ArcGIS Server 10 Migration and WFS Services

December 20, 2011
Jeremy

Jeremy Monn

As readers of Ashley Buzzeo’s latest blog post already know, Towson University’s Center for GIS (CGIS) has migrated its hosted ArcGIS Servers from ArcGIS Server 9.3 to ArcGIS Server 10.  As the migration took place all GIS services were reviewed to make sure they were functioning properly.  While most services were converted without issue a handful would not start post-migration.  After several hours of troubleshooting, the problem was identified as being related to a unique subset of WFS-enabled map services.

What was interesting about this problem was that several WFS-enabled map services worked properly after the migration while a few did not.  Knowing this, I knew that the problem’s solution existed in understanding how the functioning and malfunctioning WFS-enabled map services differed.   By comparing the information contained in the REST endpoints for a functioning and malfunctioning WFS-enabled map service I noticed one difference: the functioning WFS-enabled map service had unique field aliases while the malfunctioning WFS-enabled map service had two fields that had the same alias.  Making the malfunctioning map service’s field aliases unique solved the problem as I was able to start the service and confirm it worked properly.   All the other malfunctioning WFS-enabled map services were also explained by duplicate field aliases.

While this blog touched on only one issue related to ArcGIS Server 10 migration, there are many other issues that one may experience.  Visit ESRI’s Migration to ArcGIS Server 10 page as a starting point for answers to other migration-related questions you may have.

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Posted by Jeremy Monn

Guest Blog: A Time to Give – ArcGIS Online Research Leads to Volunteerism Mapping Application

December 13, 2011

Michael Bentivegna

Doesn’t it seem like the pace of life is getting faster and faster, and that technology is at least supporting this change, if not causing it? With every time-saving productivity gain that technology provides, the expectations for the speed and the amount of work to be completed in any time frame seem to just increase.  Within the field of GIS (Geographic Information Systems), this expectation is being driven by consumers that want to search for and view information in a spatial context (a map). In the world of media mashups, the publishing of new GIS data and applications is expected in a few weeks, if not days, and updates are expected to be nearly instantaneous.

For GIS professionals, Esri’s ArcGIS Online comes to the rescue or further enables this trend (depending upon your perspective). This platform enables the discovery, sharing, and display of GIS data in a free cloud-based software-as-a-service, social GIS ecosystem. In plain speak, it allows you to create map data mashups with great Esri hosted/developed basemaps and lots of national and global scale GIS data. In the past few months, Esri has added the capability to upload basic spreadsheets with address information and other data in GIS formats that are processed and made available through the site. They even offer templates to provide simple applications with functions like search, measure, identify, and social media integration. All of this can be shared within a group of your choosing or out to the greater public, embedded in your website. Exciting stuff!

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to dig into ArcGIS Online so I could share the new capabilities to CGIS’s staff in a brown bag lunch, and I am glad I did. Later the very same day, I was in a meeting with the Maryland State Geographic Information Officer (GIO), Barney Krucoff, where we were asked to assist with a hurry-up effort to push information about volunteer locations out to the public for the holidays. After listening to the requirements of rapid and ongoing development of volunteer location data by interns and the need for a simple application to find the sites, I mentioned that this was a perfect project for ArcGIS Online. With the go-ahead given to investigate, I took a draft cut of the volunteer locations that the interns had compiled in Google Docs and within a few hours had the data set up on ArcGIS Online for review. Within a week of data refinement by the interns, investigation of the data update workflow process, and tweaking of the template application, we had the end product mapping application ready to be embedded in Governor O’Malley’s Maryland Stronger Together website. With the site up and running, the interns were trained to edit and update the data using ArcGIS Online tools, and the site was released to the public a few days later. You can see the map under the locate charitable organizations near you link in the website above. This is a great example of success in meeting the new accelerated expectations, and in this case, with free hosting.

I happily followed an interoffice email thread a few weeks after the Maryland Stronger Together site was launched, wherein team members were looking for an organization for DECO to donate food to this year (as we have done for the past several years). Without any prompting on my part, the site was used to find the nearest location to donate. I hope that in this time of need and giving, this tool might make it that much easier for you to find a place to donate to or to volunteer for during this busy holiday season.

View the Maryland Stronger Together map in mobile device.

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Posted by Guest Blogger

What is the Center for GIS Doing for GIS Day 2011?

