Are you a GIS practitioner or a GIS professional?

Applications for the GISCI Certification Program are now available. GISCI is now ready to accept completed applications accompanied by full payment and a signed code of ethics.

View or download the application materials for GISCI professional certification.

View or download the Renewal Certification materials

Free Web Map Tools

Anyone can use geographic information systems (GIS) to create maps and use them to make better decisions.
Explore how you can make interactive maps and share them with others:
Make a Map—Make interactive demographic maps and share them.
Web Mapping APIs—Create interactive maps and embed them in your Web site.
Virtual Globe—Use the free ArcGIS Explorer download to view your spatial data and combine it with free map services.

Great Content Makes Great Maps
Contribute your local content to an ArcGIS Online basemap. Find out how.

December 2010
Esri Charts a New Course in Training

By Carla Wheeler Esri Writer

Say goodbye to formal lectures and hello to more participation from students like yourself when you take instructor-led GIS courses from Esri. A new course design and training delivery style developed by Esri stresses interactive learning. Students now take a more active role in class, with instructors eliciting discussion by posing more questions and assigning students to work together in small groups on short problem-solving exercises. Classmates are encouraged to share their on-the-job GIS experiences. Lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on software exercises place greater emphasis on real-world scenarios and situations. "We want learning to be fun, easy, and applicable," said Esri national instructor manager Krista Page. Read the article.

Follow Our New Series on Redistricting
While state and local governments await the delivery of the 2010 U.S. Census results, the redistricting process is already taking shape. Hear what redistricting experts, Esri staff, and our partners have to say about the redistricting process, how it is evolving, and what's new this time around.
Esri's Redistricting Podcast Series provides insight on
New technologies available to legislators and citizens
Where to find the data resources you need
Challenges facing public officials
How citizen engagement is changing the process
Listen to the first two podcasts in this series.

Christmas Time Fun

Dear GIS users,

First of all I would like to say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone. Since it is that time of year lets talk about Santa.

Have you or someone you know had to try to explain where Santa is to a child? It is kind of hard if you do not have a good visual aid to show, use GIS. There are some great free maps out there that you can use to show the whole world and use as an example. Like this one from the ESRI ArcGIS Online site.

All you would need after you have this great background is some simple icons to show where Santa is and where you want him to go(your house). If your a preplaner like I know most of you are, you can create a few of these maps before hand and tell them that you have a GPS on Santa's slay and it has all the places that he has stopped. The older the child the more elaborate you would have to make your maps. You can create some custom symbols or use some existing ones.


(Above check marks are the places Santa has been. The Star is where you want Santa to go.)

There are many different ways that you can bring your work home in a fun and exciting way. Next time you are making a map think of how you can make something fun for your family.

I hope everyone out there has a great Holiday Season.

Which ArcGIS 10 Training Is Right For You?

ArcGIS 10 was released a couple of months ago, but a lot of you are likely just starting to think about how to ramp up on the changes—the interface improvements, the new tools, and the different workflows for accomplishing some common GIS tasks. If the question is "What's the best way to learn ArcGIS 10?" (and this question has been asked frequently of late), the answer is, "It depends."

Your approach to learning ArcGIS 10 depends on your experience with previous ArcGIS versions, what you use the software for, how you prefer to learn, and how much time and money you can spend. Below are training recommendations designed to help you be your most productive with the new release.

New ArcGIS Users

If version 10 is your first experience with ArcGIS software, you have the advantage of not needing to relearn the way you do certain aspects of your GIS work. Taking a course that covers a broad spectrum of ArcGIS functionality and teaches you how to use the software to complete common GIS tasks is a good way to jumpstart your ArcGIS productivity.

Training for new ArcGIS users

Existing ArcGIS Users
Maybe ArcGIS 9.3 was your first dive into Esri software, or maybe you've been using ArcSomething since 1996. Either way, you know your way around the software and probably have established workflows to get your GIS tasks done as fast as possible. All you need to know is which clicks, in which order, will get you the result you're looking for. Or is it?

ArcGIS 10 gives you new ways to get your work done faster and better. Greater Python integration for automation and data driven pages for quickly creating map books are just two enhancements that may convince you to change up your routine clicks. The editing workflow has been simplified to be more intuitive as well as generate fewer clicks.

Training focused on new features and workflows

GIS Responsibilities
ArcGIS 10 is a tool. What do you need to do with it? Do you make maps on demand? Do you perform complex analyses to support decision makers (and save the planet while you're at it)? Are you responsible for helping to maintain and assure the quality of the production GIS database and reconciling frequent data updates? If you spend 80% of your time on one specific group of tasks or functions, you need training that's focused on making you more efficient at completing those tasks and getting reliable results.

Training on GIS data production, management, and maintenance
Training on GIS mapping
Training on GIS analysis

Discounted Training at 2011 SCAUG Conference

Take advantage of discounted ESRI training classes and workshops at the upcoming 2011 SCAUG Conference in San Antonio, April 4th - 8th.

2-DAY ESRI CLASSES
MONDAY, APRIL 4TH & TUESDAY, APRIL 5TH - 8:30am TO 5:00pm
Creating Effective Web Applications Using ArcGIS Server - $750
What’s New in ArcGIS Desktop 10 - $750

HALF-DAY ESRI WORKSHOPS
FRIDAY, APRIL 8TH - 8:00am - 12:00pm
Building & Deploying Add-Ins for ArcGIS Desktop - $25
ArcGIS 10 & Imagery - $25

Announcements
ArcLogistics Now Free for One-Vehicle Routing
Start saving money today with a 30-day free trial and route one vehicle for free indefinitely.
ArcGIS Server Live User Sites Group on ArcGIS.com
Join this group if you want to promote your public-facing ArcGIS Server applications.
Join the Spatial Roundtable Discussion: National Data Providers Respond to Critical Issues
How has your NMO adapted to increasing demands in the face of reduced resources?

