10.5 is now ArcGIS Enterprise 10.5 cover image
fyi,  arcgis enterprise,  arcgis server

ArcGIS Server 10.5 is now ArcGIS Enterprise 10.5

If you haven’t heard, Esri found out we finally understand the current naming conventions and licencing models for their server products…

Map Service to Shapefile with Python Part 2 - Iteration cover image
python,  developer,  arcgis server

Map Service to Shapefile with Python Part 2 - Iteration

This post builds on the previous Extract a Map Service Layer to Shapefile using Python post. It seems as though many are interested in…

ArcGIS JavaScript API 3.18 cover image
fyi,  developer,  javascript

ArcGIS JavaScript API 3.18

ArcGIS JavaScript API 3.18 was released by Esri last week. Great news for those still using the 3 series - and FYI, ArcGIS JavaScript API…

Collector for ArcGIS Windows Edition 10.4 AND it works cover image
gnss,  arcgis collector

Collector for ArcGIS Windows Edition 10.4 AND it works

Phew! Collector for ArcGIS Windows Edition 10.4 is here… and it works!! That positive energy put forward in the related Collector 10.3 post…

Collector for ArcGIS 10.4.0 iOS cover image
fyi,  arcgis collector

Collector for ArcGIS 10.4.0 iOS

Collector for ArcGIS 10.4.0 iOS is now available in Apple’s App Store. This is a major update for those hoping to use high-accuracy GNSS…

Collector for ArcGIS Windows Edition 10.3 cover image
fyi,  arcgis collector

Collector for ArcGIS Windows Edition 10.3

It sounds like a no-brainer: Use your Microsoft 10 deviced docked at the office, then disconnect, and your field ready with Collector for…

Use Bootstrap to Customize Esri's JavaScript InfoWindow Icons cover image
javascript,  developer

Use Bootstrap to Customize Esri's JavaScript InfoWindow Icons

I was recently working a small web mapping application and wanted to use Bootstrap to customize Esri’s JavaScript InfoWindow icons to match…

Projecting between NAD83 and NAD83 CSRS in ArcGIS cover image
analysis,  arcgis desktop,  arcgis server,  arcsde

Projecting between NAD83 and NAD83 CSRS in ArcGIS

Update 2020-11-04: Fixed a small, yet important, typo in the ‘Create transformation’ steps . Special thanks to Darren M. for catching this…

Extract a Map Service Layer to Shapefile using Python cover image
python,  developer,  arcgis server

Extract a Map Service Layer to Shapefile using Python

How easy/hard is it to extract a Map Service layer to Shapefile using Python? Not as hard as you would think. Is it legal? Not as easy as…

ArcGIS Collector 10.3.7 cover image
fyi,  arcgis collector

ArcGIS Collector 10.3.7

The new releases keep pouring out for the Esri Dev Summit. This time we get a very focused update for ArcGIS Collector 10.3.7. If you were…

ArcGIS JavaScript API 3.16 cover image
fyi,  developer,  javascript

ArcGIS JavaScript API 3.16

With Palm Springs hosting the Esri Developer Summit this week - a few updates are coming out of Redlands just in time for the plenary. The…

ArcGIS 10.4 cover image
fyi,  arcgis desktop,  arcgis pro,  arcgis server

ArcGIS 10.4

ArcGIS 10.4 has finally arrived (most of it). Esri announced last week that their flagship product suite, ArcGIS 10.4 is here. This includes…

ArcGIS Collector Updates Galore cover image
fyi,  arcgis collector

ArcGIS Collector Updates Galore

Some of the most anticipated updates for ArcGIS Collector have arrived this December! Just in time for… winter?!  (Canada Joke). That said…

ArcGIS JavaScript API 3.15 cover image
fyi,  developer,  javascript

ArcGIS JavaScript API 3.15

In time to upgrade over the holidays, ArcGIS JavaScript API 3.15 is here with updates that enable us to use many of the new server features…

ArcGIS Collector Illegal Start of Token cover image
analysis,  arcgis collector

ArcGIS Collector Illegal Start of Token

After minutes, hours, nay - week in the field, you decide it’s time to sync your offline ArcGIS Collector edits so others in your…

