A complete manual for generation of Base

maps for GIS Beginners

 Chapter 1

Generate Database schema

1. Load your image named 2883_03b.bmp

2. Please observe the scanned map.
3. Make the list of layers that you can generate and at the same time take notice of
the geometry type that is to be assigned to represent the feature.
4. Make a list of feature codes will be assigned to these features.
5. Make schema of the table, geometry type, attributes and their characteristics as
follows.

Feature Data file Geometry: Subtype1 Subtype2 Subtype3 Subtype4 Subtype

Class name 5
River Hydro_ln Polyline Bank Edge of Single stream
river water lines
body in
river
Fcode = Fcode = Fcode = 30120
30110 30130
Road Trans_ln Polyline Highway Main trail Minor trail Bridge

Fcode = Fcode = Fcode = 10231 Fcode =

10111 10221 10511
Land Landc_ln polyline Boundary Forest Bush Sand agricultu
Cover re
Land Fcode = Fcode = Fcode = 25261 Fcode = Fcode =
cover 10000 25211 25331 25101

Contour Topog_ln polyline Index Intermediate Supplementary COV ( not

Contour contour Contour sub type
but attrib.)
Fcode = Fcode = Fcode = 20130 Value of
20110 20120 the
contour
line
etc…
 Chapter 2

Creation of New feature in Arc GIS using Arc Catalogue

A step ahead of the digitization Process

1. Open Arc catalogue. Click the Contents tab,

2. Make a new folder named, digitise in C:/student/digitise drive, by using right
click.
3. Double click the new folder you just created to open it.
4. Right click in the new folder or in the contest area and select New/Shape file.
5. Select the Feature type as Polyline for you are going to digitize the new hydro
line features.
6. Assign the feature class name as Hydro_ln.
7. Click the Edit button and assign the coordinate system for Central Nepal
projection system.
8. After applying the proper coordinate system, click OK to dismiss the Coordinates
system windows.
9. Click properties using right click and Click the Fields tab.
10. Assign the attributes with proper data type.
First Attribute, Fcode, Properties: Long Integer, length: 7
Second Attribute, FName, Text. Length: 20
Etc..
11. After assigning the proper fields, click Apply and dismiss all the windows.
12. Repeat the same process for other feature type such as trans_ln, topog_ln,
landc_ln, Build_pt, topog_pt, villa_pt but setting the proper data type such as
polyline or polygon or point.
 Chapter 3

Geo-referencing in ARCGIS

1. Start Arc/Map programme. Select for “a new empty map”. Add the required
image (2883_03b) in the Data Frame using Add data button.

2. Click View/toolbar/Georeferencing. Check layer name in Georeferencing

tool bar. It must be 2883_03b.

3. Select the Data frame (Layers) in the table of contents and right click
properties.

4. Click General.

5. Set the Map units to the Meters. Set the Display unit also to Meters.

6. Click Apply and then Click OK.

7. Zoom in at the lower left grid intersecting point (i.e. at the low left blue
lines intersecting point) as shown below.

467,000 468,000 469,000

3,093,000 3,093,000

3,092,000 3,092,000

467,000 468,000 469,000

8. Click Add Control Points tool in the geo-referencing tool bar.

9. The cursor changes to a small plus sign. With this cursor, Click in the center
of the intersection pixel where you had zoomed in the step no 7. Now, right
click and Select Input x and y…

10. Enter Coordinate dialog box appears. Enter the proper coordinates in the x
(here, for this point, 467000) and y (for this point 3092000) text panel of
the dialog box. Click OK.

11. Click the Full Extent zoom tool in the tool bar.
12. And click Zoom in tool and zoom to the other coordinate position in the map
and then proceed in the same way as explained from step no 8 to 11.

13. When you finish entering the coordinates of all of the intersection points,
check the image appearance.

14. Click view link table in the Georeferencing tool bar. Check RMS error. For
your map, it should be less than 6.25 m. (formula: 0.00025 m * scale factor of
the map.)