Training News
What's New in ArcGIS Desktop 10Learn the new tools and workflows for mapping, editing, analyzing, and documenting your GIS data.
Learn Essential ArcGIS Desktop SkillsNew to ArcGIS? These courses cover the most common GIS tasks and workflows.
What’s New in Editing at ArcGIS Desktop 10In one day, get the hands-on practice you need to complete your GIS editing tasks faster and easier—all from the convenience of your own desktop.

Jan. 18 -20 – Free online Community Maps Virtual Workshop

Description
Through Esri's Community Maps Program your organization can contribute its authoritative geographic data to become part of a community map that Esri publishes and hosts online. Your data is integrated with data from other providers and then published through ArcGIS Online as a map service. The community map is integrated into the World Topographic Map, hosted as part of ArcGIS Online maps, and freely accessible for use in your own applications. This workshop will teach recommended workflows to prepare your data, author a map document, and cache your data so that it can be included in the Community Maps Program.
Who Should Attend
GIS managers, technicians, spatial data managers, and other experienced ArcGIS users who will be involved in creating and maintaining a topographic community map service.
Goals
After completing this workshop, you will be able to
Assemble data for the basemap and ensure the data layers are complete and have the proper level of attribution.
Prepare data to be used in authoring the basemap through data migration and other data processing techniques.
Author a multiscale basemap using the preconfigured topographic map template.
Generate a map cache that uses the Bing Maps/Google Maps global tiling scheme.
Publish a map service and deliver the map cache to Esri for integration into the World Topographic Map.

About GIS Day

GIS Day is playing a powerful role in creating geographic awareness throughout the world.

GIS Day provides an internattional forum for users of geographic information systems (GIS) technology to demostrate real-world applications that are making a difference in our society.

History

The National Geographic Society has sponsored Geography Awareness Week since 1987 to promote geographic literacy in schools, communities, and organizations, with a focus on the education of children. GIS Day is held on the Wednesday during Geography Awareness week.

GIS Day 2011 will be held on Wednesday, November 16, 2011.

IT IS FRIDAY!!!!!!!!

Good Friday Morning,
Just a quick note of things happening in Oklahoma regarding GIS as of late. Earlier this week ESRI hosted an ArcGIS 10 Increase in Productivity seminar that seemed to be well attended & showcased the new advantages of ArcGIS 10 as well as other resources we can use in day to day operations.

Coming up next week is GIS day at the Tulsa Community College. It is on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 with several booths & presentations scheduled for the event. Registration is free & anyone is welcome to attend. OK SCAUG will be sponsoring a few refreshments at the event so stop by & see us. I'll even make the offer that if you mention this BLAUG posting to us there we might very well have a SCAUG giveaway set back for the first few lucky people.

http://www.tulsacc.edu/62743/

Have a good weekend,
CEB III

ArcGIS 10 SP1 coming soon

Esri will release ArcGIS 10 Service Pack 1 soon. Click on the title of this post to see a list of issues addressed with the service pack.

Good Monday Morning

Good Morning from north of the Red River. I hope everyone had a good weekend & for those of you that took a little longer weekend due to fall break I hope Monday goes easy on you. We are a month past the Oklahoma SCAUG conference & you would think that things are slowing down for the end of the year regarding GIS in the state. Not really, We are finishing up posting the presentations online, wading through surveys & getting ready for some other big GIS events coming up in the next month.

ESRI is holding a free Increase Productivity with ArcGIS 10 Seminar in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, November 9, 2010. Please take time to look at the registration page & consider attending if you haven't already registered. The event is a proven venue to show how you can benefit from the new functionality in ArcGIS. If you work with ESRI products at all you should probably attend this event to see what new tools you have in your GIS.
Here is the link to the online registration:

http://events.esri.com/info/index.cfm?fuseaction=showSeminar&shownumber=13827

Another event that we are preparing for just a week later is GIS day at the Tulsa Community College on Tuesday, November 16, 2010. Registration is free to anyone. Please make plans to attend if you can. Click the link below to see what the event is about & to register if you would like the present or exhibit.

http://www.tulsacc.edu/62743/

At the Regional SCAUG level we are gearing up for the San Antonio conference coming up early next year. Check the website often to stay current with the latest information regarding SCAUG.
Have a Safe & Happy Halloween!!!
CEB III

The SCAUG Conference: Give and Receive

Call for Presentations
Have an interesting project you've been working on? Consider presenting at this year's conference. If your abstract is selected, you'll earn points towards GISP certification.

Check out these ESRI training courses being offered at the SCAUG Conference in April!
2-Day Classes:
Creating Effective Web Applications Using ArcGIS Server (12 seats)
What's New in ArcGIS Desktop 10 (12 seats)

Half-Day Workshops:
Building & Deploying Add-Ins for ArcGIS Desktop (20 seats)
ArcGIS 10 & Imagery (20 seats)

2011 SCAUG Conference

Registration is open for the 21st Annual South Central Arc User Group Conference!!! Come join us in San Antonio April 4 - 8, 2011 for a week of training, seminar and networking opportunities. Don't miss this year's event along the beautiful Riverwalk!

There is a Package for You!

