{"id":6679,"date":"2018-10-17T00:46:17","date_gmt":"2018-10-16T22:46:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/?p=6679"},"modified":"2018-10-17T11:59:59","modified_gmt":"2018-10-17T09:59:59","slug":"gis-and-decision-support-4-a-tool-for-aggregating-fuzzy-criteria-with-arcmap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/gis-and-decision-support-4-a-tool-for-aggregating-fuzzy-criteria-with-arcmap\/","title":{"rendered":"GIS and decision support (4): a tool for aggregating fuzzy criteria with ArcMap"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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In this article we will discuss how to cross two fuzzy attributes, with\na command that we put at your disposal. The \u00ab\u00a0Flexible Aggregation\u00a0\u00bb\ncommand allows the aggregation of two fuzzy criteria. \nThe interface offers three questions to the user to define the desired\naggregation formula. Then, the tool proceeds to the union or intersection of\nthe two criteria by producing a new data layer. This layer contains the data of\nthe two input layers plus one field with the result of the calculated\naggregation. \nIt is essential to create the fuzzy criteria before proceeding with their\naggregation. \nIn the case of non-numeric criteria, a manual transformation has to be executed\nby the user to match numeric codes to the text attributes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

At the end of the article, you will find the download links. Firstly, we\nwill discuss how to use the command, then how to install it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, it is not enough to have an order to perform the job; we\nmust also understand what we do with it. This will refer to the next two\narticles in this series, where we describe in detail the theoretical fundamentals\nused by our orders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using the command<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The button<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u00a0displays the following interface<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You must select which layers to use for the aggregation in the list of\navailable layers. The command works with shapefiles and geodatabases files\n(gdb). It does not work with personal Geodatabases, enterprise geodatabases,\nand Spatialite databases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below each layer, you must select the field, containing a fuzzy number,\nto be used in the aggregation. \nThe layers in the list are automatically selected from the polygon layers.\nNumeric fields are displayed, as long as their values \u200b\u200bare between 0 and 1.\nThose that start with fzy_ are automatically produced because they were created\nby the Flexible Criteria<\/em><\/strong> command (see previous article: GIS and decision\nsupport (3): a tool for creating fuzzy criteria with ArcMap<\/a>). However, you may have fuzzy\nfields that do not result from the Flexible Criteria<\/em><\/strong> command and\nthat can be used for the aggregation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Definition of the mathematical model of\naggregation.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The user must check the result of the three proposed aggregations. The\ncommand tests the consistency of responses because some combinations are not\nallowed. \nFor example, the result of the third question cannot be more unfavourable than\nthat of the first question. Indeed an average satisfaction of the first\ncriterion (third question) cannot lead to a more unfavourable result than a\ntotal dissatisfaction (first question). \nIn fact, there are only 50 possible triplets as an outcome of these issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Definition of the type of aggregation operation.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The user can choose the aggregation operation: \n1- The intersection<\/em><\/strong> of the two themes: the resulting theme will\nonly include the overlapping areas of the two themes to be aggregated. For\nthese areas the result of the calculated field is the product of the model\nestablished by the answers to the three questions; \n2- The union<\/em><\/strong> of the two themes: the resulting theme will include\nthe full extent of the two input themes. Zones with only one theme will have an\naggregation result of 0. Therefore, it can have two types of zones with the\nfield calculated at 0: those that correspond to a cross of two input values\n\u200b\u200bgiving as result total dissatisfaction, and when the dissatisfaction results\nfrom a lack of data. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Showing the aggregation<\/strong> result<\/strong>\n\nYou have to check a box that allows you to\ndisable the automatic loading of the result in the ArcMap map window. \nIf it is not checked, the resulting layer is loaded with a pre-set rendering: \n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Five classes are calculated and displayed with a blue gradient: \n\u2022 Entities resulting in 0 \n\u2022 Entities whose result is between 0 and 0.25 \n\u2022 Entities whose result is between 0.25 and 0.5 \n\u2022 Entities whose result is between 0.5 and 0.75 \n\u2022 Entities whose result is between 0.75 and 1 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Process tracking help: metadata<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You do not have a button in this command allowing you to consult the\nmetadata of the fuzzy transformations. On the other hand, the resulting fuzzy\nattribute is very explicit in the metadata of the layer. To view it, you must\nuse the Fuzzy Criteria<\/em> command and click the attribute, then click the metadata<\/em><\/strong>\nbutton. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The metadata is stored in a separate file (.fzy), managed by the\ncommand. \nThe management of these files is automatic. For example, the elimination of\nmetadata corresponding to a flexible criterion if this criterion is manually\ndeleted from the table of the feature class. \nHowever, if you move layers to different directories or geodatabases, you will\nneed to move the .fzy file manually. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Available languages<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A drop-down list allows you to select the language to be used by both\ncommands. \nThe available languages are: \n\u2022 French (default) \n\u2022 English \n\u2022 Spanish \n\u2022 Vietnamese <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Depending on the version of Windows used, it is sometimes necessary to\nclose and reopen the command so that all texts are in the chosen language. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, for some unfathomable computing mystery, in some configurations of\nWindows 8 the option es<\/em><\/strong> (Spanish) does not appear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

ArcGis<\/strong> versions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The commands can be used with ArcGis versions between 9.2 and 10.3. And\nregarding Windows versions, controls work in Windows XP, Vista, W7 and W8. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tools installation <\/strong>\n\nThe tool is provided as a .dll file. \nTo install it you have to go through the menu Customize -> Customize\nmode<\/em><\/strong> of ArcMap. \nThe customization window opens: \n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u00a0On the Commands<\/em><\/strong> tab, click the Add from File<\/em><\/strong> button. Check the fuzzy_agregationSA92_103ML.dll<\/em> file that you have previously copied to a permanent directory on your local disk, with the Text.mdb<\/em> file that contains the different language versions. If you already have the Fuzzy Criteria tool installed, you do not have to copy the Text.mdb file, it is common to both commands. Click OK<\/strong> . The following message should appear to indicate that the installation was successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Click OK<\/strong>. In the available Commands<\/em> window you will be automatically positioned on the NASCA commands<\/em> category where you will see two available tools: Flexible aggregation<\/em><\/strong> and Flexible Criteria<\/em><\/strong> (if you have already installed the Flexible Criteria command<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u00a0In order to use them, click-drag on each of the commands and drop them into an open ArcMap toolbar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Download Links (Version 10.3.0.35)<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u00a0dllagregation<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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flexible agregation user manual<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Known Issues<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the disappearance of Spanish from the drop-down list of available\nlanguages, the most common problem is the use of the toolbox to make the\nintersection or union of the input layers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We chose to keep the same code, regardless of the ArcMap version. The\ncommand runs for versions ranging from 9.2 to the latest, the 10.3. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to use the toolbox, it is necessary for the program to find the\ncorresponding ArcToolbox<\/em><\/strong> directory. As versions change, the path\nhas been changed several times, and sometimes the command cannot find it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If this is your case, you will have an explicit message, telling and\ninviting you to enter the correct path in a text file, created by the command\nin the same directory where you placed the file. dll. <\/p>\n\n\n\n