The Geoprocessing Wizard is no longer available in ArcGIS 9.0.

The tools that were available in the wizard are still available in our new Geoprocessing framework.

The wizard was removed because geoprocessing has changed at ArcGIS 9. ArcGIS 9 introduces a large collection of geoprocessing tools that may be used in a variety of ways within any application. Tools may be used to create geoprocessing workflows using ModelBuilder and/or the scripting environment of your choice. Enhanced dialogs, as well as a next generation command-line interface may be used for executing tools. The ArcGIS 8.x Geoprocessing Wizard presented five operations for map-based analysis. ArcGIS 9.0 ships hundreds of tools, including the capabilities of the five operations found in the 8.x wizard. Map-based analysis using dialogs and the command line, as well as workflow automation using models and scripts are now possible with all tools. Geoprocessing at ArcGIS 9 is the same for ArcView, ArcEditor, and ArcInfo; only the number and capabilities of tools are different. The new geoprocessing tools within the ArcGIS 9.0 framework are more flexible and more powerful to use than the tools that were presented in the ArcGIS 8.x Geoprocessing Wizard. While this change will require you to alter how you work with ArcGIS, the benefits of the new tools and framework will quickly be evident.

Getting more information: The ArcGIS Help system has detailed information regarding this change. Please review the following topic:
What’s new in ArcGIS Desktop 9.0 > What’s new in ArcMap: other changes in version 9.0 > What’s new in ArcMap: Geoprocessing.

I used Merge in the ArcGIS 8.x Geoprocessing Wizard but now, I cannot find the Merge function in the new Geoprocessing framework.

The capabilities of the Merge option in the Geoprocessing Wizard in ArcGIS 8.3 have been replaced by a combination of several tools within the new Geoprocessing framework. Merge used to combine a number of inputs into a new feature class and it allowed the user to map fields from the inputs to the output. In ArcGIS 9.0, the Append tool is now used to merge data together. Append will not create a new output dataset, as it is intended for loading data into an existing dataset only. It is, however, the only tool that will update a dataset as all others create new data. The new workflow for merging datasets, in ArcGIS 9.0, is to first create a new feature class using the Create Feature Class tool. This tool has options for taking input feature classes that will define the schema and extent of the new output feature class. Layers should then be used to alter field names in the input feature classes so fields from various inputs can be matched. Alternatively, the Make Feature Layer tool may be used to create a layer and set new field names or remove fields. Breaking down the various components of appending data together makes an operation more understandable within the ModelBuilder and/or scripting environments. ESRI determined that a geoprocessing tool that creates and appends data as well as matches/alters fields could be too confusing in the new environment. Allowing people to use the tools previously described within a model or script is seen as the best way of working. Models and scripts may be modified to then fit other data management workflows and documenting the process will be easier. Getting more information: Please review the Append functionality in the ArcGIS

Help System:
Geoprocessing (including ArcToolBox) > Data Management Toolbox > General Toolset > Using the tools > Append

You can perform geoprocessing tasks by running a tool via its dialog box, at the command line, or within a script or a model.

A dialog box is a form on which you supply the parameter values for the tool, then click OK to run the tool. This is the most familiar way of performing such tasks. At the command line, you type the tool name and its parameter values, then press Enter to run the tool. Alternatively, you can create your own models inside, or add scripts to, toolboxes. Models you create may run a chain of tools in sequence, and scripts are useful for batch processing multiple inputs, such as when converting multiple datasets to a different format. Scripts can be written in any COMcompliant scripting language, such as Python, JScript, or VBScript, and they do not have to be added to toolboxes. They can be run directly from within the appropriate scripting application.

When should you use a dialog box?

Run a tool via its dialog box to become familiar with the tool and its parameters. The dialog box helps you provide valid parameter values and provides options where appropriate.

When should you use the command line?

If you are familiar with the tool you want to use and the parameter values that need to be supplied, you may find the command line quicker and more convenient.

You can create variables to replace more complex parameter values, such as a variable for the table that reclassifies a raster, to help you to quickly perform your geoprocessing tasks.

When should you build models?

Models automate the process of performing a sequence of geoprocessing tasks on your data, so build models when you want to perform multiple geoprocessing tasks, such as clipping your data, unioning the results together, then selecting areas from the unioned result that meet a criteria.

You can quickly change parameter values for tools in your model, then rerun the model to experiment with different outcomes.

Build models when you need to present a work flow to decision makers or the public.

When should you write a script?

Scripts let you execute simple processes that include single tools, complex processes linked together, or looping to perform batch processing on a set of input datasets.

Scripts are recyclable, meaning they can be data nonspecific and, therefore, used over and over again. They can increase efficiency because they can be executed at any time.

The system tools that are available for use depend on the ArcGIS software product (ArcView, ArcEditor, or ArcInfo) you are licensed to use. Extension products, such as ArcGIS Spatial Analyst, give you access to even more tools.