ArcGIS Javascript API 3.14 and 4.0 cover image
fyi,  developer,  javascript

ArcGIS Javascript API 3.14 and 4.0

Just in time for the Esri International UC in San Diego, two big updates have been announced for the ArcGIS Javascript API - the release of…

Print Text Elements with ArcGIS for Server cover image
javascript,  developer,  arcgis server

Print Text Elements with ArcGIS for Server

Creating your own map template, or using the generic ones, you have the ability to print text elements with ArcGIS for Server layouts. But…

ArcGIS 10.3.1 Released cover image
fyi,  arcgis desktop,  arcgis server

ArcGIS 10.3.1 Released

ArcGIS 10.3.1 has been officially released by Esri. Like most build number increments, there are both fixes (service packs, quick fixes…

ArcGIS JavaScript API Printing Group Layers cover image
javascript,  developer,  arcgis server

ArcGIS JavaScript API Printing Group Layers

You’re not hallucinating - sometimes the map you see in your ArcGIS JavaScript application doesn’t look like the one you printed via the…

Printing with ArcGIS for Server 10.3 cover image
javascript,  developer,  arcgis server

Printing with ArcGIS for Server 10.3

My relationship with the ArcGIS Server Print Service and the REST API was a little more turbulent than expected. Here’s how it all started…

ArcGIS Collector 10.3 for iOS cover image
fyi,  arcgis collector

ArcGIS Collector 10.3 for iOS

It’s finally here. With little fanfare (relative to Apple Watch and the all-new MacBook earlier this week), the iOS release of ArcGIS…

ArcSDE 10.3 Administration cover image
analysis,  arcsde,  sql server

ArcSDE 10.3 Administration

ArcSDE 10.3 administration has significantly changed. More specifically, ArcSDE no longer exists. Starting at 10.3, there is no more ArcSDE…

SpatialTimes 2014 Year in Review cover image
analysis,  year in review

SpatialTimes 2014 Year in Review

The numbers are finally in, and 2014 was a great year for SpatialTimes.com. Sure it wasn’t a full year, as the first post wasn’t even posted…

Unexpected Google Announcements cover image
fyi,  google,  esri

Unexpected Google Announcements

A few big announcements from Google over the past few weeks. First, Google announced that support for the Google Maps Engine product will…

ArcGIS Collector 10.3 Released cover image
fyi,  arcgis collector

ArcGIS Collector 10.3 Released

ArcGIS Collector 10.3 has just been released for Android OS, and will soon be available for iOS users as well. ArcGIS Collector 10.3 is more…

Migrating to ArcGIS for Desktop 10.3 cover image
analysis,  arcgis desktop

Migrating to ArcGIS for Desktop 10.3

If you are migrating to ArcGIS for Desktop 10.3, there are a few additional steps not covered in the install guide. That said, if you are…

ArcGIS Javascript API 3.12 Released cover image
fyi,  developer,  javascript

ArcGIS Javascript API 3.12 Released

It’s only been a few months, but Esri has already released ArcGIS Javascript API 3.12. Phew! Normally, this isn’t a big deal - but if you…

ArcGIS 10.3 and ArcGIS Pro are released cover image
fyi,  arcgis desktop,  arcgis pro,  arcgis server

ArcGIS 10.3 and ArcGIS Pro are released

That’s right, ArcGIS 10.3 (ArcGIS for Desktop, ArcGIS for Server, etc), and ArcGIS Pro are now officially released. In a post from Esri…

ArcGIS Collector External GPS Options cover image
gnss,  arcgis collector,  bad elf,  sxblue

ArcGIS Collector External GPS Options

I’ve seen enough demos and presentations of ArcGIS Collector over the past year that I think it’s time to take a more in-depth look into…

W3C HTML5 Recommendation Complete! cover image
fyi,  javascript,  standards

W3C HTML5 Recommendation Complete!

