ArcGIS I Introduction To GIS

ArcGIS I: Introduction to GIS
Student Edition
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Course version 1.2. Version release date February 2013.
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Course introduction
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................i
Course goals ...........................................................................................................................................i
Additional resources ..............................................................................................................................ii
Installing the course data ......................................................................................................................ii
The ArcGIS system

Lesson introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1-1
The ArcGIS System............................................................................................................................. 1-2
Author--share--use.............................................................................................................................. 1-3
Getting to know the ArcGIS system ................................................................................................... 1-4
Components used in this course ........................................................................................................ 1-6
Lesson review ..................................................................................................................................... 1-7
The basics of GIS

What is GIS? ....................................................................................................................................... 2-2
The geographic approach .................................................................................................................. 2-4
What can you do with GIS? ................................................................................................................ 2-5
Think of ways to apply GIS ............................................................................................................... 2-10
Exercise 2: Create and share a map with ArcGIS Online.................................................................. 2-11
Sign in to ArcGIS Online ............................................................................................................ 2-12
Choose a basemap .................................................................................................................... 2-13
Add a data file to your map....................................................................................................... 2-15
Save and share your map........................................................................................................... 2-17
(Optional) Locate a user group related to your work or area of interest ................................... 2-19
Lesson review ................................................................................................................................... 2-21
Understanding GIS data

Turning geographic information into GIS data................................................................................... 3-2
GIS data models................................................................................................................................. 3-3
ArcMap and data models ................................................................................................................... 3-4
Which data model fits better? ............................................................................................................ 3-6
Working with tables............................................................................................................................ 3-8
Documenting your data ..................................................................................................................... 3-9
Exercise 3: Identify data types and examine metadata.................................................................... 3-11
Open ArcMap and set up a connection to the data .................................................................. 3-12
View data in a GIS...................................................................................................................... 3-15
Identify various file types ........................................................................................................... 3-15
View an item description ........................................................................................................... 3-17
Correct an error in an item's metadata ...................................................................................... 3-19
Preview a dataset's geography and table.................................................................................. 3-21
Add data to the map ................................................................................................................. 3-22

Lesson review ................................................................................................................................... 3-24
The importance of coordinate systems

What is location? ................................................................................................................................ 4-2
How spatial data stores location ........................................................................................................ 4-4
Geographic coordinate systems......................................................................................................... 4-5
Working with data in different geographic coordinate systems......................................................... 4-7
Projected coordinate systems ............................................................................................................ 4-9
Spatial properties and distortion...................................................................................................... 4-10
Understanding distortion ................................................................................................................. 4-12
Exercise 4: Work with coordinate systems ....................................................................................... 4-13
Identify the coordinate system for a dataset ............................................................................. 4-14
Identify the coordinate system for another dataset ................................................................... 4-17
Identify a dataset with a different coordinate system ................................................................ 4-19
Identify a dataset with an unknown coordinate system ............................................................. 4-25
Assign a coordinate system to a dataset without a spatial reference ........................................ 4-29
Change the coordinate system for a dataset............................................................................. 4-33
Three key concepts .......................................................................................................................... 4-37
Lesson review ................................................................................................................................... 4-38
Acquiring and selecting GIS data

Methods for obtaining GIS data......................................................................................................... 5-2
Accessing GIS data............................................................................................................................. 5-3
Considerations for choosing GIS data................................................................................................ 5-4
Evaluating GIS data ............................................................................................................................ 5-7
Exercise 5: Gather and evaluate GIS data.......................................................................................... 5-9
Consider the data you need ...................................................................................................... 5-10
Examine the data you have........................................................................................................ 5-10
Add data from ArcGIS Online.................................................................................................... 5-12
Add data from another organization ......................................................................................... 5-14
Transfer files from one geodatabase to another........................................................................ 5-18
Import shapefiles into the geodatabase .................................................................................... 5-21
Export select features from a file to a geodatabase .................................................................. 5-23
Lesson review ................................................................................................................................... 5-30
Using ArcGIS Online resources

What are GIS services and web maps? .............................................................................................. 6-2
What is a web mapping application? ................................................................................................. 6-4
What is a mobile application? ............................................................................................................ 6-5
Tools and data from ArcGIS Online.................................................................................................... 6-6
ii
Accessing content through ArcGIS Online......................................................................................... 6-7

Exercise 6: Explore maps, services, and data on ArcGIS Online........................................................ 6-9
Search ArcGIS Online for web content ...................................................................................... 6-10
Search ArcGIS Online for desktop content................................................................................ 6-20
Use a web mapping application template................................................................................. 6-23
Examine a web mapping application......................................................................................... 6-29
Lesson review ................................................................................................................................... 6-31
Interacting with a map in ArcGIS for Desktop

Symbology and visualization .............................................................................................................. 7-2
Finding, identifying, and selecting features ....................................................................................... 7-4
Asking questions and getting answers............................................................................................... 7-6
Getting information from a GIS map.................................................................................................. 7-7
Exercise 7: Explore a map using ArcMap ........................................................................................... 7-9
Navigate the map ...................................................................................................................... 7-10
Modify symbology ..................................................................................................................... 7-14
Identify features ......................................................................................................................... 7-17
Find features .............................................................................................................................. 7-21
Select features ........................................................................................................................... 7-24
Examine an attribute table......................................................................................................... 7-31
View data change over time ...................................................................................................... 7-32
Lesson review ................................................................................................................................... 7-34
Performing spatial analysis

The geographic approach - revisited ................................................................................................. 8-2
Questions you can answer with GIS ................................................................................................... 8-3
What is spatial analysis? ..................................................................................................................... 8-4
Common analysis tasks ...................................................................................................................... 8-6
Analyze crime data ............................................................................................................................. 8-9
Exercise 8: Analyze hurricane storm surge data ............................................................................... 8-11
Open ArcMap and examine the map document ....................................................................... 8-12
Extract features in your area of interest ..................................................................................... 8-12
Identify vulnerable facilities in Lee County ................................................................................ 8-17
Overlay the Cat3 layer with Lee County .................................................................................... 8-22
Identify hospitals close to the storm surge inundation polygon................................................ 8-27
Lesson review ................................................................................................................................... 8-33
Sharing results
The importance of sharing results ...................................................................................................... 9-2
Common ways to share results........................................................................................................... 9-3
iii
Exercise 9: Share hurricane analysis results ........................................................................................ 9-7

Export the map as a PDF ............................................................................................................. 9-8
Create a map package and upload it to ArcGIS Online ............................................................ 9-20
Create a web map...................................................................................................................... 9-25
Create a presentation ................................................................................................................ 9-34
(Optional) Remove the content you created.............................................................................. 9-37
Lesson review ................................................................................................................................... 9-39
Appendixes
Appendix A: Esri data license agreement ..........................................................................................A-1
Appendix B: Suitable projections....................................................................................................... B-1
Appendix C: Course roadmap ...........................................................................................................C-1
Appendix D: Answers to lesson review questions
Lesson 1: The ArcGIS system.......................................................................................................D-1
Lesson 2: The basics of GIS .........................................................................................................D-2
Lesson 3: Understanding GIS data ..............................................................................................D-3
Lesson 4: The importance of coordinate systems........................................................................D-4
Lesson 5: Acquiring and selecting GIS data ................................................................................D-5
Lesson 6: Using ArcGIS Online resources ....................................................................................D-6
Lesson 7: Interacting with a map in ArcGIS for Desktop .............................................................D-7
Lesson 8: Performing spatial analysis...........................................................................................D-8
Lesson 9: Sharing results..............................................................................................................D-9
iv
Introduction
For thousands of years, humans have created and used maps.
Prehistoric man painted maps to communicate danger in the
environment. Explorers studied maps to guide themselves through
unfamiliar territory. Rulers commissioned maps to document the
boundaries of their political empires and to plan for expansion.
Merchants used maps to determine the best trade routes. These static
maps were painted on cave walls, engraved into animal hides,
inscribed on clay tablets, or printed on paper; your ancestors used
them to make informed decisions about the critical choices that
determined their survival or demise.
Today, more and more people carry maps with them wherever they
go. Today's maps, however, are often digital. With that medium
comes GISa system that digitally integrates information about
where something is with information about what it is. ArcGIS is a
complete GIS system that harnesses the power of computer
technology to help you analyze increasingly complex problems,
model the implementation of potential solutions, and ultimately share
information and resolutions with others. GIS maps and data can be
accessed through GPS units, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and other
mobile devices from just about anywhere at any time. In the end, the
maps created and used today continue to be as important as they
ever wereor perhaps even more importantto sustaining the earth,
our environment, and ourselves.
This course introduces the fundamental concepts of GIS and the
major functionality contained in ArcGIS software and services.
Throughout the course, you will work with a variety of ArcGIS
components to gather and organize data, create and share maps, and
solve geographic problems with GIS.
Course goals
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
Create and share a GIS map.

Find and organize geographic data and other GIS resources.
Accurately display features on a GIS map and efficiently access
information about them.
Analyze a GIS map to identify where features that meet specific
criteria are located.
Share analysis results so they can be viewed using desktop
applications, websites, and mobile devices.
Additional resources
ArcGIS Resource Center - http://resources.arcgis.com
This site provides unified access to web-based help, online content,
and technical support.
Esri GIS Dictionary - www.esri.com/gisdictionary
This dictionary includes definitions for GIS terms related to geodata,
analysis, GIS modeling and web-based GIS, cartography, and Esri
software.
Installing the course data

Some exercises in this workbook require data. Depending on the
course format, the data is available on a DVD in the back of a printed
workbook or as a data download. To install the data, place the DVD in
your disc drive or double-click the data download and follow the
instructions in the installation wizard. The data will automatically be
installed in the C:\Student folder.
: Some courses use sample scripts or

applications that are supplied either on the DVD or on the
Internet. These samples are provided "AS IS," without
warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including
but not limited to, the implied warranties of
merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or
noninfringement. Esri shall not be liable for any damages
under any theory of law related to the licensee's use of
these samples, even if Esri is advised of the possibility of
such damage.
ii
Icons used in this workbook

Notes point out additional information, exceptions, or special
circumstances that apply to a particular topic or procedure.
Tips provide brief help for performing a task or clarifying concepts.
External resources provide optional, special-interest information

about course topics.
Best practices offer industry or professional guidelines, help set goals

or priorities, and save time.
Estimated times provide guidance on approximately how many

minutes an exercise will take to complete.
Warnings alert you to potential problems or to actions that should be

avoided.
iii
The ArcGIS system
The ArcGIS system

Introduction
Key terms
ArcGIS Explorer Online
ArcGIS for Desktop
ArcGIS for Mobile
ArcGIS for Server
ArcGIS Online
The ArcGIS System
People everywhere are familiar with maps and how to use them. Maps
and geography are a common languagecommunicating and
conveying large amounts of information in an organized,
understandable way. The way people access and use maps as
information has changed in recent times. More and more people use
the web and smartphones for a sophisticated range of activities in
which they apply advanced information. On the web, systems like
Google Maps have familiarized millions of people with how to work
with maps online. Maps are also a standard feature on smartphones
and tablets, and they have rapidly become a standard feature in cars.
The purpose of GIS is to create, share, and apply useful map-based
information products that add value to the work of your organization,
and to create and manage the necessary foundational geographic
information to power your maps. ArcGIS allows people to create their
own maps and geographic data and to access and use online GIS
maps, data, reports, and other informational products. These can be
accessed from a variety of organizational websites, smartphones and
mobile devices, and internal networks that are part of an
organization's computing network.
Topics covered
The ArcGIS System
Authorshareuse (The ArcGIS workflow)
Learning objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
Explain how the components of the ArcGIS system work

together.
1-1
LESSON 1
The ArcGIS System

ArcGIS is a comprehensive system that enables everyone to work with
and apply geographic information. The way in which most people
work with geographic information is through the power of mapsnot
just printed maps, but online interactive maps that provide insight
into your organization's information, analytical tools, and key tasks
and workflows that people in your organization use every day to work
more effectively. The ArcGIS System is available everywhere using
web browsers, mobile devices (such as smartphones), and desktop
computers.
Figure 1.1
As the world's leading
platform for building and
using geographic
information systems (GIS),
ArcGIS is used by people
all over the world to put
geographic knowledge to
work in government,
business, science,
education, and media.
1-2
The ArcGIS system
Author--share--use
With the ArcGIS System, you can author maps and create and
manage geographic information. You can share your maps and
geographic information with members of your organization, others in
your industry, or ArcGIS users throughout the world. You can also use
the ArcGIS System to access and use information that has been
authored and shared by others.
Figure 1.2
ArcGIS is a complete
system for authoring,
sharing, and using
geographic information.
1-3
LESSON 1
Getting to know the ArcGIS system

The ArcGIS System provides ways to connect traditional GIS
professionals to everyone else (and vice versa) by facilitating and
encouraging sharing and collaboration. It is a system that anyone can
use to work with maps and geographic information.
Figure 1.3
ArcGIS is a system that
runs everywhere.
ArcGIS is a system that runs everywhere: on professional desktops,

servers, the cloud, standard web browsers, smartphones, mobile
devices, and tablets. The way you choose to interact with the platform
is based on what you are trying to do.
1-4
The ArcGIS system
The ArcGIS System has a number of key components: ArcGIS for

Desktop, ArcGIS for Server, ArcGIS Online, and ArcGIS for Mobile.
These components allow ArcGIS to be accessed through a variety of
devices.
Table 1.1
This table lists short
summaries for each of the
major software
components in the ArcGIS
system.
Product
Description
ArcGIS
for
Desktop
Software used by GIS professionals to compile, use, and

manage geographic information.
ArcGIS
for
Server
Software used by GIS professionals to share resources

created using ArcGIS for Desktop via the web.
ArcGIS
Online
Website used by GIS professionals and anyone interested

in finding, using, sharing, and/or creating rich, interactive,
intelligent maps and data. (ArcGIS Explorer Online is part
of ArcGIS Online.)
ArcGIS
for
Mobile
Software used by anyone who wants to connect to and

work with ArcGIS using mobile devices, such as the
iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile Devices, etc.
Throughout this course, you will get hands-on exposure to many

components within the ArcGIS system and finish the course with a
solid introductory understanding of what GIS is and how the ArcGIS
system can be used to bring GIS to everyone.
1-5
LESSON 1
Components used in this course

The following table lists the ArcGIS system components you will use
as you progress through this course.
Table 1.2
You will be using ArcGIS
Lesson
for Desktop, ArcGIS

Online, and ArcGIS
Explorer Online. Note that
ArcGIS for Server and
The basics of GIS
ArcGIS Mobile are not

used in the exercises for
this course.
The importance of
coordinate systems
Acquiring and selecting
data
Using ArcGIS Online
resources
Interacting with a map in
ArcGIS for Desktop
Performing spatial
analysis
Sharing results
1-6
ArcGIS for
Desktop
ArcGIS
Online
ArcGIS
Explorer
Online
The ArcGIS system
Lesson review
1. ArcGIS is a comprehensive system that enables everyone to work with and apply
a. True
b. False
2. ArcGIS _______ is a website that can be used by anyone interested in finding, using, sharing,
and/or creating rich, interactive, intelligent maps.
3. Which ArcGIS system component is designed to allow GIS professionals to compile, use,
and manage geographic information?
a. ArcGIS for Desktop
b. ArcGIS for Server
c. ArcGIS Online
d. ArcGIS for Mobile
4. Which ArcGIS system component is designed to allow GIS professionals and anyone to
share resources created using ArcGIS for Desktop via the web?
b. ArcGIS for Mobile
c. ArcGIS Online
d. None of the above
5. Which ArcGIS system component is designed to be used by anyone who wants to connect
to and work with ArcGIS using devices such as the iPhone, Android, Windows
smartphones, tablets, etc?
c. ArcGIS for Server
d. ArcGIS Explorer Online
1-7
The basics of GIS
The basics of GIS

Introduction
Key terms
attribute
data
GIS
spatial
workflow
You may not realize it, but you benefit from the use of geographic
information systems (GIS) every day. Whether it's the regular delivery
of your morning newspaper, the synchronization of traffic lights on
your way to work, or the convenient location of your favorite
restaurant, GIS likely contributed to making these things a reality. All
over the world, organizations are using GIS to manage the
environment, work more efficiently, provide better customer service,
and save money.
Topics covered
What is GIS?
The geographic approach
What can you do with GIS?
Learning objectives
Explain what a GIS is.

Describe what a GIS can do and how it can be used.
Create, save, and share a map with ArcGIS Online.
2-1
LESSON 2
What is GIS?
GIS stands for Geographic Information System.
What is "geographic information"?

A GIS integrates spatial and attribute information, storing
information about where something is with information about what
something is. This integrated data is called geographic information.
Figure 2.1
A driver's license is an
example of a GIS
database because it stores
geographic information,
which is descriptive
information about an
object or phenomenon,
combined with
information about its
spatial location.
What are "systems"?

A working GIS integrates five key components involved in managing
and processing geographic information.
Figure 2.2
The five components of a
geographic information
system are hardware,
software, data, people,
and workflows.
Hardware
A GIS operates on a wide range of hardware typesfrom centralized
computer servers to desktop computers (used in stand-alone or
networked configurations) to handheld mobile devices like
smartphones.
2-2
The basics of GIS
Software
GIS software provides the functions and tools needed to store,
analyze, and display geographic information (including a database
management system); tools for the input and manipulation of
geographic data; and tools that support query, analysis, and
visualization of that data.
Data
A GIS is useless without data to map and analyze. A GIS will manage
and integrate geographic information with other data resources and
can even incorporate a database management system (DBMS) to
manage spatial data.
People
GIS technology is of limited value without the people who manage
the system and develop plans for applying it to real-world problems.
GIS users range from technical specialists who use it to design and
maintain the system to those who use it to help them perform their
everyday work.
Workflows
A successful GIS operates according to a well-designed plan and
business rules, which are the models and operating practices (i.e.,
workflows) unique to each organization.
2-3
LESSON 2
The geographic approach

Just as workflows are an important component of a GIS, it is
important to have a consistent workflow for using a GIS to answer
questions and solve problems. The geographic approach offers a new
way of thinking and problem solving that integrates geographic
information into how people understand and manage the world
around them.
Table 2.1
This table describes the
steps of the geographic
approach to solving
problems with GIS.
2-4
Step
Description
1. Ask a
geographic
question
Develop geographic questions that need to be

answered. These questions attempt to identify how an
object or phenomenon's spatial location affects its
involvement with other features or phenomenon.
2. Acquire
geographic
data
Obtain the geographic data you need to answer your

questions.
3. Examine
geographic
data
Create a map of your geographic area and symbolize

data to look for patterns or information that are not
always easy to see on a map.
4. Analyze
geographic
information
Determine a problem-solving approach and perform

GIS analysis.
5. Act on
geographic
knowledge
Develop your message and intended audience; create

visuals, such as maps, to communicate information.
The basics of GIS
What can you do with GIS?

Creating a map with a GIS allows you to visualize spatial information.
This often reveals relationships, patterns, and trends that provide you
with the information you need to make more effective and useful
decisions. The following are examples of the kinds of maps you can
create with GIS.
Map locations
Mapping locations lets you find places that have the features you are
looking for. It also enables you to see patterns in how features relate
to one another geographically.
Figure 2.3
This map shows the major
settlements, roads, rivers,
shorelines, and political
boundaries in the Gulf of
St. Lawrence region in
southeastern Canada.
Record ways you might use locational maps in your work.

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
2-5
LESSON 2
Map quantities
People often map quantities to find places that meet a particular
criterion.
Figure 2.4
This map identifies
counties in the
southwestern United
States where, in 2010,
there was a concentration
of people of retirement
age (i.e., over age 64).
Record ways you might use quantitative maps in your work.

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
2-6
The basics of GIS
Find what's inside

By mapping what is inside a specific area, you can monitor what is
happening, identify which features are most likely to be affected, and
take specific action, prioritizing your response.
Figure 2.5
This map shows which
parcels are inside of a
flood zone. Understanding
which parcels are at risk
can help people make
decisions about how to
mitigate that risk.
Record ways you might use maps showing which features are inside
an area or coincident with other features in your work.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
2-7
LESSON 2
Find what's nearby

GIS can help you find out what is occurring within a set distance of a
feature by mapping what is nearby.
Figure 2.6
This map shows
shipwrecks near coral reefs
along the southeastern
coast of Florida.
Record ways you might use maps showing which features are within a
specified distance of other features in your work.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
2-8
The basics of GIS
Map change
Mapping change in an area may allow you to anticipate future
conditions, identify contributing factors, decide on a course of action,
or evaluate the results of an action or policy.
Figure 2.7
This map shows Mount St.
Helens before and after
the 1980 eruption.
Record ways you might use maps that show changes over time in your
work.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
2-9
LESSON 2
Think of ways to apply GIS

Every object or phenomenon in the physical world can be associated
with a location, and anything that can be associated with a location
can be managed or examined through GIS. You can use GIS to:
Map where things are.

Determine where there are features that meet a certain criteria.
Find the closest feature or location where a particular
phenomenon exists.
Determine how an object or phenomenon has changed at a
particular location over time.
In groups of two or three, brainstorm specific ways that you could use
GIS to solve problems as a member of a particular role. Your instructor
will provide you with a role and industry on which to focus.
In the space below, record your thoughts on how someone in the role
to which you have been assigned would apply GIS to their work.
2-10
The basics of GIS
Exercise 2: Create and share a map with ArcGIS

Online
25 minutes
Each year, only a small percentage of people who are eligible to

donate blood actually give. As a result, no matter where you live,
there is rarely enough available blood to consistently meet demand.
The state of Florida is no exception.
In this exercise, you will create a web map that will allow prospective
donors throughout Florida to quickly locate blood banks in their
neighborhood.
Figure 2.8
Map of blood banks
throughout the state of
Florida.
In this exercise, you will:
Sign in to ArcGIS Online with an Esri global account.

Create a map using ArcGIS Online.
Save and share your map.
2-11
LESSON 2
Step 1: Sign in to ArcGIS Online

a
Open Internet Explorer and navigate to www.arcgis.com.

