Lab 3: Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho in the Field We Go

Field Maps and Sharing

This sure was a busy lab!

The first lab involved utilizing the project's configured file geodatabase (FGD) to create a simple feature class. This task was achieved by applying and expanding upon the skills acquired in previous labs, including setting the extent, establishing a base map, and more. It is important to highlight the significant advantages of Esri file geodatabases compared to shapefiles or personal geodatabases.

One notable feature is the use of domains. When first encountering domains for an FGD, there was a need for mental recalibration, as one might initially perceive a domain as a defined range (e.g., 0 through 365). However, an FGD domain is more of a numeric or text-backed enumeration. The question arises: why not simply call it an enum? One could argue that an enumeration is a range of values, but as the programming meme humorously suggests, naming can sometimes lead us into an abyss.

A lot has changed with ArcGIS Online (AGOL); it now has a whole lot more features, yet some things have remained nearly the same. Sharing layers via this platform was extremely easy using ArcGIS Pro, with the tool used to publish and share layers appearing to be just a new user interface for the same process as ArcMap.

ArcGIS Field Maps was installed, which is an improved and cleaner application than ArcCollector. It was time to gather some data, and this task was included in the weekly run to the rural recycling center with my companion, George Costanza.

Not the real George Costanza from Seinfeld but his canine doppelganger, a little, bald (hairless), angry Chinese Crested. See George enjoys supervising these kind of errands, not to mention he can give the chickens and ducks at the recycling center the stink eye. You can find more about George here!

So under George's supervision collecting the school zone signage for Anthony Elementary as a snap.

Projection(s)

Back in the office it was time to begin the next part of the lab, Introduction to Projections.

Here the final outcome is a document showing three maps using different projection coordinate systems (PCS) and demonstrate that not all projections are created equal. Again making use of the project's FGD the provided data for the lab was transformed to the differing PCS. A really great exercise on selecting PCS and Geographic Cooridante System (GCS) is important, especialy when conditing an analysis.