Geography 292: Geospatial Analysis with Web GIS

Chapter 5 talks about the advantages of hybrid and on-premises Web GIS deployments as alternatives instead of using fully arranged ArcGIS online. On-premises deployments allow companies and organizations to keep control of their setup which is very useful when valuable data must stay secure or when reliable interest access is not a guarantee. Hybrid deployments take the flexibility of cloud services with the security of on-site setup which offers the best of both options. ArcGIS enterprise can be accessed on local servers or cloud platforms like AWS or Microsoft Azure and also includes portal, server, web adapters and the data store to manage the take care of GIS content. 

A very important benefit of on-premises GIS is the ability to have special datasets like feature layers, complex geoprocessing services and imagery services. Departments within a company can talk together in groups and share content which helps improve efficient workflow while also keep the data secure. Catching tile layers is another critical aspect of improving performance  that is discuessed in this chapter. 

Chapter 6 talks about the use of spatiotemporal data in GIS which includes both time and location dimensions to track patterns and changes. Some examples are weather events, disease outbreaks, urban growth and traffic congestion. The internet of things plays a pretty important role in spatiotemporal GIS by providing networks of sensors and connected devices that are constantly collecting data. Collecting this data allows companies, organizations, reseachers and cities to track conditions as they happen and respond quickly to certain events. 

The ArcGIS GeoEvent Server is a very important and crucial tool for getting and processing spatiotemporal data. It can analyze, filter and distribute live data to maps, feature layers and dashboards while also getting historical data for future analysis. ArcGIS online has dashboards and layers that enable people to visiualize trends over space and time, monitor complicated operations and animate temporal patterns. Having these tools are valuable for decision making in public health, emergency management, transportation planning and many other fields in the world.  

An application idea I could make using concepts from chapter 5 and 6 is a city wide environmental monitoring dashboard. 

Chapter 5:

On a practical note this chapter might be difficult with my commuting status… do we have to do this on the GIS lab computers or is there a cloud we can access? Addendum: No haha

The data analysis and deep learning mention makes me wonder if I could apply that to my project, making identifying invasive plants easier? I want to do something with that in this tutorial and I feel a little let down now.

Most of the pre-tutorial seems more important to OWU than us. Unless my practical concern is a concern. Also it’s all so much technical jargon that it’s hard to keep up.

I remember sharing maps from ArcGISPro in 291 so I understood the first parts of the tutorial pretty well. One thing I noticed was that the file sizes for the cached layers were a lot lower than the tutorial said, maybe it was another update or I skipped something, but I tried to go back and there weren’t any errors. It will be interesting to see how the same layers compare as different types. I guess using the web maps provided means I won’t find out if I made a mistake with the detail level sliders provided.

Making the story with the provided web maps and app was pretty easy. I struggle a little to format the stories and make them look nice still though. I’m pretty sure the map on the left in the app is the raster tile layer, because I don’t have to zoom as far in for the features to disappear. I can definitely see how vector layers are more useful for general cartography, while raster tile layers would be more for specific requests.

Chapter 6

The concept of smart cities and smart homes is a little frightening to me… but I see how important GIS is to those things and the IoT. Without those connections between everything GIS could not exist, and the connections themselves rely on GIS.

Geofences seem like the real time version of the buffers we did in ArcGISPro.

Is there a dashboard for making one mega franken-app

Some dating apps also use missions I think?

The tutorial starts by having us look at emergency dispatch maps that constantly refresh, then add live highway views. I think I see stuff like these for trail cams sometimes.

To put the map, gauge and list together I just kind of dragged them and didn’t need to resize the map. There is an extra list in my dashboard because I didn’t do all the steps on the first one and then couldn’t figure out how to delete it!

As I added more elements, things got kind of squished and the pie chart became tiny. Can a dashboard have multiple pages? Adjusting the map helped slightly to make things more proportional, though.

