GeoFIRM is completely geodatabase-centric; the geodatabase acts as the repository for engineering and mapping products, particularly those products with a spatial component. Dewberry uses the geodatabase to store the data, and then produce products, such as printed panels and DFIRM databases, out of the geodatabase.
Our engineers and production staff all use ArcGIS/SDE to interact with the geodatabase. This platform provides advanced features to create and manage data, and to track database production activities from initiation to final digital database and hard-copy delivery.
Some of the key elements of our ArcSDE/ArcGIS 9-based GeoFIRM environment are:
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Multi-user editing (multiple staff can edit the same data layer at once, shortening production time)
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Versioning to manage workflows and ensure only complete, quality-controlled edits are incorporated into the master geodatabase
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Scale-dependent feature-linked annotation to ensure the cartographic product accurately reflects the database content
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Attributed domains to enforce consistency and quality
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Topological rules to enforce spatially correct data capture
