Automate chart finishing

Available with Production Mapping license.

Available with ArcGIS Maritime license.

With the ArcGIS Maritime Chart Automation tool, many chart-related tasks are scripted together using the geoprocessing framework. This tool is intended for initial chart creation. Perform chart maintenance using the independent tools in the Cartography toolset of the Maritime toolbox.

The Chart Automation tool is in the Paper Charting toolbox, which is available with the Maritime product data files.

The Chart Automation tool performs the following processes:

• Adds all layers to the Contents pane
• Creates grids and graticules and updates the map frame projection, scale, and size accordingly
• Generates cartographic limits
• Generates light sectors
• Transfers Quality of Position (QUAPOS) attributes
• Applies Maritime symbology and labels

The sections below describe how to install the Paper Charting toolbox and run chart finishing processes.

Add the Paper Charting toolbox

To add the Paper Charting toolbox, complete the following steps:

1. Start ArcGIS Pro.
2. Open a new or existing project.
3. In the Catalog pane, click the Computer tab, and browse to the <installation location>\ArcGIS Maritime\Product Files\<version>\Charting\Tools folder.
4. Expand the Tools folder, right-click PaperCharting.atbx, and click Add To Project .

   The Paper Charting toolbox is added to the project and appears in the Toolboxes folder on the Project tab in the Catalog pane. You can now access the Chart Automation tool.

Run chart finishing processes

To perform the chart finishing processes using the Chart Automation tool, complete the following steps :

1. Before running the Chart Automation tool, prepare the ArcGIS Pro project by creating the necessary input components.
2. In the Catalog pane, expand PaperCharting.atbx and double-click the Chart Automation tool.

   The Chart Automation tool opens in the Geoprocessing pane.

3. For the Chart Finishing Processes parameter, check the check boxes for the processes you want to run.
4. Click the Browse button next to Target Chart Database and browse to the database on which you want to run the process.
5. For Chart Scale, provide a value that represents the scale at which the chart will be plotted.
6. Click the Layout drop-down arrow and choose the layout you want to use.
7. Click the Browse button next to Layer File and browse to the layer file that contains symbology and labeling configuration information.

   A preconfigured Nautical.lyrx file is provided with the Maritime product files at <installation location>\ArcGIS Maritime\Product Files\<version>\Charting\Symbols.

8. Click the Area of Interest drop-down arrow and choose a polygon layer that contains a polygon feature representing the extent of the chart.

   If the selected layer contains more than one polygon feature, select the polygon feature that you want to use.

9. Click the Map Frame drop-down arrow and choose a frame (chart panel) to store the results of the process.
10. Optionally, specify a Primary Coordinate System value by doing one of the following:
    • Click the drop-down arrow and choose the coordinate system of the active map.
    • Click the Select coordinate system button and choose an appropriate coordinate system from the XY Coordinate Systems Available list.

    Note:

    If no coordinate system is specified, the default World Mercator projection is used. The standard parallel is automatically calculated based on the chart extent.

11. Click Run.

The chosen processes are applied to the target chart database. You can add cartographic features such as converting labels to annotation, creating a compass rose, and adding a scale bar. You can also perform any cartographic refinement processes as necessary.