This morning started on a positive note after last night’s heavy conversation with Xiaoyan. I had expressed my feelings about her impatience, fearing it might create distance, but to my relief, she initiated a casual chat over breakfast.

At work, I finally submitted the first version of the Stream Service PR—over 5,000 lines of code, which should be split and will be a challenge to manage in the future.

At home, I had a discussion with Hamer about keeping our commitment to not eating out, leading to a tough but necessary decision. Later, she showed resilience in facing a setback while finishing her homework, proving that her adaptability is growing.

Did you know?

ArcGIS Earth now seamlessly integrates with Survey123, enabling you to collect, review, and analyze survey data within a 3D environment. Whether you’re a field worker gathering real-time data or a stakeholder conducting QA/QC, this integration enhances accuracy, efficiency, and spatial insights.

🛠️ How to Use Survey123 in ArcGIS Earth:

1️⃣ Add a Survey Form ➕ Browse surveys from your organization or ArcGIS Online, then search and add a Survey123 form to the globe.

2️⃣ Submit or Edit Records ✍️ Right-click a Survey123 form in the Table of Contents to submit a new record or update existing ones.

3️⃣ Streamline Data Entry 🔄 Auto-populate surveys by selecting a feature—ArcGIS Earth dynamically transfers both attributes and geometry into the form.

4️⃣ Enhance Decision-Making 🎯 Embed Surveys for QA/QC: Visualize, review, and update incoming records while analyzing data in 3D.

🚀 Pro Tips:

1️⃣ Customize Visualization – Adjust symbology and labels to highlight key insights. 🎨 2️⃣ Modify Geometry – Click Set Location in the survey window to update a record’s spatial position directly in ArcGIS Earth.

Our Sunday routine may now be set—badminton followed by luosifen!

The morning was slow, but I went to Xiaoguan Market to get fish before it relocates to “Seventh Market.” Lunch led to a small standoff between Xiaoyan and Hamer over brushing teeth, but they made up after badminton. While playing, I reminded Hamer to pick up shuttlecocks properly, and she eventually improved, which made me proud.

Dinner was fun, with the kids struggling through the spicy luosifen but finishing every bite. It was a simple but fulfilling day.

This morning, despite the gloomy weather, I went for a run with Hamer and later had breakfast at a bustling market. We met one of her classmates, who showed her around while I queued for pig’s head meat, a traditional dish for this lunar date.

In the afternoon, Hamer stuck to Xiaoyan, and I worked on Stream Service.

At night, we watched Nezha with Hamer’s uncle, enjoying the film and a refreshing walk home.

TGIF.

Today, I completed most of the UI and workflow setup for Stream Service. My leader has been asking for the last chance for me to attend the Dev Summit, though unsuccessfully.

In the morning, Xiaoyan’s response left me feeling a little down.

Did you know?

ArcGIS Earth provides powerful time-based animation tools that allow you to track changes in spatial data over time. Whether analyzing climate change, infrastructure development, or disaster progression, the time slider and playback controls help bring your data to life with smooth, intuitive animations.

🛠️ How to Use Time-Enabled Data Animation in ArcGIS Earth:

1️⃣ Load and Activate Time-Enabled Data ⏳ Add KML/KMZ files, feature services, or image services that contain time attributes. The time slider appears automatically at the bottom of the screen and dynamically adjusts based on active layers.

2️⃣ Control and Navigate Temporal Data 🎛️ Drag the time slider or select specific dates to set the start and end time. Click Play to animate the dataset and use Next/Previous buttons to step through time intervals.

3️⃣ Customize Playback for Better Analysis 🎥 Fine-tune playback by setting it to repeat, reverse, or stop after a full cycle. Adjust animation speed for faster or slower transitions. Switch between UTC and local time for accurate time zone adjustments.

