Land Change Modeler for ArcGIS Support Issues
Data Preparation
Installation and Software Licensing
Multi-Seat Installation Checklist
Data Preparation
Land Change Modeler (LCM) uses data in IDRISI raster (.rst) and IDRISI vector (.vct) format. Any raster file supported by ArcGIS can be loaded into Land Change Modeler and will be automatically converted to the IDRISI format. To ensure proper conversion and usage of files in Land Change Modeler, please verify that your data is in the correct format by following the guidelines below.
Supported ArcGIS Versions
ArcGIS 9.2 Service Pack 2 and ArcGIS 9.3 are fully compatible with Land Change Modeler. At this time, ArcGIS 10 is not supported.
Supported Data Types
Land Change Modeler supports ESRI GRID and Shapefiles that are 4-byte floating point, 2-byte signed integer, or unsigned byte and unsigned integer. If your data is not in such formats, you will need to convert their data range in ArcGIS or export it to Geotiff (.tif) or .img format.
Converting your Data
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Reclassify tool
The Reclassify tool in ArcGIS can be used to change the NoData value in the raster file so that it is in the range of the supported data formats above. For example, if you have a land cover map with 11 categories and the NoData value is set to -32767, you will need to reclassify the NoData value to 255 or 0 to revert to unsigned byte format.
Raster Spatial Extent
Depending on the reference system, converting files to the IDRISI file format in ArcGIS may result in an extra row or column with the value of this extra row or column containing the NoData value specified in ArcGIS. This extra row or column is the result of ArcGIS using the cell-center as the point of origin and IDRISI using the lower-left corner of a pixel as the origin. Since pixels cannot be split, the conversion adds the column or row, if necessary, to accommodate the initial x and y extent, ensuring that no data will be lost. If all images prior to import had the same spatial extent, resolution, and projection, no change is necessary as it can be assumed that all images will have an additional row or column. The Clip tool (in the Data Management Tools sub-menu) in ArcGIS can be used to remove extra rows or columns.
NoData Values
In order for LCM to function properly, there are two ways in which the data must be prepared with or without NoData values. Unlike IDRISI, the ArcGIS software allows users to specify a categorical value or numeric value as NoData. Any value specified as NoData is excluded from the analysis and is transparent (unless otherwise specified).
To prepare your data:
1. Specify a background value in all images that is not NoData, i.e., background. For example, specify a background value of -1 or 0, depending on your range of values in all images.
2. Specify the background value in all images as NoData. Ensure that the NoData value specified is not a valid image value.
ArcGIS will often assign extremely large NoData values, e.g., +/-3.4028235e+038, as background, missing data, or NoData. This will cause a floating point error during the Transition Sub-Model analysis in Land Change Modeler and usually occurs when running the MLP option. These values must be reclassified within the data type range. To check the status of NoData pixels, in ArcGIS, right-click on the layer in the Table of Contents and select Properties > Source and scroll to the NoData Value row. If extremely large NoData values do exist, use the Reclassify tool in ArcGIS to alter these values.
Geodatabase Support
Currently, Land Change Modeler cannot access or manipulate geodatabase files.
Spatial Parameters
All files used in a Land Change Modeler project must have the same spatial parameters, projection, cell size, spatial extent, spatial resolution, and rows and columns.
Land Cover Categories and Legends
All land cover maps must contain the same categories in sequential order. For example, if you have a land cover map with category 6 labeled "Water," then category 6 in all other land cover maps must be labeled "Water."
For category labels/names to display in Land Change Modeler, they must be specified in ArcGIS in the attribute table.
Versions of ArcGIS prior to and including 9.3.1 do not support IDRISI raster (.rst) files with legends. If the files are imported from IDRISI to ArcGIS, the legend categories will be removed.
You can avoid the removal of legends when loading an IDRISI raster image into ArcGIS by creating an IDRISI Palette (.smp) file of the same name as the raster file before adding directly into ArcGIS. This can be done in IDRISI with the Symbol Workshop tool by creating a .smp file to match the legend categories and saving it as the default palette file in Composer > Layer Properties. Otherwise the user will need to redefine legend categories in ArcGIS. To do so, open Properties > Symbology and select Unique Values. Categories can be relabeled here.
Vector File Conversion
Versions of ArcGIS prior to and including 9.3.1 do not properly convert the reference system of Shapefiles to the IDRISI vector format. This can result in a mismatch of reference systems with other files in the Land Change Modeler project. As a result, loading a mismatched Shapefile into Land Change Modeler for ArcGIS will update the Shapefile's reference system to the reference system used by the raster images in the project. This occurs when using Land Change Modeler's Implications tab functionality.
When directly loading an IDRISI vector file into Land Change Modeler, ensure that the main ID field contains the attribute IDs, not the sequential IDs, for the features in the vector image. These fields can be edited in ArcGIS.
Land Change Modeler for ArcGIS Installation and Software Licensing
The Land Change Modeler for ArcGIS extension uses the software licensing program Sentinel LM to manage the installation of stand-alone and multi-seat installations. Some common issues are listed below.
1. Launching Land Change Modeler returns the error “SentinalLm: Error[17]: Probably no servers running on this subnet?”
Land Change Modeler returns this error when it cannot find a valid license file. It is an indication that your license file has either been improperly installed or that is it is not valid. The license file we send you will only work on the computer from which the locking code you sent was generated. If you encounter this error, please send by email (clarklabs@clarku.edu) a screenshot of your locking code and a copy of the file ‘LSERVRC’ from your Land Change Modeler folder.
