My ArcMap keyboard shortcuts

Posted by in ArcMap, GIS

These are the keyboard shortcuts I use to make ArcMap a little more illustrator-like. I think learning keyboard shortcuts is crucial to becoming more efficient and once you get in the habit and practice/force yourself to use them, it will pay dividends in productivity. To set them up, in ArcMap, go to Customize>Customize Mode and […]

Export map layers to gdb with python

Posted by in Data, GIS

Here’s a quick one. I have used this script many times as part of a data inventory workflow. It’s also been handy to start project databases with data from a variety of sources – so I can pluck data out of my source GIS databases into specific project databases. When used in conjunction with some […]

Point with label & auxiliary label in ArcMap

Posted by in ArcMap, GIS, Labeling, Symbology
Point with label & auxiliary label in ArcMap

This is a walk-through on how to create an auto label like below in ArcMap. I’m using maplex on ArcGIS 10.3. A layer package corresponding to this can be downloaded here. I’m working with some fake levee breach data here with the goal to fit the breach number label onto a specific part of the custom […]

Grid of measured points with python

Posted by in ArcMap, Data, GIS
Grid of measured points with python

I’ve needed to create a measured grid of points for a variety of reasons in my GIS career. Here’s a flexible bit of code to create a grid of points spanning a vertical and horizontal range, at a specific interval for each – defined in the script. This method also allows any coordinate system and […]

Export MXDs in all subdirectories

Posted by in ArcMap, Data, GIS, Mapbook
Export MXDs in all subdirectories

This is an answer to the question in my post on batch exporting mxd’s in a folder. James asked about exporting all mxds in all subdirectories of a root folder. Thanks James for distracting me from my work this afternoon to solve this :). Below is the code to accomplish this. The first loop populates […]