🚀 Pro Tips:

1️⃣ Analyze Multi-Layer Time Series – Overlay multiple time-enabled datasets (e.g., wildfire spread and population density) to observe interactions over time. 2️⃣ Optimize Performance – Enable only relevant KML nodes to ensure smooth animations without unnecessary visual clutter. 3️⃣ Refine Time Ranges – Adjust time intervals to highlight key events and make trends more apparent.

Today, I made a hearty breakfast. It was also our English day, mixing Chinese and English in casual conversation.

Work went smoothly, with regular breaks and good interactions with colleagues. I played table tennis during lunch and worked overtime in the evening on displaying attribute table content.

Did you know?

ArcGIS Earth’s Table of Contents (TOC) and Legends provide an intuitive way to manage layers, control visibility, and interpret symbology. The TOC helps you organize, reorder, and customize layers, while the Legend panel offers a clear reference for symbol meanings, improving data interpretation.

🛠️ How to Use the Table of Contents and Legends in ArcGIS Earth:

1️⃣ Manage Layers Efficiently in the TOC 📂 The TOC serves as a control center for managing layers, allowing you to toggle visibility, adjust transparency, reorder layers, and group related datasets for better organization.

2️⃣ Customize and Control Layers ⚙️ Right-clicking a layer or folder provides additional options, such as renaming, refreshing, removing, adjusting symbology, viewing properties, and exporting layers as KMZ files for sharing.

3️⃣ Interpret Data Easily with Legends 📜 The Legend Panel updates dynamically based on active layers, making it easier to understand map symbology. This is especially useful for land use classifications, hazard zones, and transportation networks, where colors and symbols differentiate categories.

🚀 Pro Tips:

1️⃣ Use the Search in TOC to quickly locate layers by keyword. 2️⃣ Group Layers for Organization – Keep related layers in folders to maintain a structured, clutter-free TOC. 3️⃣ Optimize Legends for Presentations – Hide non-essential layers to focus on key map elements.

My day was challenging as I faced issues converting strings to Geometry while adding a stream service via JSON. It consumed my entire day, and I even skipped lunch. After rewriting a class to manually implement the FromJson and ToJson methods, the problems were resolved.

Additionally, with my colleagues' help, we successfully connected to the on-premises version of S123, which was a relief.

2025-02-26 TIL: Quid Pro Quo and Self-Adhesive Label Stickers

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Quid Pro Quo

/ˌkwɪd prəʊ ˈkwəʊ/

• Quid pro quo is a Latin phrase used in English to mean an exchange of goods or services in which one transfer is contingent upon the other—“a favor for a favor.”

Self-Adhesive Label Stickers (口取纸)

Also known as index paper, self-adhesive label stickers were originally coated with glue, requiring users to lick them before sticking them to ledger pages or documents for notes or numbering. This practice led to the name 口取纸, which refers to licking before use.

Did you know?

ArcGIS Earth allows you to add and customize labels to improve map clarity and interpretation. Whether you’re labeling cities, infrastructure, or geographic features, using clear, well-styled labels enhances your spatial analysis and presentation.

🛠️ How to Apply and Customize Labels in ArcGIS Earth:

1️⃣ Enable Labels for Your Data 📍🔤 Right-click a supported layer in the Table of Contents, select Labeling, and click Enable Labeling to turn on visibility. KML users can now label lines and polygons with a simple toggle switch in the Layer Properties window.

2️⃣ Configure Label Properties for Clarity 🎛️ In the Labeling Properties window, choose which attribute field to display, control placement relative to features, and prioritize key labels for better readability.

3️⃣ Customize Label Appearance for Better Readability 🎨 Adjust font, size, color, halo, and background transparency to ensure labels clear over different basemaps and terrain.

🚀 Pro Tips:

1️⃣ Label KML Lines & Polygons Easily – No more workarounds! Just use the Label toggle switch in Layer Properties to turn KML labels on/off. 2️⃣ Enhance Readability – Apply halo effects and backgrounds to make labels stand out over complex maps.

This morning, after dropping off Hamer, I arrived at the office early to work on the Stream Service’s add and save functionalities, making significant progress.

