Working with Temporal Data in

ArcGIS
Space and time

Dynamic Discrete Stationary Change

A feature moves or A feature Same location but Feature location and
follows a path or track just happens values change its values may change

Planes Crimes Weather Stations Wildfires

Vehicles Foreclosures Traffic Sensors Census updates
Animals Accidents
Temporal mapping in ArcGIS

The map is time aware

- Create, interact with and serve temporal maps
Unified experience for time
- ArcMap, ArcGlobe and ArcScene
- ArcGIS for Desktop, ArcGIS Engine,
and ArcGIS for Server
The workflow

1) Add temporal data to map document in

Desktop
2) Set Time properties and enable Time on
temporal datasets
3) Enable Time on the map
4) Set interactive Time Slider properties
5) Play time
6) Share!
Step 1: Add temporal data to map
document
Supported data types:
- Feature layers (pt, line, poly, etc.), data tables, mosaic
datasets & raster catalogs, NetCDF, tracking layers,
network layers
With date/time attribute field(s)
Step 2: Set Time properties and
enable Time on the data
Supported time field
formats: Tip: Using DATE data types will help
- Strings, Numbers, DATE make setting time properties easier

- Must match data format

Choose settings
- Time Step Interval
- Display cumulatively
Step 3: Enable Time on the map

Enable Time on the map from Time Slider

toolbar
- Data frame property
- Data with time enabled will draw based on current time
set w/Time Slider
- Disabling Time sets data frame back to normal display
Step 4: Set interactive Time Slider
options
Set Time display
- Playback time scale, for example:
daily, monthly, bi-monthly, etc.
- Display current time on map
Set Time extent
- Adjust Start/End times irrespective
of the time range of data
Playback settings
- Controlling play speed
What if the field is not a supported
format?
Use the Convert Time Field tool
- Converts numeric & string formats to a date field, e.g. 20100321
03/21/2010
- Converts custom string formats to a date field, e.g. March 21, 2010
03/21/2010
Use Field Calculator expressions
- Learn Python or vbScript string manipulation functions!
What if time is stored in columns?

ArcGIS works with time stored in records, not

columns
- Need to transpose data in columns into records
- Reformat table with Transpose Fields tool
Representing time span with two
fields
Modeling duration in play back mode (e.g. the
feature was here for 2 hours)
Calculate End Time tool
Step 5: Playing time

Play in Data frame or Layout mode

- Insert dynamic text (e.g. Data
frame time)
- Play and let run vs. sliding time
interactively
Many layers can be temporally
displayed
- e.g. Graphs (tables) and layers in
the same project can tell a unique
story
Step 6: Sharing temporal maps

Export videos or images

- Time slider
- Animation controls
Included in layer and map packages
Publish time-aware web maps
- Access from web mapping clients, such as ArcGIS
Online

1979
Dynamic text

Changes dynamically based on

current properties of the map
document, data frame, and Data
Driven Page
- Useful for many map production workflows
Insert > Dynamic Text > Data Frame
Time
- Data Frame Time vs. Current Time
Best practices tips

Date Fields:
- Use DATE field type whenever possible
- Create an index on the DATE field
- UTC (or GMT) for time zone
- Use Standard Time avoid Daylight Savings (DST)

Use Data Conversion tools

- To convert to supported field types and date_time storage
formats
Dont forget: Graphs support Time, too!
Create intelligent web maps
Resources

Desktop Resource Center

Web mapping API tools & time-aware layers:
- ArcGIS API for Java Script
- ArcGIS API for Flex
- ArcGIS API for Silverlight/WPF