The Map Package is a feature in the new ArcGIS 10. Basically, now in addition to saving a Layer (properties, labels, symbology) and a Layer Package (symbology, labels, and data) users have the ability to bundle up an entire Map Project. Click the Link to find out more:

Map Packages

OKSCAUG Conference was a HUGE Success

Greetings SCAUG Community,

The 13th Annual OKSCAUG Conference was a huge success! The OKSCAUG Steering Committe went above and beyond this year to give the attendees a great GIS experience. We had a record number of presentations on a variety of topics. Over 250 GIS people from across Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas attended presentations, technical sessions and visiting with the many vendors on hand. Every one seemed to learn a lot and had a great time visiting with friends. We greatly appreicate everyone who participated in the conference. We look forward to seeing each of you back in Oklahoma next Fall.

Early Bird Registration for the 2010 Texas GIS Forum Ends Friday, October 1st!

Register today and save! The TNRIS GIS Forum represents the most significant gathering of geospatial professionals in the state and is the largest event of its kind in Texas. This year’s agenda will feature many dynamic and knowledgeable speakers, whose unique industry perspective will help you gain insight and give you the necessary tools to navigate today’s ever-changing face of GIS technology.

2010 GITA GIS for Oil & Gas Conference

Whether you're new to geospatial technologies or a knowledgeable veteran, mark your calendar for the 2010 GIS for Oil & Gas Conference, October 25-28, 2010, at the Marriott Westchase Hotel in Houston, Texas. Discover how GIS can help you address regulatory compliance issues, proactively manage organizational assets, and enhance your bottom line. Sign up for e-mail updates.

GIS Analyst/Developer Position with HGAC

GIS Analyst/Developer position is available within Community & Environmental Planning Department of Houston-Galveston Area Council's Socio-Economic Modeling program. Apply Today!

GIS Analyst Position #: CE07012
Department: Community and Environmental
Reports to: Program Manager

Summary of Position: Performs complex geographic information system work. Work involves input and manipulation of geographic information to create, maintain, display, update and produce accurate maps and other representation of data. Work also involves developing web-based GIS applications. May train others. Works under general supervision with moderate latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

Examples of Work:
1. Undertakes development work on new and existing GIS web-based mapping applications using ArcGIS Server 9.3.1/10 and Adobe Flex API environments
2. Development of spatial data to support socio-economic modeling and other department projects
3. Organizes and maintains spatial data collection in ArcSDE database
4. Develops geo-processing models and tools for web-based mapping applications
5. Develops and processes spatial and attribute data
6. Create cartographic products
7. Maintains detailed documentation on work products

Minimum Requirements:
1. A Master’s degree in Geography, Planning, or related field is required. Bachelor’s degree with a substantial work experience in public or private sector may be considered in lieu of Master’s degree.
2. Experience with programming is a requirement for this position.
3. Experience with creating and publishing map services on ArcGIS Server 9.3.1 or later
4. Experience with one or more of the following: Flex, ActionScript, MXML/XML, Silverlight, VB.NET, C#.NET, JavaScript
5. Experience with developing ArcGIS Server web-based GIS applications using the Flex API and Flex Builder or a similar development environment
6. Experience with ArcGIS Model Builder and/or Python-based geo-processing services a plus but not required
7. Experience with creating and managing data in ArcSDE environment
8. Excellent knowledge of GIS theory, applications development life-cycle, and ArcGIS software 9. Knowledge of relational database principles, experience with DBMS software and SQL statements
10. Ability to manage multiple concurrent short- and long-term projects successfully and to meet assignment deadlines
11. Ability to manage large amounts of data and documentation efficiently
12. Ability to work well in teams

Salary Level: Level 6, Professional II $41,606 – $68,618

Free Webinar: "The New Geospatial Jobs and How to be Ready for Them"

The U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA) currently identifies 10 distinct geospatial occupations, six of which are new as of December 2009. The projected growth in these occupations, 2008-18, ranges from 7% to over 20%, and the DOL classifies them as "green occupations" having a "bright outlook."

Recent collaboration between DOLETA and National Geospatial Technology Center has produced the Geospatial Technology Competency Model designed to support career guidance, curriculum development, and outreach in communicating the geospatial field to the public.
Join experts from industry, the Department of Labor, and higher education to learn about the impact of formally defining these geospatial occupations and how the competency model will support the expected high level of growth for jobs in the geospatial enterprise.

Speakers will include David DiBiase from Penn State University, Rich Serby of GeoSearch, and Wes Stroh, Penn State's series moderator.

Who Should Attend?
· Midcareer and experienced GIS professionals
· Students and graduates entering the geospatial industry
· Professionals curious about the direction of GIS/geospatial as an "industry," and how that relates to the job market

Ed. Note: This is the first in a series of six webinars sponsored by Penn State University that are part of the Inside Geospatial Education and Research series.

OK SCAUG Conference

The 13th Annual OKSCAUG Conference is just a few weeks away.

There is still time to register for this exciting event that will be held in Oklahoma City on September 21. Don’t miss this great conference for the low price of $80.

This year’s conference will include:

15 User Presentations
12 Poster Presentations
5 Technical Sessions
20 Vendors from across the US
Great Networking Opportunities with over 250 people already registered

Visit our website www.scaug.org to get all the latest information and to register for the event. We hope to see you on September 21 in Oklahoma City.

Migration to ArGIS 10

Most of us are either starting to test or at least starting to think about migrating to ArcGIS 10. In doing so, you probably have many questions. How will this upgrade effect my ArcGIS Server applications (Javascript, Flex, Silverlight)? How will this upgrade effect my ArcGIS Server services? In what order should I upgrade different ArcGIS components? Should I upgrade my operating system at the same time? If any of this sounds familiar, check out the “Migration to ArcGIS Server 10” section on the ArcGIS Resource Center. Although, it is geared towards ArcGIS Server, it does give you some helpful information and links for upgrading other ArcGIS components.

