Data Driven Pages
This is a feature of ArcGIS Desktop.
Use Data Driven Pages when you want to create a map series (printed or pdf or ?)
- Create a layout to be used for each map in the series.
- Create an index to define the extent of each page along with things like the page title
- Generate the maps by running the tool
I want to create a map series for a long bike ride. Page one should show the whole route. Successive pages will each show a segment of the ride. I will generate a PDF file containing all maps.
- I create a route in Garmin's BaseCamp.
- Select the route and then File->Export "Selected User Data"
- Save the route as a GPX file
- Convert the route to a track and then select the track.
- File->Export "Selected User Data"
- Save the track as another GPX file
- Jump over to ArcGIS.
- Use tool "GPX to features (Conversion)" to convert the route and track to feature classes.
- Convert the track to a line.
- Use the line as input in the Strip Map Index Features tool. I made the box on my map 8"x8" so I build an index for that. I set the scale to 1:48000 to give a reasonable map for bicycling.
- Use the setup wizard in the Data Driven Pages toolbar to turn on DDP and use the index fc.
I had to add a TrackUp field to the index and calculate angle + 180 to get the maps to show Track Up instead of Track Down.
An exercise: Python script, to make a bookmark for each page (instead of using DDP toolbar).
For each feature in the index feature class: Find centroid for each feature Generate a bookmark matching it
Anoteher exercise: Write python to generate the strip index, and then have it insert the first row as an extent that covers the entire route with Angle set to 0 so that we have a north up overview as page 1 in the map book.
The track is for a visual reference. The route is for creating the index.
The maps will just use the ESRI [http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcgisonline/features/maps
ArcGIS Online] Basemap US topo for now. In ArcMap, use "Add Basemap" in the "add data" list.
Can I have an elevation profile for the segment appear on each page?
Can I have an overview dataframe appear on each map?
Can I rotate each map so that I have direction of travel instead of north up?
Can I turn layers on or off on a page?
Can I turn on or off features like north arrows or scale bars?
Can I have a block of text appear on only certain pages? For example, attribution for a layer.
Creating the index
Page definition queries
A page definition query allows you to control what shows up on a given page.