Module 10: Creating Custom Tools

Custom Tool window

Script Message output

 This week's assignment involved creating a new geoprocessing tool in ArcMap using Python scripting.  Creating custom tools is an important aspect of GIS Programming because time-intensive geoprocessing operations may be completed in a quick, automated manner.  The general steps of creating a custom tool are as follows:

1.       Generate a script that contains unspecified input and output variables and will complete a process of interest

2.       Create a new toolbox in ArcMap using the Add > Toolbox dropdown in ArcCatalog

3.       Add the script (the script generated in step 1) to the toolbox

4.       Set the parameter options for the script/tool

5.       Connect the input parameters of the tool to the input and output variables in the script

6.       Add messages to check for progress of the tool and for debugging issues.

7.       Check to see if output is as desired, if not then debug script