November 14, 2011
Jeremy

Jeremy Monn

The Center for GIS (CGIS) will be taking part in GIS Day this Wednesday, November 16, 2011.  CGIS employees, along with Community College of Baltimore County students, will travel to Lutherville Laboratory Elementary School this year for GIS Day.  The event, organized by Eric Cromwell (Coordinator of Elementary Science for Baltimore County Public Schools), will involve approximately 120 fourth grade students.  The students will be divided into groups and each group will complete a Global Positioning System (GPS) quiz consisting of multiple choice questions that have numerical answers (e.g. Abraham Lincoln was the [fill in the blank] President of the United States.).  All of the possible answers will correspond to marked locations on a field at the school.  Once the groups have completed the quiz, each will be provided with a Garmin e-Trex GPS unit and asked to walk to the locations marked with their answers while the GPS unit tracks their route.  Each group will then map the routes using Google Earth and if the group answered the questions correctly their route will appear as a star.

In addition to the event at the Elementary School, CGIS staff will also attend two events. For the past several years, CGIS has attended the Maryland State Highway Administration’s (SHA) GIS Day event located at the SHA building in Baltimore.  At this event, CGIS staff will manage a booth and provide information on current projects and initiatives that CGIS is involved in.  If you will be attending SHA’s GIS Day event stop by CGIS’ booth and see what we are up to! Also, CGIS will attend Central Pennsylvania’s GIS Day celebration that will feature an exhibit hall, geo-challenge, genius bar, workshop, demonstrations and plenty of networking.

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Posted by Jeremy Monn

VIDEO: Education Meets the Workforce – Student Interns Get Hands-on GIS Experience

October 11, 2011

Jenn

Our newest Education Meets the Workforce video features student interns from Towson University’s Center for GIS. The interns, Justin Mannion, James Parmeter, and Alex Stapleton, work closely together on data collection processes in connection with the Maryland Broadband Map project. The Maryland Broadband Map allows residential and business consumers to discover the high-speed Internet services and providers in their neighborhood, anywhere in Maryland.

Watch the video to learn more about how the interns are contributing to the Maryland Broadband Map Project and to other projects at CGIS.

1 Comment | Community Outreach, Economic Analysis, Education, IT, Mapping, Marketing, News, Students, Training, TU Faculty & Staff | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Jenn Lake

Blogging. Facebooking. Tweeting.

October 3, 2011

Sharyn

That’s right…we’re doing all of the above and then some! Over the past 2 years, our online brand has expanded, and just so you know, we’re not just blogging. You can find various DECO research and outreach centers promoting their brand through various social outlets. Go ahead, take a look and like or follow us!

 

Economic and Community Outreach

Center for GIS (CGIS)

Regional Economic Studies Institute (RESI)

TowsonGlobal

TU in the Community

University Economic Development Association (UEDA)

Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU)


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Posted by Sharyn Kuczka

Lessons Learned III: Creating a KML-Enabled ArcGIS Server Map Service

September 6, 2011
Jeremy

Jeremy Monn

Apparently my favorite topic to blog about is creating a KML-enabled ArcGIS Server (AGS) map service, because I find myself writing about the same topic even though I have written about this topic in two previous blog posts.  The impetus for writing about this topic a third (and hopefully final) time is that I found myself troubleshooting a KML-related issue that I am sure other GIS practitioners have or will come across.   Provided below is a description of each issue and its solution.

ISSUE ONE

When panning to a new location in Google Earth, the data that the KML-enabled AGS map service references disappears.

Explanation

The problem here likely stems from how the KML file was configured when it was created from an AGS map service.   There are specific configuration settings that deal with when or how a refresh of the KML file occurs.  In this case, one should configure the KML file so that it refreshes once the user stops panning.

Solution

Open the KML file with a text editor and search for the <viewRefreshMode> tag.  Make sure the value inside this tag is set to “onStop”.  Additionally, if any <refreshMode> and <refreshInterval> tags exist remove them if you want the refresh to be solely triggered by a user panning.

ISSUE TWO

The KML-enabled AGS map service used returns a URL when a feature is identified in Google Earth, but the URL does not work.

Explanation

An obvious reason why this might occur is because the URL provided in the dataset’s attribute  table was entered incorrectly.  Another less obvious reason is that special characters in the URL are being replaced by other characters.  For example, the “&” character may be replaced by the “&amp” string.

Solution

Obviously if the data was entered incorrectly in the source data’s attribute table then one has to correct the mistake.  However, when one has an issue where the “&” character is being replaced    by the “&amp” string then one should find out what MXD is being used for the AGS service,      save it as a MSD file, and re-point the AGS service to the newly created MSD file.  Once the AGS service is refreshed, the URLs should be correct in the service’s KML file.

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Posted by Jeremy Monn

Guest Blogger: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology is great in Maryland, and it just got better!

August 15, 2011
Kenny Miller Headshot

Kenny Miller

GIS is a strategic, core business enabler, and a valuable analysis and communications tool state agencies use in their work with other state resources and the public. GIS mapping products are increasingly integrated in the state’s accountability and business processes, as well as in publicly available applications. Scores of live, dynamic maps–AgPrint, GreenPrint, GrowthPrint, Stream Health, Recovery, Budget, Energy, Broadband, PlanMaryland, and VisitMaryland, to name just a few–are readily accessible through www.maryland.gov.