It’s time to rejoice - the W3C HTML5 guessing game is over! After 17 years of HTML4 we have reached a new milestone as The World Wide Web…

ArcGIS for Server Long Tokens cover image
javascript,  developer,  arcgis server

ArcGIS for Server Long Tokens

I recently wanted to use a secure ArcGIS for Server map service with a new proof-of-concept (POC) web application. The service was secure…

ArcGIS Javascript API 3.11 Released cover image
fyi,  developer,  javascript

ArcGIS Javascript API 3.11 Released

Today Esri announced their latest release of ArcGIS Javascript API 3.11. Notable changes/updates include: New Heatmap Renderer for feature…

ArcGIS for Server, Security, and Bash Vulnerability cover image
fyi,  arcgis server,  security

ArcGIS for Server, Security, and Bash Vulnerability

In light of the recent announcements on the bash (AKA: Shellshock) vulnerability, a quick update on how your ArcGIS for Server might be…

SQL Server spatial query, part 2 cover image
sql server,  developer

SQL Server spatial query, part 2

This post is an extension of ”SQL Server spatial query, part 1”. The first post primarily focused on how the basic query and geometries are…

ArcGIS Pro licensing Update cover image
fyi,  arcgis pro,  license manager

ArcGIS Pro licensing Update

Thought you could delay and/or ignore signing up for an ArcGIS Online (AGOL) Organizational account? Well, it’s going to get a little more…

SQL Server spatial query, part 1 cover image
sql server,  developer

SQL Server spatial query, part 1

A traditional GIS analysis question - Does the polygon contain the point, is the point inside the polygon? There are lots of ways to use a…

Python Relative Directory cover image
python,  developer

Python Relative Directory

When using sub-directories to store temp files, analysis outputs, or logs - a nice way to deal with the parent directory when moving the…

Binary flags with Python cover image
python,  developer

Binary flags with Python

Sometimes you just want to run a few specific sections of your python code for testing. Then a few more. Next, all sections. Now run just…

Mosaic Large Images to a Single Raster in ArcGIS cover image
analysis,  arcgis desktop,  raster

Mosaic Large Images to a Single Raster in ArcGIS

I’ve had some question regarding large sets of ortho imagery tiles and how you can turn this into one seamless raster (and maintain…

Esri User Conference Q&A cover image
fyi,  arcgis desktop,  esri

Esri User Conference Q&A

It’s that time of year again… when 12,000 people (approximately) head to San Diego to refill their Esri Kool-Aid and see what’s coming down…

Useful GIS Developer Tools cover image
developer,  javascript,  python

Useful GIS Developer Tools

Looking for additional tools for your coding toolbox? Here are 4 useful GIS developer tools you may or may not know about. Oh, they are also…

Shapefile vs Feature Class cover image
fyi,  esri

Shapefile vs Feature Class

Walking down the hallways of a GIS conference you hear lots of great debate and geek-talk on a variety of topics. A Shapefile vs Feature…

ArcGIS JavaScript API Web Optimizer beta released cover image
javascript,  developer

ArcGIS JavaScript API Web Optimizer beta released

The ArcGIS JavaScript API Web Optimizer is a web application that will generate custom or lightweight builds of the ArcGIS JavaScript API…

ArcGIS License Manager Settings cover image
analysis,  arcgis desktop,  license manager

ArcGIS License Manager Settings

This post will cover 3 aspects of ArcGIS License Manager: Using ArcGIS Desktop 9.3x and 10.x with License Manager 10.x ArcGIS License…

Map of the Day - The New York Times cover image
map of the day

Map of the Day - The New York Times

A great web mapping example. The New York Times Crime map has been around for a while now (June 18, 2009), but it’s still worth discussing…

ArcGIS 10.2.2 is here cover image
fyi,  arcgis desktop

ArcGIS 10.2.2 is here

With very little fanfare, ArcGIS 10.2.2 was released last week. Don’t be fooled by the lack of attention, this is an important update to…

Feature Class export into native SQL Server table cover image
sql server,  analysis,  python

Feature Class export into native SQL Server table

Not too long ago, the only way to store spatial data inside a database was to have a custom/binary format managed in code or by software…

Open Data Institute Coming to Waterloo cover image
fyi,  open data

Open Data Institute Coming to Waterloo

The Federal Government of Canada’s Economic Action Plan 2014 recently announced it will be providing $3 million to Canadian Digital Media…

ArcGIS Javascript API 3.9 Released cover image
fyi,  developer,  javascript

ArcGIS Javascript API 3.9 Released

Esri just announced the latest release of ArcGIS Javascript API 3.9. Notable updates in this release are the new CSV Layer and a new symbol…

Another GIS Blog? cover image
fyi

Another GIS Blog?

A place to share and discover with you