GIS Tips & Tricks:

Creating a circular data frame (useful for creating call outs or detail views of congested information especially for clients used to viewing CAD maps):

In the data frame properties (Size and Position Tab) make the height and width the same

In the data frame properties (Frame Tab) > Border Section change the Rounding to 100% > Background Section change the Rounding to 100%

Don’t even think about having your extent rectangle in another data frame show up as a circle…its exactly that an extent rectangle. I ended up just drawing a graphic circle to represent the area of my new data frame. I do end up using the extent rectangle to show me exactly where to place the graphic circle.

Adding a second anchor point for snapping while rotating in an edit session:

While a features is selected, click the Rotate Tool from the editor toolbar then press “S”.

Excluding Some Text While Labeling:

Using VBScript to exclude portions of a field that you do not wish to label

Example: Field for Pipe Diameter reads “16 Inches (16.0 Inches)”

I only want to label “16″

In the Layer Properties > Label Tab > Label Expression > Expression window

Left([size_d], InStr([size_d], “I”)-2)

This line tells the label engine to start from the left side of the string and label until it gets to an “I” then go back 2 yielding 16 from 16 Inches (16.0 Inches)

Another trick is to uncheck the box that says “Display coded value description” in the Label Expression dialog box.

Multicolored, multi-line labels:

This came up due to the existence of old and new hydrant IDs. In order to show both, but each a different color one above the other.

In the layer properties window select the Labels tab

Select “Expression”

To have the New ID on top and the Old ID on the bottom:

[New_ID]&vbnewline&[Old_ID]

To have each a different color:

“<CLR Red=’255′>” & [New_ID] & “</CLR>” &vbnewline&”<CLR blue=’255′>”&[Old_ID]&”</CLR>”

The tricky part was figuring out that you had to put double quotes around the formatted text, and drop the normal double quote down to a single quote around the 255.

Having the Legend “bump” down instead of up when adding and removing items:

In the legend properties, select the “Size and Position” tab, in the lower left hand corner choose one of the top Anchor Points (usually top left).

Some Formatted Text that I use often:

superscript = <SUP>text</SUP>

Example: 31st street with formatted text: 31^st = 31^st street

Subscript = <SUB>text</SUB>

Example: Cl2 Injection Point with formatted text: Cl₂ = Cl₂

Having an Ampersand “&” show up when using formatted text use & (don’t forget the semicolon)

Example: 31st street & Main If you type 31^st & Main it will display the exact text typed, including “^st” in order for it to work replace & with “& amp;” (there is no space between the ampersand and the a, this html editor reads that as an ampersand too!) and you’ll get 31^st street & Main.

Enjoy! I hope these help!

Mapping Center is about the use of ArcGIS in the graphic delivery of geographic information. Its goal is to help you make great looking maps by using the same cartographic concepts and techniques that professional cartographers use.

After exploring the site, I found there are really good suggestions and tips on map creation as well as all the cartography basics. The ESRI Mapping Center is a great resource for those GIS professionals who want to add that extra touch to their map layouts. There is even an “Ask a Cartographer” link where you can ask questions about your own map layouts. You can also download Data, Styles, Expressions, Models & Scripts, .MXD’s, etc. for sample maps posted on the site.

Here is how it works.

1. Build a model using “Model Builder” inside ArcToolbox.
2. Once you have the Model built and functioning properly, export the model to vbScript from Model Builder.
3. Edit the vbScript with notepad and “add”either one of the following pieces of code below.
4. I have included code for both POP3 and IMAP/Exchange mail servers. Fill in your email information everywhere you see Bold & Italic Text in the example code below.

For POP3 Email Servers

Const cdoSendUsingPickup = 1 ‘Send message using the local SMTP service pickup directory.
Const cdoSendUsingPort = 2 ‘Send the message using the network (SMTP over the network).

Const cdoAnonymous = 0 ‘Do not authenticate
Const cdoBasic = 1 ‘basic (clear-text) authentication
Const cdoNTLM = 2 ‘NTLM

Set objMessage = CreateObject(“CDO.Message”)
objMessage.Subject = “Enter Email Subject here”
objMessage.From = “”"ArcGIS”" <Enter FROM Email Address Here>”
objMessage.To = “Enter TO Email Address Here”
objMessage.TextBody = “Enter Email Body Here..” & vbCRLF & “Thanks, ArcGIS”

‘==This section provides the configuration information for the remote SMTP server.

objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item _
(“http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/sendusing“) = 2

‘Name or IP of Remote SMTP Server
objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item _
(“http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/smtpserver“) = “Enter SMTP Server Here”

‘Type of authentication, NONE, Basic (Base64 encoded), NTLM
objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item _
(“http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/smtpauthenticate“) = cdoBasic

‘Your UserID on the SMTP server
objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item _
(“http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/sendusername“) = “Enter Email Username Here”

‘Your password on the SMTP server
objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item _
(“http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/sendpassword“) = “Enter Email User Password Here”

‘Server port (typically 25)
objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item _
(“http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/smtpserverport“) = 25

‘Use SSL for the connection (False or True)
objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item _
(“http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/smtpusessl“) = False

‘Connection Timeout in seconds (the maximum time CDO will try to establish a connection to the SMTP server)
objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item _
(“http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/smtpconnectiontimeout“) = 60

objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Update

‘==End remote SMTP server configuration section==

objMessage.Send

For IMAP Exchange Servers

Set objMessage = CreateObject(“CDO.Message”)
objMessage.Subject = “Enter Email Subject Here”
objMessage.From = “Enter FROM Email Here”
objMessage.To = “Enter TO Email Here”
objMessage.TextBody = “Enter Email Body Here.”

‘==This section provides the configuration information for the remote SMTP server.
‘==Normally you will only change the server name or IP.
objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item _
(“http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/sendusing“) = 2

‘Name or IP of Remote SMTP Server
objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item _
(“http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/smtpserver“) = “Enter IP of Exchange Server Here”

‘Server port (typically 25)
objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item _
(“http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/smtpserverport“) = 25

objMessage.Configuration.Fields.Update

‘==End remote SMTP server configuration section==

objMessage.Send