ESRI Announces ArcGIS 10 Seminars

ESRI will be holding FREE nationwide seminars that show how ArcGIS 10 makes it easier to be more productive in your job, whether you’re working in a desktop, mobile, server, or cloud environment.

Learn firsthand from the ArcGIS experts during this free seminar. You will leave knowing how you can use the ArcGIS system to be more productive in your organization.

• See demonstrations that focus on your daily workflows.
• Learn practical applications for new and powerful spatial analysis tools.
• Discover easier and more efficient imagery use and management.
• Understand how to leverage the expanded mobile capabilities of ArcGIS in the field.
• Explore the many ways you can leverage the Web in your GIS work.
• Interact with Esri staff and share experiences with your peers.

The seminars in the SCAUG region will be held on the following dates in the following cities:

Austin, TX - September 23, 2010
Jackson, MS - October 7, 2010
Baton Rouge, LA - October 10, 2010
Houston, TX - October 14, 2010
Plano, TX - October 19, 2010
San Antonio, TX - November 4, 2010
Oklahoma City, OK - November 9, 2010

Faster, Easier Metadata (ArcUser Online)

Faster, Easier - METADATA
Less time and less typing to document project information

Metadata is critical to GIS data sharing. Without metadata, how do you know how the data was collected, what it can be used for, or how current it is? However, writing metadata for feature classes or other data created for a project can be a labor-intensive, time-consuming, and tedious process. Fortunately, using the ArcCatalog Metadata toolbar can streamline and speed the process of documenting your files. Before the ArcCatalog Metadata toolbar, when you had to document several datasets, you selected one of the files, opened the Metadata Editor in ArcCatalog, filled in the required fields, closed the editor, selected another file, and repeated the process.

Often, you entered the same characteristics over and over again. It doesn’t have to be that way. Just follow these steps.

1. When you begin to add metadata for a project, identify those characteristics common to all the project’s feature classes. These common items might be the project name and number, contact information for the organization, the project’s spatial reference information, and information on data access and use constraints.

2. Use one of the ArcCatalog metadata editors (e.g., FGDC ESRI, ISO) to create metadata for one of the project’s files, but enter only the characteristics you identify as common to all project data. Once this information has been entered, export the metadata just created to XML format by selecting the item in the ArcCatalog tree, clicking the Metadata tab in the right pane, and clicking the Export button on the ArcCatalog Metadata toolbar, then browse to the output folder and choose XML as the type of file to export.

3. This exported XML file, containing metadata common to all the files in your project, can be used to populate those metadata files for all project materials—feature classes, imagery, and maps. To add this metadata to a file associated with the project, select the file in ArcCatalog, click the Metadata tab, and click the Import XML button.

4. Repeat the process of importing this XML for every feature class or other file in the project.

5. Now open each feature class and complete the metadata by adding the information that is unique to that feature class (e.g., abstract, description, status, and keywords). This exporting/importing XML strategy will speed the process of adding metadata and eliminate much of the typing associated with this process. Remember, metadata can be created and attached in this manner to the maps, charts, and photographs associated with a project, as well as GIS datasets. Often, you entered the same characteristics over and over again. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Just follow these steps.

After filling in metadata items common to all files in the project, click the Export button on the Metadata toolbar in ArcCatalog and export the metadata in XML format.

Hope in the Economy

As many people are out looking for a jobs in this economy, when hearing about someone getting a promotion it is something to celebrate. Brad Daugherty has been recently promoted to Vice President of GIS Operations of NTB Associates Inc. Brad has been working with NTB as GIS Manager for the past 9 years. Brad has brought the GIS department at NTB from a small 3 man crew to a department that requires hefty staff to manage multiple clients throughout the SCAUG region and beyond. So the next time you see Brad give him a hand shake or pat on the back and tell him congratulations.

Videos from 2010 Esri User Conference

Thanks to all the SCAUG members who participated in this year's Esri International User Conference. Over 100 people attended the SCAUG social on Tuesday afternoon.

For those of you who were unable to attend, Esri has posted many videos from the plenary session on Monday.

http://www.esri.com/events/user-conference/index.html

See you next year!

City of Frisco Honored with ESRI President's Award

Join us in congratulating Susan Olson and her staff on earning Jack Dangermon's prestigious President's Award at the 2010 ESRI International User Conference. The project which won the award is a GIS-Based data provider to public safety departments respond to calls for service at schools, as well as other situations.


SAFER is a great example of how GIS can be accessed remotely in vehicles to provide important situational information. Be sure to read the full article on ESRI's website.

Geography - Opening the World to Everyone

ESRI Internation User Conference
July 12 - 16, 2010 San Diego, CA

See you this week when the global ESRI community meets for one week of everything GIS. New features this year include the ArcGIS 10 Pavillion, GeoLounge, and the Community and Urban Landscape Map Display.

