A geodatabase is the primary data storage format for the ArcGIS platform, which includes ArcGIS Pro. So much of the data that you will visualize, edit, and analyze using ArcGIS Pro will come from a geodatabase. There are several types of geodatabases, including personal, file, enterprise, and mobile.

A geodatabase stores related features as feature classes. A feature class is a collection of features that share the same geometry (point, line, polygon, annotation, or multipatch), attribute table, and coordinate system. A feature class can then be added as a layer to a map so that you can see both the spatial and tabular data. To take a deeper dive into the geodatabase format, go to https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/data/geodatabases/overview/what-is-a-geodatabase-.htm.

In this recipe, you will act as a GIS analyst for the City of Trippville. The city manager has asked you to create a simple map showing some basic information about the city, including city limits, roads, railroads, and points of interest.

Getting ready

This recipe requires the sample data to be installed on your computer. It is recommended that you complete the recipes in Chapter 1, ArcGIS Pro Capabilities and Terminology, before starting this recipe. This will ensure you have a better foundational understanding of navigating within a map. You can complete this recipe with any ArcGIS Pro licensing level.

How to do it...

In this recipe, you will add the required layers to a map using different methods and then configure them.

Opening ArcGIS Pro and a project

To start, you must launch the ArcGIS Pro application and open a project. Follow these steps:

1. Start ArcGIS Pro by clicking on the Start menu button. Then if you are running Windows 10, expand the ArcGIS Program Group and select ArcGIS Pro as shown in the following screenshot. If you are running Windows 11, you will need to click on the All apps button before you expand the ArcGIS program group.

Figure 2.1 – Starting ArcGIS Pro from the Start button

2. In the ArcGIS Pro Start window, click on the Open another project button, as illustrated here:

Figure 2.2 – Open another project

3. In the Open Project window, expand the Computer option in the left panel. Then, in the right panel, scroll down and double-click on the C: drive. It might be labeled as Local Disk, Local Drive, or OS.
4. Double-click on the Student folder, followed by the ArcGISPro3Cookbook and Chapter 2 folders.
5. Double-click on the AddingLayers folder and select the AddingLayers.aprx project file. Then, click the OK button to open the project.

   The project you selected should open with a single map. This map will contain a basemap but no other layers.

Adding layers to a map using the Add Data button

You will now begin adding the requested layers to this map. You will start with the city limits:

1. Activate the Map tab in the ribbon.
2. Click on the Add Data button.
3. In the Add Data window that just opened, expand the Databases folder located under Project in the left panel.
4. Double-click on the Trippville_GIS.gdb geodatabase in the right panel of the window.
5. Double-click on the Base feature dataset.

Information

Feature datasets are organizational units in a geodatabase. They act in a similar way as folders on your computer. They allow you to store related feature classes in a common container within the geodatabase so that you can easily find them. All feature classes stored within a feature dataset share the same coordinate system. This allows the feature classes stored in the feature dataset to take part in a topology and geometric network. Feature datasets only exist in geodatabases. You will not find them in other GIS data formats, such as shapefiles.

6. Select the City_Limit feature class. This is a polygon feature class. You can tell this by the icon located to the left of the feature class name. Click on the OK button to add this feature class to your map as a layer.

   Your map should look similar to what’s shown in the following screenshot. Upon adding the new layer, your map should have automatically zoomed into the area covered by the new layer. ArcGIS Pro assigns random colors when a new layer is added, so your City_Limit layer might be a different color:

Figure 2.3 – Map with the City_Limit layer added

Adding a new layer from the Catalog pane

Next, you will add the street centerlines to represent the roads in the city. You will use a different method to add this layer to the map:

1. In the Catalog pane, which is normally docked to the right of the ArcGIS Pro interface, expand the Databases folder.
2. Next, expand the Trippville_GIS.gdb geodatabase and then expand the Base feature dataset.
3. Next, right-click on the Street_Centerlines feature class and select Add To Current Map from the menu that appears, as illustrated here:

Figure 2.4 – Adding a feature class to a map from the Catalog pane

Street_Centerlines should now be visible on the map you are creating as a new layer. It should appear above the City_Limit layer in the Contents pane.

Dragging and dropping from the Catalog pane to add a new layer

There is another way you can add a feature class to a map as a layer from the Catalog pane: you can drag and drop the feature class from the Catalog pane into the map. You will use this method to add the RR_Tracks feature class to your map:

1. In the Catalog pane, locate the RR_Tracks feature class in the Trippville_GIS.gdb geodatabase and the Base feature dataset.
2. Click on the RR_Tracks feature class and then drag and drop it onto the map view area, as shown in the following screenshot:

Figure 2.5 – Dragging and dropping to add a layer to a map

The RR_Tracks layer will be added to your map as the Railroads layer. This is another method you haven’t used to add a new layer to your map. Now, you will add the last required layer to the map – points of interest.

