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Guide to related geoprocessing with server topics

Guide to related geoprocessing with server topics

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Note: This topic was updated for 9.3.1.

Building and publishing geoprocessing services requires that you understand geoprocessing capabilities that you may not have encountered with day-to-day use of geoprocessing in ArcGIS Desktop. The sections below contain guides to topics that explain such capabilities.

Using geoprocessing services in ArcGIS Desktop


Topic Description
Adding ArcGIS Server toolboxes The first step to using geoprocessing services is to find available services and add them to your ArcToolbox window. This topic shows you how.
Using ArcGIS Server tools

Working with Results
You execute a geoprocessing service just like any other tool. The service executes on the server and you can track its progress in the Results tab of the ArcToolbox window. These topics show you how geoprocessing services work as tools and how to track their progress.
Using the interactive feature and record input controls Many geoprocessing services allow you to interactively create features and rows of data as input using the interactive feature and record input controls. This topic shows you how to use these controls.
Creating model processes You can easily access geoprocessing services from ModelBuilder. This topic shows you how to add geoprocessing services to models.
Using geoprocessing tasks in Python scripts You can also access geoprocessing services from a script. This topic summarizes how to use services with Python scripts.

Feature and Record sets


Topic Contents
Feature Sets and Record Sets Describes how to create Feature and Record Sets in ModelBuilder. Also shows how to easily switch an existing Feature Class parameter to Feature Set. This topic also documents Feature and Record Set schemas, which are the attributes (fields) of the interactively created features and records, as well as the symbology with which to draw newly created features.
Defining symbology for input feature sets The schema of a feature set includes information on how to symbolize features the user digitizes. Since the client application is responsible for drawing these features, you can only use simple symbology available on the client. This topic gives you the details on what symbology is allowed.
Using the interactive feature and record input controls Describes how to use Feature and Record Sets in a tool dialog. In addition, it shows how to access the newly created features and records in the tool result found in the Results tab of the ArcToolbox window.

Symbolizing output data


Topic Contents
Defining output symbology for geoprocessing tasks This topic describes how to set symbology for output data.
Setting symbology for output data This is the ModelBuilder topic that describes how to create and use Layer Symbology files with model variables.
Displaying model data This is another ModelBuilder topic about automatically adding output data from tools to the ArcMap table of contents.
An overview of ArcMap If you are unfamiliar with ArcMap, start here.
Drawing features to show categories

Ways to map quantitative data
These topics describe how to symbolize categorical data. The output of your geoprocessing task may well be categorical data, and these topics will give you guidance on displaying such data.

Scratch workspace environment


Topic Contents
An overview of geoprocessing environments A general description of geoprocessing environments and how they are used.
Environment levels and hierarchy Describes the three levels of environment settings: application, tool, and process
Intermediate data and the scratch workspace All about intermediate data in models.
The in_memory workspace This is a subtopic in Intermediate data and the scratch workspace and describes the use of the in_memory workspace.
Managed data This is a ModelBuilder topic that defines managed data and describes how to use it.
Managing intermediate data in shared models This topic goes into detail about how to manage intermediate and scratch data in tools you share with others.

Variable substitution

You can substitute the contents of a model variable by using percent signs (%). This technique is demonstrated in GP Service example: Stream network and GP Service example: Selecting Data.


Topic Contents
In-line variable substitution Describes the basics of variable substitution.
An overview of controlling the flow of processing When using variable substitution in models, it is good practice to set a precondition between the tool and the variable being substituted. This overview topic leads you to other topics that describes what a precondition is and how to set one, as well as other useful topics about controlling the flow of processing in models.

Connecting to an ArcGIS Server


Topic Description
Connecting to a GIS server Describes how to connect to ArcGIS Server.
Overview of ArcGIS Server administration in ArcCatalog This is the overview topic about using ArcCatalog to manage services.

ModelBuilder


Topic Description
An overview of models This is the main overview topic for building models.
An overview of model concepts and terms This is the main overview topic for the book Model Concepts and Terms. This book defines all the model elements such as variables, processes, and connectors. It also defines key concepts such as model validation, model parameters, and intermediate data. Understanding these key concepts and terms is essential to building models.
An overview of ModelBuilder This is the main overview topic in the book Using ModelBuilder. This book contains all the reference material for using ModelBuilder to build models.
An overview of controlling the flow of processing This is the main overview topic in the book Controlling the Flow of Processing, which describes how to implement techniques such as conditional model execution and branching.
Managing parameters This topic has details about applying filters to parameters, a technique commonly used for geoprocessing services to provide a list of choices.

Tool layers

Tool layers are how you create geoprocessing tasks in a map document for publishing.


Topic Description
An overview of tool layers This is the main overview topic in the book Tool Layers. Other topics in this book describe how to create and use tool layers, and the rules for working with tool layers.
Preparing map documents containing tool layers This is a topic ithat shows you how to create tool layers for publishing map documents.

Creating and using scripts


Topic Description
An overview of writing geoprocessing scripts This is the main overview topic in the Automating your work with scripts module. It will lead you to topics on how to create scripts and use geoprocessing tools within scripts.
An overview of creating script tools You can create your own geoprocessing tools that are based on scripts that you write, just as the models you build become geoprocessing tools. This topic will lead you to other topics that describe how to add script tools to the ArcToolbox window.

ArcGIS Server topics


Topic Description
ESRI Resource Center for ArcGIS Server This is a site you must visit. There is a wealth of information here. This site is actively maintained by ESRI.
Welcome to the ArcGIS Server 9.3 Help This is the main welcome topic in the ArcGIS Server help.
Tuning and configuring services Discusses service options such as pooling, recycling, isolation, and timeouts.
Publishing a GIS resource to the server Discusses how to publish services using ArcGIS Server Manager.
Introduction to creating Web applications with Manager All about creating Web applications using ArcGIS Server manager.
How configuration files work This topic introduces server configuration files.
Ways to implement security in ArcGIS Server Introduces security considerations and how to provide security.