Introduction to Development

with ArcGIS
Juan Castaneda
Jonas Pålsson

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Agenda

• ArcGIS products Overview

• Development objects: ArcObjects
• Development
– COM
– .Net
– Java

EUC 2007 Technical Track

ArcGIS overview
Applications ArcGIS ArcGIS ArcGIS Web ArcGIS
Desktop Engine Explorer Mapping Mobile
Application

Desktop Engine
Developer Kit Developer Kit API API SDK
.NET COM .NET COM .NET .NET Java .NET
C++ Java

ArcObjects ArcGIS Server ArcGIS Online

Server Developer Kit
Services
.NET COM ArcWeb Services
Java
API
ArcSDE REST J2ME JavaScript
technology
OpenLS SOAP
Desktop

ArcSDE
Data Personal
(Geodatabase) for MS File
File Personal Workgroup Enterprise
Access

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Licensing

• ArcGIS Desktop
– ArcView, ArcEditor, ArcInfo
• ArcGIS Server
– Functionality / Capacity
• Extensions
– Desktop
• 3D, Geostatistics, Network, Schematics Analyst; Publisher,
Data Interop., Maplex, ArcPress, etc
– Server
• Network Analyst*, Data Interoperability*, Spatial Analyst**, 3D
Analyst**
* = requires Standard or Advanced editions
** = requires Advanced edition
EUC 2007 Technical Track
 Editions and Levels of ArcGIS Server
Capacity
Level
Edition Edition includes Workgroup Enterprise
Basic • ArcSDE • SQL Server • Any
• Geodata services for Express supported
replication • 10 users database
• Unlimited
Functionality

users

Standard Basic features plus “ “

• Map, globe, geocoding,
geoprocessing (ArcView tools)
• Web ADF

Advanced Standard features plus “ “

• Advanced geoprocessing
• Web editing
• Mobile ADF (Enterprise level)

EUC 2007 Technical Track

 ArcObjects

• Fundation
– Building blocks for ArcGIS Point
– Users and programmers interact with the same objects

Map
Polygon

Layer

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Pieces to create GIS applications or embed

• Technically they are called classes (or components)

– Over 3,400 ArcObjects classes
– Over 21,000 properties and methods
– Grouped into over 70 logical libraries
– (not including ArcGIS Server)
• Each class corresponds to a basic GIS part
Map Point Table

Layer Line Row

Polygon Field

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Map class vs map object

• There is only one Map class, like for this car blueprint
• You make many map objects: Map and Sweden Counties. Using
the blueprint to create car objects
• A class is code behind an object’s properties and methods
• Objects live in memory and take on your settings

Blueprint

Map

Objects
EUC 2007 Technical Track
Where are ArcObjects?

• ArcObjects is not a product, by itself

• You can’t buy just ArcObjects

– You buy an ArcGIS Desktop product
– You buy ArcGIS Engine
– You buy ArcGIS Server

• ArcObjects-related files are installed when you install one

of the three products

EUC 2007 Technical Track

ArcObjects help

• UML diagrams to organize ArcObjects

– 3.400 ArcObjects classes in 70+ libraries
– 110 posters
• Found at
– Developer help
– ArcObjects developer kit
– Online
• EDN Web site
• Per library

EUC 2007 Technical Track

 Reading diagrams

• Classes are rectangles

• Classes have properties and methods
• Get neighboring or connected objects 0

pLayer = pMap.Layer(0) 1

Map (data frame) 2

Layer
Layer (index): ILayer
3
*
AddLayer (ILayer)
Feature
Class

EUC 2007 Technical Track

ArcGIS architecture

• All products share ArcObjects

• Desktop extends the core ArcObjects functionality

ArcGIS Desktop ArcGIS Engine ArcGIS Server

EUC 2007 Technical Track
Developing with COM

EUC 2007 Technical Track

ArcObjects classes are COM

• COM compliant
– Component object model
– Industry standard for creating classes
– Programming language independent
– COM classes can be reused between applications

• COM classes have programmer interfaces

– Classes created in one language can communicate with other
languages
– ArcObjects classes are created in C++
– Use them in C++, VB.NET, C#.NET, VBA, Python, etc.