I couldn’t see the text color change but maybe none of the presumably fake people were having a heart attack? I tried messing with other colors in other parts of the code and making sure both highlighted parts were in there but to no avail. There were 3’s on the list so I did do something wrong -_- I couldn’t get any of the arcade parts to work so I’m skipping that because honestly!!! I’m doing this late and going kind of insane.

Here is my dash board, good luck knowing if someone’s having a heart attack.

https://arcg.is/1myTCK2

I noticed the option to set the time zone was in map viewer, not when I uploaded the layer.

The time slider settings option was nonexistent ok.

Here is the app!

https://arcg.is/0u809H1

Chapter 7:

• 3D scenes are an important part of GIS, since they allow for another dimension of data visualization, and thus ArcGIS Online allows you to make 3D web scenes.
• 3D scenes can be grouped into 2 categories, Photorealistic, and Cartographic, and depending on scope can also be separated into global and local categories.
• 3D GIS is helpful for displaying conditions like topographic height, visibility, or for giving additional insight that a 2D map would be unable to provide
• There are many ways to display 3D layers, such a rasters or point cloud images, or even using 3D objects, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages
• VR and AR can also be used in conjunction with 3D GIS, allowing for users to view data as if they were within the scene.
• Indoor 3D GIS has important applications in warehouse management, where it can be used to effectively map and manage resources within a building.

One application that could be created using a 3D scene would be a topographic map of Delaware county with the rail lines overlaid on top of it, in order to give a better understanding of the various track grades present throughout the county.

Chapter 5:

• On premises and hybrid web GIS are two alternative forms of ArcGIS, where the infrastructure used to host ArcGIS Online and its capabilities is owned by the organization using it, rather than Esri’s own hosting
• This has a variety of uses, including for organizations with unreliable internet access, or in the case where enterprise ArcGIS is needed, to access additional functionalities such as geoprocessing and image services, or for sensitive or secure data.
• ArcGIS Enterprise can be deployed either on local or cloud infrastructure, and is designed to integrate with cloud hosts such as AWS or Microsoft Azure
• There are many components to ArcGIS Enterprise, such as the server that hosts it, Portal, Web Explore and Data Store
• Enterprise can host a variety of data types, including specialized feature layers, and allows for interdepartmental operability through use of groups
• By first joining an Enterprise portal, and then sharing layers, you can add data to an ArcGIS enterprise group.

Chapter 6:

• Spatial-temporal data is GIS data collected where both time and location are important factors.
• This includes data like current traffic conditions, changing temperatures, weather or even things such as urban growth or road development
• IoT is the Internet of Things, which is a term describing the distribution of internet connected technologies with sensors, or other data collection means that allow them to interact with the world around them.
• Smart cities are cities that utilize IoT devices to constantly monitor and react to changing conditions, in order to function more efficiently
• ArcGIS GeoEvent Server is used to collect, ingest and process spatial-temporal data for GIS uses, allowing for real time monitoring of events and changes in the world.
• Additionally, GeoEvent server allows you to archive data for future reference or investigation, and allows for real time data delivery
• ArcGIS Online allows you to create maps with real time data layers, and operations dashboards for monitoring data and conditions in real time.
• Actions can also be used to trigger certain in case of certain events, or to active tools such as  filtering or graph generation

 

One possible application of real time maps would be for a shipping company to use it to monitor traffic patterns and accidents, so they could efficiently reroute their drivers to ensure packages arrive on time.