15. If you feel okay with the error then click Georeferencing▼ in the geo-
referencing tool bar .

16. Click Rectify..

17. Save As dialog box appears.

18. Do not change the cell size and resample type.

19. Do not change the file name as required. Keep the final file in the Rectified
folder.

20. Check the final result by adding it in the Data Frame.

21. Click view/toolbars and check out the Georeferencing.

 Chapter 4
The digitizing Process
1. Add the hydro_ln feature from the folder C:\student\disitise
2. Click the editor button in the standard tool bar.
3. Click Editor/Start editing.
4. click Editor/snapping
5. Check in the vertex, edge and end to snap the line features. Close the
snapping environment box.
6. Click editor/Options. Set the snapping tolerance less than the value equal
to 0.00025* Denominator of the map scale.
7. Set the Task as Creature New features AND the target as Hydro_ln
features.
8. Zoom in at the feature that you want to trace.
9. After a proper zoom, click the Sketch tool (pencil like).
10. Start to trace the feature.
11. Use the Pan tool to move while you need to move to the other side of the
image.
12. After tracing the line, right click and choose finish sketch.
13. In time to time you can save the work by choosing editor/save edits.
14. Finally click editor/ stop editing.
 Chapter 5
Generation of Geodatabase and feature dataset
1. Open Arc Catalogue.
2. Open your project folder.
3. Right click in the contents area and select New/File Geodatabase.
4. Set the name of the new database as My_geodatabase and double click it.
5. Right click in the contents area of the new geodatabase i.e. My_geodatabase and
select New/ Feature dataset.
6. Insert the name of the feature dataset as my_Fdataset and then click Next.
7. Set the coordinate system as Nepal/central_nepal in the list of the coordinate
system (Otherwise proceed to click New/Projected for setting the new projection
system.) and then click Next.
8. Select None for the Z coordinate system and click Next.
9. Accept the default snapping tolerance and click Finish.

Generation of Feature Class

1. If you want to create New Feature Class (However, in this exercise, you do
not require to create new feature class since you have already digitized the
data in shape file), follow the following steps:

a. Double click the feature dataset you created then right click for New/ Feature class.
b. Set the Name of the feature the feature class. Ignore the Alias. Set the type of feature as
Line features. (You should select Polygon features or Point features if you are
required creating polygon data or point data respectively). Ignore the check buttons of
geometry properties. Click Next.
c. Select Default for the configuration key word and click Next.
d. Enter your attributes and assign the properties as follows:
First Attribute, Fcode, Properties: Long Integer, length: 7
Second Attribute, F_Name, Text. Length: 50
If you have other attributes, enter their names and relevant properties in the same way.
e. After assigning the proper fields, click Finish to acquire the new feature class.
f. Your new feature class will be listed in the contents area within the geodatabase and
feature dataset you created before.

Importing the feature data in the feature Class

1. Double click the feature dataset you created before (my_Fdataset) to open it.
2. Bring the cursor, in the contents area and right click to select import/ feature class.
3. Set the input feature class (shape file you created before) using the browse button.
4. Set the appropriate name (please do not leave any no gap in the name) of the output
feature class. (Use the SQL button for setting an query expression if want to import
only some of the selected features. However, in our case, we do not use the SQL
button)
5. Click OK to complete the import process.
 Chapter 6
Generating Topology for the feature Class inside the feature
dataset
1. Double click the feature dataset.
2. Bring the cursor, in the contents area and right click to select new/topology.
3. Click Next in the New topology window.
4. Set the appropriate name (in an identifiable manner in future) for the topology and
accept the default tolerance and then click Next.
5. Check in the feature class for which you are generating the topology and the click
Next.
6. Set the appropriate ranking (for a single feature class, just leave the rank as 1) and
click Next.
7. Click the Add rule button.
8. Select the feature class from the drop down list. Set the appropriate rule for that class
from the drop down list. (For hydro and transportation line features, the rule may be:
“must not have dangles”, For contour line features, the rule may be: “must not
overlap, must not intersect”. Finally Click OK.
9. If you need to set the other rules then, click Add rule button and follow the previous
step as explained in step 8. After setting the rules, click next.
10. Click Finish button to finish the topology generating steps.
11. Wait for some time and click yes to validate the topology.
12. You can preview the topology you created to check the error distribution in your
feature class.
13. Follow the same steps (1 to 9) to generate the topology of other feature.
 Chapter 7

