If you ever have had a client say that they have data that they want you to incorporate into a mapping project but it is in KML format. It is gettign easier to use these consumer formats, and convert them into shapefile for use in professional GIS software. I recently came across the new online version of KML2SHP. WIth this handy online converter you do not even have to download and install software. Simply upload and check the right boxes for the data that you uploaded and you are ready to add the data right into arcGIS software. This tool is part of Zonum Solutions KML Toolbox which has some very useful tools for working with KML file formats. With these new tools it is becoming even easier to use Google Earth as a more complete GIS package. Another benefit could be that you simply tell a client to start a project outline right in Google Earth and they have nice background imagery to look at and start constructing things that they will want in their finished product and you can import them into your professional software and send someone to the field to update the locations and they already have a list of data points so they can easily find the infrastucture that they need to collect data on. I think we are seeing that converting KML to shapefiles can be very useful and will only become easier as many of the professional GIS software companies are adding the ability to read/write or import KML file directly into their GIS package.
Category: Arc View
ArcView Reinstall After an Upgrade
I just had the misfortune of having my laptop die on me, the result of having my 3 year old dump water on it. So I dug out the ArcView 9.3 install DVD and fired up the old desktop. It took a while but finally got things installed and tried to register is so that I could get back to work. Everything was going good, I found all of my registration numbers and proceeded to enter them. Yikes! the ESRI desktop administrator is telling me that my registrations numbers are in valid. So a quick email to support and I find out that since I had upgraded to ArcView 9.3 that I needed to use a different registration number than I used for the ArcView 9.2 install. So everything is functioning now and I am happily working away again, even though there is quite a bit of performance loss on my old desktop. So I will have to pick up a new laptop.
Arc View 9.3 Improved KML Support
If you have been using KML in your GIS work flow then the new features of ArcView9.3 will have you jumping up and down. You will no longer have to jump through multiple steps to get your data in to a kml file. This allows you to share your data with non GIS people and have them use a piece of software that they probably are very familiar with. The best use I have found is allowing clients to preview project progress without having to spend time and resources installing unfamilar software for your clients. Check out this video on what Arc View 9.3 can now do with kml.