ArcGIS Online is a dynamic website. The graphics provided in this exercise are for
illustrative purposes and may differ from what you see on screen.
In the upper-right corner of the web page, click Sign In.
If you already have an Esri Global Account that you have registered with ArcGIS
Online:
Enter your user name and password.
Click Sign In.
If your ArcGIS Online account is registered with an organization, you may want to
create a separate account for this course.
If you already have an Esri Global Account, but you have not yet registered it with
ArcGIS Online:
Click Register your Esri Global Account.
Enter your user name and password, then click Register.
If prompted, accept the Terms of Use agreement.
To create an Esri Global Account:
Click Create an account.
Enter the necessary information, then click Review and Accept the Terms of Use.
In the pop-up window, review the Terms of Use, then click Accept.
Click Create My Account.
2-12
The basics of GIS
An Esri Global Account, which is free and does not expire, gives you access to the sharing and
storing capabilities of ArcGIS Online. Logging in to the website with a registered Esri Global
Account allows you to save, store, and share the content you create with ArcGIS Online.
When you see the Esri key symbol
your Esri Global Account to log in.
c
beside any Esri website login button, you may use
Once you sign in with a registered Esri Global Account, at the top of the web page, click MAP.
The ArcGIS Online map viewer opens a default map that includes a topographic basemap.
Step 2: Choose a basemap

A basemap serves as a starting point when creating a map with ArcGIS Online. Often, basemaps
depict background reference information, such as landforms, roads, landmarks, and political
boundaries, onto which other geographic information is placed.
2-13
LESSON 2
Click Basemap.
A menu of basemaps opens.

b
Select one of the basemaps that shows streets and roads.
In the upper-right corner of the page, in the Find address or place search box, type Florida
US.
Click the Find Location button
The map zooms to the state of Florida in the United States.
2-14
The basics of GIS
If necessary, close the Location pop-up box that opens.
Your map is now centered on the state of Florida. Next, you will add a file of blood bank locations
throughout the state.
Step 3: Add a data file to your map

In this step, you will upload a file from your computer.
a
In the upper-left corner, click the drop-down arrow next to Add, then choose Add Layer from
File.
In the Add Layer from File dialog box, click Browse.
2-15
LESSON 2
Navigate to C:\Student\ARC1\OnlineFiles and choose FL_BloodBanks.txt, then click Open.
Make sure you choose the FL_BloodBanks.txt file, NOT the FL_BloodBanks.xml
file.
In the Add Layer from File dialog box, click Import Layer.
If a Location window displays, click the X in the upper right corner to close it.
Your map now displays the blood banks throughout the state of Florida.
2-16
The basics of GIS
Click one of the blood banks.
The attribute information associated with that particular blood bank opens in a separate window.
Step 4: Save and share your map

a
Just above the map display, click Save, then choose Save from the drop-down list.
2-17
LESSON 2
In the Save Map dialog box:
For Title, type Florida Blood Banks.

For Tags, type Florida, blood bank.
Tags are words or short phrases that describe your map. Tags are separated with
commas. "Federal land" is considered one tag, while "Federal, land" is
considered two tags. It is useful to enter tags related to how you would expect
people to search for your map.
For Summary, enter a summary description that describes the map.

For Save in folder, choose the account or subfolder within the account in which you want
to save the map.
Click Save Map.
Now you will share your map.

d
2-18
Just above the map display, click Share.
The basics of GIS
In the Share dialog box, select the check box for Everyone (public).
If your personal Esri Global Account is associated with a group or organization on ArcGIS
Online, you will see additional options listed here.
This dialog box also provides a link you can use to share this web map with anyone via e-mail,
instant message (IM), Facebook, or Twitter. You could also use this link to embed the map in a
website or create a web application. You will learn how to make a web application later in this
course.
If the link to this map is empty, close the Share dialog box, resave your map, and then
reopen the Share dialog box.
f
Close the Share dialog box.
Step 5: (Optional) Locate a user group related to your work or area of

interest
a
In the upper-right corner of the ArcGIS map viewer window, click the My Content drop-down
arrow and choose Groups.
If you are a member of any groups or organizations, they will be listed here.
b
To search for groups related to your area of interest, click in the Search for groups box in the
upper-right corner of the web page.
2-19
LESSON 2
Type a keyword or combination of keywords related to your industry or area of interest, then
click the Find button
.
Browse through the list and click a group that interests you.
Often, only members of groups will be able to see the items listed by group members.
e
To request membership, in the upper-right corner of the window, click Join This Group.
Once you are finished browsing user groups, click Sign Out in the upper-right corner and close
Internet Explorer.
2-20
The basics of GIS
Lesson review
1. Based on your current understanding, how would you define GIS?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. During this lesson, five basic reasons to use GIS were discussed. Which of those five best
matches how you will be using GIS? Provide an example to support your selection.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2-21

Introduction
Key terms
attribute table
data frame
data model
feature class
geodatabase
layer
Before you can work with data in a GIS, the data must be in a digital
format. To represent real-world features digitally, you use a data
model. The data model defines the process used to create abstract
representations of real-world features into a format that the computer
can understand.
In the GIS world, there are two main data models used to represent
features. In this lesson, you will explore these two data models and
some common geographic data formats that are based on each
model. You will also examine how non-spatial tables can be identified
and used in a GIS.
map document
metadata
raster data model
shapefile
Topics covered
GIS data models
Spatial versus non-spatial tables
Using metadata
stand-alone table
vector data model
Learning objectives
Describe different types of GIS data and their uses.

Integrate different types of GIS data.
Access metadata and item descriptions.
3-1
LESSON 3
Turning geographic information into GIS data

How does geographic information become GIS data?
Figure 3.1
Geographic information
becomes GIS data when it
is stored in a database.
Geographic information is defined as spatial information combined

with attribute information. GIS data is the representation of
geographic information as digital files in a GIS database. It is this
digital data that can be mapped with a GIS.
Data is generally gathered by observing and recording information
through a variety of devices, methods, and behaviors. As you record
information available in the real world, you process, organize, and
synthesize it as a collection of digital files in a GIS database. Mapping
this data may provide you with new information and possibly new
data.
3-2
GIS data models

In the GIS world, there are two main data models used to represent
real-world features: the vector data model and the raster data
model.
The vector data model represents discrete objects on the surface of
the earthsuch as streetlights, roads, and buildingsas point, line,
and polygon features. Discrete objects are those that have
well-defined boundaries. A raster data model represents the surface
of the earth as a grid of equally sized cells. An individual cell
represents a portion of the earth, such as a square meter or a square
mile. The raster data model is often used to represent continuous
phenomenon (i.e., without discrete boundaries).
Figure 3.2
The vector data model
represents real-world
features as points, lines,
and polygons while the
raster data model
represents them as cells of
the same value. Notice
that the shapes of the
raster building, road, and
streetlight do not seem as
similar to the real-world
shapes as the vector
renditions do.
3-3
LESSON 3
ArcMap and data models

ArcMap is the ArcGIS for Desktop application designed for querying,
analyzing, editing, and mapping your raster or vector data.
In ArcMap, you work in a map document, adding data (i.e., layers) to
data frames. A map document has one or more data frames, and
each data frame represents a separate map. Data frames and the data
they contain are listed in the table of contents.
Figure 3.3
The Table Of Contents
window displays data in
your map organized by
data frame. In this
example, the data frame
contains three vector
layers and a single raster
dataset.
A vector dataset models real-world features as points, lines, and

polygons. The most common types of vector datasets are shapefiles
and feature classes. These types of datasets store the location,
shape, and attributes of geographic features with the same geometry
type (such as point, line, or polygon), and the same spatial reference.
In addition to the geometry, a vector dataset also has an associated
attribute table that stores information describing the real-world
features being modeled. The information contained inside an
attribute table is called attributes. Each point, line, or polygon feature
has attributes associated with it. Features from the same dataset share
the same types of attributes. For example, a vector dataset mapping
street centerlines might have attributes describing the street's name
and how many lanes a street has, as well as the speed limit.
Opening a vector dataset's attribute table allows you to view the
attributes associated with the points, lines, or polygons in that
dataset. Each row in the table represents a single feature in the map.
3-4
Vector attribute tables have ID and Shape fields by default. The ID

field can be a field named OBJECTID, FID, or OID. This field stores a
unique, system-defined object identifier for each row in the table. The
Shape field stores the geometry, or vector data type.
Figure 3.4
Other than the ID and
Shape fields, all of the
fields in a vector attribute
table are specific to the
dataset.
A raster dataset is represented by a grid of equally sized cells with

numeric values. Cell values may represent codes or qualitative
measures for features in the real world (for example, land-use,
vegetation, or soil type), or they may represent quantitative measures
of a continuous phenomenon (such as temperature, precipitation, soil
pH, or elevation).
Raster datasets do not always have attribute tables. Those that do
typically have cell values that represent or define a class, group,
category, or membership. These attribute tables simply list the cell
values (i.e., codes) present in the dataset and how many cells share
each value.
Figure 3.5
A raster value attribute
table often contains only
three fields: OBJECTID,
Value, and Count. The
Value field lists the values
present in the data, while
Count represents the total
number of cells with that
value.
3-5
LESSON 3
Which data model fits better?

Both the vector and raster data models are useful for representing
geographic data, but one may be more appropriate than the other
when it comes to representing a particular type of geographic data. In
general, the vector data model is useful for representing features that
have discrete boundaries, while the raster data model is most useful
for representing continuous geographic dataphenomena such as
elevation, precipitation, and temperaturethat do not have
well-defined boundaries and that usually change gradually across a
given area.
Which data model, vector or raster, is more appropriate for each of
the following? If vector, would it be a point, line, or polygon layer?
Explain your answers.
1. Rainfall
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
2. Trees
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
3. Office space
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
4. Animal migration paths
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
3-6
5. Police beats
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
6. Fire departments
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
7. Soil pH
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
8. Museums
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
9. Lightning strikes
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
10. Air quality
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
3-7
LESSON 3
Working with tables

Each vector dataset has an attribute table, and each of these attribute
tables contains a Shape field that defines it as a spatial table. The
Shape field stores the geometric information for the points, lines, and
polygons. ArcMap uses the information contained in this field to draw
the features on your map.
Stand-alone tables, on the other hand, do not include a Shape field,
so they are considered non-spatial tables. These tables are just as
important and useful as spatial tables. For example, these
stand-alone, non-spatial tables, may contain locational attributes,
such as latitude/longitude (XY) coordinates or address data.
Non-spatial tables that contain locational attributes in the form of XY
coordinates can be quickly processed so that the information is
plotted and drawn on your map. This will create a temporary event
layer from which you can create a shapefile or feature class.
Figure 3.6
Stand-alone tables may
contain spatial data. This
data can be processed to
allow ArcMap to plot the
points on a map.
ArcGIS 10.1 Help Library:
Tabular data sources
3-8
Stand-alone tables may also contain additional attribute information

for features stored in a separate feature class. Working with these
types of stand-alone tables is outside the scope of this class.
Documenting your data

Why is it necessary to document your data?
Information that describes data in ArcGIS is called metadata.

Metadata helps you better understand a dataset by providing you
with information about what the file and its attribute fields represents,
its origin and intended use, as well as how accurate and recent it is. It
can help you identify the source of the data and make decisions
about its suitability for a particular scenario.
3-9
30 minutes
Exercise 3: Identify data types and examine

metadata
Geographic information can be stored in a wide variety of file types.
These files may be organized in a folder or in a geodatabase. A
geodatabase is a data storage format introduced by Esri for ArcGIS
software. It serves as a specialized container for storing geographic
data, which may include a collection of vector feature classes, raster
datasets, and tables. Understanding how data is stored and
organized, as well as how to identify and get information about your
data by accessing metadata, will help you learn to recognize GIS data
when you see it.
Connect to a database.
Browse through data.
Identify various file types.
View a dataset's item description/metadata.
Correct an error in an item's metadata.
Preview a dataset's geography and table.
Add data to a map.
3-11
LESSON 3
Step 1: Open ArcMap and set up a connection to the data

In the taskbar at the bottom of your computer screen, click the ArcMap icon
(Alternatively, you can click the Windows Start button and navigate to the application, or, in
the Search programs and files field, type ArcMap, then press Enter on your keyboard.)
The ArcMap application opens.
You will use ArcMap to browse various datasets and become more familiar with how GIS data is
stored and organized.
3-12
On the Standard toolbar, click the Catalog window button
The Catalog window opens.

If you look at the top-right corner of the Catalog window, you will see a pushpin. You can
click the pushpin to change its position. When the pushpin points down
, the Catalog
window is set to remain visible. When the pushpin points to the left
, the Catalog
window collapses to a tab on the right side of the ArcMap application window.
c
To keep the Catalog window open, click the Auto-hide pushpin until it points down.
When you work with ArcGIS, you work with a catalog of data. ArcMap's Catalog window is a
resizable, dockable window that allows you to browse your data, drag data into your map,
manage data, and create data. The Catalog window provides a tree view of file folders and
geodatabases.
Before you can browse data, you need to create a folder connection to it.
An initial task in using the Catalog window is to establish a series of connections to

the workspace folders whose content you plan to work with in ArcGIS.
3-13
LESSON 3
At the top of the Catalog window, click the Connect To Folder button
could right-click Folder Connections and choose Connect To Folder.)
In the Connect To Folder dialog box, click Computer, then click Local Disk (C:).
Scroll down and click Student, then click ARC1.
Click OK.
If necessary, in the Catalog window, expand Folder Connections to view the C:\Student\ARC1
folder.
Expand C:\Student\ARC1.
3-14
. (Alternatively, you
Step 2: View data in a GIS

Within the C:\Student\ARC1 folder, you see a Florida folder, an OnlineFiles folder, a Results
folder, and a WilsonNC folder. The Florida folder contains data for the state of Florida. The
WilsonNC folder contains data for the city of Wilson, North Carolina. (It is common to organize
data based on spatial location.) The OnlineFiles folder and the Results folders contain backup files
for data you create and/or upload to ArcGIS Online.
It's a good idea to organize GIS contents into a set of commonly used workspace
folders. These are file folders on disk used to organize your GIS projects. They can
contain map documents, layers, geodatabases, raster datasets, tables, and so on.
Expand the Florida and WilsonNC folders.

1. How many geodatabases are there? (Hint: Look for the geodatabase icon
.)
______________________________________________________________________________
Step 3: Identify various file types

a
Expand the FloridaData.gdb and Wilson.gdb.
Examine the various files inside and outside of these geodatabases.
3-15
LESSON 3
2. Based on the information in the following table, how many feature classes of each type are in
the two geodatabases combined?
Gray-blue icons
Data type
How many are there?
Point feature class
__
Line feature class
__
Polygon feature class
__
Mosaic dataset*
__
Geodatabase table
__
*A mosaic dataset is a data model within the geodatabase used to manage a collection of raster datasets
(images) stored as a catalog and viewed as a mosaicked image.
Collapse the geodatabases and examine the rest of the data in the Florida and WilsonNC
folders.
3. Based on the information in the following table, how many of each file type are in the Florida
and WilsonNC folders combined (but outside the geodatabase)?
Yellow-green icons
Data type
Point shapefile
__
Line shapefile
__
Polygon shapefile
__
Non-geodatabase raster
__
Non-geodatabase table*
__
Layer file
__
*TXT files are also considered non-geodatabase tables.
3-16
How many are there?
Step 4: View an item description

The item description is one view of an item's metadata.
a
Expand FloridaData.gdb, right-click the FL_CEMMGT feature class, and choose Item
Description.
The item description opens in a separate window with the Description tab selected. At the top of
the Item Description window, you see the name of the data file and the type of file it is. You also
see a thumbnail (i.e., small graphic) of the dataset that shows you what the item's geometry will
look like when added to a map. Below the thumbnail are various fields, such as Summary and
Description, that help identify what the features in the file represent.
b
Read through the metadata available in the item description, and answer the following
questions.
3-17
LESSON 3
4. Which type of file is this?

______________________________________________________________________________
5. What does this dataset represent?
______________________________________________________________________________
6. Which organization originally created this data? (Hint: Look at the Credits field.)
______________________________________________________________________________
Metadata can be stored in a variety of formats. For example, many organizations use the FGDC
CSDGM XML format. This particular file has FGDC-format metadata content associated with it.
c
Click the FGDC Metadata (read-only) heading at the bottom of the page to see this
information.
Under Entities and Attributes, you see a list of the attribute fields associated with this dataset
along with the description of what each represents.
7. What does the FIPS attribute field represent?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
In a later lesson, you will learn more about how to use metadata like this to determine whether
the data you have is, in fact, the data you need.
3-18
Step 5: Correct an error in an item's metadata

a
Near the top of the Item Description window, with the Description tab selected, click Edit.
The Description tab changes to allow you to edit the content listed in the item description.
b
If necessary, in the list on the left, under Overview, click Item Description.
On the right side of the dialog box, scroll down until you find the Summary field.
3-19
LESSON 3
In the Summary field, change the last two words in the summary to read flood inundation
rather than "food inundation."
Click Save, but leave the Item Description window open.
3-20
Step 6: Preview a dataset's geography and table

a
At the top of the Item Description window, click the Preview tab.
The Preview tab defaults to Geography, which allows you to see what the features will look like
when displayed on a map.
3-21
LESSON 3
For Preview, click the drop-down arrow next to Geography and choose Table.
Previewing the table for a dataset allows you to view the attribute table without having to add the
data to the map or open the attribute table.
8. Is this a spatial table or a non-spatial table?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
c
Close the Item Description window when you are finished reviewing the metadata.
Step 7: Add data to the map

a
3-22
In the Catalog window, if necessary, expand FloridaData.gdb.
Click the FL_CEMMGT feature class and drag it into the map display.
The data draws in the map, and the dataset name and symbol display as a layer in the table of
contents.
c
Notice that the features in the map display look just like the thumbnail graphic that was part of
the item description.
In the Table Of Contents window, right-click the FL_CEMMGT layer and choose Open
Attribute Table.
Notice that the fields you see in the attribute table are the same fields listed and described in the
metadata. If you weren't certain what a particular attribute field or attribute value represented,
you could look to the metadata to find out.
e
Close the Table window when you are finished reviewing the attribute table.
From the File menu, choose Exit.
When prompted to save the map, choose No.
3-23
LESSON 3
Lesson review
1. Vector data models real-world features as _______, ______, and _________.
2. The raster data model represents the surface of the earth as a grid of equally sized ______.
3. Both vector and raster data can be stored in a geodatabase.
a. True
b. False
4. You open a table and see that it has no Shape field. What does this indicate?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
5. Information that describes data in ArcGIS is called _________.
3-24
Answers to Lesson 3 questions

Which data model fits better? (page 3-6)
1. Rainfall
Raster. Rainfall data is continuous data. Every location of the surface of the earth has a
value for rainfall. There are no discrete boundaries for rainfall, so a raster would be a
more appropriate representation of this phenomenon.
2. Trees
Vector. Trees are discrete entities and would be better represented as either points
(for individual trees) or polygons (for stands, groves, or orchards).
3. Office space
Vector. Office space has discrete boundaries, so it would likely be represented as a
polygon.
4. Animal migration paths
Vector. Animal migration paths are discrete, so they would likely be represented as
lines.
5. Police beats
Vector. Police beats represent areas to which certain police officers are assigned when
patrolling. Because these are discrete areas, they would be polygons.
6. Fire departments
Vector. Depending on the scale of the map, fire departments would either be
represented as points (location only) or polygons (building footprints).
7. Soil pH
Raster. Soil pH is present everywhere there is soil. The range of values is broad, and
the boundaries are indistinct.
8. Museums
Vector. Depending on the scale of the map, museums would be represented by either
points (locations only) or polygons (building footprints).
3-25
LESSON 3
9. Lightning strikes
Vector. Lightning strikes are discrete events and would be represented by points.
10. Air quality
Raster. Air quality measurements are present everywhere. The range of values is
broad, and the boundaries are indistinct.
Exercise 3: Identify data types and examine metadata (page 3-11)

1. How many geodatabases are there? (Hint: Look for the geodatabase icon
.)
There are two geodatabases: one in the Florida folder and one in the WilsonNC
folder.
2. Based on the information in the following table, how many feature classes of each type are
in the two geodatabases combined?
Gray-blue icons
3-26
Data type
How many are there?
Point feature class
Line feature class
Polygon feature class
Mosaic dataset*
Geodatabase table
3. Based on the information in the following table, how many of each file type are in the
Florida and WilsonNC folders combined (but outside the geodatabase)?
Yellow-green icons
Data type
How many are there?
Point shapefile
Line shapefile
Polygon shapefile
Non-geodatabase raster
Non-geodatabase table*
Layer file
4. Which type of file is this?

This dataset is a file geodatabase feature class.
5. What does this dataset represent?
It represents coastal flooding areas in a statewide extent.
6. Which organization originally created this data? (Hint: Look at the Credits field.)
This data was originally compiled by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency).
7. What does the FIPS attribute field represent?
This is the standard five-digit State and County Federal Information Processing
Standard (FIPS) code from the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST).
The first two digits represent the state, while the last three digits represent the
county.
3-27
LESSON 3
8. Is this a spatial table or a non-spatial table?

