GIS Programming Module 11

This post will focus on thing I have learned over the course of the semester in GIS Programming this year. The final Module focused on sharing tools. In the example above we took a tool and modified it so that we could share it either on networks or as a compressed .zip file.

1. First the fact that scripting can be used to run tools in ArcGIS blew my mind at first. Once we had a few lessons on the topic I was able to pick up the steps and recognize the scripting. It is actually a helpful way to run tool after tool without having to manipulate the feature classes in between.

2. This leads me to another thing I picked up along the course. At first I was overwhelmed when looking at certain scripts we were using for the lessons. As the class went on I was able to pick up the language much quicker and slowly, but surely understand the goal of the script. One day a commercial came on during a break in my favorite TV show (That 70’s Show). There was a giant computer screen with coding on it and it was meant to seem as if someone was hacking a computer, but I actually could make out some of the code!! I felt proud that I was learning something new having to do with computer language.

3. Finally the inner workings of ArcGIS  have always fascinated me and in this course we have learned yet another amazing capability of this program that make it far more efficient and ground breaking.

GIS Programming Module 10

This week in the lab we worked with taking a completed script and turning it into a usable tool in ArcMap. We set certain parameters for the tool and adjusted the script to then pull from the user inputs to make it universal. See the parameter settings and results windows below along with the steps to creating a tool.

1. The first step is to create the toolbox shell in ArcCatalog

2. Next you create a script tool in the toolbox and attach your .py script to the tool. This gives the tool guidelines on how to run.

3. Next you set parameters for data entry. This will allow for a better user interface and correct data entry.

4. Finally adjust your script to accept the data entered by the user instead of hard set file paths.

5. Check your script tool to confirm the proper operation.