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Park Observer is an iPhone/iPad application for collecting spatial data. It is not available on the app store. It is only available to NPS users, or partners working on NPS projects. If your device has access to the Arrowhead WiFi, then you can install the app by browsing to the downloads page of this website using your device's browser and following the instructions there, otherwise, see the Offline Installation Instruction.
Installing Park Observer is usually the most difficult part of using the app. After it is installed, you might be able to learn all you need to know just using the app. A short user guide is also available if you want to get the most out of the features of Park Observer.
Once Park Observer is installed, you can immediately begin experimenting With the sample survey provided with the application provided you have internet access for the online base maps. Online basemaps are provide for testing. Since most surveys are offline, you will need to install an existing basemap of your survey area, or if one is not available then create a new basemap, and install it. The GIS team is able to help create basemaps.
Before doing a real survey, you will need to either load an existing survey that you wish to add to, or create a new empty survey from a protocol file. A protocol file defines the features you will survey and their attributes. It also defines additional characteristics of the survey such as how locations are collected. You can load an existing protocol file, or if there is not one suitable for your survey, then you can create a new protocol file and install it. The GIS team is able to help create protocols.
Coming soon.
Coming soon.
The protocol file define your survey, most importantly it specifies what features that you can collect, and the attributes of those features. You must have a protocol file to create a survey and collect data.
The easiest way to create a new protocol is to copy one of the existing protocols and then edit it to meet your needs in a text editor like Notepad, Notepad++ or atom (do not use MS Word). The Protocol Specification is the definitive guide to the content and format of a protocol file. The specifications closely mirror the application code, and while it is long and boring, it is defines exactly what is allowed and what is not. The Protocol Guide provides a more readable discussion of some of the considerations in making a protocol file suitable for your needs.
The protocol file must be a valid JSON file, a single misplaced comma will cause it to fail to load in the app. You should validate it first by using an online validator.
Once you have a valid protocol, you can use iTunes to load it onto your device. It will then appear in the list of local protocols in your app. If you want your protocol to appear in the list of protocols available to all users send a request to the contact below.
The Park Observer app is not very friendly when you feed it a protocol that does not meet the specifications. It usually just crashes without any explanation. Always thoroughly test your protocols before doing real field work. If you have a problem, consult the specification, send a help request to the contact below.
Please check the list of existing maps before creating a new basemap.
Basemaps can be created in ArcMap or ArcGIS Pro. The map is converted into a collection of small images at various scales for rapid rendering on the device. You can use any image or vector datasets that you like in your map, however you can not use proprietary online basemaps (like Google, Bing, or ArcGIS).
To create a basemap (aka tilecache) in ArcMap:
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Turn on the tool: Select ArcMap Options... in the Customize menu item. Then select the Sharing tab, and check the Enable ArcGIS Runtime Tools
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Assemble your map - set symbology, labeling, scale dependencies, etc. to your liking.
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Zoom to the full extents of the area you would like to have in the tile cache. To minimize file size you should make the area as small as necessary.
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Export the map by selecting File->Share As->Tile Package from the ArcMap menu
- Tile Package Tab
You will want to save the package to a file. Give it any name you want. When done, this file can be loaded into the app via iTunes. - Tile Format Tab
You will want to leave the Tile scheme as *ArcGIS Online / Bing Maps / Google Maps * and Tile Format as PNG. You will want to leave this at 17 or lower, unless you have a very small survey are, and need a very high resolution of data. 5m resolution imagery will generally not look any better at more detail than level
The higher the number, the longer the tile cache will take to generate, and the larger the tile package will be. Generating an entire park at level 17 may take several hours or more. I would experiment with small areas and low zoom levels to get a feel for how long it takes, and what zoom level gives you adequate resolution. Be aware each increase in zoom level will quadruple the size and time it take to generate the tile cache. 3. Item Description Tab
As a minimum, you are required to provide a Summary and Tags. - Tile Package Tab
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Load the tile cache you just created on to your device with iTunes. If you want the tile cache to appear in the list of basemaps available to all users, send a request to the contact below.