Use Project tools

Project tools allow users to view specific instructions regarding the task and purpose associated with the project. Users can conduct inspection-based workflows using the observation tools that allow you to collect and edit features on top of your imagery, as well as create image chips around your observations.

View project instructions

All  ArcGIS Excalibur projects are required to have project instructions, which are directions to help guide a user through any task. The project instructions are defined when the project is created and can be viewed at any time while a project is open, including any supporting materials. 

To view the project instructions do the following:

1. Click Tools in an open project.
2. Click Instructions under Project Tools.

   The Instructions panel dynamically loads the project instructions, including any optional supporting materials.

3. Click Close , or choose a different tool in Tools panel to close the project instructions.

Edit project instructions

When working on a project as the project owner or if are signed in with an account that has administrator privileges, the project instructions can be edited from the Instructions tool.

To modify the project instructions to the following:

1. Click Tools in an open project.
2. Click Instructions under Project Tools.

   The Instructions panel dynamically loads the project instructions, including any optional supporting materials.

3. Click Edit.

   A text editor opens and the instructions may be modified.

4. Click Update to save modifications. Alternatively, click Cancel to close without saving changes.

   Instructions are modified in for the project details.

Use Collect Observations

Collect Observations is available when there is at least one observation layer in the canvas. The Collect Observations tool allows you to choose from a list of observation layers and interact with the images to collect and record features. The Collect Observations tool allows you to batch collect observations of the same type before submitting them to be written to the underlying editable collection layer, saving time during the collection workflow.

Note:

The symbology and style of the icons in the palette are defined by the hosted feature layer.

To use Collect Observations do the following:

1. Click Tools in an open project.
2. Click Collect Observations under Project Tools.

   Collect Observation panel opens with list of observation layers available for editing. You can expand and collapse each layer to make the list more manageable.

   Note:

   A single icon may appear if the underlying editable observation layer is symbolized and styled by a single value.

3. Choose an observation icon from the list, and click the map or image to add an observation.

   The icon appears in the visible focused views. The Collect Observations panel changes from a list of observation layers to a form to enter information based on the defined attributes of the editable observation layer.

   The Observations Added total displays 1 as the first observation is added to the collection.

4. Click the map or image again to add a second observation to the collection.

   The Observations Added total displays 2 as the second observation of the same type collected.

5. Click the map or image to continue adding observations until all observations of the same type have been collected.
6. Enter information based on the defined Fields for the observation.
7. Click Update to commit the collected observations. Alternatively, click Cancel to remove the observations.

   Note:

   A separate entry for each collected observation is written to the editable collection layer containing the same attribute information. The difference are the created_date, lasted_edited_date, Observation Collection Time (Local), Observation_LatLon, and ICS_XY (if applicable) fields. These attributes represent the proper information at the moment each observation was made on the image.

   A notification appears that verifies that the observations were written to the underlying feature layer.

Note:

If you collect an observation with a GeoEnrichment definition, attributes from the polygon layer will automatically populate in the point observation layer.

Use Edit Observations

Edit Observations is available when there is at least one observation layer in the canvas. The tool allows you to select and edit one or more observations at once, and to copy observations or delete observations.

In the Tools menu, the tools appear in their own section under Project Tools. Edit Observations allows you modify observations before submitting them to be written to the underlying editable collection layer. This saves time during the editing workflow.

To use the Edit Observations tool, do the following:

1. Click Tools in an open project.
2. Click Edit Observations under Project Tools.
3. Select the observation layer to edit from Observation Layer to Edit.

   If only one observation layer is present in the current Excalibur project, the layer is preselected.

4. Click to select individual observations in the view or use the sketch tools to draw an area to select several observations.

   The selected observations are highlighted. The Observations Selected count appears and dynamically updates the total observations selected.

   Optionally, the selected observation can be resketched, or can be cleared by clicking Clear Selection.

5. Choose the operation to perform on the selected observation. These operations are describe in subsequent sections.
   • Edit —make changes to the selected observation.
   • Copy —copy the selected observation to a new observation.
   • Delete —remove the selected observation.
6. Click Update to save changes. Alternatively, click Cancel.

Edit the selected observation

To modify the location, shape, fields and attachments on the selected observation, do the following:

1. Click Edit
2. Click the feature on the Map Panel to change the location of the selected observations, or change the shape of your observation if it is a polygon or line observation layer. If multiple observations are selected the features can only be moved, not reshaped.
3. Enter information based on the defined Fields for the observation.
4. Optionally, click Create Image Chip underAttachments to create a .jpg image around the observation
   1. Review the pre-defined extent in the Map Panel and the resulting chip in the Preview.
   2. Zoom in or zoom out in the Map Panel to the desired extent, then use Update in the Preview window.
   3. Check Include selected observation to include the feature symbol in the chip.
   4. Type a Chip Name. The name must be less than 100 characters.
   5. Click Attach to create the chip and return to Edit Observations. Optionally, click Cancel.
5. Optionally, click Add Attachments under Attachments to add a document or file to the observation.