Stay connected:

• Get news, tips, and reviews from the UC Insider
• Get involved in the online community on Facebook and Twitter

Job Opening at BNSF in Ft. Worth, TX

Records and Information Supervisor
BNSF Railway Company, a Fortune 200 company, is headquartered in Ft. Worth Texas. For over 150 years, BNSF has operated one of the largest freight rail networks in the U.S. with 35,000 miles of track through the 28 most western states. With over 40,000 employees, we are one of the largest transportation businesses in the United States with more than $15 billion in annual revenues.
For more information about our company, our culture and our opportunities, visit our online career website at: bnsf.com/careers
ANTICIPATED CLOSING DATE: July 15, 2010 (midnight CST)
ANTICIPATED START DATE: ASAP
POSITIONS AVAILABLE: 1
WORK Location: Fort Worth, TX
SALARY/BENEFITS: Salary Band 28 (starts in the 60s); Employees also receive an annual benefit package valued at $22,000.
DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
The primary responsibility is to manage the engineering department’s Geographical Information System (GIS).
This position assists with master data management by making updates to the GIS system and directing GIS support contractors.
The position is responsible for leading the development of GIS applications needed by the business, and will work on future projects for integrating GIS with SAP applications.
Serve as the technical representative for engineering GIS systems, handle requests for maps, data, and integration with other systems.
Train other department personnel in the use of GIS applications.
Handle and coordinate requests for analysis, with some of the requests requiring a quick response.
Develop Information Technology requirements using GIS solutions that will assist engineering department field personnel perform their jobs more efficiently, and further improve the accuracy of the inventory of assets.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
Must have high school diploma or GED.
Bachelor’s degree in geography, engineering, computer science or computer information systems preferred.
4 to 5 years minimum experience with GIS projects and with the ESRI GIS suite of products preferred.
Experience leading GIS web application projects.
Also desirable to have experience with SAP Plant Maintenance (PM) or similar Enterprise Asset Management system (EAM). Knowledge of transportation networks such as railroads, highways, or pipelines beneficial.
Good communication, planning, and analytical skills required. Strong in cartography, relational database and geodatabase modeling, GIS client, server, and web applications (ESRI GIS suite), and relevant programming languages.
Must have strong interpersonal skills, effective oral and written communication skills
RELOCATION: Relocation assistance may be offered for this position.
TRAVEL: Travel may be necessary for this position.
Background Investigation Elements:
•Extensive criminal history review.
•Verification of last 7 years of driving and employment history to include military service.
•Social Security number verification
•Academic and Education verification
•Pre-Employment Medical Qualification Process (to include, but not limited to: medical history questionnaire; and BNSF required drug screen)

Iphone App for .shp

GISROAM™ ON iPhone and iPad BRINGS GIS TO YOUR FINGERTIPS
Have your shapefiles always at hand when using GISRoam The GISRoam application is FREE, but to load shapefile data onto or save changes off the iPad and iPhone, one must purchase a 12 month subscription at Apple’s iTunes App store for $25 USD. For customers with large numbers of users, a need to uniquely brand the application or a need to host your own GISRoam data sync servers, Enterprise licenses are available directly from Cogent3D’s worldwide sales team.
SCAUG Does not represent Iphone or the GISRoam application this is for informational purposes only.

ESRI News
The Look of Maps, the Latest Book from Esri Press Cartographic Classics Series

Speaker Series Podcast: ESRI Technology Underpins International Climate Change Reporting

Latest Issue of ArcNews Now Available Online

Editing in ArcGIS Desktop 10

Speaker Series Podcast: ArcGIS Server for the Java Platform

If you are planning to attend the ESRI UC next month in San Diego....
Please come support our local friends from the City of Frisco during the Plenary Session on Monday, July 12th as they will be presenting some of their applications on stage as part of the morning events. Don’t miss this opportunity to support one of our SCAUG members. Don’t leave early for lunch because this may be the last presentation before lunch.

Come network with GISers from the states of Louisiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Texas on Tuesday, July 13th at 5:30pm to 7:00pm in room SDCC 29C at the SCAUG Mixer!
Hope to see you there,
Betsi Chatham, Conference Coordinator

ARCGIS.COM
We’d like more of our North Texas users to create their own group at ArcGIS.com and post content. If you’re not familiar with this new, free offering, click on any of the links. In ArcGIS.com, you can share different types of maps, applications, and tools. You can also limit who has access to these. You can go to ArcGIS.com Help to find out how to create your own Group and post data, applications, etc… See Opening content for information on how to open different types of items. The list below contains the type of content you can add to ArcGIS.com.
Maps
· Web map
· ArcGIS Server Map Service
· ArcGIS Server Image Service
· ArcGIS Server Feature Service
· Map Package (mpk)
· Layer Package (lpk)
· ArcGIS Explorer Document (nmf)
· ArcGIS Explorer Application Configuration (ncfg)
· ArcGIS Windows Mobile Package (wmpk)
The map files below are supported but not recommended for sharing publicly. See Sharing ArcGIS Desktop content for more information.
· ArcMap Document (mxd and msd)
· Layer File (lyr)
· ArcGIS Explorer Layer (nmc)
· ArcGlobe Document (3dd)
· ArcScene Document (sxd)
· ArcReader Document (pmf)
Web mapping applications
· ArcGIS API for JavaScript
· ArcGIS API for Flex
· ArcGIS API for Silverlight
· Java Web Application Developer Framework
· .NET Web Application Developer Framework
Mobile applications
· ArcGIS Apple iPhone
· ArcGIS Windows Mobile
Tools
· ArcGIS Server Geocoding Service
· ArcGIS Server Network Analyst Service
· ArcGIS Server Geoprocessing Service
· ArcGIS Server Geodata Service

ArcGIS Class

The City of Longview is pleased to announce that ArcGIS Desktop II has been scheduled for July 6th - 8th and ArcGIS Desktop I is scheduled for August 11th & 12th. Both courses will be held in the GIS training room at the Public Works Service Center. If you would like to register or have questions concerning pricing please let me know prior to June 28th. We have ten spots still available in ArcGIS Desktop II & seven spots in ArcGIS Desktop I.ArcGIS Desktop I Description: The first of three courses in the ArcGIS Desktop Foundational Training Curriculum, this course teaches the fundamental concepts and basic functions of a GIS, the properties of GIS maps, and the structure of a GIS database. In course exercises, you will develop basic software skills by working with ArcGIS Desktop tools to visualize geographic data, create maps, query a GIS database, and analyze data using common analysis tools. http://www.ci.longview.tx.us/services/arcgis_desktop_i_93.html

