DATA SHARING AND THE WEB: A TEST CASE FOR THE ARCGIS VIEWER FOR FLEX

By

DANIEL ALAN DOWNING

A FINAL PROJECT PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOLOF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT

OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

2016

© 2016 DANIEL ALAN DOWNING

To my family and friends. A special feeling of gratitude to my wife Sidney and to my parents David Downing and Gail Anders.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank my committee members Paul Zwick and Stanley Latimer.

Their encouragement over the many years this journey has taken was paramount to me

reaching the finish line. A very special thanks to Crystal Goodison for her guidance

during the writing and editing process. I’d like to thank Sam Palmer and Kate Norris, my

longtime friends and colleagues at the GeoPlan Center, for all the knowledge they have

shared with me while working together. A special thanks to Lex Thomas for giving me

the opportunity to work at the GeoPlan Center with such an amazing group of intelligent

and talented individuals. Lex has been a mentor in both my work and personal life. I’d

like to acknowledge my good friend William Cory Swales who introduced me to the field

of GIS and lead me to the University of Florida.

4

TABLE OF CONTENTS

page

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...................................................................................................4

LIST OF TABLES.............................................................................................................6

LIST OF FIGURES...........................................................................................................7

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS..............................................................................................9

ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................11

LITERATURE REVIEW..................................................................................................13

ArcGIS Online..........................................................................................................15ArcGIS Viewer for Flex............................................................................................16ArcGIS Viewer for Silverlight....................................................................................17Open Source Options..............................................................................................18

METHODOLOGY...........................................................................................................20

Creating ArcGIS Server Services............................................................................21Creating the Flex Application...................................................................................23

Maps..................................................................................................................23Widgets.............................................................................................................24Layout................................................................................................................26Design...............................................................................................................27Preview..............................................................................................................28

Using the Viewer Application...................................................................................28

DISCUSSION.................................................................................................................41

CONCLUSION...............................................................................................................48

LIST OF REFERENCES................................................................................................51

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.............................................................................................53

5

LIST OF TABLES

Table page

Table 2-1........................................................................................................................20

6

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure page

Figure 3-1.......................................................................................................................31

Figure 3-2.......................................................................................................................31

Figure 3-3.......................................................................................................................32

Figure 3-4.......................................................................................................................32

Figure 3-5.......................................................................................................................33

Figure 3-6.......................................................................................................................33

Figure 3-7.......................................................................................................................34

Figure 3-8.......................................................................................................................34

Figure 3-9.......................................................................................................................35

Figure 3-10.....................................................................................................................35

Figure 3-11.....................................................................................................................36

Figure 3-12.....................................................................................................................36

Figure 3-13.....................................................................................................................37

Figure 3-14.....................................................................................................................37

Figure 3-15.....................................................................................................................38

Figure 3-16.....................................................................................................................38

Figure 3-17.....................................................................................................................39

Figure 3-18.....................................................................................................................39

Figure 3-19.....................................................................................................................40

Figure 3-20.....................................................................................................................40

Figure 4-1.......................................................................................................................47

Figure 4-2.......................................................................................................................47

Figure 4-3.......................................................................................................................48

7

Figure 4-4.......................................................................................................................48

8

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

EC2 Amazon.com’s cloud computing platform.

Esri Environmental Systems Research Institute. An international supplier of geographic information system software.

GIS Geographic information system.

RIA Rich internet application. A Web application that mimics the capabilities of desktop software applications.

S3 Amazon.com’s online file storage web service.

9

Abstract of Final Project Presented to the Graduate Schoolof the University of Florida in Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Urban and Regional Planning

DATA SHARING AND THE WEB: A TEST CASE FOR THE ARCGIS VIEWER FOR FLEX

By

DANIEL ALAN DOWNING

August, 2016

Chair: Paul ZwickCochair: Stanley LatimerMajor: Urban and Regional Planning

Data sharing is an important component of research fields and the planning

profession. This project examines the feasibility of the ArcGIS Viewer for Flex as a tool

for data sharing on the web and enhancing collaboration for planners and researchers

with no web development knowledge. Web sharing tools are surveyed to determine

their strengths and limitations and justifications are made for the selection of the ArcGIS

Viewer for Flex. The ArcGIS Viewer for Flex is proven to be a capable stand-alone

product for sharing data on the web, however, the future of web GIS and data sharing is

concluded to reside in newer cloud based platforms.

10

CHAPTER 1INTRODUCTION

Data sharing is simply making data accessible to others who have interest in it.

Whether the data results from scholarly studies or a local government’s master plan, the

ability to share results with colleagues and the public is very important. For the specific

purposes of this project, data sharing will be defined as the ability to display, overlay,

and query spatial data on the web and make it accessible to anyone with an internet

connection and a web browser. The concept of data sharing is important for a number

of reasons. The free flow of information, including data, analysis, and results is key to

the advancement of academic research. One common problem with spatial data is that

it is often kept in proprietary formats and the data can be extremely large in file size.