   A file browser opens to select one or more files. Click Open to attach the selected files.

   Supported file types are: .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .pdf, .doc, .docx, .ppt, and .pptx.

   Note:

   Attachments are not supported on knowledge graph observation layers.

6. Click Remove to remove existing attachments from the observation.

   A dialog appears to confirm removing the attachment.

7. Click Update to save edits to the observation. Alternatively, click Cancel.

   A notification appears confirming your update.

Copy the selected observation

Make a copy of the current observation in the same layer or in a different layer. If copying to a different layer, the field names must be the same or can be matched as part of the copy workflow.

1. Click Copy in Edit Observations.

   A new panel appears where you can copy the selected observations, or source layer, to the same layer or you can select a different destination layer to copy it to another observation layer if you have multiple observation layers of the same geometry added to the project. 

2. Select Destination Layer where the observation will be copied.

   To copy the selected observation to a different observation layer, select a different layer for the Destination Layer setting than the Source Layer setting.

   Select the same Destination Layer as Source Layer to make a copy of the observation in the layer. 

3. If the Destination Layer is different the fields must be matched between the source layer and the destination layer so the attributes are copied correctly.
   1. Select the Source field name from the list and it's corresponding Destination field name.
   2. Continue matching source fields to destination fields until no source fields remain. A "No destination fields available to match" is displayed.
4. Click Submit. Optionally, click Reset to clear the pane and restart the copy.

   A message appears to confirm successful copy.

Delete the selected observation

To remove the selected observation from the observation layer, do the following:

1. Click Delete in Edit Observations.

   A confirmation dialog appears.

2. Click Delete to remove the observations. Click Cancel to return to the edit options.

Use Chip Observations

Chip Observations is available when at least one observation layer is added to the canvas. The tool allows you to create and attach image chips on individual or multiple observations at once.

To use Chip Observations do the following:

1. Click Tools in an open project.
2. Click Chip Observations under Project Tools.

   Chip Observations pane opens.

3. Choose the observation layer to modify under Select Layer.

   If only one observation layer is present in the current project that layer is preselected.

4. Select the observations to attach images. Either click on observations in the Map Panel, or use Sketch selection area by rectangle or Sketch selection area by polygon to draw an area, or use Feature Table to select observations.

   Chip Selected Observation opens in the pane and the selected observations are highlighted. The resulting table lists the OBJECT ID and current attachment COUNT for each observation selected.

5. Optionally, click Clear Selection to start over, or redraw the selection with Sketch selection area by rectangle or Sketch selection area by polygon .
6. Click an observation in the Chip Selected Observations table.

   The observation is highlighted and flashes on the map, and is highlighted in the table. A list of the observation's attachments is shown below the table.

7. Optionally, click Zoom to feature location to zoom to that observation, or View feature popup to open the pop-up for the observation.
8. Choose one of two methods to chip images for the selected observations: create multiple chips to batch create chips for the selected observations, or create chips one at a time for the selected observations. After the chips are generated they can be reviewed before attaching them to the observations.
9. To create multiple chips for the observations do the following:
   1. Click Chip All .

      Create Multiple Chips pane opens with a preview of an observation.

   2. Review the pre-defined extent in the Map Panel and the resulting chip in Preview.
   3. Zoom in or zoom out in the Map Panel to the desired extent, then use Update in Preview .
   4. Check Include selected observation to include the feature symbol in the chips.
   5. Type a Chip Name Prefix. This prefix is applied to all resulting image chips. The prefix must be less than 100 characters.
   6. Click Calculate to generate chips for selected observations. The generated chips will be reviewed in the next step. Optionally, click Cancel .
   7. Review the generated image chips in Review and Attach panel by clicking Zoom to layer extent to see the chip in the Map Panel Exclude any image chip by unchecking it.
   8. Click Attach to attach the checked image chips to their observations. Alternatively, click Cancel to return to Chip Observations.
10. To create chips individually for the observations do the following:
    1. Select an observation in the Chip Selected Observations table.
    2. Click Add Chip .

       Create Chip opens in Chip Observations.

    3. Preview the default chip extent in Map Panel and the resulting chip in Preview.
    4. Zoom in or zoom out in Map Panel to the desired extent, then use Update in Preview .
    5. Check Include selected observation to include the feature symbol in the image chips.
    6. Type a Chip Name. The name must be less than 100 characters.
    7. Click Attach to create the image chip for the selected observation. next step. Alternatively, click Cancel .
    8. Repeat the process for the next observation in the Chip Selected Observations table.
11. Click Close to close the Chip Observations panel.