ArcGIS Desktop II Description: This course introduces the fundamental concepts of ArcGIS Desktop software and teaches how to use it to visualize, create, manage, and analyze geographic data. In course exercises, you will use ArcMap and ArcCatalog (the primary applications included with ArcGIS Desktop) to perform common GIS tasks and workflows. By the end of the course, you will understand the range of ArcGIS Desktop functionality and be prepared to work with the software on your own to create GIS maps, work with geographic data, and perform GIS analysis. http://www.ci.longview.tx.us/services/arcgis_desktop_ii_93.html

Thanks!

Justin
Our domain name (URL) and email address has changed. Please update your records with our new information.

Justin Cure, GISP
GIS Manager ESRI Authorized Instructor
City of Longview, Texas P.O. Box 1952 Longview, TX 75606
903.237.1041 HelpDesk 903.237.2700 Office 903.553.1859 Fax
jcure@LongviewTexas.gov www.GIS.LongviewTexas.gov gis@LongviewTexas.gov

Python for Scientific Computing Conference

This conference provides a unique opportunity to learn and affect what is happening in the realm of scientific computing with Python. Attendees have the opportunity to review the available tools and how they apply to specific problems. By providing a forum for developers to share their Python expertise with the wider commercial, academic, and research communities, this conference fosters collaboration and facilitates the sharing of software components, techniques and a vision for high level language use in scientific computing.

Where: AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center
When: June 28- July 3

https://conference.scipy.org/scipy2010/index.html

Ten Suggestions for Those Who Write About Local GIS Implementations

By Adena Schutzberg , Directions Magazine
June 03, 2010
Isn't it great when the local paper highlights a local (town, city, county, even state) GIS project? The unsung heroes of GIS get a bit of recognition and the locals get enticed to visit a website or otherwise explore the technology and its use.But let's face it, you, the GIS professional, don't have the time or energy to walk the reporter through everything. And, that reporter or citizen journalist may have anywhere from a great deal to no familiarity with technology in general, let alone geospatial technology, in particular. The result? Many, many well intentioned, but less than stellar articles about our community's work appear every day. Another result? Many technologists (yours truly included) write e-mails or leave comments to correct one or more errors within the articles.Below, I've compiled 10 suggestions for anyone involved in writing "local GIS" articles.
1) Write it Out CorrectlyBe sure GIS, geographic information system, and GPS, global positioning system, are written out and defined correctly. Don't get confused by global information systems or graphic information systems. And, don't get trapped thinking that GPS receivers send out signals! (They'd not be called receivers if they transmitted, now would they?) 2) Include a LinkIf the website is public, be sure to include a URL (Web address) for it. These long and ugly strings are not always included in print editions, but they are all too often missing in online versions (where their ugliness is nicely hidden in that blue clickable text).
3) Detail the DataIf there are aerial images, discuss when they were taken - ideally month and year. Nothing is more exciting than shiny new data! If there's a new road centerline database, mention when it was last updated. Oh, and include who to contact if visitors to the site find errors. That information is not always easy to find on the website itself and it shows the team behind the site really wants feedback.
4) Highlight the Most Valuable Tools for Different UsersMake the app compelling to different kinds of users by illustrating what types of questions can be answered. For example:"Residents can use the trash pickup layer to learn what day trash is collected in their neighborhood.""Those involved in real estate can see the assessment of each property. They can search properties by location, block and lot number or owner's name.""Those familiar with GIS technology can download datasets in shapefile format for use in their own maps, so long as they follow the license provided."
5) Mentioning the Underlying Technology is OptionalUnless the real goal of the article is to highlight the underlying software or programming, there may be no reason to mention the local consultant or the software program that powers the application. If you choose to mention either, be sure to get company and software packages' names correct. The companies behind the technology are generally not household names (yet) and the product names can be even more obscure.
6) Screen Shots are GreatA colorful picture of a valuable and aesthetically pleasing map is eye-catching and communicates quite a bit. While it's tempting to take a picture of the GIS team around a monitor or pointing to a paper map, an actual shot of the application in action is far more interesting. If the image is going online, provide either a link to that live "map" or be sure a larger version is available where all the text is readable.
7) Talk About the Future with CareIt's fine to speak about upcoming data additions or features, but be wary of hard deadlines such as, "The new interface will be up and running on June 4." Hedge a bit: "The new interface is expected to be implemented in June." On a related note: try to hold off on an "announcing a new feature" article until that feature is really up and running.
8) Where are You?If at all possible include hints in the text about the coverage of the application. While the article as printed on paper relates to the area in which that paper is distributed, many local papers lose that sense of place when they go online. The Forsyth News Star has a market in and around Forsyth County, but online, it's a challenge to determine the state in which a news story is taking place (example). There may be few, if any, details in the header or footer to cue the reader about where you are, so if you can include it in the text, all the better. A great way is to note, if it is in fact the case, that data were provided by the state of Indiana's "Indiana Map."
9) Distinguish the App from Consumer OfferingsBecause readers are very likely to be familiar with Google Maps or the maps in their GPS devices, it may be worth highlighting how this application is different. Is it aimed at a different audience? Used to answer different questions? Does it have newer or more detailed or more authoritative data? Are the data available for download?
10) Quote CostsWhen quoting the cost of an implementation be sure to detail if the figure includes any pre-implementation studies (a needs analysis, for example), labor costs, software costs, data costs, hosting costs, data update costs and/or long-term maintenance costs. If only some of those costs are easily available, be sure to explain which ones are included in any figure in the article.I hope these suggestions will help create more accurate and more interesting articles about local GIS implementations. The people building them and the people paying for them via their taxes deserve nothing less. And, of course, the overworked and underpaid reporters at local papers and blogs deserve our help and respect and the chance to write a crackerjack article about our favorite technologies.Ed. Note: You can subscribe to All Points Blog's Local GIS Tidbits feed; it highlights just these sorts of articles.
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ETUG Meeting

