What's new in ESRI Defense Mapping

With Esri Defense Mapping 10, several enhancements have been made to the user experience and the functionality.

New at 10.0 SP4

The MGCP Geodatabase To Shape geoprocessing tool parameters were generalized, and the tool was renamed to Geodatabase To Shape and moved to the Features toolset.

New at 10.0 SP3

New tools

• The Split Viewtool on the Defense Mapping toolbar in ArcMap opens the Split View window and allows you to have two views of the Table Of Contents window and the data frame.
• Make Defense Grids and Graticules is a new geoprocessing tool that simplifies the Defense Mapping grid creation workflow by combining the functionality of Make Grids and Graticules Layer, Feature Outline Masks, and Create Feature Dataset into a single tool.

Enhancements

The following are enhancements that have been made to Defense Mapping.

• The Topographic Data Stores (TDS) product is now supported.
• A series of Workflow Manager custom steps and Task Assistant Manager workflows are available to streamline and automate TDS production workflows.

New at 10.0 SP2

The following are enhancements that have been made to Defense Mapping.

Geoprocessing tools

• Populate Map Info is a new tool in the Cartographic Data toolset that populates text in defense-specific graphic elements on an ArcMap layout.
• GAIT is a new tool in the Features toolset that allows you to validate data against a data model based on specific conditions.
• The Create JOG Elevation Tint Bands tool has been renamed Create JOG Elevation Tint Bands From Features.
• The Create TLM Elevation Guide Bands tool has been renamed Create TLM Elevation Guide Bands From Features.
• There is a new Banding toolset within the Cartographic Data toolset that contains all the banding tools. This includes the two scripts that create bands for JOG and TLM elements and the Create Smooth TLM Elevation Guide Bands From Raster model.
• The Create Smooth TLM Elevation Guide Bands From Raster model has been added to the Banding toolset. This model creates smooth band features for a TLM Elevation Guide element.

Other changes

• You can now define the number of bands that appear on a TLM Elevation Guide Bar.
• The TFDM product folder has been renamed TDS.

New at 10.0 SP1

The TFDM Metadata Ingest toolset contains geoprocessing tools that allow you to transfer metadata between different Defense Mapping data models.

General enhancements

• Several toolbars have been redesigned and have new icons.
• Menus have been added to the toolbars that include tools that were previously only available from the Customize dialog box. They also allow you to add product-specific surround elements in ArcMap.
• New geoprocessing tools are available that allow you to manage MGCP data and create bands for other surround elements.

Toolbar enhancements

• In ArcCatalog, the different toolbars available with Defense Mapping at previous releases have been combined into one. This includes all the tools necessary to create a geodatabase; manage geodatabases and topology; and work with Spatial Data Standard for Facilities, Infrastructure, and Environment (SDSFIE) data and Stereo Airfield Collection data. This allows you to access key data management tools more easily.
• In ArcMap, there are two toolbars: one with general data management tools and another with MGCP-specific tools. The Defense Mapping toolbar contains tools for data management, and the Defense MGCP tool contains tools for managing MGCP data.
  • The Defense Mapping toolbar contains tools that allow you to update geometric attributes of features as well as the angle. You can also insert surround elements for Topographic Line Maps (TLMs) and Joint Operations Graphics (JOGs). Image City Map (ICM) elements can also be created for the Guide to Numbered Features (GNF).
  • The Defense Mapping MGCP Tools toolbar contains tools that allow you to manage LandCover features and building facility attributes; you can also export selected layers to shapefiles and view the MGCP extraction guide.

Changes to the Buildings properties

• There is now an option to create simple buildings. This is enabled by default and allows you to create buildings using only three points.
• If you choose to create simple buildings, you can indicate whether the corners should always be squared on the new building features.

Topology tools

Topology for a geodatabase can be exported as an XML file. You can also import a standard topology for a product specification using an XML file that has been created or included with Defense Mapping.

• Import Topology imports a topology stored in an XML file into a specified workspace.
• Export Topology exports the topology in a workspace to an XML file.

Geoprocessing

Several new tools have been introduced in the Defense Mapping toolbox at version 10. These tools assist in the creation of bands for JOG Elevation Tint and TLM Elevation Guide Box elements. There are also several MGCP tools available with geoprocessing so they can be run outside ArcGIS or as part of a model.

Configuration files

• Grid definition files are installed that can be used with the Make Grids And Graticules Layer tool in ArcMap. This allows you to create map-specific grids based on the geographic region in which your data is based.
• Sample data is included with feature templates and is configured and ready to use for data editing and extraction tasks.
• Product library workspaces are included for data specifications and include field configuration tables, metadata favorites, and template instructions for cartographic production.
• Reviewer batch jobs are included that contain checks for each data specification, including Custom and Topology Rules checks that may be necessary to ensure that the data is valid for the specification you are using.