Lab 8: Geoprocessing Services/Web Tools
Goal
The goal of this lab exercise was to introduce students to creating geoprocessing services. Students were introduced to creating a geoprocessing model in ArcMap to solve multiple tasks, as well as authoring and publishing the model as a service. Finally, students were able to revisit Web AppBuilder to configure a geoprocessing widget utilizing the service published in the previous section. The ultimate goal for this lab exercise was to create a geoprocessing application that would select the optimal location for a new factory for TFC Manufacturinigbased on distance to rivers, railroads, and cities of 4,000 people or more.
Methods
In the first part of the lab exercise, students were required to create a model in ArcMap that would be published as a geoprocessing service that solves multiple tasks. Beginning with features for Wisconsin cities, railroads, and rivers, the model progressed through a series of buffer operations, clip operations, intersects, spatial joins, and dissolves. In theory, running the model would provide the user with the optimal location for a factory based on distance to rivers for water, railroads for transportation of heavy machinery, and cities with populations of 4,000 or more to be a market for their services. Figure 1 shows the model in its entirety.
Once the model was published as a service, it was time to consume it in a web GIS application. For this lab exercise, students were instructed to use Web Appbuilder Developer Edition (figure 2) to construct the application and geoprocessing widget, because the learning curve to code a geoprocessing widget is very high.
The geoprocessing widget (figure 3) is fairly easy to create in the AppBuilder, and all there was to use the service that was published to the server was to reference the URL for the service in the geoprocessing widget. The widget allows the end-user to enter their desired criteria, then the application provides them with optimal locations for the new factory.
All that was left to do once everything was working properly was to deploy this application in a web browser. From the Web AppBuilder interface, the user can download a zipped file of the application. Students were instructed to unzip this folder in their personal folder in the development server, and then deploy the application in a web browser using the URL.
The goal of this lab exercise was to introduce students to creating geoprocessing services. Students were introduced to creating a geoprocessing model in ArcMap to solve multiple tasks, as well as authoring and publishing the model as a service. Finally, students were able to revisit Web AppBuilder to configure a geoprocessing widget utilizing the service published in the previous section. The ultimate goal for this lab exercise was to create a geoprocessing application that would select the optimal location for a new factory for TFC Manufacturinigbased on distance to rivers, railroads, and cities of 4,000 people or more.
Methods
In the first part of the lab exercise, students were required to create a model in ArcMap that would be published as a geoprocessing service that solves multiple tasks. Beginning with features for Wisconsin cities, railroads, and rivers, the model progressed through a series of buffer operations, clip operations, intersects, spatial joins, and dissolves. In theory, running the model would provide the user with the optimal location for a factory based on distance to rivers for water, railroads for transportation of heavy machinery, and cities with populations of 4,000 or more to be a market for their services. Figure 1 shows the model in its entirety.
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| Figure 1. This is the model that would be published as a geoprocessing service to the server. |
Once the model was published as a service, it was time to consume it in a web GIS application. For this lab exercise, students were instructed to use Web Appbuilder Developer Edition (figure 2) to construct the application and geoprocessing widget, because the learning curve to code a geoprocessing widget is very high.
 |
| Figure 2. The Web AppBuilder Developer Edition user interface. |
The geoprocessing widget (figure 3) is fairly easy to create in the AppBuilder, and all there was to use the service that was published to the server was to reference the URL for the service in the geoprocessing widget. The widget allows the end-user to enter their desired criteria, then the application provides them with optimal locations for the new factory.
 |
| Figure 3. The geoprocessing widget interface, where the user can enter their desired criteria. |
All that was left to do once everything was working properly was to deploy this application in a web browser. From the Web AppBuilder interface, the user can download a zipped file of the application. Students were instructed to unzip this folder in their personal folder in the development server, and then deploy the application in a web browser using the URL.
Results
Figure 4 shows the application deployed in a web browser using the url
http://webgis.uwec.edu/strumbbj2408/Lab_8/index.html
Once the application has an associated URL, it can be accessed by the end users in a web browser. This application would be very useful for someone that works for TFC Manufacturing, the company used as an example for this lab exercise. If they were looking to expand their operation by adding another factory, this application would allow them to find the optimal location for a new factory based on whatever criteria they specify.
Sources
Railroads feature class: U.S. National Transportation Atlas
Rivers feature class: USGS
Wisconsin cities feature class: U.S. National Atlas
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| Figure 4. The final application deployed in a web browser. |
Once the application has an associated URL, it can be accessed by the end users in a web browser. This application would be very useful for someone that works for TFC Manufacturing, the company used as an example for this lab exercise. If they were looking to expand their operation by adding another factory, this application would allow them to find the optimal location for a new factory based on whatever criteria they specify.
Sources
Railroads feature class: U.S. National Transportation Atlas
Rivers feature class: USGS
Wisconsin cities feature class: U.S. National Atlas
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