The next ETUG meeting is Friday June 11, 2010 at the Columbia Regional Geospatial Service Center on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches.The meeting will begin at 10:30 AM in room 304 of the McKibben Building(C). Please stop at the booth on Vista (A) to receive a parking pass. Parking is at the corner of College and Raquet (B). Please follow the link below or open the attachment for a mapThe Columbia Center will be discussing emergency response base mappingand the online delivery system they are developing.Lunch will be provided. See you there!
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Vista+Dr&daddr=E+Colleg\
e+St+to:31.621087,-94.64807&geocode=Ffp-4gEdtr5b-g%3BFXSH4gEdvsdb-g%3B&h\
l=en&mra=mi&mrcr=1&mrsp=2&sz=18&sll=31.621644,-94.649196&sspn=0.002681,0\
.005627&ie=UTF8&ll=31.621996,-94.649985&spn=0.005363,0.011255&t=h&z=17



Justin Cure
ETUG President

BP looking for experienced ArcGIS Desktop Specialists

Subject: Urgent Request: BP is looking for five experienced ArcGIS Desktop Specialists

Dear GISCorps Volunteers,

We have been asked to assist in providing five seasoned GIS professionals to help at the Deepwater Horizon Incident Command Center in Houma, Louisiana, an hour southwest of New Orleans. Please note that this is not a regular GISCorps mission since it's a "PAID" position. However, if willing, applicants can donate a part of their stipends back to GISCorps.

The following describes the requirements; IMPORTANT: if you cannot or do not meet all of these requirements, please do NOT respond to this request:

The applicants:

- must arrive in Houma, Louisiana TODAY (May 11th) or TOMORROW (May12th) "at the latest"

- must be able to stay for seven (7) consecutive days and be prepared to work for long hours

- must pay for their expenses and plan their own logistics to get to the site; you will be reimbursed for all expenses at a later time (must keep receipts)

- will be paid a stipend of $500 per day

- Extremely well versed in ArcGIS and all its applications especially ArcMap

- Having own hard ware and software (ArcGIS version 9.2 and higher) is preferred

- Experience in emergency response is highly desired

If you are qualified and can meet ALL the above conditions, send an email along with your latest resume to deepwater@giscorps.org. If you are seeing this information after May 13, please do not respond. Please let us know if you end up being selected for this project. We would love to follow up on the project with you.

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Editing Tip

Hot Tip
When creating and editing GIS data, accuracy is essential. Options available on the Snapping Environment dialog box make locating a feature in relation to other features, well, a snap. SnapTips are small pieces of text that pop up to show what you are snapping to as you move your mouse pointer. They are extremely useful when you have multiple items set to snap (vertex, edge, and end) on the same layer. Learn more about snapping.

TNRIS 2010 Workshops

TNRIS Technical Training Program - 2010 Workshops

For workshop dates and prices, please visit:
http://www.tnris.org/workshops.aspx

Workshops available:

Working with ArcGIS Spatial
Editing in ArcGIS
Advanced Labeling
Data Management in the Multiuser Geodatabase
Fundamentals of Image Processing in ArcGIS & ERDAS Imagine
ArcGIS Desktop I
Geospatial Intelligence For Emergency Management(Lab)
Intro to ArcGIS Server
National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) Creating & Publishing Maps with ArcGIS
Data Production and Editing Techniques
ArcHydro
Hydrologic and Hydraulic Analysis Using ArcGIS

Oklahoma GIS Events

Good Monday Morning from north of the Red River.
I hope everyone got to work on time this morning & is not too affected by the time change. It always makes Mondays a little rougher when they come earlier. Things are busy in Oklahoma regarding GIS as of late. We just had one of the largest GIS days at the state capitol ever. Last year it expanded from just the 4th floor of the rotunda to include the 2nd floor also. This year both were filled again with 48 booths & over 300 attendees.
SCAUG sponsored a booth & gave out over 270 bottles of water & cans of pop. Several of the OK SCAUG committee membes helped man the booth throughout the day. Thanks to all the OK SCAUG members for coming by & showing the strong support in Oklahoma. OK SCAUG will also be having another free user group meeting this June at the National Weather center so check out the website & sign up for it as soon as you can. On a more regional note the 20th Annual Regional SCAUG conference is just around the corner so sign up if you haven't already done so. Ft. Worth is always a strong location & this year is proving to be no exception.