3. Using either of the methods you have learned, add the POI feature class to the map. This feature class is located in the Trippville_GIS.gdb geodatabase and the Base feature dataset.
4. Save your project by clicking on the Save Project button located on the Quick Access toolbar in the top-left corner of the ArcGIS Pro interface:

Figure 2.6 – The Save Project button on the Quick Access toolbar

The POI feature class will appear as the Points of Interest layer in your map. Points of interest is an alias that is applied to the POI feature class when it is added to a map automatically. An alias is a more descriptive name that can be created as part of the properties of a feature class or database field name. The newly added layer should be located at the top of the layer list. Now that the layers have been added to the map, you need to configure them so that you can distinguish one layer from another.

Note

ArcGIS Pro will automatically order layers based on the layer’s geometry type. It will put points on top of lines, lines on top of polygons, and polygons on top of rasters as you add them.

Changing basic symbology settings

Now that you’ve added multiple layers to your map, you need to change the symbology so that each layer is easily distinguishable from the others. ArcGIS Pro allows you to symbolize layers using several methods, depending on the layer’s purpose in the map and the data associated with that layer.

In this section, you will explore how to change simple symbology settings such as color, line type, and fill patterns, depending on the type of feature:

1. Click on the small symbol patch located below the Railroads layer, as shown in the following screenshot. This will open the Symbology pane:

Figure 2.7 – Clicking on the symbol patch to open the Symbology pane

2. In the Symbology pane, click on the Gallery tab located near the top, just above the search cell. You should see many predefined symbology styles.
3. Scroll through the various predefined symbols and select the Railroad symbol. It should be located in the ArcGIS 2D style.
4. Click on the symbol patch located below the City_Limit layer in the Contents pane.
5. In the Symbology pane, verify that the Gallery tab is still active. Then, select the Black Outline (2 Points) option located in the ArcGIS 2D style. The symbology for the City_Limit layer should change. It should now be displayed as a hollow polygon with a black outline.
6. In the Symbology pane, click on the Properties tab.
7. Change Outline width from 2 pt to 4 pt using the small up arrow. Then, click Apply.
8. Close the Symbology pane.
9. Save your project by clicking on the Save Project button located in the Quick Access toolbar on the top left of the ArcGIS Pro interface.

Using unique attribute values for symbology

You have just adjusted basic symbology settings for a layer that impacts all features contained in that layer. Now, you will set up a symbology that is based on unique attribute values contained in the layer’s attribute table:

1. Select the Street_Centerlines layer in the Contents pane.
2. Click on the Feature Layer tab in the ribbon.
3. Click on the small drop-down arrow located below the Symbology button and select Unique Values from the menu that appears, as illustrated here:

Figure 2.8 – Selecting Unique Values for symbology

4. In the Symbology pane, set Field 1 to RD_Class using the drop-down arrow. You should see that classes have been added for city, county, and highway in the lower section of the Symbology pane.
5. Set Color scheme to Basic Random using the drop-down arrow.

Tip

There are two ways to see the names of the included color ramps. The first is to hover your mouse pointer over the color ramp; its name should be displayed as a small pop-up window. Second, you can check the box that says Show names. This will display the name of each color ramp above the graphic representation of that ramp.

6. In the cell located just above the three symbol classes where it says RD_Class, type Owner and press Enter. Watch what happens in the Contents pane under the Street_Centerlines layer.
7. Close the Symbology pane and save your project.

Your map should now look as follows:

Figure 2.9 – Map with new layers added and some symbology configured

You have just configured the symbology for three of the four layers you’ve added to your map using two different methods. That leaves the Points of Interest layer.

Importing symbology settings from a layer file

You will use an existing layer file to not only update the symbology for the Points of Interest layer but also to apply label settings:

1. Select the Points of Interest layer in the Contents pane.
2. Activate the Feature Layer tab in the ribbon. Then, click on the Import button.
3. In the Import Symbology tool that opens, Input Layer should automatically be set to Points of Interest because that was the selected layer. Click the Browse button located to the right of Symbology Layer.
4. In the Symbology Layer window that opens, click on Folders beneath Project in the left panel.
5. Double-click on the Adding Layers folder in the right panel of the window.
6. Select the Points of Interest.lyrx layer file and click OK. This should return you to the Import Symbology tool. The symbology layer should now be set to the layer file you just selected.
7. Verify that your Import Symbology tool matches what’s shown in the following screenshot and click OK:

Figure 2.10 – Import Symbology with completed parameters

The symbology for the Points of Interest layer should now be set up to display based on the location type for each feature. By importing the settings from the layer, you did more than just update the symbology, as you will see next.

