Creating an Ottawa site plan in ArcGIS Pro

These instructions refer to getting set up with ArcGIS Pro for the first time in a lab environment. ArcGIS Pro is available on the library's GIS workstations. It is also possible to download ArcGIS Pro for educational use on your own computer or laptop for free if you are a current Carleton student, staff, or faculty member.

1. Follow the instructions on this page to download and/or sign in to ArcGIS Pro.
   • Reminder: make sure you sign in using Your ArcGIS Organization's URL (carleton-u) and your MyCarletonOne credentials
2. Once ArcGIS Pro has launched, under New, select Map
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3. Save your new map project, and then ArcGIS Pro will launch and a new map screen will appear.
4. You're set up and ready to go!

1. We strongly recommend adding an air photo to your site plan before the DWG file. It will help ensure the DWG shows up in Ottawa and not in the Atlantic Ocean.
   • If you added the DWG first and it showed up somewhere outside of Ottawa, try adding an air photo and then try adding the DWG again.
2. Download an air photo. Here's a page listing many options.
   • You can preview (but not download) the City of Ottawa images in our collection at the GeoOttawa website using the Aerial Photos Slider.
3. Unzip the air photo. There will likely be multiple files, such as with a TIF there will be a .tfw file.
4. You can click and drag the .tif or .jpeg image onto the map. It should show up in the right spot.
   • If it doesn't work, make sure the file is unzipped! If it is and it still gives an error, try going to the Map tab and selecting Add Data to add it instead of dragging it in.
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We strongly recommend adding an air photo to your map before you add the DWG. If not, the DWG may not show up in Ottawa.

1. If you have not done so, download the DWG file(s) that cover your area of interest from our Ottawa 1:1000 topographic dataset (2011-2015).
2. Once the DWG file(s) have downloaded, drag a DWG into ArcGIS Pro
3. All the layers should be turned on and visible in the map pane. The layers will also be clustered into five groups:
   • Annotation Group: labels
   • Point Group: point features (e.g. locations that don't have an area such as flag poles, fire hydrants, and signs)
   • Polyline Group: linear features (e.g. retaining walls, road centrelines, and building outlines)
   • MultiPatch Group: features that are 3D, although that's not necessarily the case in the Ottawa 1:1000 dataset (e.g. bus shelters, decks, trees)
   • Polygon Group: features that have an area that can be calculated (e.g. parking lots, buildings, patios)
4. There are many dozens of layers and you may want to turn them all off. to do so:
   • Click the arrow to the left of the Group name to display all the layers
   • Click on the name of the first layer
   • If you're on a Windows computer: hold down the Shift key, scroll and click the last layer to select them all. Release the Shift key. Press the Ctrl key and click the checkbox to the left of one of the layer names. All of the selected layers will be turned off.
   • If you're on a Mac computer: click the group name (e.g. Annotation Group). Click the alt/Option key (beside the command key) then click on one of the layers. All of the layers in that group will be turned off except the one you clicked.
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5. Go through the list and turn on the ones you'd like to have showing up.
   • Note: there are building outlines in both the Polyline and Polygon groups
6. You can change the colours of the points, lines, and polygons:
   • Click on the symbol icon (e.g. a green line, a pink box) below the layer name to modify the symbol
   • A Symbology pane should appear on the right
   • Click Properties
   • Select the colour(s) you'd like
   • Click Apply
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This ArcGIS Pro page and video should cover everything you need.