Folder Setup:

Enable Arc GIS & Arc Catalog to access your CD or Jumpdrive folders:

Set Map Properties to "Store full or relative path names"

Broken Layer Links !

Saving your Project:

Clip State Borders with County Shape File

Clip Features with a Polygon

Create Shape File from Layer or from Selected features of a layer

Create Layer File
 

Create Polygons (2 part process)

1. Create Polygon Feature Class

2. Draw Polygon

   • Edit / Resize / Reshape Polygon

Conversion Tools  (Area, Volume, Length, Percent, Angles)

Image from a Coltons Atlas - 1868
Harrison's H4

Folder Setup:

Use your Work Folder for:

• files you create , shape files, layer files, database files, images, etc .....
• in your Work folder;  note the file extensions that are created as you work

Use your Data Folder for:

• Original source files; that are not from within within the C: Drive Exercise Folders
  • Example: Files downloaded from the net or other sources

Enable Arc GIS & Arc Catalog to access your CD or Jumpdrive folders:

Set Map Properties to store "relative path names"

Select File Menu > Map Properties -------- > Data Source Options ---------> Store relative Path Names  > Ok

• copy  folder C:\Tech_Gis\GTKArcgis     >    your CD or Jumpdrive folder  E:\Tech_GIS
•  
• create "yourname folder" structure in C:\Tech_GIS or C:\Cartography
•  
• While working; export data (.shp & .lyr) files to:
  •  C:\Tech_GIS \yourname\project_#\work            OR
  •  C:\Cartography \yourname\project_#\work
•  
• While working, save you project file in:
  •  C:\Tech_GIS \yourname\project_#         OR
  •  C:\Cartography \yourname\project_#
•  
• Saving your project file to  CD:
• burn folder C:\Tech_GIS \yourname\project_#    >    E:\Tech_GIS\yourname
•  

• Open the project_#.mxd file from the CD on another station to ensure all layers appear without error

Saving your Project:

File  > Save As --------------> Navigate to your  Project_#    folder        > create project name       >  Save

When project/exercise is completed; open your project file on the CD or Jumpdrive at another station to confirm its ability to open correctly

Broken Layer Links !

Right Click Layer Name in TOC > Properties -----> Source Tab > Set Data Source >
(Navigate to folder where the .shp/.lyr file resides) >  select the layer or shape  file name   > OK

• Note: a saved layer.lyr file is dependent on the database, index and shape file (.dbf, .shx, .shp) from which it was created
• Example: Future Edits of a shape_file.shp will be reflected in an exported  layer.lyr file
• Features removed from a source shape_file.shp/.dbf file will no longer display in the exported layer.lyr file
• Layer files store feature symbol information.  colors, thickness, size etc ....
• Table Joins and Relates can also drop .dbf fields needed for symbol information

Clip State Borders with County Shape File

Add Data  > Counties

Add Data  >  States (Place state as top layer)

• Set State symbol > Fill = No Color > Line Width = 2

Right click the Data Frame Name in TOC > Properties -------- >

> Data Frame Tab  > Clip to shape "enable"   >  specify shape --------- > Select counties  layer  from pulldown menu  >

> OK -------- > OK  (only features  within the clip polygon  will  display)

Clip Features with a Polygon

Create a polygon.shp for boundaries (name_clip.shp)

Add Data > name_clip.shp

Right click the Data Frame > Properties > Data Frame Tab >

Clip to Shape

• Clip to shape "enable"  >   specify shape -------- >
• Select name_clip layer from pulldown menu > OK -----------> OK 

Turn off name_clip.shp layer

Create Shape File from a Layer OR from Selected features of a layer
(export points, lines OR polygons to a point.shp, line.shp or polygon.shp)

Right Click Layer   > Data     > Export Data ----------------------- >  Navigate to your Work Folder

Name the Shape file > Save ------------------------------------------------------ > confirm path and name > OK

note the files created in your \work folder  when you "export data"

Example: E:\Tech_GIS\yourname\project_#\work   OR  F:\Tech_GIS\yourname\project_#\work 

• point.shp    (shape file)

• point.dbf     (database file)

• point.shx    (index file)

Other files created:

• point.sbn     (Spatial Index For Shapefiles)

• point.sbx     (Spatial Index For Shapefiles)

• point.prj       (projection file)

• point.xml     (Meta-Data info , Extensible Markup Language)

Create Layer File

Right Click on Layer > Save as Layer File ----------------- >    Navigate to your Work Folder      > Name layer file       > Save

note the files created in your \work folder  when you "save as layer file"

Example: E:\Tech_GIS\yourname\project_#\work   OR  F:\Tech_GIS\yourname\project_#\work 

• point.lyr    (feature symbol information)

• Note: a saved layer.lyr file is dependent on the database, index and shape file (.dbf, .shx, .shp) from which it was created
• Example: Future Edits of a shape_file.shp will be reflected in an exported  layer.lyr file
• Features removed from a source shape_file.shp/.dbf file will no longer display in the exported layer.lyr file
• Layer files store feature symbol information.  colors, thickness, size etc ....
• Table Joins and Relates can also drop .dbf fields needed for symbol information

Create Polygon Feature Class

Open ArcCatalog --->    Navigate to your work folder  > File   > New   > Shape_File -------- >   "Name" = name_clip ; "Feature Type"  = Polygon > OK

(spatial Reference / Projection is optional)

Draw Polygon

Add Data > name_clip (from your work folder)  >

Selection Menu  > Set Selectable Layers > Clear All  > Select layer to draw in  >

Turn on  Editor Toolbar    >    Editor > Start Editing >  --------------------->

 Select path to your \work folder for the shape file to edit (name_clip)    >  OK >

Do_Not select a path to the original source file folders

• C:\Tech_GIS\GTKArcGIS\Examples

• C:\ESRI\ESRIDATA

• In the Editor Toolbar, Ensure Task = Create New Feature & Target = name_clip  >
• Draw Tool > click around features to create a  polygon parameter (2 clicks to close polygon)
• Use Selection Tool and Delete Key to remove errors
• Editor > Stop Editing --------> Save Edits "yes"

Edit / Resize / Reshape Polygon

Selection Menu > Set Selectable Layer > Clear all > select layer_name you want to edit

Start Editor > Task = Modify Feature > Click on polygon  with selection tool > Click and Drag Vertex > Stop Editing -----> save edits "yes"

(For clipping to take affect after an edit you will have to cycle through Clip to Shape sequence after saving edits.

Image from a Coltons Atlas - 1868
Cartographer - Joseph Hutchins Colton (American, 1800-1893)

 

Artist ? - Carl Emil Doepler (German, 1824-1905)

 

Harrison's H4

Minnesota Map - 1874