8. Activate the Map tab in the ribbon and select the Explore tool.
9. Zoom the map into the Points of Interest features grouped in the center of town, as shown here:

Figure 2.11 – Zoom into this area

As you zoom in to this area, text labels should appear showing the name of each point of interest. The label settings for this layer were also applied when you imported the symbology from the layer file.

You will now manually configure labels for the Street_Centerlines layer:

1. Select the Street_Centerlines layer in the Contents pane.
2. Activate the Labeling tab in the ribbon. Then, click on the Label button on the far-left end of the ribbon.

The text should appear on your map just above each street centerline feature. If you look at the text, you may notice it is incomplete. It does not show the full name of each road segment. It is missing the suffix that identifies if it is a street, circle, court, avenue, or lane. Also, some labels overlap with other features. You will now adjust some settings to see whether you can improve how the labels are displayed:

1. Set the Field option located in the Label Class group on the Labeling tab to Label_Name using the drop-down arrow. You should see the labels for the Street_Centerlines features change so that they now include the suffix.

Information

Labels are dynamic text that ArcGIS Pro will automatically generate and display based on values found in the attribute table of the layer. You can also build expressions using various programming languages, including Arcade, Python, VBScript, and JScript. To learn more about labeling in ArcGIS Pro, go to https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/mapping/text/labeling-basics.htm.

2. Next, in the Label Placement group on the Labeling tab, select North American Streets. The labels should shift when you select this placement option so that they are cleaner and easier to read.
3. In the Visibility Range group, set Out Beyond to <Current> using the drop-down arrow. This will be populated with the current zoom scale of your map. The exact value will depend on the size of your monitor, the area you are zoomed into, and what panes are open, but it should be between 1:3200 and 1:4000.
4. Activate the Map tab in the ribbon and select the Explore tool. Use the scroll wheel on your mouse to zoom in and out of the map. Watch what happens to the labels for the Street_Centerlines layer.
5. Save your project and close ArcGIS Pro.

As you zoom in and out of the map, you should see that the labels turn on and off automatically based on your view scale. Setting visibility scales such as this helps reduce clutter within a map, making it more readable.

How it works…

In this recipe, you added four feature classes from a geodatabase to a map as new layers. You did this using three methods:

• The first method was using the Add Data button on the Map tab in the ribbon. This method had you click on the Add Data button, which opened the Add Data window. Next, you navigated to the Trippville_GIS.gdb geodatabase and expanded the Base feature dataset. From there, you selected the City_Limit layer and clicked OK. This created a new layer in your map that references back to the City_Limits feature class.
• The next method was adding the Street_Centerlines feature class to the map from the Catalog pane. To do this, you expanded the Databases folder to access the Trippville_GIS.gdb geodatabase that was connected to the project. Then, you expanded the Base feature dataset. You located the Street_Centerlines feature class and right-clicked on it. Lastly, you selected the Add To Current Map option from the menu that appeared.
• The last method you used to add a feature class to a map as a layer also involved using the Catalog pane. You were able to simply select the RR_Tracks feature class in the Catalog pane and drag and drop it into the map. This created a new Railroads layer in the map.

Once you added the new layers to your map, you had to configure them by setting up their symbology and labeling. You did this using the Feature Layer tab in the ribbon and by importing the settings from an existing layer file or manually setting them up.

One of the powerful capabilities of ArcGIS Pro is its integration with Esri’s cloud solution, ArcGIS Online. ArcGIS Online allows users to share GIS content, including maps, data, and applications, with others. ArcGIS Pro’s integration with this cloud solution allows users to access data and maps quickly and easily so that they can display, edit, and analyze them. It does this by utilizing web services.

ArcGIS Online contains a vast array of data that can help enrich your maps. A good example of this is Esri’s catalog of basemaps. At the time of writing, ArcGIS Online hosts around 30 basemaps that you can use in ArcGIS Pro as backdrops for your maps and data. But that just scratches the surface. ArcGIS Online is not just limited to data published by Esri. Many organizations have published and shared data and maps that you can also access and use. To learn more about ArcGIS Online and its capabilities, go to https://www.esri.com/en-us/arcgis/products/arcgis-online/overview.

In this recipe, the city of Trippville’s water system superintendent has asked you to review data that a consultant working for the city has created. The consultant has published the data via ArcGIS Online so that you can view it. You must add the data that the consultant published to ArcGIS Online to a map in ArcGIS Pro.

Getting ready

This recipe will require you to have an ArcGIS Online Named User account or higher in addition to your ArcGIS Pro license. If your organization does not have an ArcGIS Online Named User account that can be assigned to you, you can sign up for a free trial at https://www.esri.com/en-us/arcgis/products/arcgis-online/trial. As with all the recipes in this book, you must also have the sample data installed. You will also need to ensure you have a connection to the internet.

You don’t need to have completed the previous recipe to complete this one. However, it is recommended that you complete the recipes in Chapter 1 to ensure you have a foundational understanding of terminology and the ArcGIS Pro interface.

