Getting started with a new QuickProject

A QuickProject is a “ready to use” data capture project.

Sometimes there is a need to go into the field— with no pre-existing data—and start capturing data as quickly and easily as possible. The QuickProject tool creates a “ready to use” data capture project, providing a simple and efficient method for capturing data into new layers.

The QuickProject tool is located in the ArcPad Open map dialog box, and in the New submenu on the Main toolbar. The tool does the following:

1. Closes the current map, prompting to save any changes that have been made.
2. Provides option to choose a QuickProject template. The default QuickProject template is described below. For more information refer to Creating QuickProject templates.
3. If no layers are open at the time of creating the QuickProject, provides option to choose a projection. (If any layers are already open, only the existing projection can be used). The default projection shown in the QuickProject tool, can be changed by placing an ArcPad.prj with the required projection, in your My ArcPad folder. When you next attempt to create a QuickProject, the projection of your ArcPad.prj file will be the default projection for all layers.
4. Provides option to keep the layers from the current map. If selected, all open layers from the current map are included in the new QuickProject map.
5. Provides option to include the Default Basemap Layer, that is defined on the ArcPad Option Navigation tab.
   
6. Creates a new project folder, located in the Default Maps and Data Path. (This path is specified in the Paths page of the ArcPad Options dialog box.). The new project folder is called QuickProject_YYYYMMDD_HHMM, where YYYYMMDD is the current date, and HHMM is the current time.

If you choose the Default Template and tap OK, the tool does the following:

1. Creates three new shapefiles in the project folder: Points.shp, Polylines.shp, and Polygons.shp. Each new shapefile has the following fields: Name, Category, Date, Comments, and Photo. Each layer is symbolized based on the Category field.
2. Creates a QuickForm for each new shapefile layer. The QuickForm contains a pick list for the Category field. There are five categories by default: Category 1 to Category 5.
3. Creates a new ArcPad map, called QuickProject.apm, in the project folder. The map contains all three new shapefiles, each shapefile is activated for editing and the Identify tool. The QuickProject.apm is automatically loaded into ArcPad.
4. Before the tool closes, the files created are summarized and displayed, and you can choose to Start using GPS (and record a GPS Tracklog).

In most situations QuickProject will be used to capture data using a GPS. Capturing data with a QuickProject is easy—just use the following steps:

1. Create a default QuickProject, and choose to Start using GPS. Wait until you have a GPS fix.
2. On the QuickCapture toolbar choose the feature that you wish to create. If you choose a point feature, the QuickForm will automatically be displayed immediately. If you choose a line or polygon feature, use the Add GPS Vertex or Add GPS Vertices continuously tools on th Command bar to complete the feature.

The QuickForm will be automatically displayed once you have captured a feature in ArcPad.

You may wish to rename the categories using terms that are more appropriate for the type of data that you are capturing. For example, if you are capturing trees you may wish to rename the categories to: Cedar, Fir, Maple, Oak, and Pine. You may also need to have more than five categories. You can rename the existing categories, add new categories, and change the symbol for each category in the Symbology page of the QuickForm.

You can change the symbol, value, or label by tapping on the corresponding field and making the appropriate changes. (Note, the value is the text stored in the database, while the label is the text displayed in the pick list. In many cases the value and label will be the same.)

You can add new categories by tapping the + button at the bottom of the Symbology page, and then editing the symbol, value and label for the new category.

You can delete categories by selecting, or tapping, the category and tapping the X, or delete button which is displayed when a category is selected.

Any changes are automatically saved when you tap the OK button.

The symbols used to display each layer are determined automatically, based on the contents of the Category field. The Legend page, of the Table of Contents, shows the symbols used for all the layers in the map.