# Presentation: 575973

## MIGRATING FROM ARCINFO WORKSTATION TO ARCGIS

**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):
- Use existing data with ArcMap
- Data management and editing using the geodatabase
- 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 www.esri.com
- Download sample geodatabases

## Geodatabase Case Studies

## Designing a Geodatabase 

- Several different methods1) ArcCatalog menus and wizards2) 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 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 |
| --- |

| MAPUNIT | VENEER | PRIMARY_UNIT | SECONDARY_UNIT | COMPLEX_ID |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |

| MAPUNIT | MAPLABEL |
| --- | --- |

| LEGUNIT | DESCRIPTION |
| --- | --- |

| COMPLEX_ID | DESCRIPTION |
| --- | --- |

- Feature class

- Unit labels table

- Unit composition table

- Legend table

- Complex ID table

- 1

- *

- 1

- 1

- 1

- *

- *

- *

- *

- *

## 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:
- Surficial units polygons must not overlap
- 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 propertiesof the geodatabase

## Sub-Type Field

- Sub-types are properties of the feature class

## Geomorphology Line Feature Class

## 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

- 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 |
| --- | --- |
| Age | Material |

- 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: 613-943-2693 fax: 613-952-7308 email: vdohar@NRCan.gc.ca
web: www.nrcan.gc.ca/ess/carto

- web: www.nrcan.gc.ca/ess/carto

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