How to do it…

Follow these steps to learn how to add layers that are stored in ArcGIS Online to a map:

1. Start ArcGIS Pro from the Windows Start menu or the shortcut on your taskbar or desktop.
2. In the ArcGIS Pro Start window, click on the Open another project button, as shown here:

Figure 2.12 – Open another project

3. In the Open Project window, expand the Computer option in the left panel. Then, in the right panel, scroll down and double-click on the C: drive. It may be labeled Local Disk, Local Drive, or OS.
4. Double-click on the Student folder, followed by the ArcGISPro3Cookbook and Chapter 2 folders.
5. Double-click on the AGOL Layers folder and select the AGOL Layers project file. Then, click the OK button to open the project.

   The project should open in ArcGIS Pro and display a map containing the City_Limit, Parcels, World Topographic Map, and World Hillshade layers. The World Topographic Map and World Hillshade layers are from ArcGIS Online as part of the Topographic basemap.

Verifying and changing the ArcGIS Online-hosted basemap

Now, you must verify where the Topographic basemap is coming from and then change the basemap to another one to help verify the consultants’ water data:

1. In the Contents pane, click on the List by Source button, which resembles a short cylinder, so that you can see where the various layers in the map are sourced.
2. Locate the World Topographic Map and World Hillshade layers in the Contents pane. Note where the sources for these layers are.

   As shown in the following screenshot, both of these layers reference two different web services. World Topographic Map points to a web map that is hosted via arcgis.com, whereas World Hillshade points to a feature service that is hosted via arcgisonline.com. Both URLs are part of ArcGIS Online:

Figure 2.13 – Basemap sources from ArcGIS Online

As basemaps, you cannot change their display settings, edit their data, or use them for analysis. Basemaps just help provide context for the rest of your layers. You can, however, change the basemap being used in your map. You will do that now.

To help verify the water system data created by the consultant, you will switch to the Imagery basemap.

3. Active the Map tab in the ribbon. Then, click on the Basemap button to display the basemap gallery.
4. Select the Imagery option from the gallery that appears. This will change the basemap that’s used in the map to one that shows aerial photography provided by Esri, as shown in the following screenshot:

Figure 2.14 – Basemap changed to World Imagery from ArcGIS Online

As you saw in the gallery, Esri provides a wide range of basemaps you can use in your maps. These are available to all ArcGIS Pro users as part of your license.

Adding other layers from ArcGIS Online

Basemaps are just the start of the data you can access via ArcGIS Online. Next, you will add layers for the city of Trippville that were created by the city’s consultant and hosted in ArcGIS Online:

1. In the Catalog pane, select the Portal tab located near the top of the pane and to the right of the Project tab.
2. Click on the ArcGIS Online button, which resembles a cloud, as shown here:

Figure 2.15 – The ArcGIS Online button in the Catalog pane

3. Verify that the Content option is selected. Then, in the Search ArcGIS Online cell, type Trippville Water System Map 2023 and press Enter to run the search.
4. Right-click the Trippville Water System Map 2023 feature service under Search Results and select Add To Current Map, as shown in the following screenshot:

Figure 2.16 – Adding an ArcGIS Online feature service as a layer to the current map

You should now see a new group layer that’s been added to your map called Trippville Water System Map 2023. This contains the data that was created and shared by the consultant. This is hosted in the ArcGIS Online cloud solution from Esri and is displayed on your computer.

Changing the symbology of an ArcGIS Online hosted layer

To help you evaluate the data, you will adjust the symbology for the Water Lines layer located within the group layer you just added:

1. Expand the Trippville Water System Map 2023 group layer in the Contents pane so that you can see the layers that are included.
2. Select the Water Lines layer. Then, activate the Feature Layer tab in the ribbon.
3. Click on the Import button located in the Drawing group.
4. The Input Layer parameter should automatically be set to Water Lines because you have it selected in the Contents pane. Set the Symbology Layer parameter by clicking on the Browse button.
5. In the Symbology Layer window, click on the Folders option located below Project in the left panel of the window.
6. In the right panel, double-click on AGOL Layers to open it. Then, select the Water Lines by Size and Material.lyrx layer file and click OK.
7. Verify that your Import Symbology tool matches what’s shown in the following screenshot and click OK:

Figure 2.17 – The Import Symbology tool with completed parameters

When the tool finishes running, the symbology for the Water Lines layer will change and show the pipe size and material for each section of the water line. Symbolizing the water lines in this fashion will allow you or others to easily assess the completeness of the data and find possible errors.

Even though data is hosted in ArcGIS Online, you can interact with it just like you can data stored within your system or network, depending on the type of web service and your permissions.

Information

ArcGIS Online allows users to publish and share many types of content. From a map perspective, two basic types of web services can be published and shared – a Map Service and a Feature Service.

