Getting moving with ArcObjects

Objectives:

• Enter a macro, make a button
• Assignment: analysis of a piece of code
• Project ideas

Simple Macro

If you have already done this kind of thing, get rolling on your own work. Get yourself into ArcMap, with some data open (a project like states of USA)

1. Tools > Macros >Macros
2. type in "MyZoomIn" in the name text box, > click Create
3. Enter the code
4. Back to ArcMap
5. Tools > Macros > Macros
6. Select MyZoomIn, click Run

To add this macro to a tool bar:

1. Tools> Customize
2. Toolbars tab: create a new toolbar.
3. Commands tab, Select Macros category
4. In the Save in combo box, select the name of your project. The commands list at the right of the dialog lists NewMacros.MyZoomIn
5. Drag the macro name to the toolbar you created. It appears with a default icon.
6. To change its properties, right click on the icon.
7. select Change Button Image and choose button from palette
8. Close Customize
9. Click on button...

Assignment

1. Pick a piece of code (subroutine or larger unit)
2. Describe the intial conditions required (sources, input, parameters)
3. Describe what happens, and how
4. Describe the result (output, visual effect on the screen, etc.)

DUE 3 February

An example: upcoming lecture material on affine transformations

Sources for code:

• Old stuff:
  • FORTRAN bits from ODYSSEY
    •  
  • C from Digital Chart of the World/ Vector Product Format (public domain) [from simple to complex)
    • Distance between points on the sphere (very simple!)
    • intersection routine (inside clipping program)
    • clipping program (VPF)
• Current stuff:
  • ArcObjects of the distributed system (open up the existing code)
  • Arcscripts (contributed by users)

Project Ideas

Kinds of projects:

• Program Development: implement something using a programming toolkit
• Evaluation (Debugging, Performance measurement, Comparisons, Bake-offs)

Some past projects:

• Cartogram algorithm implemented in Avenue (published)
• Program to display migration flows between states
• LIDAR technology explained (in terms of the geometry used to transform measurements from laser into DEM)
• How USGS is measuring channel migration
•  
• What did your 460 project need?

Preliminary deliverable: Project Plan

• Statement of Need:
  • What it will do
  • What is currently available (some due diligence needed, but total originality not required)
• Environment: assumptions about external material (parameters, inheritance, etc.)
• Plan of Attack (what you plan to do and how)

Expected deliverables: Final submission

• Presentation
• Report
  • What you set out to do
  • What you accomplished
  • Consequences, Limitations, etc.

Version of 15 January 2003