Chapter 3: ArcGIS Experience Builder

Chapter 3 is about ArcGIS experience builder and how you can use this to have more functions than an individually configurable app and be able to remix functions of multiple apps. Experience Builder has pre-made widgets that provide functions like mapping, table view, querying, charting, and reporting. You can then select, mix, and configure these widgets to enhance your apps. To create Web experiences using Experience Builder the user must pick a premade template or start from scratch, select a theme, add source data, add and configure widgets, refine layouts for all devices, save, preview, publish, and then share. There are two main types of widgets, basic and layout. Basic widgets include map, legend, layers, query, filter, edit, chart, elevation profile, and survey while layout widgets include section, column, row, fixed panel, and sidebar. This chapter talks about the three versions of Experience builder and how they are similar and different to each other. The tutorial for chapter three went over how to create a 2D and 3D integrated web experience, configure map message actions, configure dynamic content, configure the table widget, configure the filter and chart widgets, and create and navigate multiple pages. 

 

Chapter 4: Mobile GIS

Chapter four goes over the functionality and purpose of mobile GIS. Mobile GIS has several advantages over desktop GIS including mobility, location awareness, ease of data collection, near-real-time information, large amounts of users, and versatile means of communication. This chapter discusses how mobility has a big advantage overall but can be limited by a device’s CPU speed, memory, etc. People can use mobile GIS for a large array of things like finding somewhere to eat, learning how to get somewhere, field surveys, and parcel delivery. The chapter then talks about feature layers, and feature layer views which allow users to view different sets of information. A feature layer may also contain a feature template which defines the type of data items that users can add to a layer. There are several notable approaches to mobile app development. These include browser-based, native based, and hybrid based. ArcGIS field maps is a newer program that supports planning, tracking, understanding, and data capture phases of field workflow. ArcGIS indoors is a mapping system that understands the location and activities within an indoor setting. It can help users feel more connected to a workplace or campus and is seen to boost productivity and collaboration. This chapter also provides details on several other mobile GIS applications that users find helpful. The tutorial includes exercises that go over Survey123, Field Maps, Quick capture, and AuGeo. 

 

One interesting application would be an app that people could report moose sightings in NH for population survey purposes. Moose populations in NH are threatened and I think it could be helpful to ecologists to have a database of moose sightings to help get a better understanding of species abundance in a given area.

Chapter 5

• • ArcGIS Enterprise and ArcGIS Online have similar functions but Enterprise runs on user-managed infrastructures
  • Enterprise used when:
    • Need for on premises Web GIS
    • Need for hybrid Web GIS
    • Need for functionalities only on ArcGIS Enterprise
  • Enterprise pretty much a variation of Online
  • Portal for ArcGIS provides ability to:
    • Create various types of hosted layers.
    • Create, save, and share web maps and scenes.
    • Create and host web-mapping apps.
    • Search for GIS content within your organization.
    • Secure the access to your GIS content.
    • Manage organizational utility services.

• ArcGIS Server- create and host various types of geospatial web services which allows for a server computer to receive and process requests sent by various clients

• ArcGIS Web Adaptor- integrates ArcGIS Enterprise with organization’s existing web server and security mechanisms

• ArcGIS Data Store- allows for data storage configuration for hosting services with ArcGIS Enterprise

• Deployment scenarios for ArcGIS Enterprise
  • Single-machine deployment
  • Multitiered deployment
  • Highly available deployment
• Raster tile layers provide maps to client applications as image files
  • Appropriate for basemaps and maps with little change
• Vector tile layers deliver map data as many grouped vector files
• Map image layers can be drawn by the server or by using tiles from a cache
• Feature services generate feature tiles when requested by client apps
• When a user requests a map of a certain extent, 16 feature tile requests will actually be created and cached
• Image layer requests not usually reusable

• Standards specify the interface that different vendors should use and are important to establish interoperability among vendors
• When using Enterprise make sure data is accessible by Enterprise (not always is like when you import data with Online)
• I could use the information from this chapter to provide a map of schools in the Cleveland area and have links to their school websites attached. This could help parents of young children when they are trying to decide where to raise their kids.