Topological Editing in ARCMAP

1. Open Arc Map and opt for a blank project.
2. Add the topology (not the data) you just created using the Add Data button
and click Yes for adding the associated feature class in the Arc Map.
3. Click Editor/ Start editing.
4. Click View/Toolbars/ Topology. Please explore the name of tools available
in the topology tool bar. Some of the tools are not active.
5. Click the Map topology (yellow tool) in the topology tool bar. Check in
the feature class. Click OK.
6. Check and then set (if necessary) your topology in the topology tool bar.
7. Now you have to go to the Editor Tool bar. Set the Target as your feature
class.
8. Right click the feature class in the Table of contents and click
Selection/Select all features.
9. Notice that all features are selected in the map area. Click the Planarize
button in the topology tool bar and accept the tolerance and click OK.
10. The data is processed for some time. After the processing is over, all the
errors will be disappeared.
11. Check and set the topology once again in topology tool bar. Click Validate
entire topology button in the topology tool bar. Wait for some time to get
the error back.
12. Now, it is the time for actual editing. You need to set snapping
(editor/snapping). You need to set Snapping tolerance using
Editor/Options/general.
13. You may need to trim, extend, delete or add features in your data. Please
remember that if you add any feature (you must enter the Fcode.)
(i). for Deleting: select the feature and press the delete button in the key board.
(ii). for Adding feature: use the Sketch tool ( pencil tool) in the Editor tool bar.
(iii). for Extending, you must use the Advance tool ( please use
View/Toolbars/Advanced editing). First select the feature to which you want to
extend the other feature. The click the extend button in the Advanced editing
 button. The cursor changes. Now, click the feature which you want to extend. When
you have finished extending, Click the arrow button in the Tools toolbar.
(iv). for trimming: Follow the same process as you did with extending features but this
time with trim tool located in the advanced editing tool bar.
14. Please use the Editor/Save edits button regularly to save your data.
15. When your editing is finished, click editor/stop editing.
16. Similarly, edit the other features class such as trans_ln or Landc_ar.
 Chapter 8
Polygonisation of land cover feature class.

Part I( layers merging and symbolization before editing)

1. Add the feature classes such as hydro_ln, trans_ln and Landc_ar.

2. Check the attribute table of all feature classes by opening the attribute table (one
by one).
3. Please be sure that the order and name of all fields must be the same in all of the
feature class. If they are not, then please make copy of each file using data/Export
through the right click and make them same.
4. When you are sure that they are all Okay, then open the ArcTool Box to select
Data Management tools/General/Merge. ( the uppermost file in the list should be
landc_ar)
5. Set the input data sets and also set the name of input dataset in a proper location.
Set the output name as Merge_landc_ar.
6. Click OK.
7. You will get a new feature class in the table of contents. If you do not get it, then
add this new feature in TOC.
8. Open the attribute table of this new feature class. Click the button Options and
select Add field button.
9. Set the name of the new field as STATUS, short integer, width 2 and click OK.
10. Right click the field STATUS in the attribute table. Select field Calculator.
11. Click Yes to the message.
12. Type 4 (to set the value of the status field as 4) in the calculate area and click OK.
13. Click Start editing. Set the target feature class as Merge_landc_ar.
14. Right click the theme Merge_landc_ar in the table of contents and Select copy.
15. Now right click the table of contents (named as Layers) and select Paste layers.
16. Double click the upper Merge_landc_ar layers to open Properties..
17. Click the Symbology tab and click categories/Unique values.
18. Set the field as Status.
19. Clck Add all values button.
20. Now, Click ADD Values… button.
21. In the text box of new values enter the value as 1 and click the Add to the list
button. A new value 1 is also added.
22. Set the color for the Status 1 as Black. Click the value of status 4 and press the
Remove button.
23. Check out the tick mark for all other values.
24. Click Appy and then oK.
25. Click editor/save edits.
26. Click editor/stop editing.
27. Now, click once gently (not the double click) the upper merge_landc_ar, to
change its name. Type the name as Status_Landc.
28. Now right click the lower Merge_landc_ar layer in the table of contents. This
time set the field as FCODE for generating symbogy (categories/ unique values).
29. For the FCODE of road features, assign red color of size 1.7, for the
FCODE of Hydro features, assign blue color of size 1.7 and the FCODE
of land cover features, assign green color of size 1.7
30. Click Apply and then OK.
31. Now Put the scanned image in the back ground of the vector data using the
add data button.
32. Using the right click to the layer Merge_landc_ar in the table of contents,
and select save as a layer file.
33. Using the right click to the layer Merge_landc_ar . Make a copy selecting
Data/export data. Also save the project from file/save. Set the name of the
project as My_landc_project.
34. Now close the ARCMAP
 Part II

