model builder

I did not realize how easy to use ArcGIS and IDRISI before i found modelBuilder. The simple way to explain ModelBuilder is it works as the way your brain works. It put everything in graphical model, and by simply click “run” button, you will see that this is not just an ordinary box as in visio or in chart in your M.Word. It really runs !! it runs the process using the input, and producing the output which again is used by other process, and so on so forth untill the end result coming. Amazing.

I would say model builder from IDRISI, ArcGIS, and ArcView principly the are just the same. the different is only on how we use it. In this post, i will focusing my discussion on using modelBuilder in ArcGIS.

in ArcGIS, you have installed modelBuilder, unlike in ArcView where you have to install spatial analyst, the only thing you should do is just make sure that your spatial analyst extention is checked. Then you ready to go.

modelbuilder

first, open your ArcToolbox. there you will find a whole bunch of tools use in ArcGIS inclusing famous RUSLE model to explore the soil erosion untill KRIGING methods for geostatistic. Everything is there!.

Btw, i forgot to tell you, why we should use model builder? why not we just use ordinary functions? The answer is modelBuilder offers a lot more easier process and each time you want to change something/parameters in one or all your process, you can easily done it simply by correcting it in one of your box. The modelBuilder is like the living flow chart!!.

ok, now after you open your ArcToolbox, right click and choose new toolbox. Then they will ask you to set parameters. Ignore this for a while, let us take the given value and continue to the main board of model builder.