This is a spatial table. It is the attribute table for a vector feature class, and it contains
a Shape field. This indicates that ArcMap knows how to draw the geometry associated
with the features in this dataset.
3-28
The importance of coordinate

systems
Introduction
Key terms
absolute location
coordinate system
geographic coordinate
system (GCS)
geographic
transformation
latitude
While a GIS represents reality, it is not reality. To be useful, a GIS map

must accurately represent feature locations. To determine the location
of features in the real world or on a map, you need a reference
systema standard framework for defining location.
In a GIS, the reference systems used to determine feature locations
are called coordinate systems. In this module, you will learn about
different coordinate systems, how they work, and how to change the
coordinate system for a dataset. By better understanding coordinate
systems, you will be able to manage your data in a way that increases
the accuracy of your GIS maps and the work you do with them.
longitude
project on the fly
projected coordinate
system (PCS)
relative location
Topics covered
Establishing location
Geographic coordinate systems
Projected coordinate systems
Spatial distortion
spatial distortion
Learning objectives
Describe the differences between geographic and projected

coordinate systems.
Evaluate the appropriateness of a particular coordinate system
for a project and area of interest.
Change the coordinate system for a dataset.
4-1
LESSON 4
What is location?
When someone asks you where you are, how do you answer
the question?
Relative location
When most people think of location, they think in terms of relating
that location to other known locations or landmarks (e.g., one block
south of the post office). Relative locations are understandable
because they are relative to known locations. They use known
landmarks, streets, or cities to give people context, but they are
generally informal and non-standard.
Absolute location
Absolute location represents the definitive location of a place. When
defined by absolute location, places are often described with latitude
and longitude values, which are useful for navigation systems and
map making.
4-2
Figure 4.1
Examples of relative and
absolute locations for
Redlands, California.
1. Which of the locations listed in the previous graphic are considered

relative locations?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
2. Which of the locations listed in the previous graphic are considered
absolute locations?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
4-3
LESSON 4
How spatial data stores location

While people often use relative locations when describing a location,
ArcMap uses absolute locations to identify a feature's location on the
surface of the earth. In a GIS, the absolute location for any vector
feature is stored as pairs of coordinate values.
Figure 4.2
This simplified example of
a coordinate system
demonstrates how every
point has a single pair of
coordinate values, while
lines and polygons have a
pair for each vertex that
defines their shapes.
The coordinate values are stored as numeric values that relate to an

overall reference system on which they are based. Each pair of values
is valid for that location only in that reference system.
Figure 4.3
The coordinate values for
a feature depend on
where the points that
make it up are in relation
to the origin and on the
units that apply to its
coordinate system.
4-4
Geographic coordinate systems

The pairs of coordinate values that identify a feature on a map are
relative to its geographic coordinate system (GCS)a coordinate
system that uses a three-dimensional spherical model to identify
points or areas on the surface of the earth.
A GCS plots data in latitude and longitude with units in decimal
degrees or in degrees, minutes, seconds.
Figure 4.4
In a geographic
coordinate system,
measurements are usually
expressed in degrees,
minutes, and seconds. A
degree is 1/360th of a
circle. Each degree can be
divided into 60 minutes,
and each minute can be
divided into 60 seconds.
The components of a geographic coordinate system

An angular unit of measure: usually decimal degrees, but may
also be degrees, minutes, seconds.
A prime meridian: the zero value for longitude. (It isn't necessary
to define a zero value for latitude, since this is always the
equator.)
A spheroid: the mathematical model that estimates the size and
shape of the Earth.
A datum: the collection of known control points that is used to
define the latitude/longitude framework applied to the
spheroid.
4-5
LESSON 4
The details of a GCS vary, in part, according to control points defined,

so data in different GCSs won't necessarily coincide spatially at every
latitude-longitude value.
Figure 4.5
Datasets that are based on
different geographic
coordinate systems may
not line up properly. In
this example, the streets
and lots don't align
because they are based
on different geographic
coordinate systems, or
more specifically, different
datums.
Any spatial data you add to ArcGIS is associated with a particular

GCS, distinguished by its unique set of componentsespecially by its
datum.
The most commonly used datums in North America are:
North American Datum 1927 (NAD 1927)

North American Datum 1983 (NAD 1983)
World Geodetic Survey 1984 (WGS 1984)
4-6
Working with data in different geographic

coordinate systems
When you work with spatial data in ArcMap, you add datasets as
layers to a data frame. Every geographic dataset you add has a GCS
associated with it, describing the data's latitude-longitude
coordinates.
As you add data to a data frame, ArcMap will attempt to align the
data for you. If the data is in a different GCS than data already present
in the map, you will be prompted to select the appropriate
geographic transformation, which is the systematic conversion
method ArcMap should use to properly convert the coordinates from
one GCS to the other.
When prompted with a Geographic Coordinate Systems

Warning, it is important to properly address it. Failing to do so
will cause alignment issues with your data.
Figure 4.6
Without the appropriate
geographic transformation
applied, the fire hydrants
do not align with the lots.
4-7
LESSON 4
Choosing an appropriate geographic transformation
ArcMap will only choose a

transformation for you
when the transformation is
between NAD 1927 and
NAD 1983. In that case,
ArcMap will default to
NADCON, which is still
incorrect if the data is in
Canada, Alaska, Puerto
Rico, or the Virgin Islands.
4-8
1. Navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.1\

Documentation and open the geographic_transformations.pdf.
2. Scroll through the list of available transformations until you find
the one that includes the GCSs that you need to transform
between.
3. Determine which of the available transformations is most
suitable based on its specified area of use.
4. Return to the dialog box and choose the appropriate
transformation.
Projected coordinate systems

While you can represent the earth and its surface features fairly easily
using a globe, a globe is not a practical solution for most applications.
For example, unless your globe is very large, it will lack detail and
accuracy. In addition, you can only see half of the earth's surface at
one time using a globe, you cannot fold a globe or roll it up and take
it with you, and you cannot use a globe to represent geographic
features on your flat computer screen.
Figure 4.7
To convert feature
locations from the
spherical earth to a flat
map, the latitude and
longitude coordinates
from a geographic
coordinate system must
be converted, or
projected, to planar
coordinates.
A projected coordinate system (PCS) is a coordinate system for

identifying locations and measuring features on a flat (map) surface
and in linear units. It consists of lines that intersect at right angles,
forming a grid. PCSs have an origin, an x and a y axis, and a unit for
measuring distance.
The components of a projected coordinate system
Any projected data that

you add to ArcMap, or
that you project within
ArcMap, is associated with
a PCS in addition to its
A GCS: serves as the starting point for transforming the

coordinates to a 2-D surface.
A linear unit of measure: represents units on a planar surface
and is usually meters or feet.
A projection: the mathematical transformation used to convert
from geographic coordinates to planar (projected) coordinates.
underlying GCS.
4-9
LESSON 4
Spatial properties and distortion

The world is more or less round. You can't make a flat picture of it
without changing some of its proportions. You have to make some
things broader or narrower than they really are, or bigger or smaller,
or nearer to some other things or farther away, or lying in a somewhat
different direction. This is the single most profound fact about
projected coordinate systemsthey distort the world.
The general term for these changes is spatial distortion. Every map
has some. In a map of a small area, distortion may be negligible; in a
map of a large area, it will be significant.
The four spatial properties subject to distortion in a projected
coordinate system are:
If a map preserves two

spatial properties, one of
them is always true
direction.
Figure 4.8
North America shown with
three different projections:
Plate Carree (top left),
Mercator (bottom left),
and North America
Lambert Azimuthal Equal
Area (right).
4-10
Shape
Area
Distance
Direction
Some maps preserve one property, and some preserve two, but none
preserves more than two. Some maps don't preserve any properties
perfectly, but compromise a little bit on all of them. No map can
preserve all fouronly a globe can do that.
See Appendix B for a list

of suitable projections for
world maps, single
hemispheres, and
countries, cities, or smaller
Choosing a map projection means choosing your distortion.

Sometimes you stay faithful to one spatial property and betray
another; sometimes you betray all properties a little, but none of
them excessively.
Projections are often organized by type, based on the property they
preserve. The following table lists common types of projections.
areas.
Table 4.1
Common types of
projections and the
properties they preserve.
Type of
projection
Property it preserves
Conformal
Shape, but not area
Equal Area
Area, but not shape
Equidistant
Distance from one or two points to every other point
Azimuthal
Direction from one or two points to every other

point
Gnomonic
Shortest route (distance and direction), but cannot

preserve area
Compromise
None, but minimally distorts all four
4-11
LESSON 4
Understanding distortion
A new data frame adopts the spatial reference of the first layer you
add to it, but you can also change it manually. When you do this with
data that is in a projected coordinate system, all the data in the data
frame (and any new data you add to it) is projected on the fly to
match the new projection. No matter which projection your data is in,
at least two of the spatial properties in your map will be distorted. As
the projection changes, the distortion in your map will change.
As your instructor demonstrates how various map projections distort
the spatial property of distance, record the different lengths of the
transatlantic telegraph cable in the following table. The actual
distance has been provided for you.
Table 4.2
Record the distance as
Actual transatlantic cable distance
measured with each of the

projections applied.
1686 nautical
miles
Distance with Mercator projection applied

Distance with Robinson projection applied
Distance with Equidistant Conic projection applied
Distance with Lambert Azimuthal Equal Area
projection applied
The most important part of choosing a map projection for a particular

project or area of interest is simply awareness. You know that every
dataset has a GCS and that some datasets also have a PCS. You also
know that every projection distorts at least two of the four spatial
properties represented in a map. To choose an appropriate projection
or to evaluate the current projection for your project requires an
understanding of the properties that are important to your project.
4-12
45 minutes
Exercise 4: Work with coordinate systems

Part of organizing and evaluating data involves making sure all the
datasets have defined coordinate systems and occasionally
transforming data by reprojecting it to match other datasets. Many
organizations require their data to be in a specific projection.
Identify the spatial reference information for various datasets.

Add data with different coordinate systems to a map document.
Observe how ArcMap projects data on the fly.
Define the projection for a dataset with a missing spatial
reference.
Change the coordinate system for a dataset.
4-13
LESSON 4
Step 1: Identify the coordinate system for a dataset

a
Start ArcMap.
If the Catalog window is not displayed, click the Catalog button
If necessary, click the Auto-Hide pushpin button

to keep the Catalog window open. (Hint:
The Catalog window pushpin will point down when it is set to remain open.)
In the Catalog window, under Folder Connections, expand C:\Student\ARC1.
Expand WilsonNC, then expand Wilson.gdb.
Right-click the Schools feature class and choose Properties.
In the Feature Class Properties dialog box, click the XY Coordinate System tab.
to open it.
1. What is the coordinate system for this data?

______________________________________________________________________________
4-14
2. Is this a geographic coordinate system or a projected coordinate system? How do you

know?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. If you answered that the coordinate system is a projected coordinate system, which
projection is associated with this PCS?
______________________________________________________________________________
4. Which property is preserved by this projection? (Hint: Look at the table on page 4-11.)
______________________________________________________________________________
h
Click Cancel to close the Properties dialog box.
In the Table Of Contents window, right-click the Layers data frame and choose Properties.
In the Data Frame Properties dialog box, click the Coordinate System tab.
5. What is the current coordinate system listed for the Layers data frame?
______________________________________________________________________________
For each new map document, the data frame will not have an associated coordinate system.
k
Click Cancel to close the Data Frame Properties dialog box.
On the Standard toolbar, click the Add Data button
4-15
LESSON 4
At the top of the dialog box, for Look in, click the drop-down arrow and navigate to C:\
Student\ARC1\WilsonNC\Wilson.gdb.
Click Schools, then click Add to add it to the map.
The Schools features draw on the map, and the Schools layer is added to the Table Of Contents
window.
o
In the Table Of Contents window, right-click the Layers data frame and choose Properties.
Click the Coordinate System tab.

6. What is the data frame's coordinate system?
______________________________________________________________________________
The data frame adopts the coordinate system from the first layer you add to it. Any additional
data you add to the data frame will then be projected on the fly to match the data frame's
projection.
q
4-16
Click Cancel to close the Data Frame Properties without making changes.
Step 2: Identify the coordinate system for another dataset

a
In the Catalog window, within the C:\Student\ARC1\WilsonNC folder, right-click

Wilson_Recareas.shp and choose Properties.
If necessary, click the XY Coordinate System tab.
7. What is the coordinate system for this dataset?

______________________________________________________________________________
8. Is this dataset in a geographic or projected coordinate system?
______________________________________________________________________________
9. How does this dataset's geographic coordinate system compare with the geographic
coordinate system assigned to the Schools feature class?
______________________________________________________________________________
4-17
LESSON 4
10. If you added the Wilson_Recareas shapefile to your map, would you expect it to align
correctly with the Schools layer?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
c
Click Cancel to close the Properties dialog box.
Student\ARC1\WilsonNC.
Click Wilson_Recareas.shp, then click Add to add it to the map.
Why do you think these two layers lined up even though they had different coordinate systems
assigned?
As long as the coordinate systems are defined, ArcMap can automatically project them to match.
This is called projecting on the fly.
4-18
Projecting on the fly does not change the dataset's spatial reference on disk; it only
changes how the layer displays in the map.
Step 3: Identify a dataset with a different coordinate system

a
In the Catalog window, right-click WilsonCrimes.shp and choose Properties.
In the Shapefile Properties dialog box, click the XY Coordinate System tab.

______________________________________________________________________________
know?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4-19
LESSON 4
13. Is the geographic coordinate system the same for this file as it was for the other two
datasets you looked at?
______________________________________________________________________________
14. Is the projected coordinate system the same?
______________________________________________________________________________
15. How does this dataset's coordinate system compare with the coordinate system assigned
to the Schools feature class and the Wilson_Recareas.shp?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
16. If you added this shapefile to your map, would you expect it to align correctly with the
other two layers?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
c
Click Cancel to close the Shapefile Properties dialog box.
Student\ARC1\WilsonNC.
Click WilsonCrimes.shp, then click Add to add it to the map.
4-20
You are prompted with a Geographic Coordinate Systems Warning. Remember, it is important not
to ignore messages like these.
In this case, there are a number of geographic transformations available for converting between
these two GCSs (i.e., NAD 83 to WGS 84). It is up to you to select the best one.
4-21
LESSON 4
Open Windows Explorer and navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.1\

Documentation.
Double-click geographic_transformations.pdf to open it in Adobe Reader.
Notice that the transformations are listed in alphabetical order.
Scroll through the document until you find a list of conversions for going from NAD 83 to WGS 84
or vice versa. (Datum transformations work in either direction, so NAD_1983_To_WGS_1984
transforms from NAD 83 to WGS 84, as well as from WGS 84 to NAD 83.)
4-22
17. Which transformation is likely the most appropriate?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
j
Close the Adobe Reader window and Windows Explorer.
In ArcMap, on the Geographic Coordinate Systems Warning message, click Transformations.
Normally, referring to the geographic_transformations.pdf would be sufficient; however, NAD

1983 and WGS 1984 are one of those special cases that require more explanation.
l
In the Geographic Coordinate System Transformations dialog box, click About geographic
transformations and read through the help document, specifically the section entitled
Converting between NAD 1983 and WGS 1984.
The information here explains whether you should choose NAD_1983_To_WGS_1984_4 or

NAD_1983_To_WGS_1984_5.
m
Close the help when you are done.
In the Geographic Coordinate System Transformations dialog box, for Convert from, choose
GCS_WGS_1984, which is the dataset's existing coordinate system.
Into should be automatically set to GCS_North_American_1983.
4-23
LESSON 4
This is the GCS of the data frame and the one you are trying to match.
You should never have to change the GCS listed in the Into box on this dialog
box.
For Using, choose NAD_1983_To_WGS_1984_5 from the drop-down.
Click OK on this dialog box, then click Close on the other dialog box.
4-24
The data is added to the map, and it aligns with the other two datasets.
As long as a dataset contains a valid GCS, ArcMap can use a geographic transformation to
convert it to match another GCS.
Step 4: Identify a dataset with an unknown coordinate system

When a dataset has an unknown coordinate system, ArcMap doesn't have a valid reference
system from which to begin. You will look at an example of this next.
a
Right-click WilsonLots.shp and choose Properties.
18. In the Shapefile Properties dialog box, what is listed as the current coordinate system?
______________________________________________________________________________
Seeing the current coordinate system listed as Unknown means that the dataset does not have
any associated information defining where its features should be plotted on the surface of the
Earth. The file is unusable without this information. Determining the coordinate system may take
some research; once you know what it should be, you can define it and make the file usable again.
b
Click Cancel to close the Shapefile Properties dialog box.
Next, you will see what happens if you don't define the coordinate system.
4-25
LESSON 4
Add WilsonLots.shp to the map.
You get an Unknown Spatial Reference warning that explains that the data can be drawn in
ArcMap, but it cannot be projected on the fly to match the other datasets. This message is
returned for all data types that can be added to ArcMap, including geodatabase feature classes,
shapefiles, coverages and CAD data, and supported raster or image formats (which do not have a
spatial reference).
The terms coordinate system and spatial reference system can be used interchangeably.
Generally, in ArcGIS, when you use a spatial reference system, this encompasses both the
geographic and projected coordinate systems.
Do not check the "Don't warn me again" boxes at the bottom of the dialog box.
These warnings help alert you to problems in your data that, if left uncorrected, can
seriously compromise the success of your project.
4-26
Click OK.
The WilsonLots layer now displays in the table of contents but doesn't draw in your map.
e
In the table of contents, right-click the WilsonLots layer and choose Zoom To Layer.
Now you can see the layer in the map, but where did the other layers go?
4-27
LESSON 4
On the Tools toolbar, click the Full Extent button
The WilsonLots layer draws very far away from the rest of the layers.
g
Right-click the WilsonLots layer and choose Remove.
Right-click the WilsonCrimes layer and choose Zoom To Layer.
4-28
Before you can use WilsonLots, you need to define its spatial reference. You will do that in the
next step.
Step 5: Assign a coordinate system to a dataset without a spatial reference

a
At the bottom of the Catalog window, click the Search tab to access the Search window. (If
you don't see the tab, on the Standard toolbar, click the Search button
.)
In the input field, type unknown coordinate system and press Enter on your keyboard.
When searching for a tool, you can search by name or function. You can also click Maps,
Data, or Tools to narrow your search to include only results of that type.
Results returned in the Search window include three links: one blue, one black, and one green.
The line of blue text is the name, which in this case is the name of a tool. Clicking the blue text
will open the tool. Clicking the black text will open the item's description. Clicking the green text
will open the location where the tool is stored in ArcToolbox, the user interface for accessing and
organizing ArcGIS tools.
c
In the list of results, click Define Projection (Data Management) to open this tool.
Click Show Help in the lower-right corner of the tool dialog box.
4-29
LESSON 4
Complete the following based on the information provided in the help panel.
19. This tool ___________ the coordinate system information (map projection and datum) stored
with a dataset.
20. The only use for this tool is for datasets that have an ________ or __________ coordinate
system defined.
The Define Projection tool permanently changes the coordinate system metadata for an existing
dataset.
f
In the Define Projection tool dialog box, for Input Dataset or Feature Class, click the Browse
button
.
Navigate to C:\Student\ARC1\WilsonNC, click WilsonLots.shp, then click Add.
After doing some research, you were able to determine that this file is supposed to be in WGS
1984 UTM Zone 18N.
h
In the Define Projection dialog box, for Coordinate System, click the Spatial Reference
Properties button
.
In the Spatial Reference Properties dialog box, click the XY Coordinate System tab.
Expand Projected Coordinate System.
Now expand UTM, and then expand WGS 1984.
4-30
Expand Northern Hemisphere, then scroll down until you see WGS 1984 UTM Zone 18N.
Click WGS 1984 UTM Zone 18N, then click OK.
In the Define Projection dialog box, click OK to run the tool.
A progress window displays, notifying you that the tool has completed.
For the purposes of this course, you will not need to review the contents of the progress window.
o
Check the box for Close this dialog when completed successfully.
4-31
LESSON 4
Once the Define Projection tool has finished processing, the WilsonLots layer is added to the
table of contents, and it displays in the map alongside the other layers.
p
If necessary, in the table of contents, click and drag Wilson_Recareas to the bottom of the list.
The Define Projection tool changes the spatial reference information stored in
the metadata. It permanently alters the existing file, but it does not change or
alter the XY coordinate values. Instead it only changes the information that
defines the correct location of those XY coordinate pairs. You should only use
the Define Projection tool to define the coordinate system for a dataset that is
missing its spatial reference, and only when you have been able to accurately
determine the correct coordinate system.
Now that this layer has a defined coordinate system, ArcMap is able to project it on the fly and
display it with your other data.
Remember, however, that projecting your data on the fly doesn't actually change the coordinate
system definition for the source data. It simply temporarily calculates the values to match the data
frame's coordinate system. To permanently change a dataset's coordinate system, you will need
to reproject it using the Project tool. You will do that in the next step.
4-32
Step 6: Change the coordinate system for a dataset

a
If necessary, open the Search window.

Hint: Click the tab at the bottom of the Catalog window, or, on the Standard toolbar, click
the Search button
.
In the input field, type project, then press Enter on your keyboard.
Your results may vary slightly from what is shown in the following graphic.
In the list of results, click Project (Data Management) to open the Project tool.
Click the Catalog tab at the bottom of the Search window to display the Catalog window.
Hint: If you don't see the Catalog tab, click the Catalog window button
toolbar.
on the Standard
From the WilsonNC folder, click and drag WilsonLots.shp into the Input Dataset or Feature
Class field of the Project tool.
The Input Coordinate System field lists WGS_1984_UTM_Zone_18N because this is the
coordinate system that you defined for this dataset in the previous step.
4-33
LESSON 4
For Output Dataset or Feature Class, click the Browse button
In the Output Dataset or Feature Class dialog box, navigate to C:\Student\ARC1\WilsonNC.
For Name, type WilsonLots2.shp.

Output names cannot have spaces or special characters.
Click Save.
The Project tool creates a new dataset with the specified coordinate system. The original dataset
remains in its current coordinate system.
j
For Output Coordinate System, click the Spatial Reference Properties button
In the Spatial Reference Properties dialog box, expand Projected Coordinate Systems > State
Plane > NAD 1983 (US Feet).
4-34
Scroll down and click NAD 1983 StatePlane North Carolina FIPS 3200 (US Feet).
Click OK.
In the Project dialog box, click OK to run the tool.
When the tool is finished processing, it adds the data to the map.
4-35
LESSON 4
For display purposes, the WilsonLots and WilsonLots2 layers are the same. The data they
reference, however, has different coordinate system definitions.
If you are going to do anything more with your data than simply display it together
(for example, if you are going to be performing analysis of some kind), you should
project all the data into the same coordinate system.
As you might recall, the WilsonCrimes dataset was also in a different PCS. You could project it
using this same process.
o
If you would like, continue exploring the properties of the other datasets within the WilsonNC
folder on your own. When you are finished, from the File menu, choose Exit.
4-36
Three key concepts

On-the-fly projection
Every feature class has a native coordinate system.

Every data frame also has a coordinate system.
Defined by the first layer added.
Can be changed by the user.
Every subsequent layer added is projected (on the fly) to match
the coordinate system of the data frame.
Native coordinate system of the data is not changed.
Geographic transformation
On-the-fly projection works when all the layers added to a data

frame have the same underlying geographic coordinate system.
When a layer with a different geographic coordinate system is
added, ArcMap may generate a warning message.
If the message is ignored, ArcMap will try to project the data,
but the alignment may be imperfect.
Choose an appropriate geographic transformation to prevent
alignment problems.
Refer to the C:\Program Files(x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.1\
Documentation\geographic_transformations.pdf document
for guidance.
Use the Project tool to convert one geographic coordinate
system into another.
Creates a new feature class with a new native coordinate
system; the original feature class and coordinate system are
preserved.
Unknown coordinate system
On-the-fly projection works when a layer's coordinate system is

known.
When you add a layer with an unknown coordinate system,
ArcMap cannot project it; the result may be gross misalignment.
Fix this problem by defining the coordinate system.
1. Determine the correct coordinate system.
2. Identify the coordinate system with the Define Projection
tool.
Adds information identifying the coordinate system to
the existing feature class; doesn't create a new feature
class.
Used to update missing or incorrect coordinate system
information.
4-37
LESSON 4
Lesson review
1. Some coordinate systems preserve all four properties, while others distort one or more.
a. True
b. False
2. Coordinate systems that are based on a 3-D spherical model of the earth are called
___________ coordinate systems. The values in this type of coordinate system are usually
_________ and __________.
3. You open a map document to find that the layers do not line up properly. What might this
indicate?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4. __________ coordinate systems are based on a flat, 2-D surface. The units for these
coordinate systems are generally _____ or _______.
5. You are creating a map that will be used to subdivide various lots throughout the city.
Which spatial property should your map projection preserve?
a. Shape
b. Area
c. Distance
d. Direction
6. If you were mapping a flight from Toronto, Canada to Barrow, Alaska, which type of
projection could you use to determine how far the plane would need to fly?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4-38

What is location? (page 4-2)
1. Which of the locations listed in the previous graphic are considered relative locations?
Any location that describes the location of a place based on its relative position to any
other place. Based on this example, East of Los Angeles, Near Riverside, Off Interstate
Hwy 10, In the desert, and Southern California would all be relative locations.
2. Which of the locations listed in the previous graphic are considered absolute locations?
The absolute locations include those that refer to an accepted reference system for
describing locations on the surface of the earth. In this example, the absolute
locations include those in latitude and longitude coordinates:
Decimal Degrees: -117.195646, 34.056397
Degrees Minutes Seconds: 117 11' 44.32" W, 34 3' 23.02" N
UTM Zone 11, FIPS 06, and the street address and ZIP Code would also be considered
absolute locations.
Exercise 4: Work with coordinate systems (page 4-13)

1. What is the coordinate system for this data?
NAD_1983_StatePlane_North_Carolina_FIPS_3200_Feet.
know?
This is a projected coordinate system.
There are a number of ways to tell from within this dialog box. For example, in the
Current coordinate system box at the bottom, a projection is listed. Projections are
components of a projected coordinate system and do not exist as part of a
geographic coordinate system. The name of this coordinate system includes State
Plane, which indicates that this coordinate system is based on a planar surface,
indicating that it is a projected coordinate system. Also, in the upper portion of the
dialog box, if you scroll up, you will see that this coordinate system is included within
the Projected Coordinate Systems folder.
4-39
LESSON 4
3. If you answered that the coordinate system is a projected coordinate system, which
projection is associated with this PCS?
The projection is listed as Lambert Conformal Conic.
4. Which property is preserved by this projection? (Hint: Look at the table on page 4-11.)
This projection is conformal, so it preserves shape.
5. What is the current coordinate system listed for the Layers data frame?
No coordinate system is listed.
6. What is the data frame's coordinate system?
The data frame's coordinate system is
NAD_1983_StatePlane_North_Carolina_FIPS_3200_Feet, Lambert Conformal Conic.
GCS_North_American_1983.
8. Is this dataset in a geographic or projected coordinate system?
This dataset is in a geographic coordinate system; no projected coordinate system is
listed for this dataset.
9. How does this dataset's geographic coordinate system compare with the geographic
coordinate system assigned to the Schools feature class?
They both have NAD 83 as the geographic coordinate system, but Schools also has a
projected coordinate system.
10. If you added the Wilson_Recareas shapefile to your map, would you expect it to align
correctly with the Schools layer?
Since Wilson_Recareas.shp isn't projected, you may not expect it to align. However, as
long as data has a defined GCS and that GCS matches the data frame's, ArcMap can
perform the mathematical calculations necessary to align it to match the data frame's
spatial reference even if one layer is projected and the other is not.
WGS_1984_UTM_Zone_18N.
4-40
know?
This is a projected coordinate system. There are a number of ways to tell from within
this dialog box. For example, in the Current coordinate system box at the bottom, a
projection (i.e., Transverse Mercator) is listed. Projections are components of a
projected coordinate system and do not exist as part of a geographic coordinate
system. Also, in the upper portion of the dialog box, if you scroll up, you will see that
this coordinate system is listed under Projected.
13. Is the geographic coordinate system the same for this file as it was for the other two
datasets you looked at?
No, the geographic coordinate system for this file is set to WGS 1984. The other two
files used NAD 83.
14. Is the projected coordinate system the same?
No. The projected coordinate system is UTM Zone 18N.
15. How does this dataset's coordinate system compare with the coordinate system assigned
to the Schools feature class and the Wilson_Recareas.shp?
The projected coordinate system is based on a different geographic coordinate
system. Both of the previous files were based on NAD 83, but this one is based on
WGS 84.
16. If you added this shapefile to your map, would you expect it to align correctly with the
other two layers?
Since this dataset is based on a different geographic coordinate system, it has a
different datum and spheroid definition, so you may not expect it to align.
17. Which transformation is likely the most appropriate?
Because the datasets you are working with are in Wilson, North Carolina, in the United
States, you can rule out the NAD_1983_To_WGS_1984 transformations that are listed
for Canada, Alaska, and Hawai'i. That leaves you with two to choose from:
NAD_1983_To_WGS_1984_4 and NAD_1983_To_WGS_1984_5.
18. In the Shapefile Properties dialog box, what is listed as the current coordinate system?
The current coordinate system is listed as Unknown.
4-41
LESSON 4
19. This tool overwrites the coordinate system information (map projection and datum) stored
with a dataset.
20. The only use for this tool is for datasets that have an unknown or incorrect coordinate
system defined.
4-42
Acquiring and selecting GIS

data
Introduction
Key terms
global positioning
system (GPS)
large-scale
layer package
scale
small-scale
Data is a critical component of a GIS. Without data, a GIS is useless,

but with the wrong data, it can be just as ineffective. Once you have
determined the question you are trying to answer or the problem you
hope to solve with your GIS, you need to locate and evaluate the data
you need to support your endeavor.
Topics covered
Methods of obtaining GIS data
Considerations for choosing data
Learning objectives
Describe potential resources for GIS data.

