Switching to ArcGIS Pro from ArcMap. Maribeth H. Price
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software also implements reasonable defaults more than ArcMap, hiding complications from beginners. This feature has both benefits and pitfalls. For example, ArcGIS Pro does not automatically warn users when two different geographic coordinate systems (datums) are being used in the same map (although this warning can be turned on). This choice makes little difference unless the user is working at very large scales with precise data, and in many situations the issue can be safely ignored. However, it can cause difficulties later if inexperienced users compile data for a project without being aware that the feature classes and rasters use multiple datums.
When ArcMap retires, the software will continue to be available, and people can continue to use it, but it will no longer be updated or supported. A similar process occurred when ArcInfo® Workstation and ArcView became ArcGIS® Desktop.
Delaying the switch might be wise under some circumstances:
•The organization does not have enough computers capable of running ArcGIS Pro.
•Some critical functionality may not yet be available.
•The organization has many custom scripts or tools that must be updated and tested.
•Third-party extensions (such as HEC-RAS or MODFLOW) may not yet be supported.
•Maps and layouts must be shared with ArcMap users.
Several other considerations regarding data must also be considered:
•ArcGIS Pro does not recognize personal geodatabases or ArcInfo coverages.
•The organization and structure of maps and layouts are different.
•Data management in ArcGIS Pro has complications not seen in ArcCatalog.
•Absolute/relative paths are now fixed by default and have less flexibility.
•The Excel™ interpreter is different and seems less forgiving than the one in ArcMap.
As discussed in the next section, even though the data format is consistent (the geodatabase), the way that files are organized is quite altered and not as flexible. To switch to ArcGIS Pro, you must learn different ways of doing things. For example, it is extremely difficult to rename a project, so you are stuck with the initial name, even if you decide it is inappropriate or confusing. You no longer have a choice whether to use absolute or relative paths in a document; the choice is made by the software. This feature removes a potential trap for inexperienced users, and the defaults usually work well, but experienced users who are accustomed to controlling this option may find that they need to change how they organize datasets.
If you use many Excel files, problems may occur. The Excel interpreter has had difficulty reading files, in my experience, and usually I must resort to the comma-delimited CSV file format instead. The errors can be delayed and subtle. For example, in one project an Excel table imported just fine but generated fatal errors when it was exported to a geodatabase. A CSV version of the same table was imported and exported to the geodatabase without trouble.
Mapping differences to consider before switching:
•The default symbols follow a different cartographic style.
•Previous custom styles (such as Civic or Forestry) are not included and must be imported.
•Labels are more flexible, but the options are more numerous and take getting used to.
•Annotation editing tools are still catching up to ArcMap in functionality and reliability.
The symbol styles have been changed to favor web mapping applications and may make it difficult to see multiple layers well. Dark colors with white outlines dominate the default symbols, and although they can be changed, it adds an extra step when a feature class is added to a map. Previous custom style sets must be imported from the ArcMap symbol folder, although if a map document is imported, the symbols will be included. In general, the map document import function works well, although a few settings may not be preserved and will need to be reset, such as the data frame clip setting.
Annotation can no longer be saved in a map as graphic text; it can only be created as a geodatabase feature class. The annotation editing tools have lagged in development. ArcGIS Pro 2.0 had one annotation construction tool (Straight), and ArcGIS Pro 2.3 has three (Horizontal, Straight, and Curved). The workflow for placing unplaced annotation appears to be a manual process of editing the attribute table, without the convenient overflow window. Users who rely heavily on annotation may wish to stick to ArcMap a while longer.
Geoprocessing considerations to consider before switching:
•Some familiar menu tasks have been replaced by tools.
•Tool outputs are now saved to a project geodatabase by default.
•Background processing is “gone.”
Overall, geoprocessing is similar, except that familiar functions, such as joining two tables, may now require running a tool instead of opening a menu. The spatial join, available in ArcMap as a relatively simple window, must now be run as the full tool, and although the tool has more options, it is complex compared with the simple menu in ArcMap.
The background geoprocessing option has also disappeared as a separate option, but only in a sense. ArcGIS Pro, with its multithreaded design, essentially runs all tools in the background, and it does so more quickly and reliably than the ArcMap background geoprocessor.
All these factors and considerations will influence an organization in deciding when it is time to switch to the new software. Because ArcMap/ArcCatalog and ArcGIS Pro can be installed and run on the same computer, users have more time and flexibility when making the switch. (However, it is not recommended to run both programs at the same time: both are memory hogs, and issues may result if they try to modify the same data simultaneously). They use the same data models so that you can work with the same datasets using either program. However, maps and layouts are completely different. You can import an ArcMap map document to ArcGIS Pro and save it to the new format, but ArcGIS Pro cannot edit map documents, and ArcMap cannot work with ArcGIS Pro layouts. Once created, an ArcGIS Pro layout cannot be saved to the older map document format.
Time to explore
This exercise assumes that you have installed ArcGIS Pro, have been assigned an ArcGIS Pro license, and possess an ArcGIS Online organizational account. It is helpful to be familiar with the ArcGIS Online terminology for services, such as web maps, feature layers, and so on.
Objective 1.1: Downloading the data for these exercises
A set of data has been assembled to use with this book, and the data must be downloaded and installed on your computer. It is smart to keep data organized. It is best to put GIS data on drive C; the Desktop and user Documents folders don’t always work well, especially in networked environments. You can download the data from ArcGIS Online, as described next.
Figure 1.3. Contents of the SwitchToProData folder as shown in Windows Explorer.
The data is saved to a book group named Switch to ArcGIS Pro (Esri Press) in the Learn ArcGIS organization.
1.Go to https://www.arcgis.com and log in with an ArcGIS Online account.
2.On the Home tab, in the Search box, type Switch to ArcGIS Pro, and then click the Search for Groups entry in the list. If no groups are found, turn off the option to “Only search in (your organization).”
3.Click the link to open the Switch to ArcGIS Pro (Esri Press) group and find the data, a zip file named SwitchToProData.
4.Click the thumbnail and download the file, saving it to a location on drive C, rather than in the Documents library or on Desktop.
5.Extract the zip file. It will create a folder named SwitchToProData.