Introduction to ArcGIS

86 Pages·2016·4.54 MB·English

Introduction to ArcGIS

Using ESRI ArcView 10.3 and VT GIS Data

VCGI July
2016
Edits made in 2014, 2015, 2016 by Daniel Jarvis
[email protected]
802-461-6112
http://danjarvis.net/GIS/ArcGIS/

Edits made in 2013 by Leslie Pelch, VT Center for Geographic Information
58 South Main St. Suite 2
Waterbury, VT 05676
802-882-3002
Vcgi.vermont.gov

Original Draft (using ArcView 8.3): January 2004
Revised: February 2005, May 2005, January 2006, January 2008, January 2009, August 2009, May
2012, March 2013, June 2014, June 2015, January 2016

Exercise manual by: Anne Deely
Manual edits by: Brad Anderson, Shane Bradt, Anne Deely University of New Hampshire Cooperative
Extension Geospatial Technology Training and Resource Center Nesmith Hall
Durham, NH 03824

Acknowledgements:
We would like to thank the NH Space Grant Consortium and the NH Charitable Foundation for funding
the development of this workshop and accompanying manuals.

NOTE: These workshop materials are not intended as an endorsement of any product or organization.
Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1 Tour of ArcMap

Open ArcMap
Docking toolbars
Add Data
Explore the Table of Contents
Use the Tools Toolbar to Navigate Within Data View
Use the Identify Button

CHAPTER 2 Asking GIS Questions and Planning a Mapping Project

Types of GIS Questions
Scope
Audience
Medium
Data sources

CHAPTER 3 Acquiring Data

Add Data from ArcGIS Online
Explore VCGI’s Vermont GIS Data
Stream Data via VCGI’s Web Map Service (WMS)

CHAPTER 4 GPS Data

Import .GPX Data
Re-Project Data
Add X,Y Coordinate Data to ArcMap
Save X,Y Coordinate Data as a Point Shapefile

CHAPTER 5 ArcCatalog

Open ArcCatalog as a Stand-Alone Program
Open ArcCatalog within ArcMap
Dock the ArcCatalog Window
Add Data from ArcCatalog
Manage Data in ArcCatalog
Optional: View Datasets using Windows Explorer

CHAPTER 6 Attribute Tables

Use Select Features Tool
Set Selectable Layer(s)
Open and Dock an Attribute Table
Select Features in an Attribute Table
Select By Attributes
Select By Location
3
CHAPTER 7 Joining Tables

Open ArcMap
Join a Layer with a Table
Save Joined Tables as a New Shapefile

CHAPTER 8 Edit Data in ArcMap

Edit Features
Save Your Edits
Reshape an Existing Polygon
Digitize Abutting Polygons
Create a New Shapefile

CHAPTER 9 Symbolizing Data

Symbolize Using Unique Values
Change Line Symbology Symbolize
Using Graduated Color
Optional: Symbolize with Graduated Symbols

CHAPTER 10 Working with Labels

Add Graphic Labels
Use the Label Tool
Use Dynamic Labels
The Label Manager
The Maplex Label Engine
Convert to Annotation
Use a Label Expression
Save a Layer File

CHAPTER 11 Introduction to Geoprocessing: Dissolve and Buffer

Set up Map Document
Select By Attributes
Select By Location
Export to New Layer
Summarize Data by an Attribute
Dissolve Boundaries
Calculate Acreage
Buffer Polygons

4
CHAPTER 12 Introduction to Geoprocessing: Clip and Spatial Join

Set Up Your Map Document
Clip a Data Layer
Select by Location
Create an Attribute Flag
Write a Definition Query
Clip a Layer
Perform a Spatial Join
Evaluate Your Results

CHAPTER 13 Layout View

Explore Layout View
Add a North Arrow and Scale Bar to your Layout
Add a Legend to your Layout
Insert a New Data Frame
Copy Layers between Data Frames
Change the Active Data Frame Arrange
Data Frames in Layout View
Insert Text
Adjust Legend Text in the Table of Contents
Add an Extent Indicator to a Data Frame
Working with Legend Properties
Aligning Elements in a Layout
5
Tour of ArcMap
CHAPTER 1

1. Open ArcMap

a) Start ArcMap by double-clicking on the ArcMap icon on your desktop. If an icon is not
present, you can use the Start Menu instead. Usually, you will find ArcMap if you click on:
START BUTTON> PROGRAMS> ARCGIS> ARCMAP 10

b) When the Getting Started window pops up, click on New Maps under the “Open existing
map or make new map using a template” heading on the left.

c) Under My Templates, select Blank Map. Click OK at the bottom of the window to open a
blank map in ArcMap.