By default, in the ArcCatalog tree you will see all tools, regardless of whether or not you are licensed to use a particular tool. If you are not licensed to use a tool, a lock icon will appear over the tool.

In the ArcToolbox window, you will not see the tools that you are not licensed to use by default. If you want to view these tools, right-click the ArcToolbox window and click Show/Hide Locked Tools. Tools you are not licensed to use will appear with a lock icon over them.

No, ModelBuilder cannot be customized.

If a toolbox is altered in one application, for instance, in ArcMap, while another application is accessing it, such as ArcCatalog, there is the possibility that changes will be lost. When the last application is closed, it will simply overwrite any changes that were made earlier. When making changes to a toolbox, only one application should be open at a time so this type of conflict is avoided. Errors will not occur when a toolbox is accessed by multiple applications, but the resulting toolbox may not be what you expect.br Rules for accessing a toolbox:

A toolbox is rewritten when a change has been completed. Refresh the toolbox in other applications that are accessing the same toolbox to refresh the contents of the toolbox.

If multiple applications access a toolbox, the content of the toolbox is determined by the last application to be closed. Changes made to the toolbox in applications closed earlier will be lost.

If two applications access a toolbox at the same time, changes made in one application will not be seen by the toolbox in the other application.

For example, if a toolbox is open in ArcCatalog and ArcMap and a new tool is added in ArcCatalog, ArcMap will not see the tool unless it reopens the toolbox. Removing the toolbox from the ArcToolbox window in ArcMap, then adding it back will refresh the toolbox’s contents.

If a toolbox is accessed in two applications at the same time, deleting the toolbox in one application will not cause it to be deleted in the other.

For example, if a toolbox is open in ArcCatalog and ArcMap and it is deleted in ArcCatalog, ArcMap will still have access to it because it has already read it into memory. When ArcMap is closed, it will rewrite the toolbox, so instead of being deleted, a newer version is created.

Users are able to use Model Builder in conjunction with geoprocessing tools to create time saving tools based on complex workflows. However, many users are interested in running these tools or their own tools over and over again, "batch" style. Scripting gives users this functionality in ArcGIS. A variety of scripting languages are supported in the geoprocessing environment of ArcGIS 9.0, including Python, VBScript, JScript, and Perl. In fact any scripting language that is COM compliant can be used to create successful geoprocessing scripts.

Scripting allows tools to be run again and again by looping over the same section of code many times. A good introduction to scripting in ArcGIS is the "Writing Geoprocessing Scripts" digital document found on the ArcGIS 9.0 "ESRI Software Documentation Library" installation CD. In addition to a good general introduction to the use of Python scripting in ArcGIS, this document also dedicates an entire chapter to "Batch Processing". A sample script is provided below which shows you how to clip all feature classes in a folder (workspace). This script is described in detail on pages 12 to 19 in the aforementioned digital book. Help on Batch Processing can also be found in the Desktop Help System under: Geoprocessing > Writing Geoprocessing Scripts > Batch Processing with geoprocessing scripts > About Batch Processing with geoprocessing scripts.

While tracing through the script below there are a number of important things to notice. First, the script sets the workspace property of the geoprocessor object to a path. This tells the geoprocessor object that all data can be found in this location unless otherwise stated. The script then calls the ListFeatureClasses method, which returns a list of all the feature classes in the workspace. This list can be stepped through and various operations applied to the contents of the list. To step through the list, the script uses the ".next" method of the list in conjunction with a "while" loop. The while loop says, "While the position in the feature class list (fc) contains something, execute the lines of code in the loop". The code demonstrates the simple formula for performing batch operations: Get a list of the objects to which to apply operations, and use a while loop to iterate over this list.

#Import standard library modules

import win32com.client, sys, os

#Create the Geoprocessor object

GP = win32com.client.Dispatch("esriGeoprocessing.GpDispatch.1")

#Set the input workspace

GP.workspace = "C:/data/project"

#Set the clip featureclass

clipFeatures = "C:/data/project/StudyArea.shp"

#Set the output workspace

outWorkspace = "C:/data/project/clipped"

#Set the cluster tolerance

clusterTolerance = "1"

try:

#Get a list of the featureclasses in the input folder

fcs = GP.ListFeatureClasses()

#Loop through the list of feature classes

fcs.Reset()

fc = fcs.Next()

while fc:

#Validate the new feature class name for the output workspace.

outFeatureClass = outWorkspace + "/" + GP.ValidateTableName(fc, outWorkspace)

#Clip each feature class in the list with the clip feature class.

#Do not clip the clipFeatures, it may be in the same workspace.

if str(fc) != str(os.path.split(clipFeatures)[1]):

GP.clip_analysis(fc, clipFeatures, outFeatureClass, clusterTolerance)

#Move to the next fc in the list.

fc = fcs.Next()

except:

print GP.GetMessages(2)

Instructions provided describe how to change the default location of newly created toolboxes and models. By default, when a new toolbox or Model is created in ArcToolbox, either via ArcCatalog or ArcMap, it is created in the User Profile folder, C:\Documents and Settings\<User Profile>\Application Data\ESRI\ArcToolbox\My Toolboxes.

