Customizing the ArcMap Interface

11/20/14

Problem:

With off-the-shelf software, standard, default interfaces provide users with sets of tools for the work that is to be performed. In ArcMap, the standard interface contains a great many tools that assist with the production of high quality, informative maps to explain spatial characteristics of the environment of interest. Sometimes, however, the standard interfaces are not optimal for the specific users' cases, so modifications need to be made.

Analysis Procedure:

The general method used to perform these operations first involves importing data into ArcMap. With the data in place, the process begins by perusing the toolbar ribbon and identifying which tools are currently available on the interface. If it is determined that commonly used tools are not available on the ribbon or are not readily accessible, one can create new toolbars through the pathway Customize > Customize Mode. In the toolbars tab, new toolbars can be created, and from the Commands tab, the desired tools can be located and obtained. Depending on one's needs, it may or may not be preferable to put these into drop-downs in the newly created toolbar. Add-ins are available from many on-line sources to facilitate one's work, for example, EasyCalculate 10, which can also be incorporated to customize the workspace. Once the toolbars are to satisfaction, they can be saved through the Options tab, either to the current document via the checked “Create new toolbars and menus in the document” button, or to the Normal template by unchecking said button.

Figure 1. Workflow diagram for generating a customized toolbar in ArcMap

Results:

This researcher feels it necessary to perform spatial statistics on a regular basis, so developed a toolbar called Spatial Statistics Tim, which includes the tools Average Nearest Neighbor, Calculate Areas, Grouping Analysis, Standard Distance, Spatial Autocorrelation (Morans I), and Run EasyCalculate 10. a drop-down was generated for Spatial Statistics Tim, called Analyses with Rendering, and includes Hot Spot Analysis with Rendering and Cluster/Outlier Analysis with rendering. In addition, this researcher likes to run spatial analytics tools so developed a tool called Statistical Analyst Tim, which includes a drop-down with the same name, containing the tools Area Solar Radiation, Euclidean Distance, IDW, and Kriging.

Figure 2. Screenshot of the two newly created toolbars, Spatial Statistics Tim and Statistical Analyst Tim and a table with cells populated using the Run EasyCalculate 10 tool.

Application and Reflection:

Being able to customize the interface of any software is a powerful thing. The standard interface ribbon for ArcMap contains, by default, a number of toolbars I have not yet used on a regular basis. Additionally, in the process of developing the map of Eno River State Park (see Our Mushroom Hunting), I performed several operations that required maneuvering between buttons on the standard interface ribbon. Given the information presented in this set of exercises, I will take the initiative to trim the interface ribbon in my map documents to accommodate those tools I will primarily use for a given set of operations. I will also custom-build toolbars to contain the tools that are of most interest for a given project. As with my daughter's mushroom project, I spent a lot of time moving through the Editor drop-down on the interface for drawing the trails, specifically the Start, Stop, and Save Edits, Merge, and Snapping. For future operations, I will create a toolbar that contains only said tools. Similarly, when environmental data becomes available for the mushroom sightings, I will likely be spending time performing linear referencing, spatial statistics and spatial analysis operations. Having toolbars designed with those tools ready to use will accommodate those operations in a more efficient manner.