Locate and select appropriate GIS data.
Organize data in a geodatabase.
5-1
LESSON 5
Methods for obtaining GIS data

Where does your organization's data come from?
There are three ways to obtain geographic data:
Create it
Purchase it
Download it for free
There are many ways to create data. You can scan in an existing map
or download an aerial photograph and digitize (i.e., trace) the features
in the map or image. You can collect data using a mobile or global
positioning system (GPS) device or field surveying equipment. You
could conduct surveys or interviews and then manually enter that data
into a database (a typical workflow for collecting census and
demographic data). You can even turn stand-alone tables into
geographic data if they have locational attributes, such as XY
coordinates or addresses, a technique you saw earlier in this course.
Figure 5.1
There are many sources
for creating or obtaining
GIS data. People use a
variety of methods to
gather data in the field
and then post or share
that data with others.
Before creating data manually, visit the public and private data
vendors that have data that is readily available online. Data can be
expensive to produce on your own, and, in some cases, expensive to
purchase, but there are many organizations that will readily share their
data at little or no cost to you.
5-2
Accessing GIS data

Getting data from Esri
ArcGIS Online contains a variety of data files for public use, and many
Esri software products also come with free data you can use in your
work. To learn more about the data available through Esri, visit the
Esri Data page at www.esri.com/data/find-data.html.
Getting data from other organizations

There are a number of other private, commercial data sources that
collect, process, repackage, and distribute GIS data. Local, state, and
federal government agencies are also major suppliers of GIS data. For
example, publicly available data can be collected from organizations
like the Bureau of the Census, the United States Geological Society
(USGS), NASA, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA), as well as state and local organizations.
To learn more about publicly available U.S. data, visit the
GeoData.gov website at http://geo.data.gov/geoportal. This
website is managed by the United Stated Government for the express
purpose of improving access to Federal data.
To learn more about publicly available international data, visit the
GeoCommunity website at www.geocomm.com, another GIS portal
site that helps to foster the free and open exchange of geospatial
information, including information for many different countries across
the globe.
When purchasing, downloading, or otherwise collecting data

from any organization (public or private), it is important to
check on restrictions that might apply to the use of that data.
In some cases, copyright and licensing restrictions may limit
the use and redistribution of the information.
5-3
LESSON 5
Considerations for choosing GIS data

Even when you find the data you need, it may not be right for your
project. Before you use a dataset you've found, you should
investigate it to be certain it actually meets your needs.
Figure 5.2
This simplified flowchart
lists the kinds of questions
you might ask when
evaluating data for your
project.
The following should be considered when evaluating data.
Format
ArcGIS 10.1 Help Library:
About geographic data

formats
If the data you find isn't in a format ArcGIS can read, you will have to
determine whether or not you can convert it. Even if conversion is
possible, you may not have the tools to do the job, or it may not be
worth the time and effort you would spend to do it.
Spatial reference
GIS data must have defined coordinate system to be used in a
meaningful way. Remember, ArcGIS will allow you to add data with an
undefined coordinate system to your map, but it will not necessarily
draw in the right coordinate space. Furthermore, any measurements
or analysis you perform with that data will be flawed at best. If you
find data that isn't in the coordinate system or the projection you
require, you can transform or project it as long as it's properly defined
in the first place.
5-4
Source
Not all data is created equal. Some data may be from well-known,
reputable organizations, while other data may be from lesser-known
agencies. When you are unfamiliar with the organization that created
the data or when the origin cannot be readily determined, you should
consider using alternative data from a reliable source.
Metadata
Metadata provides information about the content, quality, condition,
and other characteristics of data. In part, it describes how the
geospatial and attribute data was collected and processed into its
final form, which may help you decide whether it can be used in your
analysis.
Attributes
Depending on the purpose of your project, you may need to ensure
that certain attributes are present in the data you use. For example, if
you are mapping the number of vacant lots in a city, you will need
polygon data that includes an attribute that identifies whether a lot is
vacant or not. In some cases, you can add attributes with information
derived from alternate sources.
Currency
Some of the features and phenomenon mapped with GIS, such as
political boundaries, may change slowly or relatively little over time,
while others, such as weather, change much more frequently. Using
data that is outdated will invalidate your map or analysis results, so it
is critical to use data that is accurate and relevant for the time period
you want to map.
Scale
Features on a map are smaller than the part of the world they
represent; how much smaller depends on the scale of the data. Scale
is the ratio or relationship between a distance or area on a map and
the corresponding distance or area on the ground. It is commonly
expressed as a ratio or fraction, such as 1:24,000 or 1/24,000 which
means one unit of measure on the map equals 24,000 of the same
unit on earth. When discussing scale, you may hear the terms
small-scale and large-scale.
5-5
LESSON 5
Small-scale data is designed to draw features as smaller and less

detailed; large-scale data draws features as larger and more detailed.
Figure 5.3
In the example on the left,
the airport is drawn as a
point in the small-scale
map. On the right, it is
drawn as a polygon in the
large-scale map.
If you are creating a small-scale map, data that is designed for a larger
scale may not be appropriate or useable, and vice versa. Mixing data
of differing scales in the same map can lead to erroneous or
inaccurate results. Using data that was created at drastically different
scales in the same map may also result in data alignment issues
similar to those you would encounter with data in different
geographic coordinate systems.
When necessary, you can use data with different scales

together, but the scale you use for your map should be no
smaller than the smallest scale used in your data.
Use constraints
Access and use constraints, credits, and copyright information are
usually defined by the organization responsible for creating and
distributing the data as a way to control how that data is repurposed
by other organizations. It is important to note whether or not this
information restricts the use of the data for particular purposes,
whether it requires that the source be given credit, and so forth. It is
often preferable to use data that explicitly states that there are little to
no use limitations.
5-6
Evaluating GIS data

Before you begin a GIS project, you need to be sure you have the
data you need. The first step in determining the data you need is
determining the question you need to answer or the problem you
want to solve.
Once you know the question you need to answer:
Think about the datasets you need to map the features or

phenomenon involved.
Consider the data model each would likely use and the features
you want to display in your map.
Examine the metadata to determine whether the data has any
use constraints, a defined spatial reference, an appropriate
scale, and the necessary attributes.
5-7
35 minutes
Exercise 5: Gather and evaluate GIS data

The National Hurricane Center in Florida is working with Lee County,
Florida, to perform a hurricane storm surge simulation study.
Specifically, they are planning to analyze the effects of a Category 3
hurricane storm surge inundation on certain vulnerable facilities
(schools, hospitals, day care centers, and nursing homes) in the
county. The results of their analysis will help focus emergency
response initiatives for those facilities. The primary question they want
to answer is, "Which vulnerable facilities are at greatest risk from a
Category 3 storm surge inundation in Lee County?"
In this exercise, you will help gather and evaluate the data required
for this project. You will begin by surveying the data you have to
determine whether it includes the data you need and whether it is
suitable for the project. You will then organize the data in a new
geodatabase that you will create, preparing it for use in a later lesson.
Determine the data required for the project.

Evaluate existing data from your organization.
Add data from other sources.
Combine data in a single geodatabase.
5-9
LESSON 5
Step 1: Consider the data you need

Think about the data might you need to answer the question, "Where are the facilities at greatest
risk from a Category 3 storm surge inundation in Lee County?".
First, you would need data that shows where the storm surge inundation would be for a Category
3 hurricane. You would then need data that represents the boundary of Lee County. You would
also need data mapping the locations of hospitals, schools, day care centers, and nursing homes.
Most maps also require some kind of reference layers that help provide a visual context or
background. For example, you may want to include data that shows the infrastructure in the area,
including major highways and roads, as these will likely be used as evacuation routes. You could
add reference layers like this as separate layers, or you could use a basemap.
Can you think of other data you might need?
Step 2: Examine the data you have

a
Start ArcMap and, if necessary, open the Catalog window.
Expand Folder Connections, then expand the C:\Student\ARC1 connection.
Expand the Florida folder and the FloridaData geodatabase.
Browse through the contents of the Florida folder and the FloridaData geodatabase to quickly
survey the data you already have.
5-10
1. Of the data you need, what do you already have?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Of the data you need, what do you not have?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Hopefully you identified that you already have data for hospitals, schools, day care centers, and
nursing homes; however, you don't have any data that identifies Florida counties, and you don't
have any data identifying storm surge inundation zones. For the Florida county data, imagine that
you sent an e-mail to a colleague who you believe will be able to help. For the storm surge areas,
imagine that you contacted the National Hurricane Center and are waiting on a return phone call
to let you know whether or not the data can be made available.
While you are waiting, you will continue to go through the data you have.
e
Open the item description for the datasets you have (i.e., the data for nursing homes, day care
centers, schools, and hospitals) and evaluate each dataset based on the considerations
introduced earlier (e.g., examine the spatial reference information, the scale, the attributes).
3. Complete the following table. Considerations for the first dataset have been filled out for
you.
5-11
LESSON 5
Considerations
FL_Hospitals
Format
Feature class
Coordinate
system
Albers Conical Equal

Area
Source
Florida Division of
Emergency Management
Metadata
Yes
Attributes
Yes
Current
Yes
Scale
1:50000 - 1:5000000
Use
constraints
OK to use
FloridaSchools
FL_DayCare
Centers.shp
FL_Nursing
Homes.shp
4. Will each of these datasets likely work for your analysis?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Step 3: Add data from ArcGIS Online

An e-mail response just came in from your colleague. He has county data for the entire state of
Florida. To easily provide you with a copy of his data, your colleague is going to take advantage
of ArcGIS Online. He is going to package the county data as a layer package and then upload it
to ArcGIS Online. You will then be able to log in to ArcGIS Online and download this layer
package.
A layer package (<FileName>.lpk) is a special file that includes both the layer properties and a
copy of the data. Creating a layer package lets you save and share everything about the layerits
5-12
symbolization, labeling, field properties, and the data. You can add layer packages directly into
your maps without needing to know how to access the database or symbolize the data.
Up until now, you have seen and worked with ArcGIS Online's ability to create web maps;
however, that is not the only thing you can do with ArcGIS Online. You can share your maps, data,
and applications; you can also locate relevant and useful basemaps and data that others have
created and shared. In this step, you will see how to locate content stored in ArcGIS Online from
inside of ArcMap.
a
In ArcMap, on the Standard toolbar, click the drop-down arrow next to the Add Data button
, then choose Add Data From ArcGIS Online.
In the ArcGIS Online Search dialog box, type FL_Counties and press Enter on your keyboard.
In the FL_Counties box, click Add.
5-13
LESSON 5
If you are unable to access this file using ArcGIS Online, you can add FL_Counties.lpk to
your map document from the C:\Student\ARC1\OnlineFiles folder.
Now you have the county boundary you needed, but you still need the storm surge data.
Step 4: Add data from another organization

Just in time, an e-mail from the National Hurricane Center has arrived. Attached is a zipped data
file of storm surge polygons (StormSurge.zip).
You have already saved the file to your C:\Student\ARC1\Florida folder.
a
In ArcMap's Catalog window, right-click the Florida folder and click Refresh.
Why don't you see the StormSurge.zip file?

The new file is a zipped data file. ArcMap's Catalog window is designed to allow you to manage
GIS files, but it doesn't automatically recognize various non-GIS files, such as those with a .zip
extension. You will have to unzip this file before you can see the data in ArcGIS.
5-14
Open Windows Explorer and navigate to C:\Student\ARC1\Florida.
With the exception of a few files (LYR files), the files in your Florida folder may not look familiar to
you. The icons are different, and each shapefile is now listed as a number of separate files.
c
Open the FloridaData.gdb folder.
5-15
LESSON 5
As you can see, many GIS files are actually a collection of various files. When viewed in ArcGIS,
each displays as a single file to make it easier to identify and manage them.
Use ArcGIS to manage your GIS data files. Moving, deleting, or otherwise managing
your GIS datasets in any other file management system, such as Windows Explorer,
may result in lost or corrupt data.
At the top of the Windows Explorer window, click the Back button
folder.
Scroll down until you locate the StormSurge.zip file.
5-16
to return to the Florida
Right-click the file and choose Open.
The 7-Zip File Manager opens and lists the contents of the zipped file.
g
At the top of the window, click Extract.
In the Copy dialog box, make sure the Copy to path is set to C:\Student\ARC1\Florida\.
5-17
LESSON 5
Click OK.
Close the 7-Zip and Windows Explorer windows and return to ArcMap.
In the ArcMap Catalog window, right-click Florida and click Refresh.
The Storm Surge shapefiles are now visible in ArcMap.
Step 5: Transfer files from one geodatabase to another

In this step, you will create the geodatabase in which you will store the data for this project.
5-18
In the Catalog window, right-click the Florida folder and click New > File Geodatabase.
A new, empty geodatabase is created with the name of New File Geodatabase.
b
Notice that New File Geodatabase.gdb is highlighted and ready for you to rename.
Hint: If it is not ready to rename, right-click the new file geodatabase and choose Rename.
Rename New File Geodatabase to StormSurge.gdb.
The StormSurge geodatabase is ready to be populated with data.

You will start by copying the FL_Hospitals from the FloridaData.gdb to the StormSurge
geodatabase.
d
Expand the FloridaData geodatabase.
Right-click FL_Hospitals feature class and choose Copy.
5-19
LESSON 5
Right-click the StormSurge geodatabase and choose Paste.
In the Data Transfer dialog box, click OK.
Once the data transfer process is complete, expand the StormSurge geodatabase.
It now contains a copy of the FL_Hospitals feature class.

You could use this same process to copy FloridaSchools into the new geodatabase, but you will
use a different method.
i
In the FloridaData geodatabase, right-click the FloridaSchools feature class and choose
Export.
Notice that you have several options. You could export a single file to a geodatabase, multiple
files to a geodatabase, or feature classes to shapefiles.
j
Choose To Geodatabase (single).
In the Feature Class to Feature Class dialog box, for Output Location, click the Browse button.
Navigate to the C:\Student\ARC1\Florida folder.
Click StormSurge.gdb to select it, then click Add.
5-20
In the Output Feature Class box, type FL_Schools.
Click OK to run this tool.
Now both of the feature classes are in the new geodatabase. ArcMap also automatically adds the
new layer to the map.
Like the method you used to copy and paste the FL_Hospitals feature class, this process simply
copied the files from one location to the other. Neither process deleted the files from their
original location.
Next you will use a different method to get shapefiles into your new geodatabase.
Step 6: Import shapefiles into the geodatabase

a
Right-click the StormSurge geodatabase and choose Import > Feature Class (multiple).
The Feature Class to Geodatabase (multiple) dialog box opens.

You are importing shapefiles, but shapefiles are simply non-geodatabase feature classes, so this
tool is valid.
5-21
LESSON 5
Click and drag the Cat3.shp file from the Catalog window into the middle of the Feature Class
to Geodatabase (multiple) dialog box.
Repeat this process until you have added the other two shapefiles from the Catalog tree:
FL_NursingHome.shp
FL_DayCareCenters.shp
Notice that the output geodatabase has been set for you because you initiated the import
process from the StormSurge geodatabase.
Click OK to run the tool.
If necessary, expand the StormSurge geodatabase.
These three shapefiles are now feature classes in your StormSurge geodatabase.
5-22
Step 7: Export select features from a file to a geodatabase

Earlier, you added the county data from ArcGIS Online to your map document, but adding data
to your map this way doesn't save the file to your geodatabase. To get the data into your
geodatabase, you will export it from the table of contents.
For this particular project, you don't need all the counties in Florida, so you will select and export
only Lee County and the counties adjacent to it.
Next you will use a tool to select features in your data based on their attributes.
a
If necessary, uncheck the box for the FL_Schools layer to turn it off in the map display.
From the Selection menu, choose Select By Attributes.
In the Select By Attributes dialog box, for Layer, choose FL_Counties from the drop-down list.
This is the layer from which you will be selecting features.

d
Make sure Method is set to Create a new selection.
The box below Method lists the field names in this layer's attribute table.
You will be selecting a feature (the one that represents Lee County) in the FL_Counties layer
based on its attribute value in the Name field.
e
Double-click "Name" to add it to the expression in the box below.
Click the equals sign
Click Get Unique Values.
Clicking Unique Values allows you to see a list of all the values in the field you have selected,
which, in this case, is the Name field.
h
In the list of county names, scroll down and double-click 'Lee'.
5-23
LESSON 5
The query expression should now read "Name" = 'Lee'.
Click Verify.
Clicking Verify validates your query expression, prompting ArcMap to alert you if there is a
problem with the syntax of your query or if your query will return no results.
5-24
On the Verifying expression dialog box, click OK, then click OK on the Select By Attributes
dialog box to create the selection.
Now that you have Lee County selected, you will use another method to select the counties that
surround it.
5. Will this selection be based on spatial or attribute information?
______________________________________________________________________________
So far in this step, you have selected a feature based on a particular attribute value. Next you will
use a tool available in ArcMap to select features in your data based on their location.
k
From the Selection menu, choose Select By Location.
In the Select By Location dialog box, set the Selection method to add to the currently selected
features in.
This option will add the features you are selecting (i.e., counties next to Lee) to the single feature
you currently have selected (i.e., Lee County).
m
For Target layer, check the box for FL_Counties.
This is the layer from which you want to select features.
5-25
LESSON 5
Make sure Source layer is also set to FL_Counties.
This is the layer you want to use to search for the features. In this case, it happens to be the same
as your target layer.
o
For Spatial selection method for target layer features, choose intersect the source layer
feature.
This describes the spatial relationship between the features in your target layer and the features in
your source layer.
p
5-26
Make sure to uncheck the option to apply a search distance.
Click OK.
Now that you have the counties you are interested in selected, right-click the FL_Counties
layer in the table of contents and choose Data > Export Data.
In the Export Data dialog box:
For Export, choose Selected features.

Choose to use the same coordinate system as this layer's source data.
For Output feature class, click the Browse button
.
5-27
LESSON 5
In the Saving Data dialog box:
Navigate to Folder Connections > C:\Student\ARC1\Florida\StormSurge.gdb.

For Name, type LeeCounties.
Click Save.
Click OK to run the Export Data tool.
When prompted to add the exported data to the map as a layer, click Yes.
5-28
In the table of contents, uncheck the box for the FL_Counties layer to turn it off in the map
display.
Now the only counties that draw are Lee and its surrounding counties.
Your geodatabase is now populated with the data you need for your Category 3 hurricane storm
surge analysis.
y
5-29
LESSON 5
Lesson review
1. This lesson introduced eight important considerations when evaluating data. List all eight.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. When evaluating data for a project, which of the following considerations allows you to
determine whether the data can be redistributed?
a. The source of the data
b. The use constraints
c. The format in which the data is stored
d. The spatial reference information
3. Which of the following methods can you use to get data into a geodatabase?
a. Copy/paste it from one geodatabase to another
b. Import it into the geodatabase
c. Export it from another location
d. All of the above
5-30

Exercise 5: Gather and evaluate GIS data (page 5-9)
1. Of the data you need, what do you already have?
In the Florida folder, you see a point shapefile for nursing homes
(FL_NursingHomes.shp) and one for day care centers (FL_DayCareCenters.shp). In the
FloridaData geodatabase, you see a point feature class for schools and one for
hospitals.
2. Of the data you need, what do you not have?
You see various Florida datasets, but you don't see any data that represents the
counties of Florida, so you will need to find another source for that. There is a
shapefile called hcane.shp and a feature class called FL_HistHurr, but those files
contain the paths of hurricanes, not the storm surge inundation that often follows
these massive storms. You also have a data file called FL_CEMMGT, which represents
coastal flooding, but it isn't the specific Category 3 hurricane storm surge data that
the agency asked for. You still need storm surge inundation data for Florida,
specifically for Lee County.
5-31
LESSON 5
3. Complete the following table. Considerations for the first dataset have been filled out for
you.
Considerations
FL_Hospitals
FloridaSchools
FL_DayCare
Centers.shp
FL_Nursing
Homes.shp
Format
Feature class
Feature class
Shapefile
Shapefile
Coordinate
system
Albers Conical Equal

Area
Albers Conical
Equal Area
Albers
Conical
Equal Area
Albers
Conical
Equal Area
Source
Florida Division of
Emergency
Management
Florida
Geographic
Data Library
Florida
Department
of Children
and
Families
Esri
Metadata
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Attributes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Current
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Scale
1:50000 - 1:5000000
1:50000 1:5000000
1:50000 1:5000000
1:50000 1:5000000
Use
constraints
OK to use
OK to use
OK to use
OK to use
4. Will each of these datasets likely work for your analysis?