In the evening, I enjoyed a relaxed badminton session. Hamer called to ask permission to dine out with classmates; despite my initial hesitation, she made the decision to join them, responsibly consulting us beforehand.

2025-02-25 TIL: On-Premises Software and NewsNow

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On-Premises Software

On-premises software is installed and runs on computers within the premises of the person or organization using the software, rather than at a remote facility such as a server farm or the cloud (SaaS).

• On-premises software is deployed within an organization’s internal system, along with the necessary hardware and infrastructure for it to function.
• Cloud-based software is typically delivered via the internet, allowing users to access it online anytime and from any location.

NewsNow

Elegant real-time news reading.

• Features an elegant design for a pleasant reading experience, keeping you up to date with the latest and hottest news.

Did you know?

ArcGIS Earth provides powerful symbology tools for clearer spatial analysis and data visualization. Whether tracking public health trends, environmental changes, or demographic data, choosing the right symbology enhances insights and decision-making—in both 2D and 3D.

🛠️ How to Apply Symbology in ArcGIS Earth:

1️⃣ Choose the Right Symbology 🎛️ Right-click a feature layer, select Symbology, and pick the method that best represents your data:

• Single Symbol (Location) – Apply a uniform symbol to show distribution.
• Unique Symbol (Type) – Differentiate features based on attribute values (e.g., land use types).
• Graduated Colors (Counts & Amounts) – Use a color ramp to represent quantitative variations (e.g., population density).
• Dictionary Symbology – Apply standardized symbols like MIL-STD-2525 and NATO APP-6 for defense and emergency response.

2️⃣ Customize Symbols for Enhanced Visualization 🎨 Modify color, transparency, classification, and stroke properties to refine your map’s clarity. Adjust symbol size and style to highlight key insights.

3️⃣ Use 3D Symbol Extrusion for Deeper Analysis 📊 Extrude points, lines, or polygons to represent numerical attributes in 3D, making spatial relationships more apparent. This technique is ideal for tracking pandemic cases, visualizing urban expansion, or modeling elevation changes.

🚀 Pro Tips:

1️⃣ Track Changes Over Time – Use graduated colors and 3D extrusion to visualize trends such as COVID-19 spread, pollution levels, or deforestation rates. 2️⃣ Standardize Symbology for Interoperability – Use Dictionary Symbology to ensure consistent representation across defense, emergency response, and security operations. 3️⃣ Create Custom Symbology – Import mobile style files (.stylx) to define unique symbology styles that fit your organization’s needs.

2025-02-24 TIL: One for the Money Rhyme and Its Use in Popular Music

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One for the Money

“One for the Money” is an English-language rhyme. Children have used it as early as the 1820s to count before starting a race or other activity.

The full rhyme reads:

One for the money,
Two for the show;
Three to make ready,
And four to go.

The rhyme has been used or referenced in popular music since the 1950s. Here is a Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0DPCAFpstp5pQneqJasAoa

This morning after Hamer woke me up, I prepared breakfast while she got ready.

Work was fragmented; I intended to work on the Stream Service feature but spent unplanned time on the S123 feature due to pending tasks and discussions.

A table tennis session with colleagues at noon left me a bit tired since I skipped my usual nap.

In the evening, Hamer hadn’t planned on doing homework, ended up working on her math assignments instead of taking a bath as intended.

Did you know?

ArcGIS Earth allows administrators to customize and share configuration settings, providing users with a predefined GIS environment that eliminates manual setup. By modifying the config.xml file, admins can preset portal connections, basemaps, GIS services, authentication settings, and UI preferences, reducing setup time and enhancing workflow efficiency across teams.

🛠️ How to Configure and Deploy Custom Settings in ArcGIS Earth:

1️⃣ Customize Configuration Files for a Tailored Experience 🛠️📂 Edit the config.xml file (located in C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Earth\bin\config.xml) to: ✔️ Preload ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise portals. ✔️ Set startup layers, basemaps, and elevation services for consistency. ✔️ Customize startup behavior, UI preferences, and security settings to align with organizational needs.