Map Service: A rasterized version of the published map that allows data to be displayed, queried, and printed. It does not allow data editing.

Feature Service: A vector version of the published map that allows all the functionality of a map service, plus it allows data editing.

There is a lot more to web services and layers. To learn more, go to https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/sharing/overview/introduction-to-sharing-web-layers.htm.

Save your project and close ArcGIS Pro.

You have just added a new group layer to your map that references data stored in ArcGIS Online and changed how one of the individual layers within the group layer was displayed.

How it works…

In this recipe, you got to experience some of the basic integrations between ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online by changing the basemap included in the map and adding new layers that reference data stored in ArcGIS Online. You started by verifying the source for the Topography basemap included in the map. You did this by clicking on the List by Source button in the Contents pane. That allowed you to see that the Topography basemap source referenced different URLs – that is, arcgis.com and arcgisonline.com. Then, you changed the basemap to World Imagery, which is also hosted by Esri in ArcGIS Online.

Next, you added data to the map that represented the water system for the city of Trippville, which was also stored in ArcGIS Online. You did this by going to the Catalog pane and selecting the Portal tab. Next, you selected the ArcGIS Online button and performed a search for the data you needed. Then, you right-clicked on the returned result and selected Add To Current Map. This created a new group layer that contained several individual layers, including Water Tank, Water Meters, Fire Hydrants, and Water Lines. Lastly, you imported a layer file that changed the symbology for the Water Lines layer so that you could see the pipe size and material for each pipe segment.

It is not unusual to get data from outside sources that is nothing more than a table with some information that includes X and Y data. This may come from a surveyor, someone who collected data with their smartphone, or some other source. The data might be a spreadsheet, a text file, a CSV file, or even a database table.

If the data includes coordinates for the location, you can turn these into points within a map. This is called an event layer. The coordinates can be in any known coordinate system if they are all the same, meaning that all the coordinates for all the records in the table must be listed in the same coordinate system.

In this recipe, you will plot the locations of crimes from a standalone database table. This table contains several records, each of which has a latitude and longitude coordinate. You will use that information to plot the location.

Getting ready

While not required, it is recommended that you complete the recipes in Chapter 1 before starting this one to ensure you have basic skills in using ArcGIS Pro and understand the terminology associated with the application. This recipe does not require any previous recipes to have been completed. The sample data must be installed before you continue. This recipe can be completed with all license levels of ArcGIS Pro.

How to do it…

You will start by working through the process required to plot the locations of events listed in a standalone table found in a geodatabase:

1. Start ArcGIS Pro and open the Plot XY from Table.aprx project located in C:\Student\ArcGISPro3Cookbook\Chapter2. Click the Open another project button and navigate to C:\Student\ArcGISPro3Cookbook\Chapter2. Select the desired project file (.aprx) and click OK.

   The project will open with the Trippville map being displayed. This map contains two layers – City Limit and Parcels. Next, you will add the standalone table that contains the data you need to plot and examine.

2. In the Catalog pane, expand the Databases folder to reveal its contents.
3. Expand the Trippville_GIS.gdb geodatabase so that you can see what it contains.
4. Scroll through the contents of the Trippville_GIS.gdb geodatabase until you see the Crimes_2023 standalone table. Right-click on the table and select Add To Current Map, as shown in the following screenshot:

Figure 2.18 – Adding a table to a map from the Catalog pane

When added successfully, the table should appear at the bottom of the Contents pane.

Information

A standalone table is any table that is not directly associated with spatial data. This means it does not initially include a spatial component that is automatically displayed in a map. A standalone table might contain fields that hold coordinates, addresses, or other location information that can be used to display spatial information but requires additional steps to do so. Tables that are directly associated with spatial data are called attribute tables.

5. In the Contents pane, right-click on the Crimes_2023 table you just added and select Open from the menu that appears. Take a moment to review the fields and data contained in the table so that you know what information is available for you to work with.

   You should see six different fields. The most important are the two at the end – Lat and Long. These are the coordinates that identify the location of each crime. You will use those to create points on your map that show the location.

6. Close the Crimes_2023 table by clicking the small X in the tab at the top of the table.
7. Right-click the Crimes_2023 table in the Contents pane and select Create Points From Table, then XY Table To Point, as shown in the following screenshot:

Figure 2.19 – Accessing the XY Table To Point tool

8. The XY Table to Point tool window should open. It will automatically populate with the required variables. Verify that yours looks as follows. If it does, click OK. If not, make the appropriate adjustments:

Figure 2.20 – The XY Table To Point tool with completed parameters

A new layer will appear in your map named Crimes_2023_XYTableToPoint. This is the results of the XY Table to Point tool. It generated a new point layer based on the latitude and longitude coordinates that were in the standalone Crimes_2023 table. But it did more than that. You will explore the results later to see exactly what the tool created.