Spatial data also requires special software to view and analyze and often cannot be put

on the internet without knowledge of computer coding. These problems restrict access

to the data. Often this data ends up being presented in static maps in papers and

presentations. Simplified online sharing of spatial data with no coding knowledge allows

for easy access to data and allows for interactive examination and comparison of

research results. It also allows for public review and the ability to help the lay person

understand project goals, often helping to gain consensus among decisions makers and

those affected by their decisions.

This particular data sharing research is directed toward users of Esri’s ArcGIS

spatial products. The aim of this project is to provide a test case of the ArcGIS Viewer

for Flex and examine its benefits and limitations in regards to data sharing on the web.

The ArcGIS Viewer for Flex is part of a software framework which provides generic

functionality that can be manipulated to provide application specific software. Any

11

spatial data researcher or planner with a need to share their research or projects can

benefit from the results of this project.

This paper will review the current research on web GIS and data sharing and

provide justification of the ArcGIS Viewer for Flex as the chosen test case. The

methodology section will detail the technical implementation of an ArcGIS Viewer for

Flex site, including installation, site creation, and management, as well as the creation

of ArcGIS for Server map services. The discussion section will show the results of the

finished ArcGIS Viewer for Flex site and discuss how well the test case has met the

goal of providing a data sharing platform with no computer coding necessary. Finally,

the conclusion will discuss where this research can go in the future and what methods

and platforms look most likely to be widely adopted.

12

CHAPTER 2LITERATURE REVIEW

Collaboration is an important part of any field of study. Within the field of

planning, web GIS has made sharing data and analysis results an integral part of the

planning process. This leads to more information for both decision makers and the

public. This literature review will detail the current research on the importance of web

GIS to data sharing and its benefits, discuss the barriers many organizations face in

setting up a web GIS system, and finally review current frameworks for web GIS

implementation.

According to Peterson (2009), “Many web GIS researchers contend that the

future of cartography is largely tied to the development of tools for online mapping“ (p.

1). GIS technology has been moving towards internet capable services for many years

now as Peng (2003) notes, “The advancement of technologies has led to a paradigm

shift from collecting data and finishing a GIS project on a desktop to considering

universal accessibility and remotely distributed data and analysis functions” (preface,

xxx) Despite this movement towards online availability of GIS related data and maps,

there are still many situations where data is restricted:

This restricted access to data leads to ineffective use of resources and is a retardant for growth. The need exists in many organizations for user-friendly web map services systems to be put in place to make this data available on the internet (Brynard, 2013, p. 1).

Lack of access to data is very common in developing nations, but is also a common

problem throughout the developed world. Without easy access to data, interdisciplinary

collaboration is hard to accomplish. “Much of the data generated by the custodian

organizations require inputs from other disciplines or their data constitutes an essential

component in the scientific pursuits of other organizations” (Brynard, 2013, p. 1).

13

Internet GIS can solve many of the data access problems which can hinder data

sharing and collaboration:

Modern software systems provide the facilities to serve spatial data on the web where it can be made readily accessible either to selected clients or to a wider audience. What is really required is corporate commitment, and champions within the organization to drive the process (Brynard, 2013, p. 2).

Collaboration is not the only benefit of adopting web GIS. For those moving from

previously static maps which were simply printed or transferred as images or pdfs,

Dragicevic (2004) found “In the Web-based environment with basic GIS functionalities,

the map becomes dynamic, interactive and accessible to a wide selection of users as a

visual communication tool” (p. 80). Dragicevic (2004) also notes, “Web-based GIS has

enhanced the open use of GIS in three main directions: (1) spatial data access and

dissemination, (2) spatial data exploration and geovisualization, and (3) spatial data

processing, analysis and modeling” (p. 80). The expansion of GIS in web based tools

will also spur developments in other technologies. “Web-based GIS enhances the

potential for further developments in other areas such as spatial analysis and modeling,

wireless and mobile services, 3D data access and query that are anticipated to

experience increased research focus in the coming years” (Dragicevic, 2004, p. 81).

Despite the many benefits of web GIS, there are still numerous barriers to entry

for both organizations and individuals looking for the ability to share their data.

According to Maclachlan (2007), “Many communities lack the resources to fully support

the implementation of in house GIS” (p. 72). GIS mapping and analysis can require

sophisticated software, heavy-duty hardware, a steep learning curve, and a substantial

time commitment. Along with the steep learning curve and time commitment, the

decision of which web GIS platform to use is also a challenge. Myers and Ralston

14

(2012) concluded, “There is no one best set of tools, and choices often reflect the

developer’s experience and preferences. Current rich internet application (RIA)

development is dominated by frameworks available in Flex, Silverlight, and to a lesser

extent, JavaFX” (p. 41). All of these web GIS development frameworks have their own

positives and negatives.

Many planners in today’s work environment are tasked with sharing spatial data

and results with project collaborators and the public. Much of the data involved is

detailed and changes frequently. Spatial data sharing solutions need to be cost

effective, customizable, and created and maintained by professionals without the

technical knowledge to build these systems from scratch.