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Use COM compatible languages

• VBA is built into the ArcGIS desktop applications

– Visual Basic for Applications
– VBA code is stored in map document files (mxd files)

• Buy a language and IDE (Development environment)

– Visual Basic or C# (Visual Studio 2005)
– C++

• Use a free open source language and IDE

– Python

EUC 2007 Technical Track

 COM classes have interfaces

• Objects are rectangles

• Interfaces (lollypops) group properties and methods
• Get neighboring or connected objects
pLayer = pMap.Layer(0)
• Multiple interfaces

Map
Layer
IMap Layer (index): ILayer
*
AddLayer (ILayer)
Feature
IMore Other: Something Class

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Understanding data types

• Intrinsic data types Integer

– Numbers, strings, dates

Button
• Simple objects (VB, Excel, MapObjects)
– One default interface _Button
– Hidden

IPoint
Point
• ArcObjects
IGeometry
– Multiple interfaces

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Intrinsic data types and simple objects

'Intrinsic data Integer

Dim x As Integer 'Declare
+ (add)
x = 4 'Set - (subtract)
MsgBox x * 10 'Use * (multiply)
/ (divide)

'Simple Object
Commandbutton
Dim b as CommandButton 'Declare
Color
Set b = frmClock.cmdTime 'Set
Enabled
b.Caption = “Time” 'Use Font
Caption
ToolTip
_CommandButton
On a VBA form
EUC 2007 Technical Track
 Client and server environment

• Client code instantiates a class

• Client only knows the methods exist but does not know
how they are implemented on the server
Client code Server class

Point
Dim p as IPoint IPoint X
Y
Z
Set p = New Point
IGeometry Projection
p.z = 5280
Third-party DLL
developer code Request OLB
(e.g., VBA) services DEMO EXE

EUC 2007 Technical Track

What COM interfaces provide

• Programming language independence

• The ability for functionality in applications to evolve over
time
– Add new interfaces without affecting client code
– IDog, IDog2, IDog3, IDog4, IDog5
– Dim d as IDog works forever
• Interface reuse
• Your classes can implement ESRI interfaces!

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Implement ESRI interfaces

Interface

• Interface module
ESRI’s ArcObjects code
Your code Your
Server

MsgBox “Grr, Roof!”

• Class module
– Implement methods
– Write your own code Client

• Developer module
– Instantiate class
– Call its methods
EUC 2007 Technical Track
Developing custom COM components

• Find a similar ArcGIS component

• Find out what interfaces it implements
– Look in the Help
• Buttons implement ICommand

esriControlCommands

ArcMap
ICommand
Find FindButton
command

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Developer tools for component categories

• Component Category Manager

• Oleview

DEMO
EUC 2007 Technical Track
API objects match your experience as a user

• Programmers start the same place users start

Workspace
FeatureDataset

FeatureClass

FeatureClass

EUC 2007 Technical Track

API objects match your experience as a user

• Programmers start the same place users start

• Geodatabase API uses the same (user) terms
• Includes any data, not just geodatabase formats

Workspace
FeatureDataset

FeatureClass

FeatureClass

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Extend application & geodatabase

• ICommand, ITool, IExtensionConfig/IExtension,

IContentsView, IGxView
• Class Extensions.
– Custom Feature Classes
– Custom Drawing
– Custom property inspection
– Validation
– Custom Split Policies
– Related object notification
• Registration of Custom class with Geodatabase (GUID)
• Use CASE tools for class creation

EUC 2007 Technical Track

ArcGIS Engine

Two Products
• Engine Developer Kit is the toolkit for building custom GIS
and mapping applications

• Engine Runtime is deployable ArcObjects required to run

custom Engine applications

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Developer Controls
• MapControl
• PageLayoutControl
• ToolbarControl
• TOCControl
• ReaderControl
• SceneControl
• GlobeControl

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Tools and Commands

More than 100 tools and commands included

EUC 2007 Technical Track

ArcGIS Engine Functionality

• Read all supported ESRI data formats including the

geodatabase
• Map authoring (create and edit MXD)
• ArcGIS level cartography
• Query and analysis
• Geocoding
• Simple editing (shp and pGDB)

“ArcView without the applications”

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Developer Libraries ArcGIS Server 9.2

• Components
– Web ADF Native .Net Assemblies
– ArcObjects primary Interop Assemblies

– ArcObjects COM type libraries

– Client-side support files

• JavaScript
• CSS
• Images
• Etc.

