Introduction to
ArcPad
Prepared by:
Jennifer McKee
With support from:
NSF DUE-0903270
in partnership with:
Geospatial Technician Education Through Virginia’s Community Colleges (GTEVCC)
Mobile GIS
Allows field staff to capture, update, analyze spatial
data
• 3 Types of Mobile GIS currently
•
•
•
•
ArcGIS Mobile
• For enterprise field-workers, medium to large
organizations, deployed from ArcGIS Server,
taskcentric workflow
ArcPad
• For GIS managers and field-workers, small to medium
organizations, deployed from ArcGIS Desktop,
mapcentric workflow
ArcGIS for iPhone
ArcPad
A Mobile GIS product allowing for field data
collection & mapping, GPS integration, and
database access using wireless technology
• Can be run on any mobile device that runs Windows
Mobile OS
•
Windows Mobile
•
ArcPad is only compatible with the following Windows
Mobile operating systems:
•
•
•
Windows Mobile supports
•
•
•
•
•
ArcPad 8 - WM OS 5.0, 6.0, 6.1, or 6.5
ArcPad 7.x - WM 2003, 5.0, 6.0, 6.1, or 6.5
Microsoft Office mobile (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
Microsoft Office Outlook Mobile
Internet Explorer Mobile
Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile & more
Most mobile devices come with either Windows
Mobile or Palm O.S.
Microsoft ActiveSync
Synchronization software for PDAs
• Easy way to connect PDA to computer and transfer
information, settings, & files
• Synchronization software depends on OS of computer
•
•
•
•
Windows XP or earlier – ActiveSync 4.5
Windows Vista or Windows 7 – Windows
Mobile Device Center
If not currently installed, is a free
download from Microsoft
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/en-us/downloads/microsoft/activesyncdownload.mspx
ArcPad Benefits
Collect & validate field data
• Incorporate rangefinders, GPS, digital cameras &
barcode readers into data collection
• Enterprise data can be shared with field workers &
updated
• Increase efficiency of field data collection
•
Example Applications
•
Health and Human
Services
•
•
•
Storm water
management
State & Local
government
•
•
Equipment & inventory
maintenance
Urban & Regional
Planning
•
Parks Inventory
Natural Resources
•
•
Mosquito Control Field
Inspection template
Infrastructure & Utilities
•
•
Agriculture and Natural
Resources tools
Public Safety
•
Fire perimeter mapping
Templates available from ESRI
at
http://resources.arcgis.com
/content/mobile-gis
ArcPad files
•
Usual shapefile & raster extensions (not all
raster types supported, i.e. .img)
•
•
.dbf, .shp, .sbx, .prj, .sbn, .shx, etc
Uses additional files:
Typical files • .apm – map document
you will
see/use • .apl – layer definition file
• Can customize creating forms
associated with
a specific shapefile
Seen more
often with
custom
applications
•
•
.apx – configuration file
• Used to alter the basic ArcPad configuration
.apa – applets that can run within ArcPad
Interface
Main toolbar
Browse toolbar
Edit toolbar
Scalebar
Status bar
Command bar
Drop down menus
1
Any icon with a has a
drop down menu
1
5
6
5
2
7
2
6
3
8
3
7
8
4
9
4
9
10
10
Explore Data - Table of Contents
Select
(TOC button)
Check under
•
•
•
•
•
•
allows you to see
layer
allows you to ID the
layer
makes layer editable
Highlight layer &
select
to see layer
properties
Explore Data - Table of Contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Choose map
projection definition
file
Map properties
Add data
Layer properties
Rearrange layers
Remove layer
1
2
3
4
5
6
Layer Properties
Tabs: Information, Labels, Symbology, Scale,
Hyperlink, Attributes, Transparency, Geography
• What can be changed/set:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Labels
Symbology
Scale
Hyperlink fields
Transparency
To Close ArcPad – File menu > Exit *** if you use the
X in the upper right corner, ArcPad is STILL running
Exercise Overview
We will export data from ArcMap to ArcPad
• Build custom form in ArcPad Studio
• Transfer data to PDA
• Create new shapefile in field
• Collect data
• Transfer collected data to desktop
•
Exercise Details
•
We will be collecting data
2 ways
•
Using a customized form
Create shapefile in ArcPad
•
•
•
•
Use infrastrature.shp with
form to collect
information on location,
type, condition, and
maintenance needs
•
Type = Benches, Lamp,
Sign, Trash Can
•
Condition = Good, Fair,
Poor
Maintenance needs = free
text field
Create shapefile to
collect tree size
•
Size = Small, Medium,
Large
Data Preparation
ALL data used for an
ArcPad project MUST
be in the same
projection
• ArcPad toolbar
•
Get Data for
ArcPad
Undo Check
Out
Check in
Edits
Data Preparation
Open VT.mxd (located C:\data\Arcpad\) in ArcMap
• Explore data
•
•
•
1 imagery file (2005 Blacksburg )
Roads
Zoom in/out until the
parking lot southwest
of Cheatham Hall is in
view (10923006.311,
3610590.736 feet)
and scale is 1:1500
•
Let’s start the exercise! Exporting data for ArcPad
1.