Follow these steps in either ArcMap or ArcCatalog to change the default location.

1. Select Tools > Options.
2. Select the Geoprocessing tab
3. Navigate to, or type in, the new location of the 'My Toolboxes' folder.
4. Click Ok.

If a toolbox in ArcMap or ArcCatalog is created within the ArcToolbox Window, the next time the application is opened, the toolbox is not listed.

This happes because the custom toolbox was not saved.

To workaround this right-click in empty space anywhere within the toolbox and select Save Settings > To Default.

This saves the toolbox reference to the default template; the normal.mxt for ArcMap and the normal.gxt for ArcCatalog.

As an alternative, the toolbox settings, including any custom toolboxes, can be saved to a file and loaded on demand, instead of saving to the default template.

Instructions provided describe how to use AMLs developed with older ESRI software in the ArcGIS 9.0 Desktop environment.

There is an initial step which must be completed before AMLs can be set up as a script tool. Please note: to create script tools from AMLs you must have an ArcInfo license.

Most systems do not recognize the program(s) that run an .aml file. For an AML to be added as a script tool, the system must know to open ArcInfo workstation and run the '&run' command, such as arc: &run MyAml.aml. ESRI provides a tool for updating the system registry so that it knows what to do. After the tool is run, use the 'Add Script Tool' wizards to add the AML as a script tool.


AMLs that are run as script tools must be capable of running from the “Arc” prompt. For example, if the AML only runs in GRID, make sure to add a line in the AML that starts GRID before running the rest of the program.

Continue with the following steps:

1. Browse to ...\\ArcGIS\ArcToolbox\Scripts.
2. Find and double-click on the file called RegisterAmlAsExecutable.reg.
3. When prompted about adding this information to the registry, Click Yes.
4. Create a new toolbox by right-clicking in the ArcToolbox window and selecting 'New Toolbox'.
5. Right-click on the toolbox created in the previous step and select Add > Script. This starts the Add Script wizard.
6. Add Script Wizard:
   Wizard Page 1: Name and describe the new script tool, and click Next.
   
   Wizard Page 2: Browse to the location of the AML and click Next.
   
   Wizard Page 3: Set up the input/output parameters and options and click Finish.
   
   For more help using the Add Script wizard, see the online documentation at: > Geoprocessing > Geoprocessing in the ArcGIS environment > Working with toolsets and tools > Creating models and adding scripts.

** This issue is addressed in ArcGIS 9.0 Service Pack 2 (SP2) **

Unlike the other geoprocessing tools, Spatial Analyst tools are not providing a warning before allowing you to overwrite existing data.

This is a known issue.

Workaround
** This issue will be addressed in ArcGIS 9.0 Service Pack 2 (SP2) **

With this fix, the Spatial Analyst tools are now consistent with the other geoprocessing tools and provide a warning before overwriting data or error out if the overwrite option is turned off.

While non-script core tools will work correctly, all script tools including the Spatial Statistics tools, Multi-ring Buffer, and any user created custom tool will fail. This failure is not a result of errors in the script(s) but rather a problem with the data locking mechanism in ArcMap that is designed to prevent concurrent use of a dataset.

The workaround is to save your map, close down the current ArcMap session completely and then re-open your map. Once ArcMap is re-opened, all script tools will work correctly with the newly created feature class.

If Windows Explorer is used to create a new directory while creating a model, Model Builder will allow selecting the folder for an output location, but will not allow it to be used.

This is a known issue.

Workaround
Select one of the following workarounds.

* Use Windows Explorer to create the new directory before creating the model.
* Create the new folder using ArcToolbox. Data Management Tools > Workspace provides tools to create new workspaces.

Instructions provided are to append feature classes that have different schemas. The Append function in ArcToolbox > Data Management Tools > General > Append does not append two or more like feature classes of different schemas by default. It is necessary to specify the schemas of all the feature classes involved, in the new output feature class.

For this procedure, we have chosen to use shapefiles, but any feature class (shapefile, personal geodatabase, or SDE geodatabase) can be used. Create a new shapefile that will store the output of the appended shapefiles. Match the schema of this shapefile so that it matches the schemas of the input shapefiles, by following the steps below:

1. Create a new shapefile using the Create Feature Class tool. This tool allows you to specify that the template of the new feature class will be a combination of the shapefiles you are appending.
2. Open Data Management Tools > General > Append. Specify the input shapefiles that you are appending into the new shapefile.
3. Select the output feature. This is the shapefile created in Step 1.
4. Select NOTEST. This specifies that input schemas are not to be transferred to the target feature class unless they match the schema of the target.