ArcGIS SDK, ESRI dev network, and database files

ArcGIS Desktop SDK for Visual C++

I just acquired a copy of a education version of ArcGIS 9 from the Geography department, and it has the C++ SDK on it. I haven't yet had a chance to play around with it, but it should prove to be very useful for the project.

I have also signed up to the ESRI developer network, which has a code exchange, scripts, and other useful information. This service will no doubt prove useful in the future. The weblink is: http://edn.esri.com/

I have also located a useful article that explains in detail how to compile and run applications written in C++ using the SDK, that link is located here: http://edn.esri.com/index.cfm?fa=codeExch.howToCSamples

Progress on Shapefile annotations, database files, and georeferencing...

The shapefile format actually consists of 3 files, one of which is a dBase file that can be read by MS Access. This file will be used to link the spatial info to the right attributes. Currently, the dBase file is quite cluttered since the CAD files were so detailed (there are point features for individual seats in rooms), the next step would be to clear all of the unwanted information out, and expand of the information that is needed. Many of the features need to be discarded for our purposes, and once this is done it should be easier to work with the files.

I have made some advancements on georeferencing the CAD files to it's appropriate place in an orthophoto. By choosing control points on a georeferenced map, you can link them to other control points you have defined on a CAD file, shapefile, or image. They are then transformed to the new coordinate systems and line up with the control points. The initial test of this didn't seem to work well, as I was not able to get the CAD file to "drape" over the appropriate area. It did indicate that it was matching the coordinates I had defined earlier, however. My goal here is to eventually have a model that displays the CAD or shapefile draped directly over where it's supposed to be in the orthophoto. I could later use this referencing to create a 3D model of the build environment.


Editing Geometric Networks...

This is a tool that is used to represent connectivity in utilities systems, and may have some use for our purposes. By defining connectivity rules, you can go through and create a geometric network that represent connectivity relationships spatially. There is a possibility that we can use this in conjunction with a route finding algorithm to visually display routes in ArcGIS.