The following is a comparison of some of the most common commercial and

open source products for building web GIS systems. It is important to recognize that

web GIS applications have both a “front-end” and a “back-end”. The “front-end” is the

user interface, or what the user sees and interacts with via a web browser. The user

interface is typically a dynamic map, where spatial data is viewable and the user can

interact with the map. The “back-end” of the application contains the server and

database components, where data is stored and served out for client consumption. It

will be noted which options provide both components and which need additional

components to provide a full web GIS experience.

ArcGIS Online

ArcGIS Online is a cloud-based platform where users can upload their data and

create visualizations directly from their web browser. The back-end of the application is

provided by Amazon’s EC2 and S3 compute and storage services providing a highly

reliable and scalable server infrastructure. The front-end is a web map with tools that

15

allow you to create, manage, and share GIS data as services. The service is

subscription based and users are allotted a number of credits based on the subscription

level. As features of ArcGIS online are used, such as storage, geocoding, or spatial

analysis, payment for them is deducted from the user’s pool of available credits. ArcGIS

online is a strong candidate as it requires no special hardware and very little technical

expertise to produce shareable maps and data. The biggest drawback is customization.

The front end cannot be customized and there are very few built in map tools available.

This restricts use of the application primarily to visualization alone.

ArcGIS Viewer for Flex

The ArcGIS Viewer for Flex is a framework for building web GIS applications that

are easily customizable with no programming required. The ArcGIS Viewer for Flex is

free of charge; however to create a fully functioning web GIS experience, a web server

is necessary. The ArcGIS Viewer for Flex is meant to be built on top of ArcGIS for

Server as the back-end and is supported and updated to match the functionality of

ArcGIS for Server. A license is required to use ArcGIS for Server. The ArcGIS Viewer

for Flex is built with Adobe Flash technology. Leinert (2012) has described the

advantages of the Flash framework:

Advantages of the Flash framework include the performant rendering engine, the integration of multimedia content (e.g., video, sound and animation), a wide range of auxiliary tools for designers, and the wide-spread dissemination of the Flash Player for rendering Flash content (p. 26).

The use of the Flash framework also has some notable disadvantages concerning code

changes and security noted by Bradbury (2010):

Among the disadvantages of Adobe Flash, there are the dependency on one software vendor who may arbitrarily change the code base or the functionality of tools and plug-ins. Also, security concerns are raised when using a plug-in, particularly in regard to arbitrary, remote code execution and passing on of cached user information (p. 34).

16

The ArcGIS Viewer for Flex provides middle ground between building your own

application from scratch and the standard off the shelf software: “The flexviewer

delegates mapping tasks in a manner that allows for easy code maintenance, minimizes

friction among programming modules, and liberates programmers from the development

complexity of managing maps, map navigation tools, application configurations, and

component communication” (Zhang, 2008, p. 9). The front-end is created using an

interactive application builder that allows for high levels of customization and additional

functionality all without having to write any code. The ArcGIS Viewer for Flex also has

the benefit of a large support community including samples, forums, and help guides.

The source code has also been made freely available adding a benefit that is often

reserved for open source options.

ArcGIS Viewer for Silverlight

The ArcGIS Viewer for Silverlight is an Esri product built on Microsoft’s Silverlight

framework. This option is very similar to the ArcGIS Viewer for Flex. It is free of charge,

but requires a web server to run. It is built to work with ArcGIS for Server as the back-

end and uses an application builder to create highly customizable front-ends with no

coding necessary. Advantages of the ArcGIS Viewer for Silverlight include “the

performant rendering engine, the integration of multimedia content, and the availability

of auxiliary tools for programmers…” (Lienert, 2012, p. 26). It also shares a similar

disadvantage with Adobe Flash in terms of the dependency on one single software

vendor (Lienert, 2012, p. 27). Microsoft Silverlight is a newer technology than Adobe

Flex. In general, this means that there are fewer resources and samples available

online for Silverlight. Also the source code for the ArcGIS Viewer for Silverlight is not

17

publicly available like the ArcGIS Viewer for Flex. This restricts further customization

outside of what is available through the application builder.

Open Source Options

There a number of open source options for creating a web GIS system. The open

source model provides free access to the product as well as the ability to build upon or

alter it. Some popular examples for open source back-end web GIS tools are

GeoServer, Mapguide, Mapnik, and Mapserver, and for the front-end there are

Openlayers, Geomajas, and GeoExt. For the purposes of this discussion I will treat

these as one option as they have many of the same benefits and disadvantages. The

major benefit that is immediately apparent with the open source options is the cost of

operation, which is free. Along with cost savings, “there are other well-known benefits of

open source software such as vendor independence and open standards” (Steiniger &

Hunter, 2013, p. 146). But there are also a number of barriers, such as knowledge

barriers, legacy integration, forking, sunk costs and technology immaturity (Nagy,

Yassin, & Bhattacherjee, 2010, p.1). Legacy integration involves integrating legacy data

into a new open system. Forking occurs when open source projects branch from each

other, creating separate tools that no longer work together. Sunk costs involve the lost

value from previous investments in proprietary systems. The biggest barrier to

overcome for the everyday planner will most likely be the knowledge barrier. Front-end

development is very heavily code based when using these open source options.

