1. October 10, 2014

2. Goal
• Answer the question: “What is a GIS?”
• Learn Some of the basic terminology used
in GIS
• Become familiar with the general operation
and application of a GIS
• See some of the analyses performed in a
GIS

3. What is a GIS?
• A GIS is a computer
system capable of
assembling, sorting,
manipulating, analyzing
and displaying
geographically referenced
information
• GIS also includes
operating personnel and
data that go into the
system

4. GIS – Basic Concept
A Geographic Information System (GIS) links location
and attribute information and enables a person to
visualize patterns, relationships, and trends.
Map Where Things Are – find places, see
patterns
Map Quantities – find places that meet criteria
Map Densities – measure the # of features per
area
Find What’s Inside – monitor what’s
happening, take action
Find What’s Nearby – help find what’s going on
Map Change – anticipate future conditions,
make decisions

5. Some Ways GIS is Used
Emergency Services
• Fire and Police
Environmental
• Monitoring and Modeling
Business
• Site Location, Delivery Systems
Industry
• Transportation, Communication, Mining, Pipelines,
Healthcare
Government
• Local, State, Federal, Military
Education
• Research, Teaching Tool, Administration

6. Examples
Government
Utilities
Public Safety

7. ArcGIS Basics - Overview
• ArcCatalog
– Connecting to Folders
– Types of Data
• Raster and Vector
– Creating Shapefiles
• Points, Lines and
Polygons
– Coordinate Systems
• Geographic and
Projected
– Data Attributes
• ArcMap
– Navigating the User
Interface
• Windows and
Toolbars
– Adding Data
• Symbols and Labels
– Layout View
• Map Elements and
Exporting
– Saving Project Files

8. ArcCatalog
• An application that provides a catalog window to
organize and manage types of geographic data for
ArcGIS software.
• Types of data
– Geodatabases
– Raster files
– Layer files
– Map documents
– And much more

9. Interface
Content panel
Right-click
an item to
view short
cut menu
Catalog tree view

10. Connecting to Folders
Click here
Organize your GIS
data into workspace
folders
Folder connections
allow ArcGIS to
access that GIS data

11. Types of Data
1. Raster data: Continuous
surface- Elevation
2. Vector data:- discrete
objects (road, building..)
• Raster data
• “Pixels”
• A location and value
• Satellite images and aerial
photos are already in this
format
File types:
•.jpg2, .png, .tif, grid

12. Types of Data
• Vector
–“Features”
–Digital representations of
real world objects, areas,
boundaries, etc.
–Shapefiles and Coverages
Points
Polygons
Polylines (Lines)

13. Creating Shapefiles
Can be accessed in the
File tab or right clicking in
a folder in the contents
tab under the
Can be accessed in the
File tab or right clicking in
a folder in the contents
tab under the “New” tab

14. Creating Shapefiles
Name: the name of the
shapefile. Do not use
spaces when naming, use
underscores.
Feature Type: Assign the
shapefile as a point, line,
or polygon.
Spatial Reference: Input
the Coordinate System
the shapefile will be in
Name: the name of the
shapefile. Do not use
spaces when naming, use
underscores.
Feature Type: Assign the
shapefile as a point, line,
or polygon.
Spatial Reference: Input
the Coordinate System
the shapefile will be in
Name: the name of the
shapefile. Do not use
spaces when naming, use
underscores.
Feature Type: Assign the
shapefile as a point, line,
or polygon.
Spatial Reference: Input
the Coordinate System
the shapefile will be in

15. Coordinate Systems
• A Geographic coordinate
system is a method to
describe the position on the
earth’s surface in 3-D using
latitude and longitude.
• Latitude and longitude are the
measures of angles (in
degrees) from the center of
the earth.
• Longitude lines range from -
180 to +180°
• Latitude lines range from -90
to +90°
• World Geodetic System
(WGS 84) is the
standard system in use

16. Coordinate Systems
• A Projected coordinate
system is based on a 2-D
representation of a geographic
coordinate system.
• Has constant lengths, angles,
and areas across two
dimensions.
• Locations are identified by an
(x,y) coordinate on a grid.
• Advantages: Allows the
measurement of length and
areas within ArcMap
Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) divides the earth into sixty zones
We are in Zone 14

17. Data Attributes
• Right-clicking on an item
will bring up the shortcut
menu.
• Properties are accessed
here.
• Fields describe the
content and how the data
in it should be displayed.

18. Data Attribute Types
• Numbers
– Non-fractional values
• Short Integer
– -32,768 to 32,767
• Long Integer
– -2,147,483,648 to
2,147,483,647
– Fractional values
• Float
– Up to 6 digits
• Double
– Up to 15 digits
• Text
• Date
– mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss
• Choose the proper data
type to save space and
improve performance.

19. ArcMap
• Central Application used in ArcGIS.
• Used to display and explore GIS datasets for your
study area, assign symbols, and create map
layouts for printing or publication.
• ArcMap represents information as a collection of
layers and other elements in a map.
• Print maps, edit GIS datasets, and perform several
geoprocessing tools to automate work and perform
analysis.

20. Interface
Main Menu Standard toolbar
Table of
contents
Data view
Catalog WindowData view Layout view

21. Adding Data
Folder selection
(drop down menu)
One level
Up
Connect to Folder
Add data button
On click

22. Layers and Symbols
data frame.
“Layers” is the default name.
The list of the map layers shows
the drawing order, with the layers
on top overlapping the ones
below
The Symbols are graphic
elements used in the map display.
Markers used to display point
locations
Lines to display linear features
and boundaries
Fill symbols to fill polygons
Text symbols
The
Checkboxes
toggle the
display on
and off
The Symbols are graphic
elements used in the map display.
Markers used to display point
locations
Lines to display linear features
and boundaries
Fill symbols to fill polygons
Text symbols
The Symbols are graphic
elements used in the map display.
Markers used to display point
locations
Lines to display linear features
and boundaries
Fill symbols to fill polygons
Text symbols

23. Layout View
Map Elements
Title
The legend is
derived from the
layer properties.
Layout View Toolbox

24. Exporting your Map
Click on File and
choose Export
Map
Find the
appropriate
location
Choose save as
type (e.g. JPEG)
Choose output
resolution
Provide
appropriate
filename

25. Saving your map document
• Saving a map document
saves the way the data is
organized and represented
on the map.
• When transferring
computers or sharing, be
sure to also transfer the files
used in the map document.

27. Hands on exercise
• See Introduction_GIS>IntroToGIS>
Instructions (there are four different exercises)
• Follow the Instructions:
• Exercise 1 (20 min)
• Exercise 2 (20 min)
• Exercise 3 (40 min)
• Exercise 4 (25 min)