You can generate a screenshot of your locking code by attempting to activate Land Change Modeler. First, launch Land Change Modeler. Since it is not properly activated, the Activation Wizard will display and you will be presented with the option to activate your license. Choose this option and select “enter a license code.” This will display your locking code. Press the print screen button on your keyboard and paste the screenshot into a Microsoft Word® document. Add this document as an attachment to your email to Clark Labs along with the file ‘LSERVRC’ found in your Land Change Modeler folder. These two items will allow our technical support team to diagnose the problem you are encountering.
2. You installed Land Change Modeler and it worked for a short period of time. Now it is asking to “Activate.”
Land Change Modeler will run for a 15 day trial period without the installation of a license file. If you receive the Activate message, it is likely you are operating the license in trial mode and that the license file was not properly installed.
Land Change Modeler requires the installation of a license file which is unique to the computer it is running on. This license file is generated at Clark Labs. If we have already sent you a license file, please go through the activation process and install the one we sent.
If not, you will need to provide us with some information about your license. Please send by email (clarklabs@clarku.edu) a screenshot of your locking code and a copy of the file ‘LSERVRC’ from your Land Change Modeler folder. You can generate a screenshot of your locking code by attempting to activate Land Change Modeler. First, launch Land Change Modeler. Since it is not properly activated, the Activation Wizard will display and you will be presented with the option to activate. Choose this option and select “enter a license code.” This will display your locking code. Press the print screen button on your keyboard and paste the screenshot into a Microsoft Word® document. Add this document as an attachment to your email to Clark Labs, along with the file ‘LSERVRC’ found in your Land Change Modeler folder. These two items will allow our technical support team to diagnose the problem you are encountering.
3. Changing the system clock and date on your computer may deactivate your Land Change Modeler.
If the date on your computer was changed after you installed Land Change Modeler, you may experience problems running the program. If this occurs, document the series of error messages you receive and email them to Clark Labs Technical Support. Steps will need to be undertaken to successfully reactivate Land Change Modeler after time-tampering occurs.
Land Change Modeler for ArcGIS Multi-Seat Installation Checklist
The following is a list of common problems that can cause errors activating your Land Change Modeler. Please make sure the following settings are correct on your server and clients.
Server
1. Check the date on the server. If the date is incorrect, Land Change Modeler may not operate properly. Also, if the date was changed on the server after the Land Change Modeler license was activated, it may not launch. If the latter occurs, please inform Clark Labs with details of this occurrence. Steps will need to be undertaken to successfully reactivate Land Change Modeler after time-tampering occurs.
2. Please ensure that there are no system environment variables set on the server named LSHOST and LSFORCEHOST. If either of these two variables is set, please remove them temporarily and try relaunching Land Change Modeler. If Land Change Modeler successfully launches, please contact Clark Labs with the details on the other programs needing either or both of these variables. On most operating systems, you can access environment variables through the Control Panel/System Properties. Select the advanced tab and then ‘environment variables.’ You must have full administrative privileges when adding or removing environment variables. Only the system variables need to be altered.
3. NetBios must be installed and enabled on the server.
4. The server must have a static IP after boot up.
5. Please make sure that the locking code is not being generated through remote access. It must be generated from the actual machine that Land Change Modeler is installed on.
6. In rare cases, a server may “lose” its license. Simply running the program LOADLS.EXE twice from the Land Change Modeler folder (run it once to remove and again to add) can restore the license. A reboot of the computer may also restore the license.
7. Please ensure that the server has only one host name for the server.
8. The Sentinel License Manager requires that UDP Port 5093 be open. If your firewall closes all ports, you will need to manually open this port for the Sentinel License Manager to communicate out.
If you check all of these items and Land Change Modeler still will not run on the server, please send the following information to clarklabs@clarku.edu:
1. Your customer ID number or the name of the person that Land Change Modeler is registered under.
2. A copy of the file ‘LSERVRC’ from the folder Land Change Modeler.
3. Run the SET command from the command prompt to dump system settings. Run: SET > SET.TXT. This will create a text file called SET.TXT and save it to the folder specified in the command prompt. After you run this command, attach this file to your email.
4. Run the LSWHERE.EXE program found in the Land Change Modeler folder. It will display the results to the screen. Please send a screenshot of the result as an attachment to your email.
5. Run the ECHOID.EXE program found in the Land Change Modeler folder. It will return a locking code to your screen. Please send the screen shot of this code as an attachment to your email.
6. Run the command IPCONFIG /ALL > IPCONFIG.TXT from the command prompt. This will create a text file called IPCONFIG.TXT. Please send a screenshot of the result as an attachment to your email.
Clients
If the client cannot get a license, refer to the notes below.
1. Run LSWHERE.EXE from the LCM folder and verify that it can find the license manager on the server. If it is not able to find the server, proceed to step 2 below.
2. If the client cannot find a license, set the environment variables LSHOST and/or LSFORCEHOST to the IP address or the name of the server. Go to Control Panel/System Properties, select the advanced tab and then ‘environment variables.’ Make sure that you set the variables under ‘system variables.' This will tell the client where to find the license.
3. If you are attempting to run clients from a server on a different subnet, all the routers must be set to re-broadcast all UDP packets on port 5093, and UDP packets must be able to go to and from different subnets. All firewalls must have port 5093 open since it is the port the license manager uses to communicate through.