Platforms with a GUI (Graphical User Interface) application builder are much more

suitable for many less tech savvy planners. This eliminates many of the of the open

source options.

18

The ArcGIS Viewer for Flex was chosen as this project’s test application due to

its highly customizable interface, built-in tools, and more extensive availability of the

online support resources. ArcGIS online was not a viable option due to its lack of

customization options. ArcGIS Viewer for Silverlight was also not a viable option due to

the lack of online support resources. The open source software options were not

chosen because of the steep learning curve associated with application development

and code writing. Table 2-1 summarizes the benefits and disadvantages of the reviewed

software packages for creating a web GIS with collaborative goals for the everyday

planner.

Table 2-1

19

CHAPTER 3METHODOLOGY

For this test application of the ArcGIS Viewer for Flex, a fully functional flexviewer

site was created and implemented. The purpose of the web application that was created

was to display and share the results of LUCIS modeling in Hillsborough County. LUCIS

stands for Land-Use Conflict Identification Strategy and is a GIS model that produces

representations of possible future land use patterns. The data used served as a great

example of the capabilities of the platform, but any data could have been used for this

test application.

The ArcGIS Viewer for Flex can display web enabled services in an easily

configurable and accessible viewer. The following assumptions were made prior to site

creation:

There is a web server running on the machine where the viewer is

installed.

The user has read/write access to the folders containing the viewer

application.

There is access to ArcGIS for Server.

An ArcGIS Viewer for Flex website was created using the application builder, which is a

light weight, xml based viewer. It requires no coding knowledge to get up and running.

The viewer can be downloaded from Esri’s website at:

http://resources.arcgis.com/en/communities/flex-viewer/.

20

An Esri Global Account is necessary to download the flex application builder. Finally,

before the application builder can be installed adobe AIR must be installed on the

server. Adobe AIR is available at: http://get.adobe.com/air/

Upon first open, the application builder verifies the Web Server Base Folder, or

the folder on your server where the application files will be stored and the Web Server

Base Folder URL, which is the web URL that will be entered externally to get to the site.

Before building the viewer, it is recommended to prepare and create the ArcGIS for

Server map services that will be used in the application.

Creating ArcGIS Server Services

The planning process involves many different types of data. This test application

map viewer included basemaps and operational layers. Operational layers are the

layers produced by the site creator that need to be shared. They can include both vector

and raster data are intended primarily to be data that changes frequently. All data

included in the map viewer were published as ArcGIS for Server map services. Creating

map services is a relatively simple process that is done using a tool in ArcMap. For this

example, a single map service will be created from some sample suitability map

surfaces created from the LUCIS model. First, the suitability data layers were added to

the table of contents in ArcMap which can be seen in Figure 3-1. These data layers

resided in a folder that ArcGIS Server has the proper permissions to access. If the

permissions access is unknown, it can be changed later when the service is analyzed.

The appearance of the layers in the MXD is also how they will appear in the

viewer application, so any changes made there will carry over to the published services.

The symbology of the layers as well as labels, scale dependent rending, layer names,

and layer visibility should all be set in the MXD. A map service can contain multiple

21

data layers. All data to be shared can be in one MXD and published to a single service

in your application. If the data lends itself to logical groupings that need to be

maintained, then multiple services can be created. For example, in the test application

there are three separate services, one for suitability surfaces, one for operational layers,

and one for basemap data.

The layers in the MXD do not have to be turned on in the table of contents. It

may be preferable to have them off. This will allow the users of the application to

choose which layers to display on their own. It is ok if the map is blank; the data still

resides in the map and can be toggled on from the viewer interface. After the data was

prepared and symbolized, it was saved and then published using the “Share as Service”

tool. The “Share as Service” dialog can be seen in Figure 3-2 and the “Publish a

service” option in Figure 3-3.

Next, the connection to the ArcGIS Server instance (referenced in the

assumptions list) was chosen from the drop down menu. This determines the web

server where the map service will reside. Next, an existing file folder location on the

server was chosen to store the map service. Finally, the Service Editor, shown in Figure

3-4, was used to edit the service parameters. This is where the bulk of the map service

personalization is done, including: the ability to add metadata, create a cached data

service instead of a dynamic service, configure pooling and processes, and the ability to

add or remove service capabilities (WCS, WMS, Feature Access, Schematics, Mobile

Data Access, Network Analysis, KML, WFS).

For the purposes of this test application, the default settings were used. Before

the service was published, the analyze command at the top of the service editor was

22

run. This tool inspects the MXD for common errors that can keep a service from being

published or slow down performance in general. After completion, the analyzer provides

feedback on any errors encountered and how to improve the service for reliability. For

this test application, the warnings and errors (Figure 3-5) were reviewed and resolved.

