Capture polyline GPS data using ArcPad and GeoCollector units
Summary
Instructions provided describe how to capture polyline GPS data using ArcPad and GeoCollector units.
Before you begin
The GPS needs to be activated before any of the GPS buttons on the Edit toolbar are enabled. The 'GPS Point' button is only enabled when a point layer is active for editing. The 'Add GPS Vertex' and 'Add GPS Vertices Continuously' buttons are only enabled with either the polyline or polygon feature type has been selected.
Before activating your GPS in ArcPad, ensure that the GPS receiver is correctly connected using a cable or Bluetooth wireless link to the mobile device and that the GPS protocol and communication parameters in ArcPad match the settings on the GPS receiver.
The GPS can only be activated if there is a projection defined for the current ArcPad map. The default projection in ArcPad is latitude-longitude using the WGS84 datum. The default projection can be changed by placing an arcpad .prj file in your \My Documents folder.
Procedure
Creating a line feature using the incoming GPS coordinates involves the following steps:
1.Select a line layer for editing via the Start/Stop Editing dropdown list or the Table of Contents.
2.Tap the Polyline button to start capturing a line feature.
The line tool does not allow features to be created with GPS. The Line tool is used to create a feature with a single starting and ending vertex with the stylus.
3.Tap the Add GPS Vertex button to capture a single vertex. If the GPS Vertex button is selected and averaging is set, a Vertex dialog box appears. The Vertex dialog box displays a progress bar which counts down from the number of positions to average to zero. When the specified number of positions to average is reached, the Vertex dialog closes automatically.
4.Tap the Add GPS Vertices Continuously button to use the incoming GPS coordinates to capture vertices in continuous mode. A vertex is captured each time ArcPad receives a position from GPS. Vertices are captures according to the specified streaming vertices position and distance intervals. If a distance interval is set, this takes precedence over time interval.
5.When all geometry has been collected for a feature, tap the Proceed button on the Command bar to complete the capture of the line feature.
6.Enter in attributes for the new line feature.
7.Tap OK to store the line feature.
8.When finished working on the map, save and exit ArcPad. Save it as an ArcPad map file and store it on the computer or the mobile device. ArcPad automatically appends a file extension of .apm to the map document name when saved.
It is not necessary to save an ArcPad map to preserve the GPS field edits in ArcPad. Each time a feature is stored in ArcPad, the shapefile and shapefile table are automatically updated. Saving an ArcPad map preserves changes made in the appearance on the data such as symbology, labels, and background color.
9.Before turning off or suspending the mobile device, it is recommended GPS be de-activated and to exit ArcPad. Failing to do so may corrupt field data.
To de-activate GPS, tap the dropdown next to the GPS Position Window button and select GPS Active.
To exit ArcPad, tap the dropdown next to the Open button the Main toolbar, then select Exit. Tapping the X or Cancel button does not exit the ArcPad application; it only minimizes it.