Each of these datasets will likely work for the analysis because they each have a
defined spatial reference, and they are in a format ArcMap can read. They also appear
to be in an appropriate scale and have the attributes you would need.
5. Will this selection be based on spatial or attribute information?
This selection will be based on spatial information associated with the FL_Counties
layer.
5-32

Introduction
Key terms
GIS service
mobile application
web map
web mapping
application
ArcGIS Online contains hundreds of thousands of itemsmaps,

applications, tools, and datapublished by the GIS community,
including Esri and local governments and agencies around the world.
You can use this content to create maps and embed them in your own
sites, to download tools and data, and to develop your own
applications. You can access ArcGIS Online resources from all
components of the ArcGIS system, including Desktop, mobile, and
web applications.
Topics covered
Accessing content through ArcGIS Online

GIS services and web maps
Web mapping applications
Mobile applications
Learning objectives
Describe the difference between a web map, a GIS service, a

web application, and a mobile application.
Access and use a web application on ArcGIS Online.
Access and use a template on ArcGIS Online.
6-1
LESSON 6
What are GIS services and web maps?

A GIS service represents a GIS resourcesuch as a map, a raster data
file, or a geodatabase connectionthat is located on a server and is
made available to clients like ArcGIS for Desktop, ArcGIS Explorer
Online, iPhone, and web browsers through a variety of devices. With
GIS services, the server stores the resource, hosts the service, and
does the GIS work, sending back a result in a common formatsuch
as images or textto the user.
Table 6.1
Some of the most
common types of GIS
services.
Type of
GIS
service
What it does
Map
service
Allows access to the contents of a map on the server as

though the map were stored locally
Feature
service
Allows clients to execute queries to get features and

perform edits that can be applied to the server
Geodata
service
Allows clients to access a geodatabase through a local

area network (LAN) or the Internet
Image
service
Allows access to raster data on the server as though it

was stored locally
A web map is a GIS map that is designed, implemented, generated,

and delivered on the web. ArcGIS web maps are authored by
choosing a particular basemap and then adding data layers. These
data layers can be GIS services and data files.
6-2
The following earthquake web map combines a number of GIS

services:
A World Streets basemap service from ArcGIS Online.

A population density map service for the world.
A real-time feed of recent seismic events and magnitudes
served by the U.S. Geological Survey.
A service that is used to generate a 100-mile polygon around a
selected seismic event and compute the affected population
count in that polygon.
Figure 6.1
An example of a web map
that combines a number
of GIS services.
Web maps are hosted online by Esri. The people you share your web
maps with do not need any ArcGIS software; all they need is an
Internet connection and a web browser.
Web maps are also very easy to create, and once they are created,
they can just as easily be shared through existing websites, Facebook
and Twitter accounts, in e-mails, through text messages, and instant
messages. You can even publish your own web mapping application.
6-3
LESSON 6
What is a web mapping application?

A web application is an external website with its own URL and is
generally developed for a targeted audience and purpose. Web
mapping applications are typically used to provide website search
capabilities, as well as to retrieve and display user information from a
GIS database. They might be as simple as a map embedded in a
blog, or they may be as complex as a GPS navigation application.
You can share your web map for others to see on ArcGIS Online, but
you might also want to create a web mapping application with your
own look and GIS functionality that you can deploy on your
organization's web server. Applications are generally constructed
from information in web maps, and they are supplemented with
additional application-specific capabilities. Esri provides template
applications on ArcGIS Online that you can use to begin creating a
web application.
Figure 6.2
The Horn of Africa
(consisting of Eritrea,
Djibouti, Ethiopia, and
Somalia) has been
experiencing widespread
drought and famine. This
map shows at-risk areas
and pulls in social media
pertaining to this crisis.
You can change the search
terms for YouTube, Flickr,
and Twitter by clicking the
Social tab on the right.
6-4
What is a mobile application?

A mobile application is a web mapping application that lets you
view, collect, and update your geographic information on a mobile
device (such as Tablet PCs, in-vehicle mounted systems, Windows
smartphones, iPhones, iPads, and Android devices). ArcGIS Online
allows you to create and share your own mobile applications or to
download and use mobile applications that others have shared.
Figure 6.3
ArcGIS includes a series of
ready-to-use, configurable
mobile apps. These can
be configured through the
use of web maps. GIS
users author and share
web maps that can be
opened and used in any
ArcGIS client.
Mobile applications share a few common traits, including:
Lightweightdesigned to require and consume fewer

resources, such as RAM and disk space.
Connected or disconnectedallowing downloading maps and
related geographic information onto devices for use in the field,
then synchronizing updates collected in the field once a
connection is reestablished.
Configurable using web mapscan encapsulate much of the
information, tools, and user experience, requiring significantly
less custom development for deployment.
Focusedgenerally targeted to the work of specific users and
designed for simplicity and efficiency.
Embeddedmay be designed to embed GIS into a particular
device (e.g., embedded into an in-vehicle system).
6-5
LESSON 6
Tools and data from ArcGIS Online

Both data and tools can be used in web maps and web mapping
applications. They can also be stored, managed, and shared through
ArcGIS Online. However, the supported types are limited in
comparison to what you can use inside of ArcGIS for Desktop.
Data, such as boundary lines, schools, street centerlines, or customer
lists, are stored and accessible through ArcGIS Online as either GIS
services or files, such as a zipped shapefile or layer package (LPK).
Tools, on the other hand, are stored and accessible through ArcGIS
Online as geoprocessing packages (GPK), locator packages (GCPK),
or GIS services (either as a zipped geoprocessing sample or template
or as an add-in). Tools provide GIS functionality to a map or
application, such as finding a place or accessing a geodatabase.
Figure 6.4
These search results
include a layer package, a
desktop application
template, and a map
service.
6-6
Accessing content through ArcGIS Online

Once you are a part of the ArcGIS Online community, you have
access to thousands of free online maps, applications, data, and tools.
The best way to find items depends on what you want to do. If you
want to quickly see what's available, use the gallery to browse
featured items. If you have some idea of what you need, use the
search function to enter keywords.
By default, ArcGIS Online is set to display only web content, or only
items you can open in your web browser or on a mobile device. If you
are looking for layers you can use in ArcGIS for Desktopsuch as
layer packagesyou should set the site to All Content.
Figure 6.5
This shows the result of
typing "streets" into the
search. You see all of the
shared street maps and
applications. From here,
you could refine the
results by using the filters
on the page. For example,
to just see street web
maps, you could click
Maps on the left.
ArcGIS.com 10.1 Help

Library:
Finding and opening

content
You can also sort the results. For example, you could sort by highest
rated. You could also use keywords, including advanced keyword
searches, to find what you're looking for. The more you know about
what you are looking for, the more exact you can be in your search.
You can browse through the search results to identify potentially
useful items and get more detailed information. For many items, you
can also choose from a list of applications you can use to open the
item. The contents of this list depend on the item's format and how
the owner of the content created the item.
6-7
30 minutes
Exercise 6: Explore maps, services, and data on

ArcGIS Online
Sharing maps and map content saves time and money for
organizations, and it's easily accomplished with ArcGIS. Part of the
power of sharing maps and data is the power of using or consuming
them. In this exercise, you will explore ArcGIS Online more closely,
using various sorting/searching techniques to locate data, and using a
web application template to view a web map and compare data, as
well as examining a web mapping application.
Search for web content.

Search for desktop content.
Use a template to compare the data in a web map.
Examine a web application.
Figure 6.6
Several Web Apps
available to users in
ArcGIS Online.
6-9
LESSON 6
Step 1: Search ArcGIS Online for web content

a
Open Internet Explorer and go to www.arcgis.com.
In the upper-right corner, click Sign In.
Sign in with your Esri global account.
Click GALLERY to browse featured web maps and applications available from the Esri user
community.
By default, the list displays web maps.
6-10
Click Web Apps to display only web applications.
You will take a closer look at one of these web applications later in this exercise.
6-11
LESSON 6
Click Mobile Apps to see the featured mobile applications.
Notice that the links on the right allow you to sort the items listed by highest rated, most recent,
and most viewed.
g
6-12
Below Featured Maps and Apps, click Maps to return to the featured web maps.
Pause your mouse pointer over one of the web maps.
A box displays, with more information about that particular web map, including the number of
ratings and how highly rated it is. Below the thumbnail, you also see an Open link and a Details
link.
6-13
LESSON 6
Just below the thumbnail for that map, click Details.
Every item has a details page that can include a title, summary, thumbnail, description, owner,
ratings and comments, last modified date, access and use constraints, size, credits, tags, and
extent. The details page functions much like item descriptions in ArcGIS for Desktop. Some of the
fields on the page are automatically collected by the website when an item is added (e.g., last
modified date and size). Other fields are entered by the owner (e.g., tags and title). Some types of
content have additional details. For example, web maps have a Map Contents section that lists
the layers in the map. Notice that the page also includes a section for adding ratings and
comments and links to social media.
From within the ArcGIS Online website, you can open maps, data, and applications by clicking the
Open link underneath an item's thumbnail or by clicking the thumbnail itself. By default, the item
opens in the most appropriate applicationweb applications open in a web browser, web maps
6-14
generally open in the ArcGIS Online map viewer, and layer packages open in ArcGIS for Desktop.
If you want, you can override the default.
j
Just below the thumbnail, click the drop-down arrow next to Open.
This list allows you to choose how you want to open the item. The first option listed is the default
and is also the application that the owner used to create the item.
k
Click GALLERY again.
While the gallery allows you to browse the featured items, you can also use the search function to
quickly find maps or applications for a particular topic, area of interest, or industry, and
immediately use them in your work.
6-15
LESSON 6
Click the search input box in the upper right part of the window (where it says Find maps,
applications and more) and type demographics. From the drop-down list that displays, choose
Search for Maps.
The results returned include all web content with the word "demographics" as a keyword. This list
of results is also filtered to just show map services and web maps since you clicked Search for
Maps.
If you don't see what you are looking for or if the results are too numerous, you can continue to
refine your keywords and search again.
6-16
In the search text box, just after demographics, type AND schools, then press Enter on your
keyboard.
You now see a list of all demographic web maps and GIS services related to schools.
There are still plenty of results returned, but you can filter them to narrow your search further. For
example, you can sort by date, rating, or owner.
6-17
LESSON 6
At the top of the results list, click Rating.
What is the highest rated demographic and schools map right now?
Just below the description, it says "by" followed by the owner's name.
o
Click the owner's name to view to view a subset of their profile in a pop-up window.
Hint: If the user hasn't uploaded any information, close the user profile pop-up window and
click another map owner's name.
In the profile pop-up window, you have the ability to open the complete profile in another
window (by clicking Profile), to see all the items they have contributed (by clicking Items), or to see
which groups they are a member of (by clicking Groups).
6-18
In the user profile pop-up window, click Items.
How many items has this user contributed?

q
Click the owner name again, then, in the user profile pop-up window, click Groups.
Is this user a member of any groups?

When a user contributes content, they can choose to Share that content with everyone or only
with members of a group of which they are a member. When you choose to share an item only
with members of a certain group, that item will only show up in the results for members of that
group.
6-19
LESSON 6
Click one of the groups listed.

Hint: If this user isn't a member of any groups, return to the gallery and try clicking another
user.
The results now list all web content contributed by members of that group and that are shared
with everyone.
Step 2: Search ArcGIS Online for desktop content

By default, ArcGIS Online shows web content only, which includes web and mobile applications,
as well as GIS services, web maps, and tools. If you are looking for content to add to an ArcGIS
application, such as ArcGIS for Desktop or ArcGIS Explorer Desktop, you will need to change the
setting to show all content.
a
6-20
Click GALLERY.
In the upper-right corner of the browser, click the drop-down arrow next to Show: Web
Content Only and click All Content.
ArcGIS Online retains this setting even if you are not signed in or if you close your browser.
You can change the setting at any time. The setting only affects what is shown in search
results, groups, and the gallery. It does not affect what you can add to the website.
All content includes all web content, along with ArcGIS for Desktop content such as layer
packages.
Now you will search for maps of tortoise habitats.
6-21
LESSON 6
Click in the search text box and type tortoise, then press Enter on your keyboard.
If necessary, on the left, under Show, click All Results.
6-22
Notice that the results now include more than just web maps. You may also see layer packages,
mobile applications, and web mapping applications.
Under the thumbnail for one of the layer packages, click the drop-down arrow next to Open.
1. What are the options available for opening layer packages?
______________________________________________________________________________
Examine some of the other file types listed and the options available on the Open drop-down
list.
2. What are some of the other file types listed?
______________________________________________________________________________
Step 3: Use a web mapping application template

a
Search for a web map named USA Demographics for Schools.

Hint: In the search input box, type the following:
type:web map USA Demographics for Schools
Locate the USA Demographics for Schools web map by cfitzpatrick.
Click the thumbnail to open this web map.
6-23
LESSON 6
When the map opens, click the Show Contents of Map button
3. How many layers are in this map (not counting the basemap)?
______________________________________________________________________________
Such rich data deserves exploration of more than one layer at a time. You will examine the data
using a web mapping application template designed for comparing data.
e
Above the map, click Share.
In the Share dialog box, click Make a Web Application.
6-24
Find the Compare Maps template.
Below the thumbnail for the Compare Maps template, click Publish > Preview.
6-25
LESSON 6
A separate window opens, displaying three identical maps, side by side.
Below the three panels, check the boxes next to Scale and Location to synchronize the maps.
Zoom or pan one of the maps.
6-26
Notice that the others also shift.
Below the three panels, click Content to open the layer list and leave the left map unchanged.
In the center map, click USA Population Density to turn off that layer, then click USA
Population Change 2000-2010 to turn on that layer.
6-27
LESSON 6
In the map on the right, turn off the USA Population Density layer; scroll down until you see
Percentage of US Population Aged Younger than 18 Years layer, then click it to turn it on.
The first layer that is turned on is the one you'll see in the map.
n
Below the three panels, click the box for Legend to see the legend for the displayed layers in
each map.
Do you notice any patterns shared by the three maps?
This web mapping application template allows you to compare data in a very powerful way,
making it easier to recognize and distinguish coincident patterns across layers. Being able to
identify patterns in your data is an important part of applying GIS to solve problems in a broad
range of industries and applications.
p
Close the window (tab) to return to ArcGIS Online.
If necessary, close the Make a Web Application window.
Next, you will examine one of the many web mapping applications hosted by Esri.
6-28
Step 4: Examine a web mapping application

a
From the My Content drop-down in the upper-right corner, click Gallery.
Click Web Apps.
This page displays featured web mapping applications that were created by various GIS users and
that are hosted by Esri.
c
Open any of the web mapping applications listed.

Hint: Click the thumbnail graphic, then click Open.
Take a moment to examine the kinds of capabilities that are available in this web mapping
application.
6-29
LESSON 6
You can bring multiple services together to create compelling web mapping applications. Esri
offers several viewer applications for assembling and sharing web maps, with no coding required.
To explore live user sites that use ArcGIS for Server to share public-facing web mapping
applications, visit www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcgisserver/live-user-sites.html.
e
If time permits, feel free to explore another web mapping application. Otherwise, close all
open windows.
6-30
Lesson review
1. A web map may contain more than one GIS service.
a. True
b. False
2. By default, ArcGIS Online shows _____content only, which includes web and mobile
_____________, and web maps and tools. If you are looking for content to add to ArcGIS for
Desktop, you will need to change the setting to show ____ Content.
3. How do you determine the use constraints for an item on ArcGIS Online?
a. Download the item to your computer.
b. Open the item's Details page.
c. Contact the item's owner through their user profile.
d. None of the above.
4. Your organization needs to download a dataset of Australia's historic earthquakes that they
can use in ArcGIS for Desktop. When searching ArcGIS Online for "Australian
Earthquakes," which of the following file types should you search for?
a. Mobile applications
b. Web maps
c. Web mapping applications
d. Layer packages
6-31
LESSON 6

Exercise 6: Explore maps, services, and data on ArcGIS Online (page 6-9)
1. What are the options available for opening layer packages?
The options available for this type of file are "Open in ArcGIS for Desktop" and
"Download."
2. What are some of the other file types listed?
In addition to layer packages, there may be mobile applications, web maps, web
mapping applications, or map services.
3. How many layers are in this map (not counting the basemap)?
There are 10 layers in this map.
6-32
Interacting with a map in

ArcGIS for Desktop
Introduction
Key terms
map element
query
symbology
temporal
Whether you unfold it in the car, spread it out on a table, display it on

a computer screen, or open it on your mobile device, a map provides
a convenient way to access and process geographic information.
Maps are graphical representations that allow you to quickly visualize
real-world features and how they relate to one another. Visual analysis
of a map can reveal patterns in the geographic data that aren't readily
available when viewing the data in any other format.
With a GIS map, however, you can interact with a map in ways that
change how the data is displayed, the scale at which it is presented,
which features it displays, the way those features are represented, and
so on. Because attribute information about each feature is stored in a
database, you can also access that information by interacting with the
features in the map. You can search for known features, identify
unknown features, or query the map to find features that meet a
certain criteria.
Topics covered
Visually analyzing a map
Navigating a map
Identifying and querying features
Learning objectives
Identify and find features.

Modify symbology.
Query features by attribute and by location.
Display temporal data.
7-1
LESSON 7
Symbology and visualization

The effectiveness of a map's message depends on a variety of factors.
For example, using intuitive symbols or colors makes it easier to
identify the features on the map and to determine how they relate to
one another. Effective symbols take advantage of common
associations that people make, such as blue for water and green for
vegetation. People also make associations based on symbol sizea
street drawn with a thick line is understood to be busier or more
important than one drawn with a thinner line. The more appropriate
that the symbols are, the easier it is to properly understand what they
represent and find patterns in your data.
Figure 7.1
Both maps represent the
same data. The map on
the left shows default
symbols, while the map on
the right is drawn with
custom symbols over a
basemap. The basemap
provides contextual data;
the custom symbols make
it easier to interpret the
purpose and message of
the map.
7-2
Proper symbology can convey a lot of information about geographic

features, but displaying only features on a mapeven with symbols
that effectively convey their meaningisn't always enough. In fact,
most maps will not be useful without at least some additional
information. For example, text may be used to provide a feature's
name or other attribute, or to draw attention to a feature or an area of
interest. In addition, maps may contain map elements, such as a title,
a legend, a north arrow, or a scale bar, that help you interpret the
map and decode its message.
Figure 7.2
This map contains several
map elements (e.g., a title
and legend) that help the
user understand the
purpose and message of
the map.
7-3
LESSON 7
Finding, identifying, and selecting features

Finding and identifying features
ArcMap allows you to search for features that match particular
attribute values. For example, if you are trying to find the Orange
Grove Elementary School on a map of Florida, you can search all
attributes fields or a specific attribute field for "Orange Grove
Elementary" or just "Orange," and you will get a list of the features
from layers in your map that contain that search string in any of their
attributes.
When clicking the map to identify features, ArcMap lists the feature or
features at the location you clicked. Clicking a feature in that result list
allows you to see its attributes, which in turn allows you to quickly
learn more about the feature.
Selecting features
Selecting features allows you to identify or work with a subset of
features on your map. You'll most likely work with selected features
when you are querying, exploring, analyzing, or editing data.
Applying a selection lets you specify the features you want to work
with.
There are several ways you can select features. When you use one of
the Selection tools on the Tools toolbar, you can select features with
your mouse pointer by clicking them one at a time or by dragging a
box around them on the map. When you use one of the tools on the
Selection menu, you can also select features based on their location
in relation to other features or based on their attributes. Often, it's
more efficient to select features by attribute before selecting by
location.
7-4
Because most analysis involves selecting features that meet particular

criteria, both attribute and location queries are very common
operations in GIS analysis.
Figure 7.3
In this map, a particular
interstate was selected
using an attribute query.
Next, a location query was
used to find the cities
within 50 miles of the
selected interstate.
Below are some examples of what you can do with a selected set of
features. You've already done some of these things in previous
exercises in this course.
Visually analyze the geographic distribution of the selected

features in the map.
Summarize or calculate attribute values only for the selected
features.
Identify an area within a particular distance around the selected
features.
Edit the selected features.
Generate a report containing attributes of the selected features.
Save the selected features as a new map layer that you can
display and symbolize independently.
Export the selected features to a new feature class to use in
other map documents, share with others, or use as input for
other GIS operations.
Attribute and location queries are often used in combination. In some
cases, particularly when you want to find features that meet a number
of criteria, you use a series of queries. You can use either an additive
approach, where features are added to the selected set with each
query, or a subtractive approach, where features are removed from
the selected set with each query. The approach you use depends on
your criteria.
7-5
LESSON 7
Asking questions and getting answers

While a GIS analysis may involve just visualizing data to identify
patterns and relationships, sometimes looking at a map isn't
enoughyou need to find features that match given criteria. You can
do this by querying (or asking questions of) the GIS database. The
answer to your question is a selected set of features.
To find features that meet specific attribute criteria, you create a
query expression. A query expression is a logical statement consisting
of three parts: a field name (attribute), an operator, and an attribute
value. The following graphic shows the results of the following query
expression.
POP > 200000
Figure 7.4
Cities with a population
greater than 200,000 are
selected on the map, and
their records are selected
in the layer attribute table.
These features are the
selected set resulting from
the query expression POP
> 200000.
There are two types of GIS queries: attribute and location.

In an attribute query, you select features that have one or more
attribute values that meet a particular criterion. For example, in a city
layer with a population attribute, you could select all the cities with
population greater than 200,000.
In a location query, you select features whose location meets
particular conditionsusually in relationship to other features. If you
have a cities layer and a major highways layer, for instance, you could
select all the cities that are within 50 miles of a major highway.
Once features are selected, you can work with them. For example,
you can zoom to them or perform another GIS operation on them. A
selected set is temporary, but it can be saved as a separate layer or
exported to a feature class.
7-6
Getting information from a GIS map

When viewing a map in ArcMap, you can change its display to convey
a clearer message, or perhaps to convey a different message
altogether. For example, you can change the symbols used to
represent the features in the map. You can pan the map to change the
map's center, or zoom the map to change its scale. The underlying
data is the same, but with each such change, the map tells a slightly
different story.
ArcMap also lets you explore and query map data to get the
information you need. For example, you can:
Zoom in and out to change the map scale and the level of detail
displayed in the map.
Use the Pan tool to change the center of the map display.
Use the Identify tool to see the attributes of features you click.
Use the Find tool to find places, addresses, route locations, and
features that have a particular attribute.
Hover over features and see a MapTip pop up with a feature's
name, ID number, or other attribute.
Use the HTML Popup tool to access content formatted in HTML.
Use the Hyperlink tool to open web pages or documents
associated with features.
Use the Select Features tool to select features by clicking them.
Use the Time Slider window to animate the display of features in
a temporal dataset based on a Date field.
Use the Measure tool to measure distances and areas on the
map.
1. Thinking back to the lesson on The importance of coordinate
systems, what must you consider and evaluate before using the
Measure tool to measure distances and areas in a map?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
7-7
30 minutes
Exercise 7: Explore a map using ArcMap

Navigating a map in ArcMap provides you with a variety of ways to
glean information from the data displayed in the map. For example,
you can pan and zoom the map to change the scale, the extent, and
where the map is centered. You can identify features by clicking them
in the map or searching for and selecting them based on a known
attribute. You can also select features interactively or by location. A
wealth of information beyond what you can see when simply viewing
a GIS map is available through simple interactions in ArcMap.
Navigate the map.

