Monday, July 22, 2013

Kessler GIS News July 19

Kessler GIS News
WORKING TOWARDS SELF-SUFFICIENT AND ENERGIZED CLIENTS

July 19, 2013


Whispers
and Praxes 

I thought this time around I'd list some of my favorites! Go to my Blog and see my latest. 


Sale on recoded classes!
There are many reasons for taking a live, online course. Unfortunately, these classes may not fit into your schedule. More and more people are taking self-paced courses and doing very well by them.

You may wish to take advantage this summer of the great sale I'm offering in July and August. All my recorded classes (at version 10.1) are 20% off during the month of July and August.

Go to Kessler GIS Web Classes for more information. 


Upcoming on-site classes
I have a couple sessions of my Python/ArcPy class coming up and they are open registration. This may be just the ticket for your training needs!
#20130813 Understanding and Using Python and ArcPy   $795
    August 13-14, 2013  221 W First Ave., Spokane, WA           This class is confirmed!
    Go to: www.kesslergis.com/onsiteclasses.html  for more information and registration

#20131014 Understanding and Using Python and ArcPy
   $795/$695     
    October 14-15, 2013  Sun River Resort, Bend, OR      
    notes: Save $100 when you register for the NW GIS User Conference as well               
    See  www.nwgis.org for more information and registration for this course


Upcoming web classes
Why take a web class from Kessler GIS? No one else gives you all these in one package.




  • Very competitively priced
  • Live presentations
  • Student engagement (you aren't allowed to sleep through these classes)
  • Small class size (no greater than 25, typically much less)
  • All sessions recorded for student review or catch-up
  • PDF of lecture & exercise notes, plus sample data
  • In class and after class support
  • Desktop sharing
Click the image above to see the New Schedule . But first, please review the course content and terms of service on my Course Listing pages

Friday, July 19, 2013

Whispers and Praxes (tips and tricks) For ArcGIS Desktop


New tools and expanded usefulness of ArcGIS changes in every version. I thought I would cover some quick topics that people seem to miss and are my favorites. I am listing these in no particular order. BTW, this is NOT 10.2.

  1. I find myself telling long-time users about map packages, which came about in v10.0. Why use map packages?
    • It's a perfect way to package your map document and ALL your data in one neat file. It may be big, particularly if you have imagery, but it is easy to create and creates a 'status quo' of your project.
    • Use as a backup. Keep in mind there are other ways.
    • FTP a copy to a partner, contractor, or as a FOIA response using ArcGIS Online. 
    • You don't HAVE to use ArcGIS Online for getting a copy to a partner. But hey, it's FREE!
    • Note: if you have a join, the properties don't seem to get copied but the table gets copied. You have to rebuild the join. I hope esri fixed that at 10.2.
  2. As with map packages, I still seem to be teaching long-time users about layer packages (v9.3). It basically packages up all the properties of a layer plus the data. 
    • Same advantages as map packages.
  3. So here is something I can't believe some people don't know yet... A layer file! (v8.0?) Don't be embarrassed if you don't know. Just read up on it and use them! (I had to add this, since I was going down this list.)
  4. Use Cntrl-F for searching.
    • Use it in Help while your searching a page for a string you're interested in.
    • Use it in ArcMap to open the Search window. 
    • In the comments, add some of your favorite uses for Cntrl-F.
  5. Calculating geometry values. You can calculate area, length, perimeter, centroid, and point coordinates in a table just by right-clicking the name of a text or numeric field and choosing Calculate Geometry. (v9.2) There's even a way to calculate Ares... (not Acres). Anyone use Ares??? Where is it useful? Comment below if you know.
  6. Tired of Full Extent tool taking you to some extent that is much bigger than your area of interest? Create a custom full extent. It's easy to do with the data frame properties. (v9.2)
  7. I love Connections! But the full pathname is sometimes ugly. You can rename the connection to anything you wish. (v9.2)
  8. Need to pan and don't want to click the pan tool? There are three options I'm aware of:
    • Press the C key on your keyboard and the tool switches to the pan hand.
    • Press your mouse wheel and pan away! (v9.2)
    • Use your arrow keys.
  9. You know how to zoom to a layer's extent by right-clicking and choosing Zoom to Layer. Shortcut this by pressing Alt and clicking on the layer. (v9.2)
  10. You can view multiple tables in ArcMap by dragging and dropping the table's tab to the position you want it. (v10.0)
  11. Want to print a table? Press Cntrl-P. (v10.1)
Do you have any favorite whispers or praxes? Tell me about them in the comments. 

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Kessler GIS News July 2, 2013

Kessler GIS News
WORKING TOWARDS SELF-SUFFICIENT AND ENERGIZED CLIENTS

July 2, 2013

Using Excel Tables 

I continually get the question from students "how do I use Excel tables?" Well, I have a recorded session about using them. It takes a bit more than an hour, but covers a lot AND there are students asking numerous questions. Hopefully, this fills in some of your "chuckholes of knowledge"! 

Go to Using Excel Tables, sign in for free and view. 


Sale on recoded classes!
There are many reasons for taking a live, online course. Unfortunately, these classes may not fit into your schedule. More and more people are taking self-paced courses and doing very well by them.

You may wish to take advantage this summer of the great sale I'm offering in July and August. All my recorded classes (at version 10.1) are 20% off during the month of July and August.

Go to Kessler GIS Web Classes for more information. Here's the list of classes: 
 

What is GIS and ArcGIS Desktop? $80

Using ArcMap and Creating Simple Effective Maps 
 $160

ArcGIS Desktop: Managing Data  $200

ArcGIS Desktop: Geodatabase Power User $200

Using ModelBuilder $160

Understanding and Using Python & ArcPy in ArcGIS $352


Upcoming on-site classes
I have a couple sessions of my Python/ArcPy class coming up and they are open registration. This may be just the ticket for your training needs!
#20130813 Understanding and Using Python and ArcPy   $795
    August 13-14 2013       221 W First Ave., Spokane, WA                                                                 
    Go to: www.kesslergis.com/onsiteclasses.html  for more information and registration

#20130914 Understanding and Using Python and ArcPy
   $795/$695     
    September 14-15, 2013  Sun River Resort, Bend, OR      
    notes: Save $100 when you register for the NW GIS User Conference as well               
    See  www.nwgis.org for more information and registration for this course


Upcoming web classes
Why take a web class from Kessler GIS? No one else gives you all these in one package.




  • Very competitively priced
  • Live presentations
  • Student engagement (you aren't allowed to sleep through these classes)
  • Small class size (no greater than 25, typically much less)
  • All sessions recorded for student review or catch-up
  • PDF of lecture & exercise notes, plus sample data
  • In class and after class support
  • Desktop sharing
Click the image above to see the New Schedule . But first, please review the course content and terms of service on my Course Listing pages