Virtually all of Maryland’s GIS applications are built on Esri technology platforms and products. Esri is the GIS software leader and has become the state’s de facto GIS standard. Standardizing on Esri GIS enables the state’s agencies and business partners to keep the geospatial train on the same gauge of track, thereby securing the benefits of consolidation, interoperability, and cost efficiency. But this is only part of Maryland’s Esri GIS story. We’ve been working with Esri to forge an Enterprise License Agreement (ELA) that covers widespread GIS software use and support across state agencies and are pleased to announce that on August 10, 2011, the Maryland Board of Public Works approved the contract.

The ELA offers numerous advantages: lower unit cost of Esri software; fixed predictable overall costs over the life of the agreement; flexibility to deploy Esri software products when and where needed; streamlined procurement processes; increased leverage for achieving statewide GIS standards and interoperability; offer of GIS to agencies that otherwise could not afford GIS; and continuous support of the geospatial data and mapping requirements driven by agency and administration initiatives.

The major cost benefit of the ELA is its offer of unlimited use of Esri mainstream software products, upgrades, maintenance, and support for a fixed price. These items are unique and proprietary to Esri and are not available from an alternate source. Besides economizing the anticipated uptick in GIS use by the primary GIS agencies, the ELA encourages smaller or current non-GIS user agencies to start deploying GIS. The increase in deployment of Esri technology throughout state government will lower the unit cost.

The final price of the ELA was negotiated to a level approximately equivalent to current spending for Esri products and support. A nominal annual price escalation is permitted during the life of the contract. There are 56 state agencies and entities named in the ELA, with the option to add others. The fixed contract cost will be distributed to each agency in a proportion to its level of license consumption.

The ELA will become effective September 1, 2011. The Department of Information Technology will be responsible for Esri ELA contract administration, management and oversight, and is currently developing processes and a web presence for requesting and delivering products covered by the ELA.

Kenny Miller has held many leadership positions in Maryland at the Departments of Natural Resources and Information Technology, as well as professional organizations promoting the adoption of GIS technology in the state.

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Posted by Guest Blogger

CGIS in the Classroom

March 1, 2011
Jeremy

Jeremy Monn

Campuses across the region are coming back to life as the spring semester begins.  At Towson University, the campus has transitioned from the winter break’s relative dormancy to the normal rhythms of an active semester.  The sidewalks are again alive during class transitions as students and faculty move from one building to another, the parking garages and dining halls are filled to the brim, and the din of student conversations resonate in the buildings once again.

At CGIS, the commencement of a new semester means that several employees begin teaching as adjunct instructors at area colleges and universities.  The following CGIS employees are currently or have recently taught as adjunct instructors.

Ashley Buzzeo (Database Development Project Manager)
Since 2007, Ashley has taught several semesters of the Physical Geography course and the Advanced Geospatial Applications course offered at the Community College of Baltimore County’s (CCBC) Catonsville campus.  This semester she is teaching the Advanced Geospatial Applications course at CCBC’s Catonsville Campus and is teaching the Physical Geography course at Towson University via the Freshman Transition Program.  When asked why she enjoys teaching the GIS course, Ashley responded, “I enjoy teaching the course because I get to share with my students the knowledge of geography and GIS that I have gained over the past 10 years.  I also get to share my love and passion for GIS technology and help guide students on how to use GIS as a tool to solve problems.”

Tom Earp (Application Development Project Manager)
This spring will be the first time Tom has taught a college course.  Tom travels to Catonsville a couple times a week to teach a section of CCBC’s Geospatial Application Program’s Introduction to GIS course.  Tom sees teaching the course as a way to share the enjoyment and passion he has for GIS.

Sharyn Kuczka (Multimedia Supervisor)
From 2004 to 2010, Sharyn may have been your instructor if you took the Mass Media Graphics or Using Visual Information Effectively courses at Towson University.  Sharyn enjoyed developing an understanding of each student’s design perspective and inspiration by having students present to the class their analysis of newspaper and magazine designs.  She also enjoyed the challenge of helping students solve problems with the software used in the course.  Sharyn is currently taking a break from teaching.

Jeremy Monn (GIS Specialist)
Since the spring 2008 semester, I have taught two Physical Geography courses at the Essex Campus of CCBC and four Map Interpretation courses at Towson University. I will be teaching both courses this spring semester. I tend to describe myself as a nerd who probably reads and writes too much about Geography (if that’s possible).  So one of the reasons why I teach is because it provides me an outlet for sharing with students the knowledge I obtain through my readings, writings, and professional experiences.

