Trimble introduces SOLO 360 extension toolbar for ArcGIS

Trimble introduced today the Trimble SOLO 360 Toolbar for ArcGIS. This toolbar extension for ArcGIS facilitates data exchange between SOLO Forest and ArcGIS by providing a data check-out and check-in type of workflow. Foresters and field data professionals now have a convenient way to easily check data out of ArcGIS for in-field inspections, maintenance or new data collection using rules and schemas which follow existing business rules and feature definitions.

"There are many advantages to managing GIS data collection using a check-out and check-in type of workflow. Eliminating data redundancy, compartmentalizing data collection tasks, verifying collected data on check-in are some of the benefits that SOLO 360 offers. This toolbar will make life much easier and structured for our customers and the data management process", says Brooks McKee, Product Manager for Trimble’s Forestry Automation Business Area.

SOLO 360 exports a personal geodatabase for use within SOLO Forest to edit and/or add data and then imports the SOLO project (.udf file) back into the geodatabase.

    * Maintain GDB structure. Existing business rules and data collection fields are preserved and are used to drive data collection in the field.
    * Review field edits at management level before accepting changes. GIS Administrators or other parties ultimately responsible for data integrity get to review any changes before committing them during the check-in process.
    * Create SOLO Feature Codes directly from the GDB. The feature code file in SOLO is automatically generated during check-out which will mimic the data structure in the personal geodatabase.
    * Create a GDB from SOLO Feature Codes. For users not currently taking advantage of the geodatabase in ArcGIS, users can easily create a blank template from their existing SOLO Feature Codes.
    * Crop images and associated feature classes from the area in view. Selecting data extents for check out is as simple as zooming to the area of interest.
    * Create SOLO Project File (.spf) directly from ArcGIS. Data is conveniently packaged into a compressed file to be sent over to the data collector for unpacking and data collection.
    * Better control over data quality. Informative menus provide detailed information about added/deleted data, changes to coordinate geometry or feature attributes.

SOLO Forest is a Mobile GIS application designed for easily and efficiently collecting GIS data in the field and is used in various industries. With built-in tools such as buffering, split/merge polygon, and easy plot/point navigation, SOLO Forest offers many tools that aren’t offered in other Mobile GIS applications.