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Developing with .Net

EUC 2007 Technical Track

1. Preinstallation – BEFORE installing ArcGIS

• .NET Framework 2.0 required to develop with .NET

• Free download from MSDN

EUC 2007 Technical Track

2. ArcGIS Desktop installation

• ArcGIS applications and extensions

–ArcMap, ArcCatalog, etc.
– May require appropriate license
• Core type libraries
• Primary interop
assemblies
• Controls
–MapControl
– PageLayout

EUC 2007 Technical Track

3. Desktop Developer Kit options

• Different installs for language-specific

components
– COM
– .NET
– C++
• Help documentation
• Tools
• Samples
• IDE integration
components

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Using ArcObjects in .NET

• Library architecture
• COM concepts
– Interfaces
– GUIDs
– Component Categories
• Using COM objects with .NET – COM Interop
– COM Callable Wrappers
– Runtime Callable Wrappers
• The Application architecture

EUC 2007 Technical Track

ArcObjects and the .NET API

• All ArcObjects types are defined in .NET

assemblies provided by ESRI
– CCW - Com Callable Wrapper
– RCW - Runtime Callable Wrapper .NET Assemblies
(*.dll)
• Installed in GAC when ArcGIS is
Interop
installed COM Type Libraries
• Not installed if .NET framework is not (*.olb)

installed BEFORE ArcGIS is installed

ArcObjects C++
• Developer tools (*.dll)
– ArcGIS Developer Help (.NET)
– ILDASM.exe

EUC 2007 Technical Track

ArcGIS .NET assemblies and namespaces

• All .NET projects must reference the ESRI assemblies

– Eg., ESRI.ArcGIS.Carto.dll
• Import namespace to access ArcObjects .NET types
– Eg., ESRI.ArcGIS.Carto
• Assemblies have dependencies

'Visual
'Visual Basic
Basic .NET
.NET uses
uses the
the 'Imports'
'Imports' keyword
keyword
Imports
Imports ESRI.ArcGIS.CatalogUI
ESRI.ArcGIS.CatalogUI
Imports
Imports ESRI.ArcGIS.ArcMapUI
ESRI.ArcGIS.ArcMapUI
Imports ESRI.ArcGIS.Framework
Imports ESRI.ArcGIS.Framework
.. .. ..
'Visual
'Visual C# C# uses
uses the
the ‘using'
‘using' keyword
keyword
using
using ESRI.ArcGIS.CatalogUI
ESRI.ArcGIS.CatalogUI
using
using ESRI.ArcGIS.ArcMapUI
ESRI.ArcGIS.ArcMapUI
using ESRI.ArcGIS.Framework
using ESRI.ArcGIS.Framework

EUC 2007 Technical Track

.NET interfaces

• .NET interfaces represent the ArcObjects interfaces

• Different techniques for QueryInterface
– Implicit casting
– Explicit casting
• Use TypeOf to avoid handling InvalidCastException with
Implicit casting
geometry
geometry == point
point 'Implicit
'Implicit cast
cast in
in VB.NET
VB.NET
geometry
geometry == CType(point,
CType(point, IGeometry)
IGeometry)'Explicit
'Explicit cast
cast in
in VB.NET
VB.NET
geometry
geometry == point
point as
as IGeometry;
IGeometry; 'Explicit
'Explicit cast
cast in
in C#
C#

Dim
Dim point
point As
As New
New PointClass
PointClass
Dim geometry As IGeometry
Dim geometry As IGeometry
If
If (TypeOf
(TypeOf point
point IsIs IGeometry)
IGeometry) Then
Then
geometry
geometry == point
point
End
End If
If
EUC 2007 Technical Track
.Net base classes save time

Public
Public NotInheritable
NotInheritable Class
Class RouteFinderCmd
RouteFinderCmd
Inherits BaseCommand
Inherits BaseCommand
……

Public
Public Sub
Sub New()
New()
MyBase.New()
MyBase.New()
MyBase.m_caption
MyBase.m_caption == "RouteWindow
"RouteWindow VB"
VB"
MyBase.m_category
MyBase.m_category = "ArcObjects .NET Tools"
= "ArcObjects .NET Tools"
MyBase.m_message
MyBase.m_message == "Toggles
"Toggles view
view for
for the
the RouteFinder
RouteFinder window"
window"
MyBase.m_name = "ArcObjects .NET Tools_RouteFinderCmd"
MyBase.m_name = "ArcObjects .NET Tools_RouteFinderCmd"
MyBase.m_toolTip
MyBase.m_toolTip == "Displays
"Displays or
or hides
hides Route
Route Finder"
Finder"
MyBase.m_bitmap = New System.Drawing.Bitmap
MyBase.m_bitmap = New System.Drawing.Bitmap _ _
(Me.GetType.Assembly.GetManifestResourceStream
(Me.GetType.Assembly.GetManifestResourceStream __
("ESRI.ArcObjects.AAON.RouteFinderVB.RouteFinder.bmp"))
("ESRI.ArcObjects.AAON.RouteFinderVB.RouteFinder.bmp"))
End Sub
End Sub
Public
Public Overrides
Overrides Sub
Sub OnCreate(ByVal
OnCreate(ByVal hook
hook As
As Object)
Object)
……
End
End Sub
Sub
Public
Public Overrides
Overrides Sub
Sub OnClick()
OnClick()
……
End
End Sub
Sub

