ArcObjects development in zone design using Visual Basic for Applications

Abstract

The Modifiable Areal Unit Problem (MAUP) is commonplace in the realm of geographical analysis. The MAUP presents issues concerning scale and configuration of geographic partitions that are representative of finer resolution spatial data. To date, these problems cannot be resolved completely. They can only be manipulated. This "manipulation" can be accomplished using an Automated Zoning Procedure (AZP). In theory, this algorithm amalgamates spatial partitions into a set of zones that are optimized for a function of interest, thus an optimal result is achieved regardless of spatial configuration. Using a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software environment, an Automated Zoning Procedure was constructed for ArcGIS 8.3 desktop software using ArcObjects development with Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). The fully functional program represents a deterministic, global optimization approach that aggregates n number of zones into a smaller number of m zones where the Moran's I statistic of spatial autocorrelation is the primary function under optimization. © Springer-Verlag 2004.