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Posted by Jeremy Monn

Collect Your GIS Data Marylanders: February is GIS Inventory Month

February 15, 2011
Jeremy

Jeremy

Earlier this month, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley proclaimed February 2011 as GIS Inventory Month in Maryland.  The proclamation describes the importance of GIS in government-related matters, such as resource conservation, emergency preparedness and mitigation, and decision-making transparency.  By doing so, the proclamation lays the foundation for a 3-week challenge focused on listing the state’s GIS inventory in Ramona, a nationwide GIS inventory tool created by the National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) through funding from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The goal of the 3-week challenge is to list and document the state’s framework GIS layers in Ramona by March 1, 2011.  The layers are categorized and listed below.

Boundaries
Cities/Towns/Municipalities
Counties
State		 Location
Address Points
Geographic Place Names
Geodetic Control Points/Networks
Elevation
Contours
DEM		 Planning/Cadastral
Centroids
Vector Parcels
Imagery/Base Maps/Earth Cover
Orthoimagery/Digital Orthophotography
Land Cover		 Transportation
Roads/Street Centerlines
Mass Transit – Bus/Rail
Railroads
Airports & Airfields
Inland Waters
Hydrography
Watershed Boundaries

The basic premise of Ramona is to connect data producers and consumers by providing a single location where public and private GIS data can be documented by the producers and searched by the consumers.  In order to inventory data, one must visit the Ramona website and create a profile.  If one only wants to search the inventory, one does not need to create a profile.  So if you are interested in participating in the GIS Inventory Challenge, visit the Ramona website and create a profile to either search and/or document your GIS data.

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Posted by Jeremy Monn

Here for the Long Haul–CGIS Student Staff

January 18, 2011

Sharyn

I’ve worked for the Center for GIS for a LONG time. But, I’m happy to say there are a few other folks who have been here pretty long, too, but more interestingly, they started their careers at CGIS as student employees. I thought it would be interesting to look back and find out more about their days as undergrads (or grad students in some cases).

Ardys Russakis

Ardys Russakis (pronounced R-DIS) started working at CGIS in 1995 and is now the Operations Officer. Her mentor was Dr. Kent Barnes, a professor in the Towson University Department of Geography & Environmental Planning. Ardys believes that his insistence on hard work really paid off. She commented that there were a “number of times I had to redo GIS projects in the lab….by the time I finished my BA I realized how important it was to review, review,  and review your work along the way. If something seems too easy you have probably missed a step, and if something seems impossible you are probably over thinking it.”

Ashley Lesh Buzzeo

Ashley Buzzeo is a rising star around here. She told me that Dr. Jay Morgan, Director Emeritus of CGIS, took the time to mentor her and didn’t just teach her about professional skills, but also life skills that focus on being passionate about work while putting family first. She was recently promoted to project manager and when she shared with me the most valuable skill she gained as a student employee, I can see why these early skills she learned in the workforce have made it easy for her to emerge as a leader. “I learned from day one that at CGIS, our work requires multiple skills, collaboration, and good communication from many coworkers to accomplish specific tasks.” Besides being a leader here, she is one of the most active CGIS staff members in the Maryland State Geographic Information Committee (MSGIC).

Jeremy Monn

Back in 2003 when Jeremy Monn started out as a Graduate Assistant, we sat next to one another in our old offices that use to be located in the basement of Linthicum Hall. Recently, he told me that the most valuable skill he gained while working as a student was preparing and delivering conference presentations.  With encouragement from faculty members in Towson University’s Geography Department and from CGIS supervisors, he prepared and delivered several conference presentations as a graduate assistant. I’m sure that is part of the reason he enjoys teaching as an adjunct in the Geography Department so much. Jeremy also considered Jaime Alvarez, a former CGIS co-worker, to be a good mentor. On Friday afternoons, they’d share a Dr. Pepper and discuss projects. Jaime “was always very approachable and always stressed that I not hesitate to ask him questions.  That’s something I have tried to stress as a CGIS employee and an adjunct instructor.”

Susan Wooden

Just a few months after I started working for CGIS, Susan Wooden was hired as a part time student employee while working on her Master’s degree in Professional Writing. As we discussed our time here, Susan said that not only the coursework sharpened her skills, but also the work she was charged with such as managing proposals and project documents for CGIS made her put everything she was learning about grammar, rhetoric, and style to work right away, under the pressure of deadlines and administrative scrutiny. Besides professors from the Professional Writing program mentoring her, she said that “Dr. Jay Morgan’s encouragement and advice, and his telling me often “Your work is important to CGIS” was key to my longevity and success at CGIS.”

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Posted by Sharyn Kuczka

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