6
The ArcMap Graphical User Interface (GUI) will look something like what you see below. If it looks
slightly different, it’s because additional functionality (toolbars, etc.) may have been turned on or
enabled by a previous user. When ArcMap is closed, it “remembers” these settings and restores them
when it is reopened.

Explore the ArcMap Interface. As you hold the mouse pointer over a button without clicking it, a
description of its function will appear in a small box below it. Take a few minutes to try out this technique.
As you mouse over some of the icons and buttons, try to familiarize yourself with what each one does.
Some of the major “areas” of the ArcMap interface are labeled below.

7
2. Docking toolbars

Toolbars in ArcMap are sets of tools that perform similar types of functions. The Tools toolbar includes
tools for navigating around the map display and tools for performing basic query functions. All toolbars
can be moved around the ArcMap interface and can be “floating” windows or docked to the left, right, top
or bottom of the GUI. The position of toolbars can be manipulated by clicking on the “handle” on its far
left side and dragging it to a new location.

a) Try moving the Tools toolbar around the ArcMap window. You can even drag it to a location on
your desktop that’s completely off the ArcMap GUI, just try not to lose it!

b) After you have finished experimenting with new toolbar locations, move the Tools
toolbar back to its original position.

3. Add Data

Now that you are familiar with the ArcMap GUI, let’s explore some GIS data. In this step, you will add
data to your ArcMap document. An ArcMap document does not contain the data itself, but rather
includes layers that point to data sources. In this training course, you will be using the VCGI training
dataset, which has been loaded onto your training computer, and can also be acquired at
http://vcgi.vermont.gov, by clicking “Data and Imagery” on the left side of the screen, then “products”,
then the download icon to the right of “VCGI Training Data”

8
a) In ArcMap, click on the ADD DATA button.
b) Navigate to C:\INTROGIS\DATA\ BOUNDARY_TWNBNDS_POLY. Click ADD.
c) Click the ADD DATA button again, and then navigate to
C:\INTROGIS\DATA\TransRoad_RDSMAJ1_LINE. Click ADD.

d) Click the SAVE button and navigate to C:\INTROGIS\PROJECTS\

e) Save your map as Exercise1.mxd.

4. Explore the Table of Contents

The TABLE OF CONTENTS is the pane at the far left of your screen that lists the data layers that you
have added to your map document – in this case BOUNDARY_TWNBNDS_POLY and
TransRoad_RDSMAJ1_LINE. You will work within the TABLE OF CONTENTS anytime you are in ArcMap
– it is the place to go to access layer properties, attribute tables, and more. Right now you will just get
used to the way ArcMap draws data layers.

a) Note that TransRoad_RDSMAJ1_LINE is at the top of the TABLE OF CONTENTS, and
BOUNDARY_TWNBNDS_POLY is below it. ArcMap always draws layers from the bottom of
the TABLE OF CONTENTS up, so in this case towns are drawn first, and roads are drawn on top
of them. Click on the layer name BOUNDARY_TWNBNDS_POLY and drag it to the top of the
Table of Contents. What happens?
(You should see that the towns now cover up the roads, because they are drawn on top of
the roads layer.)

b) Return BOUNDARY_TWNBNDS_POLY to its original position below
TransRoad_RDSMAJ1_LINE.

c) Click the check box next to BOUNDARY_TWNBNDS_POLY on and off. Notice the effect this
has.

5. Use the Tools Toolbar to
Navigate Within Data
View

Let’s start exploring some GIS data. The
Tools Toolbar, usually located either
horizontally at the top of the screen or
vertically at the far left of the screen, has
eight tools to help navigate. It also has
several other tools to help you with basic
functions like selecting and identifying
features, measuring distance and area,
and finding XY coordinates on your map.
The most common tools are briefly
described on the picture to the right.

9
Take several minutes and try using each of the first 8 navigation tools on the TOOLS TOOLBAR to see how
each one works. If you get stuck or lose your place, you can always click on the Earth icon on the toolbar.
This is the FULL EXTENT tool. It will restore the map display to its full extent. We will get to some of the
other tools later.

a) You can explicitly set the display scale of your map by typing a value into the scale window on the
STANDARD TOOLBAR. Try typing in something like “1 inch = 1000ft.” You can also select from a
set of predefined scales. This set of scales can be customized to include a user defined scale.
Give it a try.

b) Use your mouse to Pan and Zoom. If your mouse has a scroll wheel, you can use it to zoom
in and out and to pan around the display area. Rotate the wheel forward to zoom out and
backwards to zoom in. Hold the wheel down and then move the mouse to pan around the
display area. This can be a real time saver!

Zoom Out

Hold down to pan

Zoom In

10