Modify symbology.
Find and identify features.
Select features.
Examine an attribute table.
View data change over time.
Figure 7.5
Map of Florida counties,
traversed by a 1992
hurricane.
7-9
LESSON 7
Step 1: Navigate the map

a
Start ArcMap.
In the Catalog window, if necessary, expand Folder Connections and C:\Student\ARC1.
In the Florida folder, double-click FL_Hurricane.mxd to open this map document.

You could also open a map document from the File menu by choosing Open and then
navigating to the MXD file.
The map document opens. The map display is zoomed in to southern Florida.
Make sure the Tools toolbar is visible.
Hint: If necessary, on the Customize menu, point to Toolbars and make sure Tools is checked.
e
On the Tools toolbar, click the Fixed Zoom Out tool

map.
7-10
a couple of times to zoom out on the
Click the Fixed Zoom In tool
once to zoom back in a little bit.
The map zooms in and out at a fixed rate, and the level of detail displayed changes as you zoom
in and out.
g
Click the Pan tool
, then click and drag the map.
Panning allows you to adjust the view of the data by shifting the center of the map.
h
Click the Full Extent button
Clicking the Full Extent button zooms your map to show you all the data in your map. In this case,
the map zooms out to the full extent of the world because the basemap covers the whole world.
7-11
LESSON 7
Click the Zoom In tool
, then click and drag a box around the United States.
The Zoom In tool allows you to specify the area and extent you want displayed. The Zoom Out
tool works in a similar way.
As you zoom in and out, look at the map scale box next to the Add Data button.
Each time you zoom in or out, the scale value of the map changes to reflect the new scale of the
map.
1. The scale of the map is the ______ between _________ or _____ on the map and the
corresponding _________ or _____ on the ground.
7-12
From the drop-down list next to the scale box, choose one of the preset scales.
You can also type a scale into the box.

l
Highlight the current value in the scale box and type 15,000,000, then press Enter on your
keyboard.
7-13
LESSON 7
The larger the number is, the smaller the representative fraction is (resulting in the map features
displaying smaller). This is why it's called a small-scale map.
Conversely, the smaller the number is, the larger the representative fraction is (resulting in the
map features displaying larger). Therefore, it's called a large-scale map.
m
Continue to experiment with the map scale box, the zoom tools, and the Pan tool.
Now you will zoom to a specific layer.

n
Right-click FLHurricane92 and choose Zoom To Layer.
The map zooms to the extent covered by the hurricane path.
Step 2: Modify symbology

When you add a layer to a map, ArcMap assigns a default symbol to represent the layer's
features. Because the default symbol may not be the one you want, you need to know how to
change it.
7-14
The path of the hurricane isn't easy to discern with the default symbology, so you will change its
symbol to make it easier to see.
a
In the table of contents, click the symbol for FLHurricane92.
The Symbol Selector dialog box opens.

b
On the right, under Current Symbol, click the drop-down arrow next to Color and choose a
bright red.
7-15
LESSON 7
Increase the width to 2.
Click OK.
7-16
The hurricane path is much easier to see now.
Step 3: Identify features

a
In the table of contents, check the box for FL_Counties to turn the layer on.
On the Tools toolbar, click the Identify tool

hurricane passed through.
, then click the easternmost county that the
7-17
LESSON 7
The Identify window opens.
When you click a feature with the Identify tool, the Identify window lists the feature(s) at the
location you clicked. You can click a feature in the feature list and see its attributes in the bottom
panel.
2. Which county is this?
______________________________________________________________________________
3. What was the population of this county in 2000?
______________________________________________________________________________
7-18
In the Identify window, you can also right-click a feature to navigate to it, select it for other
operations, define hyperlinks for it, and so on.
c
If necessary, move the Identify window out of the way so you can see the map display.
In the top portion of the Identify window, right-click the county name and choose Flash.
Next, right-click the county name and choose Zoom To.
7-19
LESSON 7
The map zooms to Miami-Dade county.
On the Tools toolbar, click the Go Back To Previous Extent button
Leave the Identify window open and click the westernmost county that the hurricane passed
through.
The information for this feature now displays in the Identify window.
4. What is the name of this county?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
h
Close the Identify window.
Next, you will use the Find tool to locate a particular county.
7-20
Step 4: Find features

a
Click the Find tool
Please be patient. It will take some time for the Find dialog box to open.
The Find tool allows you to search for features that match particular attribute values. For example,
if you are trying to find Burundi on a map of the world, you can enter Burundi or just Buru in the
Find tool, and you'll get a list of the features from layers in your map that contain that search
string in any of their attributes.
b
You can also find locations using address matching or linear referencing (a method of storing
locations using relative positions along a measured line), but those methods are outside the
scope of this course.
Refer to the ArcGIS 10.1 Help Library: Using the Find tool.
With the Features tab active, in the Find field, type Lee.
Leave the In field set to <Visible layers> and leave Search set to All fields.
You could choose to narrow your search only to a particular layer or to a particular field.
7-21
LESSON 7
Make sure to check the box that indicates you would like to find features that are similar to or
contain the search string is selected.
Click Find.
All features that match the search string are listed at the bottom of the Find dialog box. In this
case, there is only one feature listedLee County.
7-22
Once the results of Find are displayed, you can navigate to each feature. You can also click an
entry in the results list to flash it on the map (if it is within your map extent), double-click to pan to
it, or right-click to choose from other operations you can apply to your results.
g
If necessary, move the Find dialog box so you can see the map display.
In the results list at the bottom of the Find dialog box, click Lee.
The feature flashes in the map display.

6. Was Lee County likely to have been affected by this particular hurricane? Why or why not?
______________________________________________________________________________
i
In the results list, right-click Lee and examine the options available.
Choose Select from the context menu.
7-23
LESSON 7
Lee County is now highlighted in cyan.
In the results list, right-click Lee and choose Unselect.
Close the Find dialog box.
Next, you will use other methods to select features in your map.
Step 5: Select features

a
7-24
On the Tools toolbar, click the Select Feature By Rectangle tool
, then click Lee County.
Once again, Lee County is selected in the map.
Click the Clear Selected Features button
to unselect the feature.
The Select By Location tool lets you select point, line, or polygon features in one layer that have a
spatial relationship (e.g., near or overlap) with the features in the same of another layer.
c
This allows you to select features based on their location in relation to other features. You used
this tool earlier in this course to select the counties that intersected Lee County.
d
In the Select By Location dialog box, for Selection method, choose select features from.
This drop-down list also provides options for adding to the current selection, removing from the
current selection, and selecting from the current selection. In the exercise in lesson 5, when you
had Lee County selected, you used the add to the current selection option when selecting
adjacent counties.
e
For Target layer, check the box for FL_Counties.
7-25
LESSON 7
For Source layer, make sure FLHurricane92 is selected.
For Spatial selection method for target layer features, in the drop-down list, browse through
the available options.
Choose the option to intersect the source layer feature.
7-26
Click OK.
Open the attribute table for the FL_Counties layer.

Hint: In the table of contents, right-click FL_Counties and choose Open Attribute Table.
At the bottom of the Table window, click the Show selected records button
7. Which two counties are selected?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
l
If necessary, click the Clear Selection button
at the top of the Table window.
Hint: You could also have clicked the Clear Selected Features button
toolbar.
m
on the Tools
Close the Table window.
7-27
LESSON 7
One of the other selection methods you can use to select features in a layer is to select features
using an attribute query.
Select By Attributes allows you to provide a query expression that is used to select features that
match the criteria you specify. Again, in the exercise in lesson 5, you used this tool to select Lee
County based on its name attribute.
o
In the Select By Attributes dialog box, for Layer, choose FLHurricane92.
For Method, choose Create a new selection.
Below Method, you will see a list of field names.

Scroll down through the list and double-click WINDS_MPH.
This adds "WINDS_MPH" to the query expression box at the bottom of the dialog box.
r
Click the Equals button

Values.
to add an equal sign to the expression, then click Get Unique
This lists all the unique values present in the WINDS_MPH field.
s
7-28
In the list, double-click 144 to add this value to the query expression.
Make sure that your query expression matches the following graphic.
The query expression tells ArcMap to select features in the FLHurricane92 layer that have a value
of 144 in the WINDS_MPH field.
t
Click Verify.
On the Verifying expression dialog box, click OK, then click OK on the Select By Attributes
dialog box to create the selection.
8. Which segment(s) are selected? (Hint: If necessary, right-click the FLHurricane92 layer and
choose Zoom To Layer.)
______________________________________________________________________________
7-29
LESSON 7
The selected segment represents the part of the hurricane path that had winds recorded at 144
miles per hour.
v
Click the Clear Selected Feature button
Open the attribute table for FLHurricane92.
If necessary, click the Show All Records button
On the far left of the table, click the gray square for a row in the table.
This selects the row. Notice that the associated feature (hurricane line segment) is also selected in
the map.
z
If necessary, move the Table window out of the way so you can view the selected feature on
the map display.
7-30
Whenever you select features in the map, their associated rows in the attribute table will also be
selected. You can also select rows in the attribute table to see their associated features selected
on the map.
aa
, but leave the attribute table open.
Step 6: Examine an attribute table

As you know, the attribute table lists the attributes associated with a feature class. Each row
represents a single feature, which, in this case, is a line segment that makes up a portion of the
hurricane's path.
a
Review the attributes for this feature class.

9. What was the name of this hurricane?
______________________________________________________________________________
10. When did this hurricane occur?
______________________________________________________________________________
Scroll to the right until you locate the CATEGORY field.
Hurricanes are classified based on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, which has five categories.
Level five hurricanes are the most serious.
11. Which category was this hurricane classified as?
______________________________________________________________________________
7-31
LESSON 7
Right-click the WINDS_MPH field name and choose Sort Descending.
12. What is the range of values recorded for this hurricane path?
______________________________________________________________________________
You can glean a lot of information from the attribute table, especially when viewed in conjunction
with the map display.
d
Step 7: View data change over time

You can use temporal attributesor attributes that store a measure of time for each featureto
create, visualize, and work with time-aware layers. Some examples of time-aware layers: animal
tracking locations, crime events, disease cases, urban growth, weather patterns, storm tracks, and
so on.
As you know, the FLHurricane92 layer has a DATE_ field. This layer has been time-enabled based
on this field. Once you have enabled time for a layer, you can use the Time Slider to visualize how
the data changes over time.
a
7-32
On the Tools toolbar, click the Time Slider button
On the Time Slider toolbar, click the Enable time on map button
On the far right of the Time Slider, click the Play button
The map displays a time animation that steps through the Hurricane features sequentially.
13. Did this hurricane move from east to west or from west to east?
______________________________________________________________________________
You can time-enable any data that has attributes specifically referring to times or dates. Temporal
data may refer to discrete events, such as lightning strikes; moving objects, such as trains; or
repeated observations, such as counts from traffic sensors.
d
Close the Time Slider window.
7-33
LESSON 7
Lesson review
1. List aspects of a map that can affect your ability to interpret it properly.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Using the zoom tools in a map changes which of the following?
a. The level of detail displayed in the map.
b. The number of features visible in the map display.
c. The scale in the map scale box.
d. All of the above.
3. Viewing a dataset's changes over time requires that the dataset be time-enabled.
a. True
b. False
7-34

Getting information from a GIS map (page 7-7)
1. Thinking back to the lesson on The importance of coordinate systems, what must you
consider and evaluate before using the Measure tool to measure distances and areas in a
map?
Measurements are only valid if the projection used in the map preserves distance or
area, or if the features you are measuring lie within the area of the map where there is
little to no distortion present.
Exercise 7: Explore a map using ArcMap (page 7-9)

1. The scale of the map is the ratio between distance or area on the map and the
corresponding distance or area on the ground.
2. Which county is this?
The easternmost county is Miami-Dade.
2,253,362.
4. What is the name of this county?
The westernmost county is Monroe.
79,589.
6. Was Lee County likely to have been affected by this particular hurricane? Why or why not?
Although it may have suffered some damage from high winds and rain, Lee County is
north of this particular hurricane path.
7. Which two counties are selected?
Miami-Dade and Monroe counties are selected. These are the same two counties you
identified earlier and the only two counties in Florida through which this particular
hurricane passed.
7-35
LESSON 7
8. Which segment(s) are selected? (Hint: If necessary, right-click the FLHurricane92 layer and
choose Zoom To Layer.)
The segment on the far right.
9. What was the name of this hurricane?
This hurricane was named Andrew.
10. When did this hurricane occur?
This hurricane occurred in late August of 1992.
11. Which category was this hurricane classified as?
This was a level 4 hurricane, although for one segment, it was listed as a level 3.
12. What is the range of values recorded for this hurricane path?
The range of miles-per-hour values recorded for winds for this hurricane path was
126-144 miles per hour.
13. Did this hurricane move from east to west or from west to east?
Hurricane Andrew moved from east to west as it crossed Florida.
7-36

Introduction
Key terms
data extraction
geoprocessing
overlay
proximity analysis
spatial analysis
Have you ever looked at a map of crime in your city and tried to
figure out which areas have high crime rates? Have you ever looked at
different types of information, like school locations, parks, and
demographics, and tried to determine the best location to buy a new
home? Whenever you look at a map, you inherently start turning that
map into information by finding patterns, assessing trends, or making
decisions. This process is called spatial analysis, and it's what your
eyes and mind do naturally whenever you look at a map.
Whether it's a statistical analysis to determine whether the patterns
that you see are significant, or an imagery analysis to detect change in
vegetation over time, the spatial analysis tools that are part of the
ArcGIS system empower you to answer questions and make important
decisions using more than a simple visual analysis.
Topics covered
Applying the geographic approach
Geoprocessing and spatial analysis
Common spatial analysis tasks
Learning objectives
Apply the geographic approach to solve a spatial problem.
8-1
LESSON 8
The geographic approach - revisited

The geographic approach, which you learned about earlier in this
course, provides a consistent workflow for answering questions or
solving problems with GIS that can be applied to any problem with a
spatial component. So far, you've focused primarily on the first three
stepsthis lesson focuses on step 4.
Table 8.1
This table describes the
steps of the geographic
approach to solving
problems with GIS.
Step
Description
1. Ask a
geographic
question
Develop geographic questions that need to be

answered. These questions attempt to identify how an
object or phenomenon's spatial location affects it or its
involvement with other features or phenomenons.
2. Acquire
geographic
data
Obtain the geographic data you need to answer your

questions.
3. Examine
geographic
data
Create a map of your geographic area and symbolize

data to look for patterns or information that are not
always easy to see on a map.
4. Analyze
geographic
information
Determine a problem-solving approach and perform

GIS analysis.
5. Act on
geographic
knowledge
Develop your message and intended audience; create

visuals, such as maps, to communicate information.
Often, you'll need to repeat steps to refine your analysis. For

example, while examining your data (step 3), you may realize you
need an additional feature class, so you need to go back and acquire
another data source (step 2). Maybe acting on your results (step 5)
leads you to modify the original question (step 1).
GIS analysis doesn't always accomplish the desired results the first
time through. It's an iterative processwith each successive pass, you
may change the criteria used, the tools used, or the order of the
processes. You may need to take the time to verify results and visually
analyze the data produced by intermediate steps as well as the final
analysis.
8-2
Questions you can answer with GIS

Even when you are attempting to solve a larger problem, it can be
broken down into a basic question or a series of questions you are
trying to answer. Generally, those questions will fit into one of the
following categories.
Table 8.2
This table provides a list of
the types of questions you
can answer with GIS and
Category
Question prefix
Example
Condition
What is...? or Which is...?
Which is the highest

mountain peak?
Location
Where is...?
Where is the nearest gas

station?
Trends
What has changed

since...?
or How has __________
changed since...?
How has air quality

changed since electric cars
were introduced
commercially in California?
Patterns
Which spatial patterns

exist...?
Which spatial patterns exist

between land use and
demographics?
Modeling
What if ...?
What if the wind direction

changes as the fire line
moves west?
example questions for

each category.
Can you think of an example of a question for each of the categories

above?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
8-3
LESSON 8
What is spatial analysis?

In GIS, the terms geoprocessing and spatial analysis are often used
interchangeably. However, these two terms, while related to one
another, are actually different.
Each time you examine the locations, attributes, and relationships
between features in geographic data to address a question or gain
useful knowledge, you are performing spatial analysis. Spatial analysis
extracts or creates new information from geographic data, helping
you solve problems and answer questions about the world around
you.
The part of the geographic approach that involves manipulating data
(e.g., running tools) to create or extract information is called
geoprocessing. A typical geoprocessing tool performs an essential
operation on geographic datasuch as projecting a dataset from one
map projection to another, adding a field to a table, or creating a
buffer zone around featuresand returns the result of the operation
as an output dataset. ArcGIS includes hundreds of such
geoprocessing tools.
Figure 8.1
A geoprocessing tool
performs an operation on
an input dataset, often
producing an output
dataset.
Of the five steps that make up the geographic approach, only one
(step 4) centers on geoprocessing. During spatial analysis, one or
more geoprocessing tools are run based on the analysis objectives.
GIS users then explore, interpret, and share the results, using them to
draw conclusions and make decisions.
8-4
Geoprocessing in analyses
In a typical analysis that includes geoprocessing operations, you
would follow the steps below:
1. Determine which geoprocessing tools you need.
2. Determine the order in which the geoprocessing tools should be
used.
3. Locate the first tool and open its dialog box.
4. Enter the tool parameters, including the input and output
datasets.
5. Run the tool.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 for each geoprocessing tool in order.
7. Examine the final output, and repeat some or all of the analysis
steps as needed.
8-5
LESSON 8
Common analysis tasks

Geoprocessing tools used for analysis typically fall into three
categories: data extraction, overlay, and proximity.
Data extraction
The process of creating a new subset of features in one feature class
based on the geographic extent of another feature class is named
data extraction. For example, suppose you want to assess street
conditions within Wilson, North Carolina. You have a feature class
representing the streets for the entire county. You also have a feature
class representing the city boundary.
With an operation named clip, you can use the boundary dataset to
extract (or clip out) the street features that fall within the city limits
into a new dataset. This allows you to isolate the features of interest
for your analysis. Doing so reduces the size of the dataset you're
using, which reduces processing time during future geoprocessing
operations. ArcGIS won't have to consider all the other street features
in the countyjust the ones you have isolated.
Figure 8.2
In a clip operation, a clip
layer is overlaid like a
cookie cutter on top of an
input layer. The input
layer's features (in this
case, streets) are clipped
to the extent of the clip
layer (e.g., city boundary).
8-6
Overlay
If the data you need to answer a specific question is contained in
different layers, you can combine (or overlay) the layers to create a
new layer that contains the data from both input layers. For example,
suppose you have layers of vegetation and soils. To determine which
vegetation types are common with particular soil types, you could
overlay the two layers using an operation named union. The dataset
created by the union operation would contain all the features and
attributes from both layers. You could quickly query the new layer to
determine the relationship between them.
Figure 8.3
A vegetation layer is
overlaid with a soils layer.
The overlay operation
creates a new layer with
features and attributes
from both the vegetation
and soils layers.
8-7
LESSON 8
Proximity
A common type of GIS analysis, named proximity analysis, involves
finding what is near or within a certain distance of one or more
features. Buffer is a common geoprocessing operation used for
proximity analysis. For example, if you want to notify lot owners about
a new bus stop that is within a certain distance of their property, you
can use a buffer operation to find all the lots within that distance. A
buffer creates a zone of a specified distance around one or more
features.
Figure 8.4
In this example, a buffer
has been created to
define the area within a
certain distance of the bus
stop.
8-8
Analyze crime data

When GIS datasets contain more data than you need, you can extract
only the features you need, outputting the features and attributes you
want to keep as a separate feature class or table. Extract tools select
features and attributes in a feature class or table based on an attribute
query (SQL expression) or location. The resulting features and
attributes are stored in a new feature class or table. The most
common extract tool is the Clip tool.
Overlay tools are usually used to determine where different types of
features coexist in the same area. In a general sense, performing an
overlay involves combining multiple data layers into one. The
collection of Overlay tools provides the ability to combine, erase,
modify, or update input features, writing the output to a new feature
class. New information is created when overlaying one set of features
with another. Two of the most common overlay tools are Union and
Intersect.
Proximity tools determine the proximity of features within one or
more feature classes or between two feature classes. These tools can
identify features that are closest to one another or calculate the
distances between or around them. The most common proximity tool
is the Buffer tool. Any buffers you create will adopt the values of the
features they are buffering.
8-9
40 minutes
Exercise 8: Analyze hurricane storm surge data

Earlier in this course, you gathered and prepared data for a hurricane
storm surge simulation study that is being conducted by the National
Hurricane Center and Lee County, Florida. In this exercise, you will
use that data to analyze the effects of a category 3 hurricane storm
surge inundation on certain vulnerable facilities (schools, hospitals,
day care centers, and nursing homes) in the county. The results of
your analysis will help focus emergency response initiatives for those
facilities. The primary question you need to answer is, "Which
vulnerable facilities are at greatest risk from a category 3 storm surge
inundation in Lee County?"
Extract features in your area of interest.

Identify vulnerable facilities.
Overlay two layers.
Identify secondary facilities that may be at risk.
Figure 8.5
Map of Lee County
hurricane storm surge
inundation displaying
hospitals, schools, nursing
homes, and day care
centers. This map also
displays one-mile buffers
around hospitals.
8-11
LESSON 8
Step 1: Open ArcMap and examine the map document

a
Start ArcMap and open C:\Student\ARC1\Florida\StormSurge.mxd.
The map displays Lee and the surrounding counties, along with points that represent vulnerable
facilities.
Step 2: Extract features in your area of interest

You can see that some of the points for the various vulnerable facilities are outside the study area.
8-12
In the table of contents, right-click the FL_Hospitals layer and choose Zoom To Layer.
The map zooms to the extent of the hospitals layer, which covers the entire state of Florida. You
may also notice that the schools, nursing homes, and day care centers also cover the entire state.
You don't need to work with layers that contain many more features than required, so you will
extract only those features that are within your area of interest.
1. Which tool extracts only the features from an input layer that are within the extent of the
features in another layer?
______________________________________________________________________________
b
From the Geoprocessing menu, choose the appropriate tool.
In the tool's dialog box, for Input Features, use the drop-down to select FL_Hospitals.
Notice that the Output Feature Class field is automatically set to the \Documents\ArcGIS\
Default.gdb geodatabase.
8-13
LESSON 8
So far in this course, you have clicked the Browse button to navigate to another location. In this
exercise, to save time, you will change this default geodatabase setting so the output from all the
tools you run will be set to the StormSurge geodatabase.
d
Click Cancel to close the tool dialog box.
In the Catalog window, right-click StormSurge.gdb and choose Make Default Geodatabase.
Reopen the Clip tool.
In the tool's dialog box, for Input Features, once again use the drop-down to select
FL_Hospitals.
Set Clip Features to LeeCounties.
Notice that the Output Feature Class field is now set to the C:\Student\ARC1\Florida\
StormSurge.gdb geodatabase.
i
Highlight the default name (at the end of the path in the Output Feature Class input box) and
type FL_HospitalsClip.
On the tool's dialog box, click OK to run the tool.
ArcMap generates the new layer and adds it to the map display.
8-14
Right-click the new FL_HospitalsClip layer and choose Zoom To Layer.
The new layer is symbolized with a default symbol. You will set it to match the current symbol for
the FL_Hospitals layer.
l
Open the layer properties for the FL_HospitalsClip layer.

