copyright © 2006 by maribeth h. price 2-1 chapter 2 working with arcmap

Copyright © 2006 by Maribeth H. Price

2-1

Chapter 2

Working with ArcMap


2-2

Outline

• The ArcMap interface

• Simple operations in ArcMap

• Modifying symbols

• Scaling and units

• Labeling maps and features


2-3

Table of Contents

Menu bar

Toolbars

Map scale

Map units display

Layer


2-4

What is a layer?

• Spatial data file• Associated

properties• Held in memory

in ArcMap• Used as inputs

to functions/tools• May be saved as

a file


2-5

Same shapefile

Different symbols

Layers for display

C:\workshop\mgisdata\sturgis\stands2.shp

Two layers, one shapefile


2-6

Layers for copying symbols

Store symbols, labels, and display settings for single or groups of feature classes and open them in new map documents quickly.

One-click…

--layer file


2-7

Layers based on selections

Still based on one original file shared by both layers

Shows only a selected subset in the map and in the table

Use as input for a tool, e.g. buffer only the aspen stands

[cover_type] = ‘Aspen’


2-8

Data frames

Active frame

View Mode

Layer

Data frame

Data frame

Data frames

Boxes containing layers to be viewed and analyzed together


2-9

Data frame propertiesRight-click to open properties


2-10

Adding data to framesConnect to Folder


2-11

The map document•Stores collections of data for repeated viewing and analysis

•Contains one or more data frames

•Stores current properties for each layer (symbols, etc)

•Stores a page layout for printing

•Stores references to files--not the actual data

C:\mgisdata\usa\states.shp


2-12

Map docs and data files

• Same data can be used by many map documents

• Edits made in one document appear in ALL

• Shipping map document without its data is useless

• Changing locations of document or data can cause problems

Files on disk

Points to data


2-13

Causes of broken data links

• Some causes – Data were moved or deleted– Drive not available– Map document copied to

different computer– Data not sent with map

Broken data links occur when a map document cannot find data using the stored pathname

C:\mgisdata\usa\supersites.shp ??

D:\mgisdata\usa\supersites


2-14

Pathnames

Usa MapDocuments

mgisdata

C:\

--States--Cities--Counties

--ex_1.mxd--ex_2.mxd--ex_3.mxd

Absolute paths always start at the top of the data tree

C:\mgisdata\usa\states.shp

Relative paths start at the location of the map document

..\usa\states.shp .. Means go up one level

Broken data links occur when a map document cannot find data using the stored pathname

?


2-15

When to use…

• Absolute paths– Data placed on central

server for access by many

– Data will never be moved or rearranged

– You want to be able to transfer map docs without transferring data also

• Relative paths– When you plan to

keep data with its map documents and move them together as a set

– When you want to distribute maps/data to other organizations


2-16

Map window in Layout View

Data frames

Table of Contents

Active frame

Menu bar

Toolbars

Map scale

Map units display

View Mode


2-17

Data frames


2-18

Adding dataConnect to Folder


2-19

View Mode

Data view Layout view

Refresh


2-20

The table of contents

Draw Order

Place layers in data frames

Change draw order

Turn layers on/off

Change symbol properties

Display or Source mode

Access layer properties


2-21

Table of contents mode

Change draw order

Show folders and tables

Work with selections


2-22

Layer control

Right-click name


2-23

Layer Properties

Properties tabs


2-24

Left-click symbol

The Symbol Selector


2-25

Changing symbols


2-26

Grouping layers


2-27

Setting Map Tips

On layer properties Display tab

On layer properties Fields tab


2-28

Identifying features


2-29

Finding features


2-30

Map scale

• Ratio of distance on the map to distance on the ground

• Dimensionless: cm or inches or mm…

1 cm on map = 100,000 cm on ground


2-31

Talking about map scale

• A large denominator gives a small fraction a small scale map. It shows a large area.

• A small denominator gives a larger fraction a large scale map. It shows a small area.

1--------

50,000,000

1--------

500,000

1--------5,000


2-32

Digital vs original scale

• Once in GIS data may be displayed at any scale, BUT

• Original scale of the map does impact the precision and accuracy of the data.

Original scale1:10 million

Original scale1:100,000

You should not display or analyze data at scales very different from the original source data.


2-33

Units• The cursor position on the screen may be

read in several different types of units.• Map units are determined by the x-y

coordinates stored in the data file. – Usually they are in degrees, feet, or meters

• Display units can be set by the user, so that the coordinates may be viewed in any desired unit, such as miles.

• Page units show the location on the map page layout, usually in inches or cm.


2-34

Scale bar shows current scale as you zoom in/out

Set map units and display units in layer properties

Position bar shows current location of cursor

Display units Page units


2-35

Display scale

Visible range set less than or greater than a specific scale.

Helps avoid clutter.

1:260,425

1:325,582


2-36

Reference scaleReference scale sets the size of features relative to a specific scale.

When set, symbols change size after zoom

Reference scale not set Reference scale set

Reference scale


2-37

Don’t confuse these scale terms

• The map scale is the ratio of the map units to the ground units, e.g. 1:24,000. It changes when you zoom in or out.

• The display scale range controls whether a layer is visible only at certain scales.

• The reference scale determines whether symbols/text also change size when the map scale changes


2-38

Measuring Choose units

Get exact value for a feature

Measure lengths and areas


2-39

Labeling Options

• Simple labels– Placed by user individually

• Dynamic labels– Placed automatically for an entire layer

• Annotation– Created from dynamic labels– Stored permanently with feature class


2-40

Simple Labels


2-41

Multi-line labels


2-42

Dynamic Labels

• Turn on/off for entire layers• Redrawn each time the map view changes• Uses Autoplacement to ensure no

overlaps between labels• Unavoidable overlaps are discarded• Can specify classes with own symbols• Can specify placement priorities• May change between screen and printing


2-43

Label properties


2-44

Placement Options

polygons

pointslines


2-45

Point placement optionsChoose preferred locations

•Set up angled text

•Set treatment of duplicate labels


2-46

Polygon placement options


2-47

Line placement options

Lines


2-48

Conflict Detection

•Give different label classes different priorities

•Give different layers different priorities

•Set up white space buffer around labels


2-49

Scale range for labels


2-50

Choosing label styles


2-51

Using Label Classes

Example: Use different size text for different size towns


2-52

Creating label classes

1

5

4

32

Repeat for each class


2-53

The default label class

The default class is always present at first.

If you are not using it, then to avoid double labels, either delete the default class or uncheck the Label Features box.


2-54

Labeling toolbar

Set label priority Set label weight ranking


2-55

Label Manager

Fast control of labels for all layers


2-56

Viewing unplaced labels


2-57

Annotation

• Provides precise control of each label

• Can be stored three ways– As text in the map document– As a feature class in a geodatabase– As feature-linked annotation in a geodatabase

• If the feature gets deleted, so does the label• Must have ArcEditor or ArcInfo license


2-58

Creating annotation from dynamic labels

2. Place Overflow labels

1. Choose conversion options


2-59

Printing maps


2-60

Export as picture file


2-61

Using a template


2-62

Assigning frames

copyright © 2006 by maribeth h. price 2-1 chapter 2 working with arcmap

Documents

data filessame data

priceadding data

data treec

mapbroken data links

levelbroken data links

data alsorelative pathswhen

allshipping map document

map documentsedits