9. Right-click on the Crimes_2023_XYTableToPoint layer and select Attribute Table from the menu that appears. This will open the attribute table for the new layer you created.
10. Take a moment to review the data contained in the attribute table you just opened. Compare it to the standalone Crimes_2023 table.

    As you can see, the data in the two tables is very similar. The attribute table contains an additional field called Shape.

11. In the Catalog pane, look at the contents of the Trippville_GIS.gdb geodatabase. If needed, expand it so that you can see its contents.
12. Scroll down and see whether you can locate a new feature class named Crimes_2023_XYTableToPoint.
13. In the Contents pane, double-click on the Crimes_2023_XYTableToPoint layer to open its properties.
14. Select Source in the left panel of the Layer Properties window.
15. Examine the values in the right panel for the Database and Name parameters.

    As you can see, the new layer references back to the new feature class you saw in the Trippville_GIS.gdb geodatabase. The XY Table To Point tool not only created a new layer but also created a new feature class in the geodatabase.

16. Close the Layer Properties window by clicking on the OK button.
17. Close all the tables you might have open.
18. Save your project and close ArcGIS Pro.

You have successfully created a new layer using data stored in a standalone table. This same process will work for data stored in other files, such as Excel spreadsheets, text files, or CSV files.

How it works…

In this recipe, you created points on a map showing the location of crimes using a standalone database table. You did this by adding the table to your map by right-clicking it in the database and selecting Add To Current Map.

Once you added the table to the map, you viewed the table to ensure it included the coordinate values for each record. This was as simple as opening the table and looking at the data it contained.

Lastly, you right-clicked the table in the Contents pane and selected XY Table to Point. This opened the XY Table to Point tool window displaying all the tool parameters. Because your table used several default fields, it automatically populated the required variables. Once this tool ran, a new point layer appeared in the map showing the actual location of the crimes from the table.

In the previous recipe, you saw how data can be in something other than a traditional GIS format. It can be a standalone table that contains X and Y coordinates, along with other information. This can then be turned into points on a map. X and Y coordinates are not the only way we can identify a location.

Another even more common way to show a location is with a postal address. This is how postal carriers know where mail needed to be delivered well before the days of global navigation satellite systems such as GPS. ArcGIS Pro can also use an address to identify a location. This is called geocoding.

Simply put, geocoding is the process of converting an address or series of addresses into a location on a map or in a GIS. In this recipe, you will learn how to geocode addresses within ArcGIS Pro. This will include determining reference data in your GIS, creating an address locator, and geocoding an Inspections spreadsheet.

In this recipe, the city manager for the city of Trippville has a spreadsheet containing all the inspections recently completed by inspectors from various departments in the city. They want you to show where these inspections occurred on a map. The spreadsheet includes the address where each inspection occurred, so you will need to geocode this data.

Getting ready

To complete this recipe, you will need a spreadsheet application, such as Microsoft Excel or similar, that can open a .xlsx file. You also need to have the sample data installed. It is recommended that you complete the recipes in Chapter 1 to ensure you understand the basic terminology associated with ArcGIS Pro and how to navigate the interface. This recipe can be completed with any license level of ArcGIS Pro (Basic, Standard, or Advanced).

How to do it…

You will now work through the process needed to bring in data from a spreadsheet and then geocode it so that those locations will be displayed on a map:

1. Before you start ArcGIS Pro, examine the spreadsheet containing the inspections data you will be using. Open Windows File Explorer. It should be on your Windows taskbar at the bottom of your screen and have an icon that resembles an old paper file folder in a holder.
2. Select This PC or My Computer in the left panel of the File Explorer window. Then, navigate to C:\Student\ArcGISPro3Cookbook\Chapter2.
3. Locate the Inspections.xlsx file and double-click on it to open it.

Tip

You will need an application such as Microsoft Excel or similar installed for this to work. If you do not have Microsoft Excel or a similar application, you can download and install Open Office for free. This is an open source application that has comparable functionality with Microsoft Office. You can download it from https://www.openoffice.org/download/index.html.

4. Review the data contained in the spreadsheet you just opened. Note what columns it contains and the data in each row:

Figure 2.21 – The Inspections spreadsheet open in Microsoft Excel

This spreadsheet, provided by the city manager, represents an export from a permitting and inspections system used by the city. That system cannot display data on a map, but the city manager wants to see where inspections have been completed within the city. As you can see, the spreadsheet does include the address where the inspection took place. You will use that to geocode the location of each inspection onto a map.