After resolution, the map service was published to the server by clicking the publish

button. Finally, the published services were added to the map viewer application

providing a powerful platform to display and share data.

Creating the Flex Application

The web application was created using the Application Builder tool shown in

Figure 3-6. The first step was to name the viewer application, after which the viewer

URL was assigned. Personalizing the web application is done through a series of tabs.

Each tab is described individually in the following sections.

Maps

A new application can be created from Web Maps or from Basemaps &

Operational Layers. The Web Maps option allows for the use of existing map services

available from ArcGIS Online. The test application used Basemaps & Operational

Layers to highlight user created data from the ArcGIS for Server map services that were

created earlier. The maps tab can be seen in Figure 3-7. The Basemaps & Operational

Layers page has 3 tabs:

Basemaps. For this test application, the featured basemaps from ArcGIS Online

were used as the base layer. All the available featured basemaps can be added or they

can be limited to only the ones that work with the data in the hosted services. The first

basemap that is added will be the default basemap shown when the application first

23

opens. If multiple basemap options are chosen they will be available to the user through

the basemap switching widget.

Operational layers. The Operational Layers tab is where the services created

using ArcGIS for Server can be added to the application and configured. For this test

application, the map services of the suitability layers were added and configured.

Changes were made to the layer label, layer visibility, and transparency.

Map extent. This tab holds the configuration for the default map extent, or the

area of the map that is displayed when the application is first opened. The map extent

for the test application site area was set to include the geographic area encompassing

the operational layers. A map interface within this tab was used to set the map extent

for the test application.

Widgets

Widgets are prepacked tools that provide functionality to web mapping

applications and allow users to customize the capabilities of their applications. Widgets

are provided with the ArcGIS Viewer for Flex, but are also made available by community

developers. New widgets are added to the platform on a regular basis.

The Widgets page (Figure 3-8) contains a catalog of available built in widgets. These

include:

Bookmark widget - Spatial bookmarks for quick navigation.

Chart widget - Display charts for selected features.

Data Extract widget - Extracts data (export).

Draw widget - Quick drawing (i.e., redlining).

Edit widget - Allows you to edit any editable feature layers in the operational

layers.

24

Geoprocessing widget - Allows you to use any geoprocessing task.

GeoRSS widget - Creates layers based on a GeoRSS feed.

Layerlist widget - Displays the operational data in the Viewer application.

Legend widget - Displays a legend for the layers you chose.

Locate widget - Allows address geocoding.

Print widget - Advanced or simple printing of the current map.

Query widget - Displays clickable features based on a query to a layer from an

ArcGIS Server Map service or Feature service.

Search widget - Allows users to select a clickable feature to display on the map.

Similar to the Query widget, except the Query widget shows all the features by

default.

Time widget - Enables time animation of time-aware layers.

To include a widget in the application simply highlight it and click the include

button. Once any widgets have been added to the application they can be further

configured by clicking the edit pencil below the widget icons. The configuration page for

each widget is different, however, there are some items that are common to all widgets

that can be configured, for example, the widget label, the widget icon, and whether the

widget is opened or closed by default when the application opens. The widgets that

were used in the test application were the enhanced layer list, swipe/spotlight, draw and

print.

Third party ArcGIS Viewer for flex widgets are available for download in the

gallery on the Esri ArcGIS Viewer for Flex resource page:

25

http://resources.arcgis.com/en/communities/flex-viewer/. The gallery allows browsing

and downloading of widgets created by the developer community. To add a third party

widget to the application builder interface, make sure the versions match (Flex

application version and widget version), and download the zip file that contains

application builder integration.

For the test application two third party widgets were added: The Enhanced Layer

List widget and the Swipe Spotlight Widget (Figure 3-9). The Enhanced layer list widget

is a table of contents widget that displays and organizes ArcGIS for Server services and

the Swipe Spotlight Widget swipes between operational layers and the basemap below.

Layout

The layout tab allows for configuration of the map elements that are displayed on

the map. Most elements can be toggled on or off and some can be configured further

with the included edit button. Figure 3-10 shows the Layout tab of the application

builder.

Layout elements include:

Directions - Driving directions.

Navigation - Pan and zoom around the map.

Static Image - Displays an image on the map.

Scale Bar - Display a scale bar in your choice of units

Coordinates - Display map coordinates while panning and zooming.

Initial Splash Screen - An info window that greets users upon site opening.

Attribution - Display Esri logo.

Overview Map - Displays a slide out Overview Map.

26

Map Switcher - Display that allows switching basemaps and access to included

services.

Search - Allows address geocoding.

Links - Ability to add external links.

Attribute Table - Provides an interface for viewing the attribute table of map data.