2.
3.
4.
Click “Get Data for
ArcPad” button
Select layers to be
exported
Select spatial extent
(current display),
Specified features,
Output folder name
(ArcPad_VT), & Location
(c:\data)
Review completed export
report
2
3
4
Creating a custom form
•
Open ArcPad Studio
•
•
Start> All Programs> ArcGIS> ArcPad
8.0> ArcPad Studio
When asked “Start using ArcPad
Studio with a”
•
Choose – “New layer definition project”
> Click OK
Navigate to ArcPad_VT folder &
select Infrastructure.shp > click Open
• When asked if you want to replace an
existing form, click Yes
•
ArcPad Studio: Form Wizard
•
Layout tab
•
•
•
Caption =
Infrastructure
From drop down menu
select “¼ VGA –
240x320 (Pocket PC)”
Check: Attributes
Page
ArcPad Studio: Form Wizard cont.
•
Fields tab
•
Make sure all fields
are checked (ID,
TYPE, CONDITION, &
MAINT_NEED)
ArcPad Studio: Form Wizard cont.
•
Controls tab
•
•
•
•
•
Required column
• Check Id, Type, &
Condition
Id row
• Minimum = 1
Type row
• List values = Benches, Lamp, Sign, Trash
Can
Condition row
• List values = Good, Fair, Poor
Click OK
More Form Alterations
1.
2.
3.
Double click on
<EDITFORM>
Infrastructure
Double click on white
box next to Id
When Control Properties
window opens, select
Values tab
•
•
2
1
Minimum Value = 1
Check “Auto Increment”
3
More Form Alterations
•
This is what your custom
form will look like on the
PDA
•
Click OK & SAVE the form –
Close ArcPad Studio
Transferring Data to PDA
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Connect PDA to laptop
When asked the “Synchronization
Setup Wizard” dialog opens, cancel
out of it
Microsoft ActiveSync dialog will
open
Click Explore on ActiveSync
interface, a new window will open
Open a Windows Explorer on your
desktop & navigate to C:\data\
Copy ArcPad_VT folder to PDA
Close both windows when copy &
convert is finished
4
1
Using the PDAs
2
1.
2.
3.
4.
If not on, Turn PDA on by
pressing down &holding
the power button
Select Start > ArcPad
7.0.1
Open ArcPad.apm within
the ArcPad_VT folder
Click OK
3
4
Create new shapefile
3.
Select drop down arrow
next to the open button
Select New > Shapefile
Type = Point
3
4.
Click + button
1.
2.
5.
6.
7.
Name = Size
Select Text
Select OK
1&2
4
Create new shapefile cont.
1.
2.
Click OK
When prompted enter the
following
•
•
•
•
•
Name = Tree
Folder = ArcPad_VT
Type = Shapefiles
Location = Main memory
Click OK
Creating QuickForm
1.
Layout tab
•
2.
1
Controls tab
•
•
3.
Select Attributes Page
Required column
• Check SIZE
List Values column
• Small, Medium, Large
2
Click OK
3
Collect data
•
Select the edit menu
button & select either
Tree or Infrastructure to
edit
•
Collect at least 5 features
for each shapefile
Create a point
Zoom in
• On the Edit toolbar, select the point
feature tool
• Touch the screen where you want to
locate the point
• Or Turn the GPS on, click
(GPS
drop down menu) & select GPS Active
• When the GPS determines your locations, put
a point where the GPS cursor is
•
Transferring Data to Computer
Once all data points have been collected, select the
Save button & shut down ArcPad (file menu > exit)
• Connect PDA to computer
• Cancel out of the “Synchronization Setup Wizard”
dialog
• Click Explore on ActiveSync window
• Copy data in ArcPad_VT folder from PDA to
C:\data\Arcpad\
• Now VT.mxd can be reopened & data examined
•
•
Add your Tree shapefile to the map document
Any Questions?
•
Just remember..
•
•
ArcPad can be put on ANY mobile device that runs
Windows Mobile (field computer, PDA, tablet PC, etc)
Practice makes perfect
Jennifer McKee
Geospatial Project Developer
jmckee@vt.edu
(540) 231-9115
www.gep.frec.vt.edu