Launching ArcGIS Pro and adding an Excel spreadsheet

Follow these steps to add the spreadsheet you just examined to an ArcGIS Pro project so that you can start using that data:

1. Start ArcGIS Pro and open the Geocoding.aprx project located in C:\Student\ArcGISPro3Cookbook\Chapter2. Click on the Open another project button and navigate to C:\Student\ArcGISPro3Cookbook\Chapter2. Select the desired project file (.aprx) and click OK.
2. In the Catalog pane, expand the Folders option so that you can see its contents. Then, expand the Chapter2 folder.
3. Locate the Inspections.xlsx file and expand it so that you can see the individual sheets included in the file. Right-click on the Inspections$ sheet and select Add To Current Map, as shown in the following screenshot:

Figure 2.22 – Adding a spreadsheet to the current map from the Catalog pane

You have just added the spreadsheet you examined to your map so that you can geocode it.

Creating an address locator

Before you can geocode the data in the spreadsheet, you will need to create a locator. Geocoding in ArcGIS Pro requires three components if you are using just your own data. You will need the table you want to geocode, the reference data in your GIS that contains address information, and a locator.

Reference data is typically road centerlines, address points, or parcel polygons. Address points typically provide the greatest level of accuracy. This is followed by parcel polygons. The least accurate is road centerlines.

The locator is the translator between your source data and the data you are trying to geocode. It provides basic settings and options required to geocode. Several styles of locators are dependent on your reference data and how the address information is formatted.

So, before you can create your locator, you must first identify your source data. This will be a GIS layer that already contains address information:

1. Since there is no address point layer in the Trippville_GIS.gdb geodatabase, you know that will not be your reference data. You do have parcel polygons, so right-click the Parcels layer in the Contents pane and select Attribute Table:

Figure 2.23 – Opening the Parcels layer attribute table

2. Examine the attribute table for the Parcels layer to determine whether it contains address data. Review the field names contained in the table, along with the data itself.

   The Parcels layer does include some address information. It has the street name, street number, and street suffix fields. However, the data is incomplete. Also, it is missing other information that is typically included in a complete address. Therefore, the parcels layer is not well-suited to be your reference layer. It’s time to look at the street centerlines to see whether they have more complete address information.

3. Close the attribute table for the Parcels layer you just reviewed.
4. Open the attribute table for the Street Centerlines layer using the same process you did for the Parcels layer.
5. Review the Street Centerlines attribute table to see whether it includes the data needed to identify a complete address. You may need to scroll over to see the entire table.

   The Street Centerlines layer does have more complete address information. It has address ranges for both the left and right sides of the road. It also has fields for the road name and type. In addition, it has fields for the ZIP code and city on the left and right sides of each road. This is enough information to create complete addresses. So, the Street Centerlines layer is the best choice as your reference layer, even if it might not produce the most accurate data points. Now, you are ready to create your locator.

6. Close the Street Centerlines attribute table.
7. Click the Analysis tab in the ribbon. Then, click the Tools button to open the Geoprocessing window.
8. Click the Toolboxes tab at the top of the Geoprocessing pane. Then, scroll down and locate the Geocoding Tools toolbox.
9. Expand the Geocoding Tools toolbox and click on the Create Locator tool, as shown in the following screenshot:

Figure 2.24 – Accessing the Create Locator tool in the Geoprocessing pane

10. In the Create Locator tool, set Country or Region to United States using the drop-down arrow.
11. Set Primary Table(s) to Street Centerlines using the drop-down arrow. Then set Role to Street Address, also using the drop-down arrow. You should see Field Mapping options appear when you do this.

Information

Field mapping allows you to identify which fields in the primary table you want the locator to consider when you geocode your data. Those with an asterisk (*) before the field name are required. Those without an asterisk are not required by the locator to work but might improve your geocoding results if you have them. To learn more about the Create Locator tool, go to https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/tool-reference/geocoding/create-locator.htm.

12. Using the drop-down arrows, set the following field mapping values:
    • Left House Address From: L_F_ADD
    • Left House Address To: L_T_ADD
    • Right House Address From: R_F_ADD
    • Right House Address To: R_T_ADD
    • Prefix Direction: PREFIXDIR
    • Street Name: NAME
    • Left City: GEONAME_L
    • Right City: GEONAME_R
    • Left State: STATE_L
    • Right State: STATE_R
    • Left Zip: POSTAL_L
    • Right Zip: POSTAL_R
    • Country: COUNTRY
13. For Output Locator, click on the Browse button. Then, navigate to C:\Student\ArcGISPro3Cookbook\MyProjects.
14. Name the new locator Trippville_Locator, as shown in the following screenshot, and click Save:

Figure 2.25 – Naming the new locator and creating it

15. Set Language Code to English using the drop-down arrow. Then, click the Run button.

Information

If the tool completes but has warnings, you can ignore them for the sake of this recipe. In a real-world situation, you would want to investigate the warnings and determine whether they will affect your ability to use the locator successfully. If they negatively affect the use of the locator, you will need to fix the issues causing the warning. In this case, most of the issues involve street centerlines located outside the city limits for Trippville so that they do not impact the use of the locator within the city.

