Exercise 6. Customization Briggs GISC 6382 UT-Dallas 3/29/04Adding ExtensionsCustomizing the ArcGIS (ArcMap and ArcCatalog) InterfaceCreating a Custom template to Incorporate Visual Basic FormsAdding a VB Code ModuleExercise 6. Customization Briggs GISC 6382 UT-Dallas 3/29/04Note: customization capabilities described below may not necessarily work in the lab1. Getting startedCopy custom folder on P:/ drive to c: Open a blank copy of ArcMAP and save on c:\ as spatstat.mxd2. Customization is useful for:--using “hidden” capabilities in ArcGIS which are not on the standard toolbars, --there are some very useful additional capabilities!--adding additional capabilities not in the standard ArcGIS product--obtained free or bought off-the-shelf--programmed by or for you--improving your efficiency when working with ArcMap and ArcCatalog--faster access to commonly used tools--automating repetitive tasks--creating a simplified and/or specialized interface for staff to work with3. Most customization is done via the Customize dialog. This can be opened in 3 ways:via View/Toolbars/Customize or Tools/Customize (perhaps the easiest, so do it now)or by right clicking in gray area on a toolbar and selecting Customize (listed at end)4. Saving Customization: --There are three possibilities (1) as a part of the normal template (normal.mxt): this will affect all documents and is the default. DO NOT USE THIS IN LAB, so change it now:Select Options tab: remove the check in the box Save customization to Normal template by default(3) as part of the current map document: affects this document onlyTo save in current document, select the Commands tab, then Choose current map document (it should be spatstat.mxd) in the Save in box in lower left (2) as a part of a specific template (e.g. mytemplate.mxt): will only affect documents using that templateTo save as a template, you will have to leave customization, do a Save as and select Save as type template), then come back to Customization and be sure thatthe template is selected in the Save in box under the Commnds tab To show this has worked, make some customization change as below and save the project (on c:\), o open a new document—customization doesn’t showo open your saved project—customization showsUsing Templates 5. Templates and Map documents are similar. The main difference is that upon opening:--for a template, changes are made to a copy, and these are saved as a document --the template remains unchanged.--for a document, of course, changes are applied to the document. Templates are very useful for creating standardized maps, and/or a customized interface.--If you choose “A template” on the “splash” screen when ArcMap first opens, you will be given a selection of pre-defined templates from which to choose. 1--open a second copy of ArcMap to illustrate this, and preview some of the templates--If you wish to use an existing template to create a new template, be sure to check the appropriate button in the “Create new” box in the lower left corner --Under the MyTemplates tab, Blank Document is the the normal.mxt default template used to start an empty map. You can restore the “factory default” by erasing the existing normal.mxt in:c:\documents and settings\”your userid”\Application Data\ESRI\ArcMAP\Templates\ (Note: to see this folder in Windows Explorer you will probably need to go to Tools/Folder Options, and under the View tab, select “show hidden files and folders”) --You can create your own templates from any document by Going to File/Save asIn Save as type box, select “ArcMap templates (.mxt)”Navigate to the folder c:\documents and settings\”youruserid”\ApplicationData\ESRI\ArcMAP\Templates\ if you want to have the template show in “MyTemplates”--Any customizations you make to the ArcGIS interface are saved in normal.mxt by default. To changethe default, under Tools/Customize/Options remove the check in the box Save customization to Normal template by default as in #4 above.--An administrator can substitute an alternative to the standard normal.mxt template by placing a normal.mxt file in the folder c:\arcgis\arcgis8x\bin\templates. This is then copied to your personal documents and settings folder when you first use ArcMap (or whenever there is no normal.mxt file in your documents and settings folder). This allows everyone in an organization to start with a specializedtemplate.Adding Extensions6. Extensions provide extra capabilities to the basic ArcGIS product. They are obtained by:- Extra cost purchase from ESRI (e.g. 3-D Analyst)- Purchase from 3rd party vendor- Your ArcGIS must be appropriately licensed for the extensionTo add an extension, go Tools/Extensions and select desired extensionExtensions not provided by ESRI will need to be placed in the appropriate folder to show in this box Extensions often have associated Toolbars which will need to be added also (see #7)Customizing the ArcGIS (ArcMap and ArcCatalog) Interface7. Displaying and Positioning Toolbarsa. Go to View/Toolbars or right click in any existing toolbar area:You get a list of available toolbars with checks next to those currently open --select the new toolbar you wish to display (or the one you wish to close)b. To select all desired toolbars simultaneously, open the Customize dialog (see #3):Select the Toolbars tab and place checks against all the toolbars you wantc. Toolbars are initially “floating,” with a title bar, name and close (x) box. To “dock” them in a permanent location (which also hides the title bar), drag to where you wish to locate them (along the top, down the side, down the middle, at bottom, etc.)d. To move a docked toolbar, grab it by the bar at the beginning of the toolbare. To undock a toolbar and make it float, doubleclick the vertical line at the beginning of the toolbar. f. To remove a toolbar, a quick way is to double click the bar at the beginning of the toolbar—which makes it float—then click the x close box.(note: cannot close the main menu)28. Customizing Toolbar Contenta. All “controls” (tools, icons, etc.) can be accessed via the Customize dialog (see #3):Select the Commands tab Select from the left Category list, and the actual Commands are listed on the right.Many of the categories have names similar to existing toolbar names but there is no formal relationship between the two. You can mix as