Workshop Tutorial: Digitizing French Ports and Railroads in ArcGIS Online

Introduction

This tutorial will guide you through creating an ArcGIS Online application for digitizing ports and railroads using a historical map of French ports and railroads. The goal is to convert key features from the map into geospatial data.

About the XYZ Tiles

The map used for this digitization task is accessible as an XYZ tile layer via a IIIF manifest. This setup enables viewing and digitizing the historical map within ArcGIS Online.

• IIIF Manifest URL:
  https://purl.stanford.edu/zc368qw3281/iiif/manifest

• Viewer Link:
  Stanford Digital Repository Viewer

• Allmaps.org Link

• https://editor.allmaps.org/#/collection?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpurl.stanford.edu%2Fzc368qw3281%2Fiiif%2Fmanifest&image=d95dc4e2f0f60fb8

Step 1: Login to ArcGIS Online

1. Open a web browser and navigate to Stanford's ArcGIS Online Org: https://stanford.maps.arcgis.com
   
2. Click Sign In.

3. Click the blue Stanford University button

4. You should be bounced to Stanford's SIngle SIgn-On (SSO). Use your Stanford SUNetID and Password to login

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Step 2: Create a New Feature Dataset

1. Click Content in the top menu.
2. Select New Item → Feature Layer → Define Your Own Layer.

3. Under "Specify name and type" Add Lines and Points as the geometry type and name the layers Ports and Railroads

4. Click Next, and name the dataset french_ports_railroads_[your initials or SUNetID]

2. Click Save.

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Step 3: Customize the Data Schema

At this point, you should be redirected to the Details Page for the french_ports_railrods_SUNetID Layer.

Adding Fields (Columns)

1. Click on Data at the top of the Details Page.
2. CONfirm that Layer:Ports is selected in the Layer Dropdown, And click on Fields to change to the Fields view.

3. Click on the +Add Button and use the following image to fill the Add Field dialog.

4. Repeat the previous step to add and define the following fields for the dataset (note that you will change to the Railroads Layer and add it's new fields):

Field Name	Data Type	Length	Description
port_label	Text	50	Name or identifier for the port.
port_type	Text	50	Classification of the port (major/minor).
railroad_label	Text	50	Name or identifier for the railroad.
notes	Text	255	Additional observations or comments (both layers).

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Step 4: Create a Controlled Vocabulary List for a Field (domain)

To standardize the input for port_type, create a domain for controlled vocabulary:

1. From the Data>Fields page in the feature layer Details for the Ports Layer, click on the port-type Field value to open it's details page.
2. Click on Create List, create the following values:
   • Port Type: Add the values:
     • Major
     • Minor

3. Click Save to assign this list (domain) to the port_type field.

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Step 5: Create an Editing Group

Here, we will create a group that allows anyone with membership to edit the items that are shared with the group. In this case, we will share our Feature Layers to the group, so that we can share the work of digitizing features from our map.

1. Click on the Groups link at the top of the page, then click Create Group.

Setting	Description
Name	"OSS Map Editors [SUNetID]".
Group visibility	All organization members
How can people join this group?	By Request
Who can contribute	All group members
Enable	Allow group members to update all items.
Who can see full members list	Anyone who can view the group

1. Check the Shared Update option, to allow editing by group members
2. Click Save

Step 6: Create a Map

1. Click Map in the ArcGIS Online menu.
2. Click Add → Add Layer from URL.

3. Paste the XYZ tile URL generated from the IIIF manifest (This can be found on the Results page of the Allmaps Editor for the map we are working with).

4. Confirm Type: Tile Layer is automatically detected after the paste.

5. Click Next
6. Give your layer a Title and Attribution

6. Click Add to map.
7. Save your map as France Roads and Ports Digitization (SUNetID)
   
   

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Step 7: Add the Feature Layer for Digitization

1. Click Add → Browse Layers.

2. Select My Content and find french_ports_railroad_[SUNetID]s.

3. Click +Add.
4. Click the Arrow at the top of the panel to close it

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Step 8: Configure Symbology

1. Click on the small arrow next to the french_ports_railroads layer to expand it.
2. Select the Ports layer
3. Select Edit layer style in the resulting Properties Panel, on the right.
4. Click on +Field and check the box next to Port Type

5. Click Add
6. In the Pick a style dialog, click on Style options for the Types (unique symbols)

7. Configure symbology for:
   • Ports: Use unique symbols based on port_type (e.g., 10pt red circle for major ports, 6pt orange circle for minor ports).

8. Click Done and Done to save the changes and dismiss the Properties Panel.

9. Return to the Layers Panel on the left and configure the symbology for the Railroads feature layer

   • Railroads: Use a dashed line for railroads.

10. Save your configuration.

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Step 9: Configure Popups

1. Click on the Port feature layer to open the Properties, again.
2. Click on the Pop-ups button.
3. Expand the Fields list and confirm the following fields:
   • port_label
   • port_type
   • notes
4. Drag and Drop the Fields to rearrange them, if needed.

5. Click on the Railroads feature layer and confirm the following fields:
   • railroad_label
   • Notes
6. Click on the X to remove the Shape_Length field from the pop-up
7. Save the changes to your Map.

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Step 10: Share the Map Using an Editing App

1. Click Create app → Instant Apps.

2. Click on Choose on the Sidebar App Template.

1. Fill out the Create app - Sidebar dialog and click Create app

4. Configure the app:
   • Click on the Search settings Button and use edit as the search term
   • Click on Edit tools and click Continue to exit Express Mode and continue configuring your app
   • Toggle on Edit tools for adding and modifying features.
   • Expand the french_ports_railroads_SUNetID Layer and check the boxes for Railroads and Ports
   • Configure the attribute editor to use dropdown menus for port_type.

1. Click Publish and Confirm to save and publish the app.

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Step 11: Share the app

1. After publishing the app, the Share dialog will be presented. Click on Change share settings

2. In the resulting Share dialog, click on the Edit group sharing button

3. Search for your OSS Editing Group in the resulting Group sharing and check it's box

4. Click Apply
5. Click Save
6. Click Review sharing to share the Map and Feature Layers with the OSS Editing Group, as well.

7. Click Update sharing to update teh sharing settings to match your app.

8. Click Publish again to save your changes
9. Click the Launch button

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Step 12: DIgitize your features

1. Click on the Edit button to open the Editor Tool Panel
2. Select the Ports template icon, and place it on one of the ports in your map
3. Add the Port Label
4. Use the Port Type drop-down to select the port-type
5. Click Create to save the feature
6. Continue digitizing the Ports until you hve completed the task ( or just practice for a bit)
7. Click the Back arrow to return to the Editor Tools main panel

Step 13: Export Digitized Data to GeoJSON

1. Open another instance of https://stanford.maps.arcgis.com in a new browser tab and navigate to Content and find the french_ports_railroads layer.
2. Find your french_ports_railroads_SUNETID Feature Layer (hosted), and click on it to navigate to the Details Page for the data.

2. Click Export Data → GeoJSON.

3. Fill out the Export to GeoJSON dialog and click Export

4. On the resulting Details page, click on the Share button, make your data Public and click Save

5. Download the exported file for use in other GIS applications.

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Conclusion

By the end of this exercise, participants will have digitized the major and minor ports and railroads from the historical map. The resulting data will be standardized, exportable, and ready for analysis or integration into other projects.

🚀 Happy Mapping!