16. Close the Geoprocessing pane once the tool completes.

Adjusting address locator settings

Now that you created the address locator, you will need to adjust some of the property settings to improve the final results when you geocode the spreadsheet of addresses:

1. In the Catalog pane, expand the Locators option to reveal its contents. You should see the new locator you just created. This means it is now available for you to use in your project.
2. In the Catalog pane, right-click on the Trippville_Locator locator you just created and select Properties from the menu that appears.
3. In the Locator Properties window, select Geocoding options from the left panel.
4. In the right panel of the Locator Properties window, expand Display Options.
5. Set the Side Offset and End Offset parameters to 35.

Information

Side Offset is how far off the centerline the geocoding process will create a new point along the edge of the centerline. End Offset works similarly but is at the end of the line segment. Since we know most of the street rights-of-way are between 50 and 60 feet, 35 should put the point on or close to the parcel it belongs on.

6. Verify that your Locator Properties window looks like what’s shown in the following screenshot and click OK:

Figure 2.26 – Locator Properties with adjusted settings

Geocoding the spreadsheet data

You are now ready to geocode the address locations shown in the spreadsheet you reviewed at the start of the recipe. This will create points in the map at the address locations:

1. In the Contents pane, right-click on the Inspections$ table and select Geocode Table from the menu that appears, as illustrated in the following screenshot:

Figure 2.27 – Selecting Geocode Table from the Contents pane

2. The Geocode Table tool will open. Initially, it will show you a list of steps the tool requires to complete the process. Scroll down and click Start.
3. Set Input Locator to Trippville_Locator using the drop-down arrow. Then, click Next.
4. Verify that Input Table is set to Inspections$, which it should be because you right-clicked on that table to start this process.
5. Scroll down in the tool and verify that it is set to More than one field. Then, click Next.
6. Verify that the input address fields are set as follows:
   • Address or Place: Street
   • City: City
   • State: State
   • ZIP: ZIP
   • All others: <None>
7. Click Next.
8. In Step 4 of the Geocode Table tool, set the Output by clicking the Browse button. Then, select the Databases option under Project in the left panel of the Output window.
9. Double-click the Trippville_GIS.gdb geodatabase in the right-hand panel of the Output window.
10. In the Name field, type Inspections_Geocoded and click Save.
11. Verify that Add output to map after completion is checked.
12. Set Preferred Location Type to Address location using the drop-down arrow and set Output fields to All. Then, click Next.
13. Under Step 6: Limit by Category, set Category to Address by clicking the checkbox. Then, click Finish. This might be listed as Step 5 of 5 at the bottom of the tool. This isn’t a cause for concern.
14. Review your input in the Geocode Table tool and ensure it matches what’s shown in the following screenshot. Then, click Run:

Figure 2.28 – The Geocode Table tool with completed parameters

When the tool completes, a new window will appear showing you the results. Luckily, you don’t have any unmatched locations. A new layer should appear on your map showing the results of your geocoding efforts.

15. In the Geocoding Complete window, select No when you’re asked to start the rematch process and close the Geocode Table tool.
16. Now, examine your results more closely. In the Contents pane, right-click on the Inspections_Geocoded layer and select Zoom to Layer. Your map should look similar to the following:

Figure 2.29 – Map zoomed into the geocoding results

17. Using the skills you have learned in this chapter, open the attribute table for the Inspections_Geocoded layer. Examine the table to see what fields and data it contains.

    When you examine the attribute table, you should recognize several of the fields as coming from the Inspections$ table you geocoded. You will also see several fields that were created by the geocoding process. This includes Status, Score, Match_type, and many more. The Status, Score, and Match_type values are calculated from the Geocode Table tool. The Status field will contain one of three values – M = Match, T = Tie, or U = Unmatched. The Score field indicates how well the address in the input table (Inspections$) matched the reference data (Street Centerlines) used by the locator. It will be between 1 and 100, with 100 being a perfect match. Match_type is how the location was geocoded. A is automatic and M is manual.

18. Close the attribute table once you’ve finished reviewing it.
19. Save your project and close ArcGIS Pro.

You have successfully geocoded the data in an Excel spreadsheet so that it is displayed on a map.

How it works…

In this recipe, you geocoded a spreadsheet of inspections that had been exported from a permitting and inspections system that was external to your GIS. To do this, you had to determine a reference layer. This reference layer was a GIS layer that contained address data. You examined the Parcels and Street Centerline layers to determine which one would be the best reference layer. You determined that the Street Centerlines layer was best due to the completeness of the address information.

Then, you created a new locator that allowed you to use the centerlines for reference. You used the Create Locator geoprocessing tool found in the Geocoding Tools toolbox to do this.

Once the locator was created, you were able to geocode the Inspections spreadsheet. This created a new point layer in your map showing the locations of the inspections.