Many of the ArcGIS Military Analyst and MOLE extension application programming interface (API) objects you have used in the past have equivalent or near equivalent objects in the ArcGIS 10 ArcObjects API. These new objects should now be used and do not require a Military Analyst extension or MOLE extension license. See Migrating from Military Analyst and MOLE for information on how to accomplish tasks in ArcGIS 10 that previously required the Military Analyst and MOLE APIs.
Approaches to creating MOLE graphics
There are two main approaches to creating military symbology with MOLE, the Symbol-based approach and the feature-based approach. For descriptions of these approaches, see the topic Displaying and Editing Military Symbology in the Defense Solutions library overview.
Force elements and tactical graphics
Regardless of which approach you use to create MOLE graphics, MOLE graphics are divided into two main categories, force elements and tactical graphics:
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Force elements, also known as tactical symbols or force units, are points that represent military units, installations, and equipment. MIL-STD-2525B Change 1 and APP-6A define force elements as point objects that present information that can be pinpointed in one location at a particular point in time. As the military specifications dictate:
- A force element is composed of an icon, frame (shape), and fill and may include additional components that provide information about the symbol's affiliation, battle dimension, echelon, mobility, status, and mission.
- Echelon and mobility indicators are positioned outside the frame. The shape and color of the frame change according to the force element's affiliation.
- In the case of friendly-affiliated graphics and, to a lesser extent, hostile-affiliated, unknown, and pending graphics, the shape is also determined by the battle dimension of the graphic being represented.
- In addition to components, you can use the MOLE API to add or edit labels (modifiers), such as parent name, altitude/depth, or the direction of movement indicator. Labels are also known as attributes in the feature-based approach for creating graphics because they are stored as data fields in an attribute table.
- Tactical graphics, also known as military operations graphics, can be point, line, or polygons and represent command/control and mission planning and operations features. MIL-STD-2525B Change 1 and APP-6A define tactical graphics as point, line, and area objects that are necessary for battlefield planning and management but cannot be presented as force elements alone. As the military specifications dictate:
- A tactical graphic is composed of an icon and may include additional components. The size and shape of the point graphics remain fixed, while the size and shape of the line and area graphics are determined by drawing parameters provided by the user and the scale of the background on which the graphic is placed.
- Tactical graphics can signify responsibilities and activities critical to supporting mission planning and battlefield management. They can represent such things as military bases, facilities, mission guidance, control measures, and obstacles.
The image below illustrates a friendly set (top) and a hostile set (bottom) of force elements. The top set is in the default color for friendly forces, blue. The bottom set is in the default color for hostile forces, red.
Using the feature-based approach to creating MOLE graphics, you can apply leadering rules to force elements to group them onto lines known as leader lines. The image below shows four leaders.
The MOLE software application uses a feature-based approach, so you can learn more about this approach by reviewing user documentation topics:
- For an overview of force elements and tactical graphics in this setting, see Force elements and tactical graphics.
- For information on how MOLE categorizes military symbols into feature class types see Determining MOLE feature class type for new graphics.
For a description of how leadering works in MOLE, see Leadering.
Examples of MOLE symbols
Symbol ID Code
The Symbol ID code contains characters and groups of characters, each of which corresponds to a component of a MOLE graphic.
The middle six characters, positions 5–10, referred to as the function code, construct the symbol indicator—the interior icon of every graphic, which is unique. The 15 characters represent attributes shown as follows:
For example, the Symbol ID code SHGPUCIGD--H*** can be translated into the following symbol attributes:
- S = war fighting
- H = hostile
- G = ground
- P = present
- UCIGD = internal security force
- H = brigade
- ** = country
- * = order of battle; for example, air, maritime, and so on
For more information about how MOLE uses the Symbol ID code to display military symbology on a map, see the user documentation topic Symbol ID code.
Terminology
Why “MOLE graphics” and not “MOLE symbols”?
You may notice that the phrase “MOLE graphic” is used to refer even to MOLE graphics/symbols that are standard ArcGIS symbols (Symbol-based graphics). Because so many objects and so much documentation is applicable to both types of graphics (Symbol-based and feature-based), there is a need to refer to them collectively. Shifting from “graphic” to “symbol” only for Symbol-based objects is impractical and likely confusing to the reader. So one phrase was chosen, “MOLE graphics,” to refer to both types collectively and to maintain consistency throughout the documentation.
Why are MOLE labels called attributes?
You may notice that the term “attribute” is used to refer to “MOLE labels”, or what the military specifications often refer to as “modifiers”. “Attribute” is used in order to stay consistent with ArcGIS terminology. In ArcGIS, “attribute” refers to a table field (a field in a feature class) that stores data. When using a feature-based method of graphics management, MOLE labels are stored in an attribute table. So when you’re using the Symbol-based method, “attribute” may sound a bit off-putting because Symbol-based does not use attribute fields to store data.
See Also:
Military Symbology for Land Based Systems - APP-6A
Migrating your MOLE and Military Analyst Applications to the Defense Solutions Library
| Development licensing | Deployment licensing |
|---|---|
| Engine Developer Kit: Military Overlay Editor | Engine Runtime: Military Overlay Editor |