North Texas Happenings

Just a few quick notes on GIS Happenings in the Northeast Texas area. If you have any questions or comments…please feel free to contact me.
north texas gis topics survey – 2 of 2
Think back a few months, and you’ll remember a survey that I sent out to collect Presentation Topics for our GIS meetings. These results will be used by ESRI, SCAUG, MAUG, NCTCOG, NCTGITA… to enable us to present the most useful information during all of our local meetings throughout the year. The last part of that first survey contained an area where all of you could submit topics you would like to learn more about. All of this input has been compiled in this 2nd survey.
Please go to NORTH TEXAS GIS TOPICS SURVEY – 2 OF 2 and fill out this 2nd survey You know me well enough to know that I’ll keep bugging you until you fill it out ;-) It should take you about 5-10 minutes. We appreciate your input
interesting gis topics / sites
Which ESRI Web mapping API should I choose?
Interesting ESRI presentation.
New releases of ArcGIS Explorer and ArcGIS Explorer Online at FedUC
ArcGIS 10 - Top 10 New Features
Designing GeoDesign
ArcGIS Server Live User Sites
Video Feeds from Federal UC 2010 Plenary Session
The New Age of Cloud Computing and GIS
List of ESRI’s Preconference Seminars for the International User Conference

Upcoming Events
March 22nd – 25th ESRI Developer Summit - Palm Springs, CA
March 29th – April 2nd 20th Anniversary South Central Arc User Group Conference – Fort Worth, TX
April 1st South Central Commercial User Group Meeting – Fort Worth , TX
April 22nd Better Ways to Design and Share Maps – Dallas, TX
April 25th – 30th National Association of County Engineers –Fort Worth, TX
April 29th NCTCOG Regional GIS Meeting – Arlington, TX (Sign-up pending)
May 23rd – 26th Windpower Conference & Exhibition 2010 – Dallas, TX
July 12th – 16th ESRI International User Conference - San Diego, CA

Busy Time for OK SCAUG

2010 is off to a great start for OK SCAUG. Earlier this week we had our first user group meeting in Broken Arrow. We had a great turn out with over 45 people registered for the event. Thank you to our wonderful presenters and ESRI for a great meeting.

Next week OK SCAUG will have a booth at GIS Day at the Capitol. If you are in the OKC area on Wednesday, stop by the 2nd floor rotunda of the State Capitol Building, grab a drink, and chat with the various SCAUG members who will be manning the booth. It will be a great chance to catch up with old friends as well as see some awesome GIS work going on in the state of Oklahoma.

Don't forget the upcoming events later in the year as well. The June meeting will be held at the National Weather Center on June 3 and our 13th annual OK SCAUG conference is scheduled for later in the fall. Be sure to check out www.scaug.org for all the latest OKSCAUG information.

We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming OKSCAUG event!

ESRI's ArcGIS Maps Its Way Into Amazon's Cloud

ESRI's ArcGIS maps it way into Amazon's cloud
Geographic information system software vendor Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI) took a big step into the cloud space today with the announcement that its ArcGIS product will be offered as a service using the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud computing platform.

What's Coming in ArcGIS 10

ArcGIS 9.4 Renamed ArcGIS 10 - We have recorded a podcast in which Jack explains the decision to change the name of ArcGIS 9.4 to ArcGIS 10. You can find out additional information on What's Coming in ArcGIS 10 by clicking here.

Stimulas Reporting

GIS for Stimulus Reporting - As money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is invested in communities around the United States, all levels of government must show where and how they are spending taxpayer dollars. GIS provides transparency and context to this data, making it the ideal tool for accountability reporting.

ESRI ArcGIS Explorer

Get Started with the Latest Version of ArcGIS Explorer - Easier to use than ever before, the new version lets you explore, visualize, and share your GIS data. You also can place other types of information, such as photos, videos, and reports, on your map in a geographic context. New features, like an easy-to-use ribbon and presentations, let you share geographic information with an audience that may not be familiar with GIS.

GIS Aids in Haiti

The rescue and relief efforts to help those in Haiti are being helped with spatial data from various sources. Recently a report was issued from the USDA that outlines the type and source of geospatial data available for the country. It was compiled to serve as a resource for GIS-based land management and planning. Historical maps, recent satellite imagery, and thematic maps are described with sources including figures and tables. Sources also include on-site data collection as well as Internet searches.
The report also includes where gaps in data lie, as well as work in progress and unpublished data sources such as local government, university, and private projects. These missing datasets are requred for important soil and hazard assessments as well as conservation efforts.

Check out this interesting report to see how GIS Professionals are doing their part in the disaster.

Last Call for SCAUG Nominations

Call for Officer Nominations
The South Central Arc User Group is seeking nominations for the 2010/2011 Board of Directors. The positions up for election are President, Vice President, Secretary, Conference Coordinator Elect (two year term), Louisiana State Representative, Oklahoma State Representative, Mississippi State Representative, North Texas State Representative, and South Texas State Representative.

Please submit all nominations (name, email, and phone number) via email to jcure@ci.longview.tx.us by January 29, 2010. All individuals nominated will be contacted for more information.

Call for Founder’s Award Nominations
The Founders Award was created in 1990 to recognize exceptional contributions by an individual or agency, from either the private or public sector, that have significantly enhanced the importance of geospatial sciences and made significant contributions toward advancing the use of GIS. The individual or agency is identified as a GIS leader that has helped set a new standard of GIS within the SCAUG region. The award is based upon the innovative use of current technology, a creative approach to GIS business processes, the recent integration of major program initiatives, program effectiveness, the transferability of ideas to other organizations, education and training initiatives, and community outreach.

Please submit all nominations (name, email, and phone number) via email to jcure@ci.longview.tx.us by January 29, 2010.

Call for Thumb’s Up Award Nominations
The Thumb's Up award shall be given on an annual basis at the Regional SCAUG Conference. This award will be presented to a single person or agency, from the Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma region that has been a friend to the Association by donating significant time and/or resources; going above and beyond normal expectations.

Please submit all nominations (name, email, and phone number) via email to jcure@ci.longview.tx.us by January 29, 2010.