 

Chapter 6

• • Spatiotemporal data can be categorized into four categories: moving, discrete, stationary, and change

• Real-time GIS- GIS that handles current and continuous data

• • Value of event can be point in time or duration of time
  • Key terms for spatiotemporal data:
    • Time measurement systems
    • Time reference systems
    • Time representations
    • Temporal resolution

• IoT– network of physical objects embedded with sensors and network connectivity that enable these objects to collect and exchange data

• Smart city- uses IoT devices to supply information that will assist the city in managing assets and resources efficiently

• Smart homes- houses with wifi-connected devices used to enhance the function of the home

• • ArcGIS Velocity and GeoEvent Server share components:
    • Ingest- provide ways to communicate with IoT platforms, sensor networks, social network feeds, and other real-time data streams
    • Process- processes real-time data received and translated by the ingestion component
    • Outputs- sends processed data to variety of destinations
  • ArcGIS Velocity introduces new types of items:
    • Feed items
    • Real-time analytic items
    • Big data analytic items

• Poll- client periodically polls server to retrieve the latest data

• Push- push data to web client (used by ArcGIS)

• ArcGIS Dashboards provides common view of systems and resources you manage
• I could use the information from this chapter to create a map that monitors police activity in my hometown city Berea, Ohio. By doing this, people could use the map to be aware of where they might have run-ins with law enforcement

Chapter 7:

 

In chapter 7 I learned about the main elements in scenes when it comes to gid some of them are surfaces, features, textures and atmospheric effects. These are only a few of the main elements I learned about.

Next I learned about web scenes and web scene layers. A web scene can have 2d layers such as map images, feature layers, etc. While other 2d layers will drape on the surface, feature layers can be configured with 2d or 3d symbols.

Lastly, I learned about XR, which refers to all real and virtual combined environments and human-machine interactions made by computer tech and wearables, where X represents a variable for any current or future spatial computing tech.

Chapter 5 – Chapter 5 talks more about the two types of web GIS offerings such as ArcGIS online and ArcGIS Enterprise. There are also just a few key objectives that you learn through this chapter such as understanding on-premises and hybrid Web GIS, understanding the two different types of web GIS like mentioned before, portal collaborations, knowing the differences between several tools like vector tiles, raster tiles, features tiles and even mapping image layers and how you can use those different layer types and what each one is important for. This chapter also helps you be more familiar with the workflow of GIS and how you can publish these web layers using ArcGIS Pro. Lastly it helps you learn how to create web apps and see comparisons of different web apps and how they are all important for different necessities. 

 

Chapter 6 – This chapter is more about real-time GIS. It gets into the real world data and how you can use ArcGIS and its various applications for real world demands. There were a few objectives for this chapter as well which included first understanding the spatiotemporal data and all the technology and terms that come with it, learning how loT works as well as sensor networking, and other frontiers related to such, stream layers and how those have advantages over others, ArcGIS Velocity, ArcGIS dashboards for those real-life scenarios when working with data, configuring and formatting, and lastly how you can create time-enabled web layers and turn those into apps to help with any data you need. 

 

Something that could be a cool interactive application specifically for the environmental side of things could be mapping the trees in a community! You could create a map that the whole community could contribute to and it could show the different types of trees and their locations in a designated area. This could be helpful for things like environmental awareness for a community, especially if it’s a neighborhood wanting to do more sustainability type projects and just overall bringing a community together to see how working together on even just small projects for the environment can be beneficial. 

Chapter 5:

