Greetings!
According to the Connections Tool resource page on LEED-Online:
"The user must have ArcEditor 9.3 or ArcInfo 9.3. The tool is not compatible with ArcView, ArcEditor 10 or ArcInfo 10."
Unfortunately, the ESRI Support rep informed me that they no longer keep ArcGIS 9.3 media. Does anyone know where I could purchase ArcEditor 9.3?
...If not, does anyone know when (and if) the Connections Tool may be updated to run on ArcGIS Desktop Standard? Has anybody tried to run it on the current version of ArcGIS? Results?
Eliot Allen
LEED AP-ND, PrincipalCriterion Planners
LEEDuser Expert
303 thumbs up
January 13, 2014 - 4:00 pm
Eric, my firm created the Connections Tool for USGBC and unfortunately it won't run on ArcGIS 10, nor are there plans to upgrade it for 10. So you're left with trying to find a consultant that still uses Arc 9.3; or in lieu of the Connections Tool, you can measure shortest paths in Arc10 using its network analysis function (http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/index.html#//0047000000450...) or in AutoCAD (http://docs.autodesk.com/MAP/2013/ENU/index.html?url=filesMAPUSE/GUID-C3...).
Eliot
Eric Orozco
Urban Designer, LEED AP NDNeighboring Concepts, PLLC
38 thumbs up
January 14, 2014 - 2:35 pm
Thanks Eliot, for those options!
Re: consultant option - that would be a costly option to address an existing project for evaluation, but, unfortunately, I really do need this tool to assist in my actual design work. If you don't mind me asking, what is the main technical barrier represented by Arc10 for incorporating the Connections Tool? Is this something that is addressable?
Eliot Allen
LEED AP-ND, PrincipalCriterion Planners
LEEDuser Expert
303 thumbs up
January 15, 2014 - 11:51 am
Eric, the tech barrier is the Connections Tool was written in Visual Basic 6, and ESRI decided to stop supporting VB 6 beginning with Arc 10. Retooling CT for Arc 10 would require migration of the original code and adjustments to it for operating with 10, so it's a cost beyond reason for a single project. I think a better long-term solution for CT might be an open source version that wouldn't be hostage to ESRI's decisions. For your immediate needs, depending on the land area and circulation network complexity of your project, you've got two possible approaches: manual or GIS/CAD. For smaller projects with relatively simple circulation networks, it's ok to manually measure distances between a destination (eg transit stop) and the farthest origin (eg dwelling unit entrance) to demonstrate that intervening origins are within required walking/biking distances. Alternatively, if your project has hundreds or thousands of origin and destination points on a complex circulation network, the only feasible way is GIS or CAD. Within that realm, your options are building your own shortest path queries; acquiring and adapting commercial route analysis software; or hiring a consultant that specializes in transportation network analysis. It's great that you have the opportunity to influence design with feedback from these metrics, and I wish I had better (less costly) ideas for you.
Eliot
amy ferdinand
January 29, 2014 - 1:46 pm
Eliot, I have 9.3. Is the tool still available through your company? If yes, How do I aquire it?
Eliot Allen
LEED AP-ND, PrincipalCriterion Planners
LEEDuser Expert
303 thumbs up
February 7, 2014 - 4:06 pm
Sorry I'm late answering Amy, your question got misplaced. My firm no longer has 9.3 or any of our 9.3 applications, but I believe USGBC is still distributing the Connections Tool. If you have ND forms for the walking/biking credits, there's a CT icon download link on them that may still work. Otherwise you should check with ND staff at USGBC for a copy (in addition to the software, be sure to get the user guide).
Eliot
amy ferdinand
February 8, 2014 - 12:35 pm
Thank you very much. I will contact USGBC.