For the test application, Directions, Static Image, Attribute Table, and Attribution were

turned off. Some additional configuration was done to the Initial Splash Screen, the Map

Switcher, and Links. In the Initial Splash Screen edit window, some HTML was added

to share information about the site with users. All the HTML code needed was already

provided (Figure 3-11). The image on the splash screen was replaced with a new image

and the text associated with the link was changed by modifying the text (ArcGIS Viewer

for Flex) to (LUCIS Pdf) as seen in Figure 3-12. The edited Splash Content for the test

application can be seen in Figure 3-13.

In the Map Switcher edit window (Figure 3-14) the layer list was turned off as the

third party widget added earlier will perform the function of giving access to operational

layers. Finally, the Links edit window was set up to display the same information that is

available in the Initial Splash Screen.

Design

The Design page (Figure 3-15) has 3 tabs and a preview window. The preview

window shows the viewer application and updates as edits are made.

Logo. The viewer displays an image logo (png, jpg, gif) in the upper left hand

corner of the site. This tab allows for the changing of the default logo (blue world cube).

27

Drag a new image into the image drop area or browse to the file to change the image

logo. For the test application the default logo was left unchanged.

Title and fonts. This tab allows changing of the viewer title and the ability to add

a subtitle. Drop downs give the ability to change the fonts used throughout the viewer

application. Selections include title font, subtitle font, and text font.

Color scheme. Set the color scheme of the viewer application. Choose from a

number of predefined styles or build your own. Some elements of the viewer are built to

be transparent. The level of this transparency can be set here as well.

Preview

The preview page (Figure 3-16) shows an interactive preview of the viewer

application in its current state. Any visual changes or manual panning and zooming on

this page will not be saved and will not affect the application in any way. This page is

used to test the viewer elements and decide if anything needs to be added, removed, or

altered. Click the done button to save the completed work and exit the application

builder. All projects are listed on the My Applications page and can be returned to by

clicking the edit pencil in the Actions column associated with the application name.

Using the Viewer Application

After completing the viewer application, it became accessible on the web using

any modern web browser. Project data and analysis results were included in the

application and can be shared easily with both clients and the public. Figure 3-17 shows

the completed viewer application. The Hillsborough County boundary and interstates

are turned on by default in the basemap layers group in the Layer List widget. These

layers are turned on to help define the study area and give a sense of location within the

study area.

28

Figure 3-18 shows the fully expanded layer list widget. The bottom right corner of

all widgets can be used to resize the window view. The Layer List widget shown here

has been expanded to show the full layer names. Layers in the sample viewer

application have been set to draw with a slight transparency so the underlying imagery

can be seen. The initial transparency can be adjusted in the Maps section of the

application builder as described earlier and in the viewer application by clicking the drop

down arrow of a parent group and choosing transparency.

The basemap can be changed using the basemap widget shown in Figure 3-19.

Figure 3-20 shows the test application displaying imagery with place labels added.

Switching to this basemap is accomplished using the Basemap widget shown in Figure

3-19. Simply hover over the basemap icon and the basemap options will expand. The

basemaps shown here were set from the basemaps tab on the Basemaps &

Operational Layers page that was discussed earlier in the methodology section.

29

Figure 3-1

Figure 3-2

30

Figure 3-3

Figure 3-4

31

Figure 3-5

Figure 3-6

32

Figure 3-7

Figure 3-8

33

Figure 3-9

Figure 3-10

34

Figure 3-11

Figure 3-12

35

Figure 3-13

Figure 3-14

36

Figure 3-15

Figure 3-16

37

Figure 3-17

Figure 3-18

38

Figure 3-19

Figure 3-20

39

40

CHAPTER 4DISCUSSION

The accessibility and dissemination of tools like the ArcGIS Viewer for Flex in the

planning profession can have tremendous positive effects on collaboration and the

ability to communicate both quantitative and qualitative information about spatial

analysis. Collaboration through web GIS avoids the problems with data transfer and file

formats. Data is accessible faster and requires less work from collaborators viewing the

results. This project has focused on the ArcGIS Viewer for Flex and its ability to

accomplish these goals. Using the tools provided with the ArcGIS Viewer for Flex a fully

interactive web map was created without any software development knowledge. The

process of creating the live test application was simple enough that researchers and

planners can share spatial data with very little technical knowledge.

The test application created for this project provides collaborative benefits that

are both qualitative than quantitative. Take for example Figure 21 and Figure 22.

The value of the ArcGIS Viewer for Flex as a platform is immediately apparent when

comparing data in the map viewer. Qualitative comparisons are a major strength of the

platform. Take for example the surfaces that show infill industrial development (Figure

21) and greenfield development for commercial, retail, service and institutional uses

(Figure 22). It is very easy to ascertain that there is more land suitable for greenfield

development than there is for infill industrial development. This is one of the simplest

benefits of the software, but also one of the most powerful. With the ability to overlay

many data layers together, relationships and associations can be made that may never

have been realized on their own. Visually you can answer many questions quickly and

easily.

41

Viewing the suitability surfaces, quantitative comparisons can be made as to how

suitable project areas are for specific land uses. These surfaces were created using the

LUCIS model which gives measurable scores for suitability. Figure 23 shows high

suitability (green) vs. low suitability (red) areas for institutional uses.