Chapter five focuses on building and managing a private or hybrid Web GIS and explores how caching makes web maps run efficiently. While ArcGIS Online operates in the public cloud, organizations often need private for security, data sensitivity, or limited internet connectivity. ArcGIS Enterprise provides this capability, allowing organizations to host and manage their own GIS infrastructure. It consists of four key components, Portal for ArcGIS, ArcGIS Server, ArcGIS Web Adapter, and ArcGIS Data Store which work together to store, publish, and share geographic content. Portal collaboration is a major feature, allowing multiple organizations or divisions to share curated maps, layers, and applications while maintaining independent systems. This collaboration is especially valuable for large organizations that need to coordinate content across internal and external Web GIS deployments. The chapter also explains deployment options for ArcGIS Enterprise, ranging from single-machine setups to multi-tiered and available systems. This gives users flexibility in balancing performance, maintenance, and scalability. Hybrid Web GIS uses both ArcGIS Enterprise and ArcGIS Online, combining the security of private hosting with the convenience and resources of Esri’s cloud. Caching is another key concept, improving performance by pre-storing map tiles so users can quickly load maps without redoing them each time. Raster tiles are static image-based maps that support detailed cartography but require more storage and processing time. Vector tiles, on the other hand, are lightweight, resolution-adaptive, and easily restyled, making them ideal for modern web apps. Map image layers and feature tiles provide additional flexibility depending on whether real-time data or large datasets are involved. Overall, the chapter highlights how caching, deployment design, and collaboration tools come together to create efficient, secure, and interconnected Web GIS systems for a wide range of organizational needs.

Chapter 6:

Chapter six explores spatiotemporal and real-time GIS, moving from static mapping to systems that display and analyze data changing. Real-time GIS handles data that moves, appears, or changes continuously, such as traffic, weather, or emergency events. These systems rely on streaming data from sensors and devices that are processed instantly on a server and visualized through web maps, dashboards, or apps. The chapter emphasizes how this technology supports real-world decision-making, improving situational awareness, emergency response, and operational management by providing instant information. Spatiotemporal data can be classified into four main categories, moving, discrete, stationary, and change. Each event can have either a single time stamp or a duration, depending on if it marks an instantaneous or ongoing event. Core concepts like time reference systems, temporal resolution, and time representation are introduced to explain how temporal accuracy affects GIS analysis. The rise of mobile technology and the Internet of Things has significantly increased the amount of volunteered geographic information and real-time sensor data. IoT applications range from consumer uses, such as smart homes and vehicles, to enterprise-scale systems like environmental monitoring and smart cities.To manage this data amount, Esri’s ArcGIS Velocity and ArcGIS GeoEvent Server are key tools that intake, process, and output real-time data. They perform constant analysis, filter data based on factors or conditions, and issue alerts or trigger actions in response to detected events. ArcGIS Velocity, a cloud-based SaaS platform, integrates seamlessly with ArcGIS Online, supporting real-time analytics, big data processing, and visualization. The chapter concludes with applications such as ArcGIS Dashboards and ArcGIS Mission, which visualize live updates and support real-time collaboration, communication, and analysis. All vital capabilities in today’s data-driven, connected world.

Chapter 3: Chapter 3 is all about Experience Builder. which is all about creating unique web experiences, and interesting layouts. Using Experience Builder is fairly simple in terms of the steps required in order to achieve your goal. First and foremost you are going to pick a template on what you want your experience to be centered around. Then you are going to pick your theme so that your “experience” will be clear and put together. After that you select your source data and add it to the experience this is realistically what is going to be what is shown within the application. Then you will add and configure widgets which serve as helpful little tabs within the application. After you have all of those steps done you will go back through and refine everything to make it look nice and understandable for the people who are going to use your application.  Finally you are going to take the polished product and publish it to the web for all to see and share. Something I find really cool within this chapter is that these experiences can be used to make both 2D and 3D web experiences.

Chapter 4: Chapter 4 is all about mobile GIS and what that is. Mobile GIS is really cool as you can use it basically anywhere as long as you have either wifi, a GPS system, or a cellular network. Within mobile GIS it is a lot easier to collect data as you can collect it on scene, additionally this way of moving information is less prone to mistakes than the transfer of surveyors drawings all the way back to whatever lab that they work out of.  Mobile GIS is literally on an app on your phone that’s really cool. This. app allows for overall ease of the collection of data.

Potential Application- You could use mobile GIS to map out a high foot traffic area while experiencing that traffic first hand.