Hint: Right-click FL_HospitalsClip and choose Properties.
8-15
LESSON 8
Click the Symbology tab.
In the upper-right corner, click Import.
In the Import Symbology dialog box, for Layer, choose FL_Hospitals.
Accept all other defaults.
8-16
Click OK on the Import Symbology dialog box.
Click OK to close the Layer Properties dialog box.
You don't need both hospitals layers, so you will remove the one that contains hospitals
throughout the state.
s
In the table of contents, right-click FL_Hospitals and choose Remove.

Removing a layer from the table of contents does not delete the data on disk; it simply
removes the layer from the map.
Repeat this process for the FL_Schools, FL_NursingHomes, and FL_DayCareCenters layers;
clipping their extent to the boundary of LeeCounties and setting their symbology to match the
original layer. Be sure to remove the original layers once the data has been extracted.
Now that you have reduced the number of features, any geoprocessing you do will be faster.
u
Zoom to the extent of the LeeCounties layer.
Step 3: Identify vulnerable facilities in Lee County

You want to identify the vulnerable facilities in Lee County.
8-17
LESSON 8
In this step, you will select only the storm surge polygons within Lee County. First, you have to
select Lee County.
a
In the Select By Attributes dialog box:
For Layer, choose LeeCounties.

For Method, choose Create a new selection.
In the list of fields, double-click "NAME".
Click the Equals button
.
Click Get Unique Values.
In the Unique Values list, double-click 'Lee'.
Click Unique Values to see the values for the selected field when creating a query
expression. You can type a value in the Go To input box to quickly navigate this list.
Your query expression should read, "NAME" = 'Lee'.
Click Verify.
When your expression is successfully verified, click OK to dismiss the Verifying expression
dialog box.
On the Select By Attributes dialog box, click OK .
Lee County is now selected.
8-18
In the table of contents, right-click LeeCounties and choose Selection > Zoom To Selected
Features.
8-19
LESSON 8
In the Select By Location dialog box:
For Selection method, choose select features from.

In the Target layers list, check the box for Cat3 and uncheck all other boxes.
For Source layer, choose LeeCounties, then, just below LeeCounties, check the box for
Use selected features.
For Spatial selection method for target layer feature(s), choose are within the source layer
feature.
Your Select By Location settings tell ArcMap to select features from the Cat3 that are within the
selected features of the LeeCounties layer (i.e., Lee County).
8-20
Click OK.
Do you notice how not every Cat3 polygon inside Lee County is selected?
The Cat3 polygons are irregularly shaped, so selecting them by location this way doesn't provide
you with the selection you were looking for. Some of the Cat3 polygons within Lee County are not
selected, perhaps because they extend beyond the county boundary. You want to select all of the
parts of the polygons that are within Lee County.
First, you will unselect the selected features from the Cat3 layer.
j
In the table of contents, right-click the Cat3 layer and click Selection > Clear selected features.
This clears only the selected features in the Cat3 layer so that, once again, the only feature
selected in the map is Lee County.
In the next step, you will overlay the Cat3 polygons and the selected Lee County polygon to
create an output that combines the features and attributes of both.
8-21
LESSON 8
Step 4: Overlay the Cat3 layer with Lee County

You want to create a new feature class that includes features constructed from the overlapping
portions of Lee County and the Cat3 layer.
a
From the Geoprocessing menu, choose Intersect.
Click and drag Cat3 from the table of contents to the Intersect tool's dialog box, under
Features.
Repeat this click and drag process for the LeeCounties layer.
The Output Feature Class is automatically set to C:\Student\ARC1\Florida\StormSurge.gdb

because you set this as the default geodatabase.
d
Highlight the default name at the end of the Output Feature Class path and type
LeeCat3Intersect.
Click OK to run the Intersect tool.
On the Tools toolbar, click the Clear Selected Features button
The Clear Selected Features button clears all the selected features in your map.
8-22
Turn off the Cat3 layer.
If necessary, change the symbology for the LeeCat3Intersect layer to make it easier to see.
Try importing the symbology from the Cat3 layer.
The new LeeCat3Intersect layer contains features that represent Cat3 polygons within Lee County.
These are the polygons you will use to determine which vulnerable facilities in Lee County are at
risk from a category 3 storm surge.
Since you used Intersect, the new features include the attributes from both layers.
i
Right-click the LeeCat3Intersect layer and choose Open Attribute Table.
8-23
LESSON 8
Close the attribute table when you are finished browsing the attributes.
Open the Select By Location dialog box.

Hint: From the Selection menu, choose Select By Location.

For Target layers, check the boxes for FL_HospitalsClip, FL_DayCareCentersClip,
FL_NursingHomesClip, and FL_SchoolsClip; uncheck the boxes for all other layers.
For Source layer, choose LeeCat3Intersect.
For Spatial selection method, choose intersect the source layer feature.
8-24
Click OK to run the tool.
Right-click the FL_SchoolsClip layer and choose Open Attribute Table.

2. How many schools in Lee County are at risk from a category 3 hurricane storm surge? (Hint:
Look at the bottom of the Table window.)
______________________________________________________________________________
Opening the attribute table is only one way to determine the number of selected (i.e., affected)
features in a layer.
o
At the top of the Table Of Contents window, click the List By Selection button
The List By Selection button is one of the buttons that allows you to change the way the layers in
your map are listed in the table of contents. It groups layers automatically by whether or not they
8-25
LESSON 8
are selectable and have selected features. It also lists the number of selected features in each
layer.
A selectable layer means that features in the layer can be selected using the interactive
selection tools, such as those on the Tools toolbar or the Edit tool, when in an edit session.
3. For each of the following layers, use the List By Selection view to determine how many of
each type of facility are at risk.
Layer name
Number of affected facilities
FL_NursingHomesClip
FL_DayCareCentersClip
FL_HospitalsClip
4. Which type of vulnerable facility has the most features at risk during a category 3 storm
surge?
______________________________________________________________________________
The FL_HospitalsClip layer has the fewest facilities at risk.
5. List the hospital(s) that are completely within the storm surge polygon and therefore most
at risk. (Hint: Open the attribute table for the FL_HospitalsClip layer.)
______________________________________________________________________________
These are the facilities that may need to be given priority during evacuation efforts in the event of
a category 3 hurricane storm surge in Lee County.
q
Clear the selected features.
At the top of the Table Of Contents window, click the List By Drawing Order button
8-26
Use List By Drawing Order to author the contents of your map. You can change the
display order of layers on the map, rename or remove layers, and create or manage
group layers.
Step 5: Identify hospitals close to the storm surge inundation polygon

a
Click the FL_HospitalsClip layer and drag it to the top of the Table Of Contents window.
Zoom in to the center of Lee County where there are several hospitals.
Some of these hospitals are not within the storm surge polygons, but they are fairly close to them.
While these hospitals may not need to be evacuated because of flooding, they will likely be at risk
of some residual damage or from overcrowding during the storm.
You will create a buffer of a mile around each hospital point to identify hospitals that are likely to
be affected based on their proximity to the storm surge.
8-27
LESSON 8
From the Geoprocessing menu, choose Buffer.
In the Buffer tool's dialog box, for Input Features, choose FL_HospitalsClip.
Set Output Feature Class to C:\Student\ARC1\Florida\StormSurge.gdb\HospitalBuffers.
Set the Distance value to 1 and the units to Miles.
8-28
Click OK to run the Buffer tool and create the one-mile buffers around each hospital.
Now you will determine which of the hospitals in Lee County may still be at increased risk because
of their proximity to the storm surge polygons.
8-29
LESSON 8

For Target layers, check the box for HospitalBuffers and uncheck the boxes for all other
layers.
For Source layer, choose LeeCat3Intersect.
For Spatial selection method, choose intersect the source layer feature.
8-30
Click OK.
Right-click LeeCat3Intersect and choose Zoom To Layer.
Right-click HospitalBuffers and choose Open Attribute Table.

6. How many hospitals within Lee County are more than a mile from (i.e., not selected) the
category 3 storm surge polygon? (Hint: Evaluate the selection based on the attribute
values in the County field.)
______________________________________________________________________________
You have identified which vulnerable facilities in Lee County are most at risk from storm surge
inundation during a category 3 hurricane and hospitals that may become overcrowded during or
shortly after such a storm.
l
In the next lesson, you will learn how to share the results of your analysis.
m
8-31
LESSON 8
When prompted to save the map, choose Yes.
When you finish working on a map, you can save it as a map document, or MXD file. In this case,
you are saving changes to a map document that has already been saved. If the map hadn't been
saved before, you would need to provide a name and save it into a folder location. ArcMap
automatically appends a file extension (.mxd) to the map document name.
The data displayed on a map is not saved with it. Map layers reference the data sources in
your GIS database.
You will use this map in the next lesson when you learn how to share your results.
8-32
Lesson review
1. List the steps of the geographic approach.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. You are creating a city map for delivery drivers, but the streets data you have covers the
entire county. Which tool would allow you to reduce the number of streets features based
on an extent of the city boundary?
a. Buffer
b. Clip
c. Extract
d. Intersect
3. Geoprocessing tools generally perform an operation on geographic data and often return
an output dataset.
a. True
b. False
4. You are looking for places within a mile of a river where there are habitats of multiple
species. Which Overlay tool could you use to combine features from multiple layers (e.g.,
the habitat data with the river buffer) to output only those habitats located within the
one-mile buffer zone?
a. Union
b. Clip
c. Intersect
d. Buffer
8-33
LESSON 8
5. A tanker truck has crashed on the highway, releasing a cloud of hazardous fumes. You need
to quickly create a map that identifies the affected area, a polygon that surrounds the crash
site by five miles in all directions. Which Proximity tool could you use to accomplish this
task?
a. Buffer
b. Clip
c. Intersect
d. Union
8-34

Exercise 8: Analyze hurricane storm surge data (page 8-11)
1. Which tool extracts only the features from an input layer that are within the extent of the
features in another layer?
The Clip tool extracts input features that overlay the clip features in another layer.
2. How many schools in Lee County are at risk from a category 3 hurricane storm surge? (Hint:
Look at the bottom of the Table window.)
There are a total of 42 (out of 254) schools at risk in Lee County.
3. For each of the following layers, use the List By Selection view to determine how many of
each type of facility are at risk.
Layer name
Number of affected facilities
FL_NursingHomesClip
34
13
FL_HospitalsClip
4. Which type of vulnerable facility has the most features at risk during a category 3 storm
surge?
There are more schools at risk than any other type of vulnerable facility.
5. List the hospital(s) that are completely within the storm surge polygon and therefore most
at risk. (Hint: Open the attribute table for the FL_HospitalsClip layer.)
Only Cape Coral Hospital is completely within the storm surge polygon.
6. How many hospitals within Lee County are more than a mile from (i.e., not selected) the
category 3 storm surge polygon? (Hint: Evaluate the selection based on the attribute
values in the County field.)
None of the hospitals in Lee County is more than a mile from the category 3 storm
surge polygon.
8-35
Sharing results
Sharing results
Introduction
Key terms
map package (MPK)
Once you have created a map or performed an analysis to solve a

problem, you need to share the results so they can be properly
distributed, interpreted, and applied. In fact, communicating and
sharing your work is often the most rewarding part of GIS.
Although people use GIS for many reasons, one useful way to think of
GIS is as a powerful communication tool. Whether your audience is
the public at large, planners, business executives, elected
government officials, customers, students, or your colleagues at work,
you ultimately want to ensure that the map or analysis results you
produce are provided in a usable format. The ArcGIS system makes it
easy to communicate and share your work and put powerful maps,
visualizations, and functionality into people's hands without requiring
that they be GIS experts.
Topics covered
Exporting maps as PDF files

Generating reports and graphs
Sharing a map as a map package
Creating presentations
Learning objectives
Choose an appropriate method for sharing a map or analysis

results based on a given scenario.
Apply various methods for sharing a map or analysis results.
9-1
LESSON 9
The importance of sharing results

Why is it important to share results?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
How are maps and geographic information commonly shared by
members of your organization?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
What are some ways you have seen maps and geographic information
shared by others outside of your organization?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
9-2
Sharing results
Common ways to share results

ArcGIS offers a number of ways to share your map and analysis
results, including web maps accessible in browsers and on mobile
devices, printed map layouts, maps included in reports and
presentations, map books, atlases, maps embedded in applications,
and so on. The option you choose depends on the target audience
and the desired delivery method.
Table 9.1
This table lists common
Share results as
methods used to share

results, whether ArcGIS
software is required to use
those results, and when
and why you might choose
to share your results using
each method.
ArcGIS needed
to use?
When/why use?
Map package
(MPK)
To share complete map

documents
Layer package
(LPK)
To share a dataset and its layer

properties
Web map
To share a map to be accessed

on the web
Exported map
(e.g., PDF)
To share a map as an image
Report, chart, or
graph
To share feature attributes and

relationships
Presentation
To share map content as

annotated slides
Map packages and layer packages

As you work on a map in ArcMap, you can save it as a map document
(or MXD file), which others can open and use if they have ArcGIS for
Desktop and access to the data. Each layer in the map document
references data on disk and is symbolized with a default symbol or
with a symbol you specify.
To share a layer, including its symbology definition, you can save it as
a layer (LYR file) or package it as a layer package (LPK file). Layer files
include a reference to the data on disk and a symbology definition.
9-3
LESSON 9
When you add a layer file (LYR) to your map, it will draw exactly as it
was saved as long as you have access to the data referenced by the
layer. Layer packages, on the other hand, allow you to package the
symbology definition with the data so users who do not have access
to the data storage location can access the data. You can share either
of these file types over the network and by e-mail, but you can also
share layer packages on ArcGIS Online.
To share an entire map document with ArcGIS for Desktop users who
do not have access to the data server, you can create a map
package. Map packages include a map document (.mxd) and the
data referenced by the map layers packaged into one portable file.
Like layer packages, map packages make it easy to share maps that
include the symbology of the source map by uploading the MPK file
directly to ArcGIS Online, saving it locally and e-mailing it, or making
it available on a file share. Because a map package is a snapshot of
the map and the current state of its data, another valuable use for
map packages is documenting your work.
Web maps
You can create a web map using ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Explorer
Online. You could also create a map service in ArcGIS for Desktop
and create a web map that uses it. Web maps bring your map to the
masses, allowing anyone you choose to access your map through an
intranet or the Internet. The map reader doesn't need anything more
than Internet access and a web browser to access your map.
Web maps are useful because they can be shared and used through a
web connection without the user having to install any ArcGIS
software. Web maps can also be shared and used by ArcGIS for
Desktop users.
Printing and exporting your map

You can export maps to several industry-standard file formats,
including PDFs. The Portable Document Format (PDF) is a popular
graphics file format that supports vector and raster graphics in a
single compact file. PDF files are designed to be consistently
viewable and printable across different platforms. They are commonly
used for distributing documents on the web, and the format is now an
official ISO standard for document interchange.
9-4
Sharing results
Reports, charts, and graphs

The facts and figures behind your analysis can often be captured in
reports, charts, and graphs, making them invaluable companions to
the maps you create. Reports, charts, and graphs let you effectively
display attribute information about map features in a tabular or
graphical format that you control. The information displayed in the
report, chart, or graph comes directly from the attribute information
stored within the geographic data or stand-alone table in your map.
In your reports, charts, and graphs, you can choose which fields from
your table you want to display and how you want to display them.
Once you've created it, you can place the report, graph, or chart on
your map layout or save it as a file for distribution.
Presentations
Using ArcGIS Explorer or ArcGIS Explorer Online, you can create
presentation maps that contain slides that let people view your map
as a presentation. Unlike PowerPoint, these presentation slides are
completely dynamic, so users can pan and zoom the map and click on
map features to find out more about them before moving on to the
next slide.
With ArcGIS Explorer Online, you can share a presentation through a
direct link or by embedding it in a website. Presentations are a
collection of annotated slides that help communicate the importance
of the map's content such as its basemap, features, and layers. You
play a presentation with control buttons to start, go forward, go back,
end the presentation, and so on. Presentations that are created in
ArcGIS Explorer Online as part of the map can be viewed from any
ArcGIS map client, including the ArcGIS.com map viewer and ArcGIS
for iOS. You can also embed a map in presentation mode in a web
page.
9-5
Sharing results
50 minutes
Exercise 9: Share hurricane analysis results

In the previous lesson, you performed an analysis to identify the
vulnerable facilities at risk of a Category 3 storm surge inundation in
Lee County. In this exercise, you will create various files to share your
results with decision makers throughout the county.
Export your map as a PDF.

Create and share a map package.
Use ArcGIS Explorer Online to build a presentation.
9-7
LESSON 9
Step 1: Export the map as a PDF

a
Start ArcMap and open C:\Student\ARC1\Florida\StormSurge.mxd.
This exercise uses the results from the analysis you performed in lesson 8. If you were
unable to successfully complete that analysis, use the map document and geodatabase in
the C:\Student\ARC1\Results\Lesson08 folder.
b
Zoom in to Lee County. (Hint: Use the Zoom In tool and draw a box around Lee County.)
As part of an upcoming meeting, the Board of County Commissioners will present a PDF of your
map. The PDF will be printed and handed out at the meeting.
Before you create a PDF of the map, you are going to prepare the map in layout view.
ArcMap provides two ways to view a map: data view and layout view. Each view allows you to
view and interact with the map, but in different ways. Data view provides a geographic window for
9-8
Sharing results
exploring, displaying, querying, editing, and analyzing the data in your map. Layout view allows
you to view your map as it would appear on a printed page.
c
From the View menu, choose Layout View.

You can also switch to Layout View by clicking the Layout View button
map display.
, just below the
Layout view allows you to see what the map will look like when printed or exported to a PDF.
When you switch to Layout View, the Layout toolbar opens. This toolbar provides tools that allow
you to interact with the map display in the layout.
Layout view also allows you to add elements to your map that will help map readers properly
interpret your map's message.
9-9
LESSON 9
One of the most important elements for many maps is the legend. A legend helps a map reader
interpret the meaning of the symbols used to represent features on the map. Legends consist of
examples of the symbols on the map with labels containing explanatory text.
You will add a legend to your map.
d
From the Insert menu, choose Legend.
In the Legend Properties dialog box, the map layers are listed on the left, while the legend
items are listed on the right.
Not all layers in a map need to be in its legend. In this case, you will only keep certain layers.
Removing layers from the legend does not remove them from the table of contents or from
the map.
9-10
Sharing results
Click the HospitalBuffers layer in the Legend Items list on the right to select it.
Once you have the HospitalBuffers layer selected, click the left arrow button
Keep the number of columns in your legend set to 1.
Click Next.
You could provide your legend with a title, but in this case, you will accept the defaults on this
panel and simply click Next.
9-11
LESSON 9
Continue accepting the defaults by clicking Next through the rest of the panels until you get
to the final panel, then click Finish.
Your legend draws in the center of the map.
9-12
Sharing results
Click and drag the legend to the lower-left corner of the map.
The purpose of a legend is to help the map reader understand the symbols in the map. In this
case, the layer names are somewhat complicated. To make it easier to interpret the symbols, you
will change the layer names.
The legend is dynamic. If you change the layer name in the map, it will automatically change in
the legend.
l
Click the FL_HospitalsClip layer in the table of contents, then slowly click it a second time to
make it editable (i.e., a box appears around it).
9-13
LESSON 9
Type Hospitals, then press Enter on your keyboard.
Notice that the new layer name is immediately reflected in the legend.
9-14
Sharing results
Repeat this process to name the layers as listed in the following table.
Current name
New name
Day Care Centers
FL_NursingHomesClip
Nursing Homes
FL_SchoolsClip
Schools
LeeCat3Intersect
Category 3 Storm Surge
LeeCounties*
Lee County
* Although the LeeCounties layer contains multiple counties, your map is centered on Lee County. For
the purpose of the map, you will change the layer name to Lee County.
Next, you will add a title to your map.

o
From the Insert menu, choose Title.
ArcMap adds a default title.

p
To change the default title, double-click it to open the Properties dialog box and make sure
that the Text tab is selected.
9-15
LESSON 9
Type Lee County Cat 3 Storm Surge Risk.
Click Change Symbol.
In the Symbol Selector, click the Bold button
On the Properties dialog box, click OK.
9-16
, then click OK.
Sharing results
Click the title and drag it above the map display.
There are a number of other elements you could add, such as a north arrow or a scale bar, but
because such elements are not necessary for the purpose of this map, you will leave it as is.
v
From the File menu, choose Export Map.
9-17
LESSON 9
In the Export Map dialog box:
Navigate to the C:\Student\ARC1\Florida folder.

For Save as type, choose PDF.
For File name, type LeeCountyCat3Map.
9-18
Click Save.
Sharing results
In Windows Explorer, navigate to C:\Student\ARC1\Florida and double-click

LeeCountyCat3Map.pdf.
You can now provide this map to the Board of County Commissioners to print and distribute at
their meeting.
z
When you are done looking at the map, you may close it, then close Windows Explorer.
9-19
LESSON 9
Step 2: Create a map package and upload it to ArcGIS Online

The Board of County Commissioners wants to share the map document with the Southwest
Florida Regional Planning Council. They have asked you to create a map package that can be
uploaded and shared via ArcGIS Online.
Before packaging a map, enter descriptive information about it in the Map

Document Properties dialog box. This information is built into the package and is
accessible to others when you upload your map package into ArcGIS Online.
From the File menu, choose Map Document Properties.
In the Map Document Properties dialog box:
Provide a short summary and a description for your map.

