While I’m enjoying the functionality of the new Referenced Mosaic Dataset that have been introduced in ArcGIS10, something that I stumbled over recently was administering the privileges to a referenced mosaic dataset. A referenced mosaic dataset is a raster datatype that uses a mosaic dataset as a base. For example, we loaded a series of DEMs into a mosaic dataset and then created a referenced mosaic dataset that does the meters to feet conversion for us.

One of the things I had not gotten around to doing in ArcGIS 10 was figure out how to directly manipulate the geometry of a record using the Field Calculator. When I stumbled upon a bug in the way the Extract Values to Points tool handles Null geometries, I figured it was time to figure it out. Setting the X, Y to 0,0 was sufficient for my needs. I set the Parser to Python and the formula was simple once I figured out the syntax:

One of the Spatial Analyst tools we often use in ArcGIS is the Extract Values to Points tool. This allows us to take a point file (well locations in our case) and attach a value (elevations) from a raster image (a DEM) to each point. Today I was running it for the first time against an Image Service we recently published and I received a warning message,‘WARNING 000957: Skipping feature(s) because of NULL or EMPTY geometry’.

In migrating a toolbar consisting of a button and a couple of tools for use in ArcMap 10, I decided to take advantage of the ease of deployment enabled by add-ins which was introduced in 10.0. So far, I’m loving the functionality. One thing, however, that I have to figure out is that the controls are not instantiated until they are clicked on. One of the results is that the controls, by default, are enabled.

I have been loading existing raster data into a geodatabase to be included in a new Mosaic Dataset–a very cool and useful addition to ArcGIS 10. The most time-consuming part of the process for the human (at least this human) has been getting the names of the rasters right. Our existing data is organized by tiles with the directory name representing the tile name and then the data within each tile directory having the same name.

Whenever I want to skim through ESRI’s fonts to find some symbology I need for a specific purpose, I go through some laborious process to skim the fonts searching for an adequate symbol. However, in the ESRI Mapping Center blog post, user use2b311 post a link to a pre-made pdf showing ESRI Font Samples.pdf (application/pdf Object). Back when ESRI use to actually print hard-copy manuals, there were similar diagrams available but either I haven’t searched enough of they don’t exist in the digital help systems so I was happy to stumble upon this.

Updating some python code from 9.3 that using geoprocessing to 10.0 using arcpy and the first real object I’ve had to change relates to detecting whether or not an index exists on a table. I previously posted code using a 9.3 geoprocessing commands, the core of it being: indexList = gp.listindexes(tablename) for iIndex in indexList: if (iIndex.Name == indexname): return True return False With arcpy, ESRI has gone back to using the Describe methodology.

To better organize our ArcSDE data, we wanted to create multiple geodatabases and multiple ArcSDE services using one PostgreSQL database cluster (a cluster containing 1 machine at this point). A side question is why can’t tables and raster be placed in Feature Datasets? This wouldn’t be an end-all solution for what we want to do but there are some messy consequences of this limitation. ESRI has instructions on Setting up multiple geodatabases in one PostgreSQL database cluster on Windows which was helpful but we repeatedly got an ‘The ArcSDE Repository was unsuccessfully completed.

I was working my way through this ESRI Walkthrough: Building custom UI elements using add-ins (ArcObjects .NET 10 SDK). And came across a couple minor errors that I had to correct during the process. First, while implementing the OnClick() code for ZoomToLayer.vb, Visual Studio gave me a ‘Name ‘ArcMap’ is not declared.' error. In the walk-through, they mention that the ArcMap method of your class. For me, however, it appeared under the .

We finally installed an instance of ArcSDE 10 today. My first attempt at connecting in ArcCatalog 9.3.1 failed with the following error: Failed to connect to the specified server. This release of the GeoDatabase is either invalid or out of date. [Please run the ArcSDE setup utility using the -o install option.] DBMS table not found [sde.sde.GDB_Release]  Turns out the solution was simple, this article points out that Service pack 2 is required.