With the data used in this project, there are fewer quantitative comparisons to

make because of the nature of raster data. It is not possible to simply get an acreage

number for both development types and compare them from within the viewer. This kind

of quantitative comparison is possible when using vector data and the ArcGIS Viewer

for Flex provides identification tools to accomplish these kinds of comparisons. It’s

important to note that this is not a limitation of the ArcGIS Viewer for Flex platform, but

of the data used in this particular project.

The important thing to note with the above comparison is the ease with which it is

accessed and its availability online. The test application can be accessed through any

modern internet browser. The data and the interactive environment that the ArcGIS

Viewer for Flex provides is an always on resource discoverable on the web.

In Figure 24 the map clearly shows the areas that the LUCIS analysis has

allocated as industrial land use on top of the industrial suitability surface. The

Swipe/Spotlight widget was used to swipe over allocations and examine the suitability

below. By switching focus layers it is possible to swipe between all layers included in

the map. Turning on multiple suitability surfaces shows what locations are highly

suitable for more than one use. The draw widget was used to highlight areas of the map

on the fly and print results for sharing. Relevant data can be added and removed to

better see the story your analysis is telling. Do the allocations look correct? Why aren’t

42

the target areas suitable? Why are competing parcels more suitable? Many of these

questions require consensus building, multi-organization collaboration, and public input.

Often all of these things happen at great distances from each other. The ArcGIS

Viewer for Flex application is a powerful tool to expand the reach and explanatory

power of data and analysis. Tools like these are not out of reach for the non-web

developer crowd. The test application discussed in this paper used as many default

options as possible and only a small sampling of the available widgets. With a little time

and experience everything produced here can be expanded and modified to

accommodate any project or research.

Although the ArcGIS Viewer for Flex has many benefits, there are also a number

of limitations that newer technologies are handling in much better ways. The biggest

limitation is the need for a server. Many planners simply don’t have access to their own

personal server machines. Those that do may not have the expertise to optimally

configure them and maintain them. Specialized system administrators are often needed

to handle installations, manage day to day server health, and address down time when

problems arise.

A concern of all internet applications is the size of data and the speed at which it

can be delivered. Very large data can degrade the performance of the ArcGIS Viewer

for Flex. Although it is a robust platform, very high resolution imagery or intense

datasets such as statewide parcels can cause slow performance leading to long loading

times and even site crashes. This type of problem is common with all web GIS platforms

and can be alleviated with more powerful servers, faster networks, and good data prep

and compression.

43

The ArcGIS online options have come a long way in recent years to address

many of these problems. The ArcGIS Online platform has provided updates much more

rapidly compared to the ArcGIS Viewer for Flex, and with each iteration ArcGIS online

adds more customization options. What once was a very rigid and non-interactive

interface has become very customizable allowing for even more symbology options than

are available with the ArcGIS Viewer for Flex. ArcGIS online’s new smart mapping

options allow for easy analyzing and mapping of related data and streamlining of the

user experience.

At this time however, ArcGIS online still does not allow the hosting of raster data.

This is a major drawback and would affect this project in particular greatly. Much of the

data used to create the test application for this project was raster data. ArcGIS online

does provide some work arounds for working with raster data. Raster data can be

cached and published to ArcGIS online as tiles, however this can be costly if the

caching is done using ArcGIS online and also increases data creation time and leads to

additional storage costs. In this case the data management is still much simpler using

the ArcGIS Viewer for Flex.

Many modern web mapping platforms allow for maps to be embedded in other

websites. The ArcGIS Viewer for Flex does not have this functionality, which is another

drawback of the Flex platform. The website would have to be built around the ArcGIS

Viewer for Flex interface and would involve coding that most planners would not have

the knowledge to accomplish.

ArcGIS online has also recently released the Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS which

is a very competent competitor to the ArcGIS Viewer for Flex allowing users to build

44

powerful web apps with no coding necessary. Web AppBuilder also has the added

bonus of being able to run on any device because it is based on JavaScript. The ArcGIS

Viewer for Flex’s dependence on flash restricts its use to web browsers on desktops

and laptops as most modern tablets and phones do not run flash. Adobe’s flash is still

widely used on the internet but is slowly becoming obsolete. Boulos (2010) notes:

HTML5 is being developed as the next major revision of HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), the core markup language of the World Wide Web. It aims at reducing the need for proprietary, plug-in-based rich Internet application (RIA) technologies such as Adobe Flash (p. 1).

As many developers move to HTML5 the development of the ArcGIS Viewer for Flex

has slowed. In the future ArcGIS online seems to be a much more suitable platform for

data sharing on the web for planners. It is very likely that future data sharing research

will focus on platforms such as ArcGIS online.

To close, this project has shown the ArcGIS Viewer for Flex to be a very suitable

option for data sharing and collaboration, but that technology and web mapping

platforms are rapidly evolving. Development languages and web standards are

changing constantly. This is great for both planners and the general public as with each

new generation of web mapping platforms more tools are made available with even less

programming knowledge being required. The sharing of ideas and research methods

through the web will continue to grow and foster positive outcomes as long as this

innovation continues.