For Author, type your name.
For Credits, accept the default or leave it blank.
For Tags, type Florida, storm surge, Category 3, hurricane, Lee County.
For the purposes of this course, leave Hyperlink base blank.
Check the box to store relative pathnames to data sources.
Relative paths in a map specify the location of the data contained in the map relative to the
current location on disk of the map document (.mxd file) itself. Because relative paths don't
contain drive names, they enable the map and its associated data to be moved to any disk drive
without the map having to be repaired. As long as the same directory structure is used at the new
location, the map will still be able to find its data by traversing the relative paths.
9-20
Sharing results
When delivering documents, toolboxes, and data to another user, relative paths
should be used. Otherwise, the recipient's computer must have the same directory
structure as yours.
Click OK.
From the File menu, click Share As > Map Package.
The Map Package dialog box opens.
9-21
LESSON 9
First, you will specify where to save your map packageeither as a file on disk or in your ArcGIS
Online account.
e
Choose Upload package to my ArcGIS Online account.
Uncheck the box to include Enterprise Geodatabase data instead of referencing the data.
In this case, your map does not include enterprise geodatabase data.
9-22
On the left, click Item Description.
Sharing results
The information you entered for the Map Document Properties displays on this panel. You could
modify it here if necessary.
Click Additional Files.
If necessary, you could specify Additional Files you wanted to include in the map package. This
option allows you to include other content, such as detailed documentation, reports, graphs, etc.
i
Click Sharing.
If prompted to log in, enter your user name and password to sign in.
9-23
LESSON 9
Check the box for Everyone (public).
If you were a member of a group, you could check the Members of these groups box, then select
the group with which you wanted to share.
l
In the upper-right corner of the dialog box, click Analyze to validate your map for any errors or
issues.
A Prepare window will display, with a list of any issues. In this case, there are no errors to address.
Once validated, close the Prepare window and click Share to create your map package.
If prompted to save the map document before creating the map package, choose Yes.
The Packaging window remains open while the map package is being created.
9-24
Sharing results
Once the map package has been created, you will see a message verifying that it has succeeded.
Open a web browser and enter www.arcgis.com to open ArcGIS Online. (If necessary, sign in
with your Esri Global account.)
The MY CONTENT list now contains your map package.
This file is now readily accessible for Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council.
p
Leave ArcMap and the web browser open.
Step 3: Create a web map

In this step, you will use ArcGIS Explorer Online to create a web map that shows the hospitals
likely to be affected by the Category 3 storm surge. You will then use this web map as the basis
for a presentation you will create with the same application.
9-25
LESSON 9
In the web browser, type www.arcgis.com/explorer into the Address bar and press Enter,
then in the upper-left corner of the ArcGIS Explorer Online window, click New Map.
The first step in creating a web map is to choose a basemap. Just like with ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS
Explorer Online chooses a default one for you, but you can change it if you want.
To change the basemap, click the Basemap button
9-26
Sharing results
Keep the existing basemap, or choose a different one, then zoom into southwestern Florida
and pan the map until it centers on Lee County.
Hint: If you kept the existing basemap (Terrain with Labels), you will see county boundaries
with labels once you zoom into southwestern Florida.
You need to import the layer you created when you intersected Lee County with the Category 3
storm surge polygons. You also need to add the hospitals in Lee County.
c
Click the Add Content button
, then in the Add Content window, click Import.
1. Which kinds of data files can you import when creating a web map in ArcGIS Explorer
Online? (Hint: TXT files aren't explicitly listed but are implied when CSV files are
mentionedboth are plain text files.)
______________________________________________________________________________
2. How does this list of files you can import differ from the ArcGIS.com map viewer?
______________________________________________________________________________
9-27
LESSON 9
You need to add zipped shapefiles that contain the hospitals in Lee County and the Category 3
storm surge polygon that you intersected with Lee County.
d
Minimize the ArcGIS Explorer Online window and maximize ArcMap, then in ArcMap, in the
table of contents, right-click the Category 3 Storm Surge layer and choose Data > Export
Data.
Choose to export all features using the same coordinate system as the layer's source
data.
For Output feature class, click the Browse button
.
In the Saving Data dialog box:
For Look in, navigate to the C:\Student\ARC1\OnlineFiles folder.

For Save as type, choose Shapefile.
Name the file Category3.shp.
Click Save.
On the Export Data dialog box, click OK, then when prompted to add the data to the map,
choose No.
You don't need to add this data to the map. You only needed to create the shapefile so you could
zip it and upload it to ArcGIS Online.
h
Open Windows Explorer and navigate to C:\Student\ARC1\OnlineFiles.
Notice the Category3 files.
9-28
Sharing results
Remember, shapefiles display as a single file in ArcCatalog, but when viewed in Windows Explorer
or another file management system, they display as a collection of files. Each file is distinguished
by its file extension.
i
Hold down the Shift key on your keyboard as you click the first Category3 file and then click
the last.
All of the Category3 files should now be selected. Now, you will zip these files.
j
Right-click the group of selected Category3 files and choose 7-Zip > Add to archive.
In the Add to Archive dialog box:
For Archive format, choose zip.

For Archive, highlight the default name and type LeeCategory3.zip.
This will be the name of the zipped file you create that you will then upload to ArcGIS Explorer
Online.
Accept all other defaults and click OK.
9-29
LESSON 9
Before you upload this zipped shapefile, you will create another that includes only the hospitals in
Lee County.
m
In ArcMap, open the attribute table for the Hospitals layer, then if necessary, sort the COUNTY
field in Ascending order.
Hint: Right-click COUNTY and choose Sort Ascending.
Select only the hospitals that are in Lee County.
Hint: Hold the Shift key down on your keyboard while you click the gray square at the far left
of the first row and then click the gray square at the far left of the last row for which Lee
is the COUNTY value.
All the rows in between these two should also be selected because you held down the Shift key.
3. Which selection tool could you have used to make this selection?
______________________________________________________________________________
o
Now that you have made your selection, close the Table window, then right-click Hospitals and
choose Data > Export Data.
Make sure Export is set to Selected features.

For Use the same coordinate system as, choose this layer's source data.
Click the Browse button
.
9-30
Sharing results
In the Saving Data dialog box, save the data in the C:\Student\ARC1\OnlineFiles folder as a
shapefile named LeeHospitals.shp.
In the Export Data dialog box, click OK, then when prompted to add this layer to the map,
choose No.
Using the same process you followed to create the zip file for the Category3 shapefile, create
a zipped shapefile for LeeHospitals.
9-31
LESSON 9
Once you have both the LeeHospitals and the Category3 files zipped, you can add them to your
web map.
t
Minimize ArcMap and maximize the ArcGIS Explorer Online window, then in the Add Content
window, click Import, then click Shapefile.
In the Open dialog box, navigate to the C:\Student\ARC1\OnlineFiles folder, click one of the
zip files you just created, then click Open.
In the Import Shapefile dialog box, click OK to accept the default to Generalize features for
web display.
The zipped shapefile is added to the map.
9-32
Sharing results
Repeat this process to add the other shapefile.
Just above the map display, click the Save button
9-33
LESSON 9
In the Save Map dialog box:
For Title, type Lee County Hospitals at Risk.

Enter the following tags: Lee County, hospital, Florida, Storm Surge, Hurricane.
For Summary, type Lee County Hospitals at Risk From Category 3 Storm Surge.
Click Save.
You now have a web map that shows the hospitals in Lee County and their proximity to a
Category 3 storm surge inundation. You could now share this map with members of your
organization.
Next, you will create a presentation based on this web map.
Step 4: Create a presentation

a
In ArcGIS Explorer Online, on the left, click the Layers button
Click the LeeCategory3 layer and choose Zoom To.
Now your map is centered on the area of interest.
9-34
Sharing results
Near the top of the window, click the Presentation tab.
If you want, click the left arrow button to collapse the Layers list.
Click the center of map display where it reads, Click to add the first slide.
Zoom in to Cape Coral Hospital.
Click where it says Click to add title.
9-35
LESSON 9
Type Cape Coral Hospital.
Click the New Slide button
to add another slide to the presentation.
The map view looks the same, but the title you just typed was replaced by a new box where you
can add a title for this slide. Before you do, you will pan and zoom to another hospital.
j
Zoom out, then pan and zoom in on the next closest hospital to the northeast.
If necessary, click the hospital to identify it.

4. What is this hospital's name?
______________________________________________________________________________
Close the pop-up window and, if necessary, pan to recenter the map on this hospital.
Type the name of the hospital as the title for this slide.
Click the New Slide button and repeat the process above to add a slide for each hospital in
Lee County.
Hint: There are five hospitals.
9-36
Once you have created all five slides, click the Save button
Sharing results
Click the Start Presentation button
If prompted to allow ArcGIS Explorer Online to stay in full-screen mode, click Yes.
The presentation opens in full-screen mode.

r
Move your mouse over the presentation.
Controls display at the bottom of the slide; these allow you to move through the presentation.
Click the Next arrow to display the next slide.
When you are finished navigating through the presentation, click the End Presentation button.
Save the map.
Using the skills you have learned, share your map with Everyone.
Return to ArcGIS Online.

Hint: If necessary, open a new tab and navigate to www.arcgis.com.
Click MY CONTENT to see that your web map is now listed in your content.
Step 5: (Optional) Remove the content you created

Each personal account registered with ArcGIS Online comes with 2 GB of total storage space.
Over time, you may find that you are approaching your storage limit or that you no longer need
some of the content you have created, stored, and shared on ArcGIS Online.
It is a good idea to regularly clean out your ArcGIS Online account by deleting
unwanted content. Even if you want to keep content, unsharing content after it no
longer needs to be shared is a good way to minimize irrelevant or outdated results
from ArcGIS Online searches.
To delete or unshare content you no longer need, open ArcGIS Online and, if necessary, log in
to your account.
9-37
LESSON 9
If necessary, click MY CONTENT.
To delete an item, simply check the item's box and then click Delete.
A Delete dialog box prompts you to make sure you are certain.
d
In the Delete dialog box, click Delete.
To keep an item, but stop sharing it, check the item's box and then click Share.
In the Share dialog box, uncheck Everyone (or any other groups or organizations with which
you have shared it), and then click OK.
You may share, unshare, or delete multiple items at a time.
9-38
Sharing results
Lesson review
1. Your colleague, at another organization, has asked you to share a dataset you produced
during one of your recent analyses. You have clearance to share the data, but she needs to
have it display in her map just as it did in yours. Which of the following options will allow
you to send her this single dataset with the symbology preserved?
a. Layer package
b. LYR file
c. Zipped shapefile
d. Map package
2. You have created an ecological map of the United States as a part of your thesis. You'd like
to share the map over the Internet, but you don't have permission to provide copies of the
data. Which of the following options will allow you to easily and efficiently share the map
with the general public?
a. Layer package
b. Map package
c. Web map
d. Presentation
3. You need to share a sensitive map document with another department, but they don't have
access to the server that it is stored on. You can't write to their server, and the file and data
are too large to e-mail. Which of the following options allows you to quickly and easily
provide them with the map document and its supporting data?
a. Upload the MXD file to ArcGIS Online, which will automatically upload the data along
with it.
b. Create a map package and upload it to ArcGIS Online, sharing it only with your
organization.
c. Create a separate layer package for each of the files so they can rebuild the map
document.
d. Zip the map document and e-mail that.
9-39
LESSON 9

Exercise 9: Share hurricane analysis results (page 9-7)
1. Which kinds of data files can you import when creating a web map in ArcGIS Explorer
Online? (Hint: TXT files aren't explicitly listed but are implied when CSV files are
mentionedboth are plain text files.)
You can import CSV files, shapefiles, and GPX files.
2. How does this list of files you can import differ from the ArcGIS.com map viewer?
It doesn't differ. You can add the same kinds of files to either application.
3. Which selection tool could you have used to make this selection?
You could also have used the Select By Attributes tool to make this selection.
4. What is this hospital's name?
This hospital is named Lee Memorial Hospital.
9-40
Esri data license agreement

IMPORTANT READ CAREFULLY BEFORE OPENING THE SEALED MEDIA PACKAGE
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ENCLOSED ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THIS TRAINING COURSE TO YOU ONLY UPON THE
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AS APPLICABLE) TO ESRI OR ITS AUTHORIZED INSTRUCTOR FOR A REFUND. NO REFUND
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ESRI DATA LICENSE AGREEMENT
This is a license agreement, and not an agreement for sale, between you (Licensee) and Esri. This
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Proprietary Rights and Copyright: Licensee acknowledges that the Training Course is proprietary
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A-1
Appendix A
Permitted Uses:
Licensee may run the setup and install one (1) copy of the Training Course onto a
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and/or any online documentation in hard-copy format for Licensee's own personal use
only.
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Licensee may make only one (1) copy of the original Training Course for archival purposes
during the term of this Agreement, unless the right to make additional copies is granted
to Licensee in writing by Esri.
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Licensee's own personal GIS training and education.
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whole or in part, or provide unlicensed third parties access to the Training Course, any
updates, or Licensee's rights under this Agreement.
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than one (1) computer, used in conjunction with any other software package, and/or
merged and compiled into a separate database(s) for other analytical uses.
Licensee shall not reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble the Training Course,
except and only to the extent that such activity is expressly permitted by applicable law
notwithstanding this restriction.
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software or hardware key) that effectively controls access to the Training Course, except
and only to the extent that such activity is expressly permitted by applicable law
notwithstanding this restriction.
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notices of Esri or its licensor(s).
Term: The license granted by this Agreement shall commence upon Licensee's receipt of the
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the Training Course and terminates this Agreement or (2) Esri terminates for Licensee's material
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instance, Licensee shall return to Esri or destroy all copies of the Training Course, and any whole
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A-2
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A-3
Appendix A
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unenforceable by a court or other tribunal of competent jurisdiction, the validity, legality, and
enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
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agreement of the parties as to the matter set forth herein and supersedes any previous
agreements, understandings, and arrangements between the parties relating hereto.
A-4
Suitable projections
Suitable projections
Table 1: Projections Suitable for World Maps
Property
Projection
Conformal (maintain shape)
Mercator
Hotine Oblique Mercator
Equal Area (maintain area)
Mollweide
Goode's Homolosine
Eckert IV & VI
Equidistant (maintain distance)
Azimuthal Equidistant
Equidistant Cylindrical
Straight lines of direction
Mercator
Compromise
Winkel Tripel
Miller Cylindrical
Robinson
B-1
Appendix B
Table 2: Projections Suitable for a

Hemisphere
Property
Projection
Conformal
Stereographic
Equal Area
Lambert Azimuthal Equal Area
Equidistant
Azimuthal Equidistant
Compromise
Vertical Perspective
Table 3: Projections Suitable for a Country, City or Smaller Area

Area of Interest
Directional Extent
Property
Projection
Near equator
East-West
Conformal
Equal Area
Mercator
Cylindrical Equal Area
Conformal
Equal Area
Lambert Conformal
Mid-latitudes or polar
regions
Oriented along a meridian
North-South
Conformal
Equal Area
Transverse Mercator
Cylindrical Equal Area
Anywhere
Oblique
Conformal
Equal Area
Hotine Oblique
Similar in all
directions
Conformal
Equal Area
Stereographic
Lambert Azimuthal
Any directional
extent
Equidistant
Compromise
Equidistant Conic
Vertical Perspective
Table 9.5
B-2
Conic
Albers
Mercator
Lambert Azimuthal
Course roadmap
Course roadmap
This course is one of the foundational courses for a wide variety of Esri course offerings. The path
you take after having completed the foundational courses depends on the role you play within
your organization and the tasks you perform most often.
The courses listed are just a fraction of the total number of courses offered by Esri. For more
information about Esri Training, visit www.esri.com/training.
C-1
Answers to lesson review questions
Answers to lesson review questions

Lesson 1: The ArcGIS system (page 1-7)
1. ArcGIS is a comprehensive system that enables everyone to work with and apply
a. True
2. ArcGIS Online is a website that can be used by anyone interested in finding, using, sharing,
and/or creating rich, interactive, intelligent maps.
3. Which ArcGIS system component is designed to allow GIS professionals to compile, use,
and manage geographic information?
4. Which ArcGIS system component is designed to allow GIS professionals and anyone to
share resources created using ArcGIS for Desktop via the web?
c. ArcGIS Online
5. Which ArcGIS system component is designed to be used by anyone who wants to connect
to and work with ArcGIS using devices such as the iPhone, Android, Windows
smartphones, tablets, etc?
D-1
Appendix D
Lesson 2: The basics of GIS (page 2-21)

1. Based on your current understanding, how would you define GIS?
A GIS integrates five key components (people, hardware, software, data, and
workflows) as a system used to manage, process, and display spatial and attribute
information for features and phenomenon in the physical world. The combined spatial
and attribute data is called geographic information.
2. During this lesson, five basic reasons to use GIS were discussed. Which of those five best
matches how you will be using GIS? Provide an example to support your selection.
The reasons to use a GIS are nearly as infinite as the features and phenomenon you
can map, although the questions you are asking or problems you are trying to solve
can generally be sorted into common categories. For example, you may be interested
in mapping where things are, such as customer addresses, newly opened franchise
locations, polar bear sightings, or streetlights throughout the city. Or perhaps you
want to create maps that show where there are more of a particular feature or
phenomenon or where the concentration is greatest. You might also map the
relationship between features to show which features are nearest to, within, outside,
or adjacent to other features.
D-2
Lesson 3: Understanding GIS data
Lesson 3: Understanding GIS data (page 3-24)

1. Vector data models real-world features as points, lines, and polygons.
2. The raster data model represents the surface of the earth as a grid of equally sized cells.
3. Both vector and raster data can be stored in a geodatabase.
a. True
4. You open a table and see that it has no Shape field. What does this indicate?
A table without a Shape field indicates that it is a stand-alone table. If the table
contains spatial data, you may be able to convert the table to a feature class or
shapefile, which can be drawn on a map.
5. Information that describes data in ArcGIS is called metadata.
D-3
Appendix D
Lesson 4: The importance of coordinate systems (page 4-38)

1. Some coordinate systems preserve all four properties, while others distort one or more.
b. False
2. Coordinate systems that are based on a 3-D spherical model of the earth are called
geographic coordinate systems. The values in this type of coordinate system are usually
latitude and longitude.
3. You open a map document to find that the layers do not line up properly. What might this
indicate?
If the layers in your map do not line up properly, they may have different GCSs. As
each layer is added, ArcMap will check to see whether its geographic coordinate
system matches the rest of the data in the data frame. If it does not, ArcMap will
prompt you to select an appropriate geographic transformation. Failing to apply an
appropriate transformation will cause the data to be misaligned.
4. Projected coordinate systems are based on a flat, 2-D surface. The units for these
coordinate systems are generally feet or meters.
5. You are creating a map that will be used to subdivide various lots throughout the city.
Which spatial property should your map projection preserve?
b. Area
6. If you were mapping a flight from Toronto, Canada to Barrow, Alaska, which type of
projection could you use to determine how far the plane would need to fly?
You could use an equidistant projection, as this would accurately measure distance
from one or two points to any other point.
D-4
Lesson 5: Acquiring and selecting GIS data
Lesson 5: Acquiring and selecting GIS data (page 5-30)

1. This lesson introduced eight important considerations when evaluating data. List all eight.
Format, Spatial reference, Source, Metadata, Attributes, Currency, Scale, and Use
constraints.
2. When evaluating data for a project, which of the following considerations allows you to
determine whether the data can be redistributed?
b. The use constraints
3. Which of the following methods can you use to get data into a geodatabase?
d. All of the above
D-5
Appendix D
Lesson 6: Using ArcGIS Online resources (page 6-31)

1. A web map may contain more than one GIS service.
a. True
2. By default, ArcGIS Online shows web content only, which includes web and mobile
applications, and web maps and tools. If you are looking for content to add to ArcGIS for
Desktop, you will need to change the setting to show All Content.
3. How do you determine the use constraints for an item on ArcGIS Online?
b. Open the item's Details page.
4. Your organization needs to download a dataset of Australia's historic earthquakes that they
can use in ArcGIS for Desktop. When searching ArcGIS Online for "Australian
Earthquakes," which of the following file types should you search for?
d. Layer packages
D-6
Lesson 7: Interacting with a map in ArcGIS for Desktop
Lesson 7: Interacting with a map in ArcGIS for Desktop (page 7-34)

1. List aspects of a map that can affect your ability to interpret it properly.
The symbols in a map should be intuitive and follow standard conventions for map
making (e.g., water should be blue). By default, ArcMap assigns a random color and a
standard symbol to each layer you add to map. When symbols more closely match the
features they represent, it is instantly easier to decipher the message of the map.
Adding elements to your map, such as a legend and a title, can also help convey the
map's message.
2. Using the zoom tools in a map changes which of the following?
d. All of the above.
3. Viewing a dataset's changes over time requires that the dataset be time-enabled.
a. True
D-7
Appendix D
Lesson 8: Performing spatial analysis (page 8-33)

1. List the steps of the geographic approach.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Ask a geographic question.

Acquire geographic data.
Examine geographic data.
Analyze geographic information.
Act of geographic knowledge.
2. You are creating a city map for delivery drivers, but the streets data you have covers the
entire county. Which tool would allow you to reduce the number of streets features based
on an extent of the city boundary?
b. Clip
3. Geoprocessing tools generally perform an operation on geographic data and often return
an output dataset.
a. True
4. You are looking for places within a mile of a river where there are habitats of multiple
species. Which Overlay tool could you use to combine features from multiple layers (e.g.,
the habitat data with the river buffer) to output only those habitats located within the
one-mile buffer zone?
c. Intersect
5. A tanker truck has crashed on the highway, releasing a cloud of hazardous fumes. You need
to quickly create a map that identifies the affected area, a polygon that surrounds the crash
site by five miles in all directions. Which Proximity tool could you use to accomplish this
task?
a. Buffer
D-8
Lesson 9: Sharing results
Lesson 9: Sharing results (page 9-39)

1. Your colleague, at another organization, has asked you to share a dataset you produced
during one of your recent analyses. You have clearance to share the data, but she needs to
have it display in her map just as it did in yours. Which of the following options will allow
you to send her this single dataset with the symbology preserved?
a. Layer package
2. You have created an ecological map of the United States as a part of your thesis. You'd like
to share the map over the Internet, but you don't have permission to provide copies of the
data. Which of the following options will allow you to easily and efficiently share the map
with the general public?
c. Web map
3. You need to share a sensitive map document with another department, but they don't have
access to the server that it is stored on. You can't write to their server, and the file and data
are too large to e-mail. Which of the following options allows you to quickly and easily
provide them with the map document and its supporting data?
b. Create a map package and upload it to ArcGIS Online, sharing it only with your
organization.
D-9

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The ArcGIS system

The basics of GIS

Understanding GIS data

Add data to the map ................................................................................................................. 3-22

The importance of coordinate systems

Acquiring and selecting GIS data

Using ArcGIS Online resources

Accessing content through ArcGIS Online......................................................................................... 6-7

Interacting with a map in ArcGIS for Desktop

Performing spatial analysis

Exercise 9: Share hurricane analysis results ........................................................................................ 9-7

Create and share a GIS map.

Installing the course data

: Some courses use sample scripts or

Icons used in this workbook

Tips provide brief help for performing a task or clarifying concepts.

External resources provide optional, special-interest information

Best practices offer industry or professional guidelines, help set goals

Estimated times provide guidance on approximately how many

Warnings alert you to potential problems or to actions that should be

The ArcGIS system

The ArcGIS system

Explain how the components of the ArcGIS system work

The ArcGIS System

The ArcGIS system

Getting to know the ArcGIS system

ArcGIS is a system that runs everywhere: on professional desktops,

The ArcGIS system

The ArcGIS System has a number of key components: ArcGIS for

Software used by GIS professionals to compile, use, and

Software used by GIS professionals to share resources

Website used by GIS professionals and anyone interested

Software used by anyone who wants to connect to and

Throughout this course, you will get hands-on exposure to many

Components used in this course

for Desktop, ArcGIS

The basics of GIS

ArcGIS Mobile are not

Understanding GIS data

The ArcGIS system

The basics of GIS

The basics of GIS

Explain what a GIS is.

What is "geographic information"?

What are "systems"?

The basics of GIS

The geographic approach

Develop geographic questions that need to be

Obtain the geographic data you need to answer your

Create a map of your geographic area and symbolize

Determine a problem-solving approach and perform

Develop your message and intended audience; create

The basics of GIS

What can you do with GIS?

Record ways you might use locational maps in your work.

Record ways you might use quantitative maps in your work.

The basics of GIS

Find what's inside

Find what's nearby

The basics of GIS