What is Task Assistant Manager?

Task Assistant Manager allows you to create step-by-step instructions for performing various GIS tasks or workflow processes and standardize the completion of a task. These tasks can then be used to assist other GIS users in quickly and correctly completing those GIS workflows.

The Task Assistant Manager consists of two components:

• Task Designer—Allows you to create task assistant workflows
• Task Assistant—Allows you to execute task assistant workflows

When installing Task Assistant Manager, you must choose between installing Task Assistant Designer or installing Task Assistant User. The Task Assistant Designer option installs both the Task Designer and Task Assistant components (that is, you are able to both design and execute task assistant workflows); the Task Assistant User option only installs the Task Assistant component, which only allows you to execute task assistant workflows.

The Task Assistant Designer

Installing Task Assistant Manager with the Task Assistant Designer option provides the Task Manager toolbar, the Task Assistant window, and the complete set of tools and tabs for designing task assistant workflows. It also includes all the functionality of the Task Assistant User installation, which allows you to execute and test workflows before distribution.

Tools specific to the Task Assistant Designer installation include

• A configuration file builder for building the list of data and commands needed to design the tasks for a particular workflow process
• The Task Assistant window with Designer interface for developing the step-by-step tasks and assigning properties to the task

A task assistant workflow is a series of steps that are linked together to define a specific task. Tasks defined in Task Designer can include execution of specific functionality, activation of a tool, providing reminders, or changing settings in the ArcMap document (.mxd).

The Task Assistant User

Installing Task Assistant Manager with the Task Assistant User option provides the Task Manager toolbar, the Task Assistant window, and tabs for viewing the history log and help comments for task assistant workflows.

Note:

The options available on the toolbars, shortcut menu, and tabs for this type of installation differ slightly from those installed with Task Assistant Designer.

The Task Assistant User installation includes

• The Task Assistant window, in which the executable task assistant workflows are displayed
• A log of steps or tasks that have been completed for the current ArcMap session
• A help system populated by the task assistant workflow designer that provides information about specific tasks

When the Task Assistant is accessed using the Task Assistant User installation, the task assistant workflows are in execute-only mode and therefore cannot be modified.

For each step, the Task Assistant file stores the following:

• The step name
• ArcMap configuration information such as layer visibility or feature templates
• Commands to execute (such as enabling the Zoom In tool)
• Node style

When the task assistant workflow is first created using Task Assistant Designer, all the relevant application settings, such as selectable layers, snapping environment, and tools/commands required to complete the process, are defined for the step. The task assistant is able to interpret the settings that are defined for the process when it was created and execute the functions to complete the task.