ArcGIS Server App Example: Port Sheds


Update 01/25/2013: this application is being upgraded to ArcGIS 10.1. In the meantime please visit HarvestChoice MAPPR.

HarvestChoice Labs uses ESRI ArcGIS Server as a web-based spatial data sharing/exploration platform. This post presents a quick example application using Port Sheds dataset.

Why?

A big part of our experimentations at the HarvestChoice Labs is focused on creating web-based application development. Many of these innovations are already being embedded in posts/articles throughout the HarvestChoice Main and Labs websites. Sharing documents, even if they are big, over the internet is increasingly easy; but figuring the best platform for sharing spatial dataset has been a challenge due to size, skill, required software, and so on. To benefit a broader user-base, we need a quick way of publishing/sharing any format (vector and/or raster) of spatial dataset, and, we believe, users need a quick way of browsing the data without having to download and use highly specialized GIS software. We've been experimenting multiple platforms for recent years--currently we're experimenting with the ESRI ArcGIS Server platform. Yes, the server software is commercial, but it's on us; users do not need to have anything other than a modern web browser and a reliable internet connection.

Example: Port Sheds

In this example, we quickly showcase what the data look like, let users choose a particular port shed and see its attributes, and execute a simple query function (e.g., which port sheds have the most maize production?). Try it out yourself!

  • Table of contents: Turn on/off individual layers
  • Map tool bar icons:
    • Zoom in/out
    • Pan
    • Click and retrieve information
    • Measure distance
  • Query tools:
    • Query by maize area: Query and display the port sheds that matched user’s criteria e.g. Port sheds with Maize harvested area >  1500000 ha. The qualified port sheds will be displayed  in the results content with highlighted color on top of existing map.
    • Query by rural population: Query and display the port sheds that matched user’s criteria e.g. Port sheds with population >  4000000
    • Query by cattle density: Query and display the port sheds that matched user’s criteria e.g. Port sheds with cattle density >  300
  • Print: Print  maps and tables of user defined queries
  • Results: Display query results and highlighted them in the map viewer window