DEMO
EUC 2007 Technical Track
ArcGIS Engine Developer Kit for .NET

• SDK for developers to build custom ArcGIS applications

• Includes the following:

– ArcGIS Engine Runtime

– .NET developer help system

and Samples

– Rich set of visual development

components

– Many pre-built commands,

toolbars and menus EUCUC
2007 Technical
2007 Track
Tech Session 41
ArcGIS Server 9.2: Software Development Kit

• Build and deploy web & enterprise geospatial applications

and services
• Productivity boost with out-of-the-box IDE integration
• Software Development Kit (SDK) includes :
– .NET components
ArcGIS
• Web ADF Web map
Mobile Business
Applications
• Mobile ADF Applications

– Java components
Integration Environment
• Web ADF
• Enterprise ADF
Plus the Web Mobile Web Enterprise
ArcGIS Explorer
SDK for custom tasks .NET Java

Software Development Kit (SDK)

EUC 2007 Technical Track
Web Application Development Framework

• .Net libraries used to build Web GIS applications

– Web controls
• AJAX enabled
– Support multiple data sources
• ArcGIS Server, ArcIMS, ArcWeb, WMS
• Web ADF graphics and consolidation classes
– Task framework
• Extensible architecture
• ArcGIS Server Manager
– Build web applications
• Supported with .Net and Visual Studio 2005

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Developer Libraries ArcGIS Server 9.2

• Components
– Web ADF Native .Net Assemblies
– ArcObjects primary Interop Assemblies

– ArcObjects COM type libraries

– Client-side support files

• JavaScript
• CSS
• Images
• Etc.

EUC 2007 Technical Track

ArcGIS Server for .Net – Building Mobile Apps

• Use the ArcGIS Server Mobile ADF

– Developer solution for mobile Apps
– Development of custom server-centric lightweight mobile apps
– Direct synchronization with ArcGIS Server
– Connected and disconnected
– Mobile and desktop platforms
– Short and long transactions, versioned editing
• Leverage Mobile Map controls
• Leverage .Net Compact Framework
• Work with GIS Web Services using the SOAP API
• MS .Net/.Net compact Framework 2.0, WM 5.0 – pocket
PC Smartphone, WM Pocket PC 2003, 2003 SE, CE 5.0
and XP
DEMO
EUC 2007 Technical Track
Developing with Java

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Java-COM Interop Bridge

• Provides a Java API for ArcObjects

– Generates Java classes for every ArcObjects class (Point)
– Generates Java interfaces for every ArcObjects interface (IPoint)
– Generates Java Proxy classes for every interface (IPointProxy)

• Allows Java applications to create ArcObjects and call

methods on them using JNI technology

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Java in ArcGIS

• ArcGIS Engine
• ArcGIS Server

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Overview of ArcGIS Engine Java

• Java SDK for developing cross platform desktop GIS

Applications.
– Windows
– Linux
– Solaris
• Collection of libraries for mapping, visualization, data
management and GIS analysis.
• Create stand alone GIS apps or Embed GIS functions in
existing applications

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Architecture

Java Proxies & Visual JavaBeans

Interop Bridge

ArcObjects

Windows / Solaris / Linux

EUC 2007 Technical Track
ArcGIS Server 9.2 Java

• Web ADF
– Java Server Faces
• Enterprise Application Development Framework
– Supports development of J2EE applications powered by Enterprise
JavaBeans (EJB) technology by providing out-of-the-box EJBs
ready to use
• Web services

EUC 2007 Technical Track

More Info

• Visit
– EDN http://edn.esri.com
– Documentation
– Conference proceedings

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Summary

• ArcObjects are the base for all the ArcGIS applications

• ArcObjects come with a product: ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS

Engine or ArcGIS Server

• According to your needs select the product and the

license

• Several supported technologies for development

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Questions?

EUC 2007 Technical Track

Thank you for coming!

EUC 2007 Technical Track