45

Figure 21

Figure 22

46

Figure 23

Figure 24

47

CHAPTER 5CONCLUSION

Technology on the web is constantly changing. As current platforms mature and

new platforms are created, data sharing will also change. The ArcGIS Viewer for Flex is

a very capable stand-alone product and this test case has demonstrated its suitability as

a data sharing platform for the non-programmer. However, the future of web GIS and

data sharing will be found in alternative platforms for two main reasons. The first is the

ArcGIS Viewer for Flex’s underlying programming dependency on Flash and the need

for users to host their own web services. Flash is going out of style and is not supported

on all platforms, specifically mobile devices. Modern web GIS platforms are pushing

HTML5 and JavaScript more and are often being built specifically with mobile

applications in mind (Boulos, 2010, p. 1). Services although still very popular on

personal servers are moving towards cloud based solutions. A good example of both of

these trends coming together is ArcGIS Online which is JavaScript based and allows for

data to be uploaded to the cloud and hosted on Esri’s servers.

Future research on data sharing will focus on cloud based web GIS platforms like

ArcGIS online. They have the benefit of being able to share data hosted on external

servers or data uploaded directly to the cloud. Web based solutions differ from the

ArcGIS Viewer for Flex in that initial set up and customization of your application

happens through a web interface rather than an application that lives on your desktop. It

seems like a very natural progression that this functionality moves to the web. Not only

is the data sharing application online, but so are the tools to create it. Web based

solutions still have their limitations which have been addressed in other parts of this

project, but developers seem to be focused on solving those limitations more than those

48

that are found in the ArcGIS Viewer for Flex. As more functionality is brought to these

web based GIS sharing platforms they will quickly become the most widely adopted

solutions for data sharing on the web.

49

50

LIST OF REFERENCES

Baker, T.R. (2005) Internet-based GIS mapping in support of K-12 education. TheProfessional Geographer, 57, 44–50.

Boulos, M.N.K., Warren, J., Gong, J., Yue, P., (2010) Web GIS in practice VIII: HTML5and the canvas element for interactive online mapping. International Journal of Health Geographics, 9(14), 1-13.

Bradbury, D., (2010) The battle of the Internet browsers. J Infosecurity, 7(2), 34–37.

Brynard, H., (2013) Best practices for the development and serving of web mapservices. Retrieved May 10, 2015 from http://www.ee.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Hermanus-Brynard.pdf

Dragicevic, S. (2004) The potential of Web-based GIS. Journal of GeographicalSystems, 6(2), 79-81.

Emrich, C.T., Cutter, S.L, Weschler, P.J. (2001) The SAGE Handbook of GIS andSociety: GIS and emergency management. London: Sage Publications Ltd.

Lienert, C., Jenny, B., Schnabel, O., Hurni, L. (2012) Current trends in vector-basedInternet mapping – a technical review. Online Maps with APIs and Map services, Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography, New York, NY: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Maclachlan, John C., Jerrett, M., Abernathy, T., Sears, M., Bunch, M.J. (2007). Mappinghealth on the Internet: A new tool for environmental justice and public health research. Health & Place, 13(1), 72-86.

Meyers, M., Ralston, B.A. (2012) Developing rich web GIS applications forvisual analytics. Web-Age Information Management, 7142, 40-50.

Nagy, D., Yassin, A.M., Bhattacherjee, A., (2010) Organizational Adoption ofOpen Source Software: Barriers and Remedies. Communications of the ACM, 53(3), 148–151.

Peng, Z., Speight, J.G., (2003). Internet GIS: Distributed GeographicInformation Services for the Internet and Wireless Networks. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Peterson, M.P. (2009) The brave new world of online mapping. In: Proceedings of ICC2009, Santiago de Chile. Retrieved March 23, 2015 from http://www.icaci.org/files/documents/ICC_proceedings/ICC2009/html/nonref/13_16.pdf

51

Steiniger, S., Hunter, J.S. (2013) The 2012 free and open source GIS softwaremap–A guide to facilitate research, development, and adoption. Computers, Environment and Urban Systems 39, 136-150.

Zhang, M., (2008) Developer's Guide: Create GeoWeb Applications with the Sample Flex Viewer. Redlands, CA: Esri Press.

52

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Danny Downing is currently a geospatial analyst and web specialist at the

University of Florida GeoPlan Center. He received his B.S. in Liberal Studies with a

Minor in Biology from the University of Central Florida in 2000. In August 2016 he will

graduate from the University of Florida with a Master of Arts in Urban and Regional

Planning. During his time working at the GeoPlan Center he has contributed to

numerous research projects including Efficient Transportation Decision Making (ETDM),

the Florida Geographic Data Library (FGDL), the Florida Sea Level Scenario Sketch

Planning Tool, and the State Broadband Initiative Program.

53