2️⃣ Share Custom Configurations Across Your Organization 🔗📤 After modifying config.xml, deploy it across your organization by replacing the default configuration during installation. This ensures users can immediately access predefined services, layers, and settings without additional setup.

3️⃣ Optimize the User Experience for Faster Adoption 🚀📊 By providing a preconfigured ArcGIS Earth environment, administrators help users focus on GIS tasks rather than setup, flattening the learning curve and streamlining workflows.

🚀 Pro Tips:

1️⃣ Standardize Portal Access – Preload ArcGIS Online & Enterprise connections to ensure seamless integration. 2️⃣ Preconfigure Workspaces – Define basemaps, layers, and datasets to maintain organizational consistency. 3️⃣ Customize UI Elements – Modify banner messages, feedback links, and acknowledgment text to align with your organization’s branding.

Today, Hamer and I had a busy day filled with activities.

After getting fissure sealants for Hamer’s teeth, she saw pictures of her classmates making pizza and decided to join them. Initially shy, she was encouraged by Linlin’s mom and ended up having a great time. Later, the kids played in the park for a while.

In the evening, Hamer and her classmates joined us for a badminton game, and though it started a bit chaotic, everyone gradually found their rhythm. Xiaoyan enjoyed the physical activity and plans to continue next week.

Today, Hamer made her own version of “pizza” for breakfast and was very proud of it. After depositing money in a fixed account, we went to the library.

In the afternoon, I took Hamer to dance, after which I handled errands for Xiaoyan and myself. Hamer seemed a bit disappointed when she didn’t see us after class but later shared that dancing was the most stressful part of her day. She then asked why both parents always accompany her after class.

At home, I continued learning about large language models and tidied up the house. In the evening, Hamer got excited about having her own phone, feeling grown-up.

It was freezing today, and even the short walk to drop Hamer off at school felt tough.

I worked on Stream Service support, and discussions with PE helped clarify things. In the evening, I started on S123, and after that, I got home at 8:30 PM—my first overtime this year.

I enjoyed classical music in the morning and kept my headphones on all day. At noon, I hit the gym and focused a lot on my leg muscles.

Did you know?

The ArcGIS Earth Automation API enables seamless app-to-app communication, allowing third-party applications to control navigation, automate tasks, and manage workflows. Introduced in ArcGIS Earth 1.6 and enhanced with a RESTful API in ArcGIS Earth 1.11, this API provides a fast, reliable, and extensible way to integrate ArcGIS Earth into enterprise GIS systems.

🛠️ How to Use ArcGIS Earth Automation API:

1️⃣ Enable and Configure the API ⚙️📡 Activate the Automation API in Advanced Application Settings or configure it via the settings.json file. Adjust autoStart and baseUrl parameters to allow local or remote connections.

2️⃣ Control Navigation and Data Operations 🌍📂 Use the API to set camera positions, automate fly-through navigation, and load KML, KMZ, and WMS/WMTS layers. Manage workspaces dynamically by adding, updating, or removing layers via automation scripts.

3️⃣ Extend GIS Workflows with REST API Integration 🔗🚀 Integrate ArcGIS Earth with enterprise GIS platforms, web applications, or custom .NET extensions. Synchronize 3D scene views with ArcGIS Pro, capture snapshots, and enhance cross-application interactions.

🚀 Pro Tips:

1️⃣ Automate 3D Navigation – Use camera positioning and fly-through animations to create smooth GIS presentations. 2️⃣ Synchronize with ArcGIS Pro – Connect scene views between ArcGIS Earth and ArcGIS Pro for real-time geospatial analysis. 3️⃣ Use Ready-to-Use Samples – Access the sample page in Advanced Application Settings to explore the API. Check ArcGIS Earth Automation API GitHub repository for integration samples.