Tyopolgoy generating and editing for landc_ar feature class

1. Open Arc catalogue.

2. Browse to the feature dataset, my_fdataset.
3. Make a topology for the layer Merge_landc_ar (with same rule such as
must not have dangles and validate it.
4. Launch Arcmap, and open your previously saved project, i.e.
My_landc_project.
5. Remove your lower merge_landc_ar using the right click.
6. Load the topology data of merge_landc_ar you just created and click Yes
for adding the associated file as well.
7. Click editor/start editing.
8. Set the topology and map toplogy in the topology tool bar.
9. Drag the merge_landc_ar layer just below the status_landc layer.
10. Right click the merge_landc_ar layer to select selection/select all.
11. Click the planarize button in the topology tool bar and accept the tolerance
and click ok.
12. Wait for some time. Check the topology and set it again if necessary in the
editor tool bar.
13. Click “validate entire topology”.
14. Right click the lower landc_ar. Select properties. Go to symbology. Click
the import button. Select the first option for the type of legend. Click the
browse button. Set the previous layer file and then click ADD.
15. Finally click Apply and then click OK.
16. Now start to check the boundaries of landcover data. Examine where the
hanging nodes in the landcover line feature are. (You can display the
scanned map to check the connectivity). For this, follow all the landc lines
(such as forest, bush, cultivation etc.) to check whether they are connected
or closed or not.
17. If you find any river and road line contributing for the landcover boundary,
then you must select it using the edit tool in the editor tool bar (the first
tool).
18. Click the Attribute button in the Editor Toolbar then set the status as 1.
19. Repeat this process until you assign the status of road and hydro lines that
shares bourndry for the landcover features.

Deleting unnecessary lines

20. After assigning the Required status as 1, you need to delete all the road
and hydro single line feature ( not land cover) feature having Status as 4 (
using the attribute selection from the selection menu)
21. For this firstly, select all rivers with fcode = 30120 from selection/ select
by attribute.

I. Then open the attribute table of the river.

II. Click options and then click select by attribute.
III. In the method, set remove from the current selection
IV. And double click the Status in the list of fields.
V. Click the equal sign (=) button.
VI. Enter the value 1.
VII. Close the attribute table.
VIII. Click the edit tool button in the editor tool bar.
IX. Bring the cursor in one of the selectd river feature and carefully right
click
X. Select the delete option.
XI. Simlarly, select road having FCode = 10111 and FCode = 10221 and
FCode = 10231 from the selection menu with layer as trans_ln and
follow the same deletion process by repeating from steps I.

22. Now you are at the last step of the landcover map generation project.
23. After deleting all the unnecessary lines of status 4 from the
merge_landc_ar layer, click Editor/save edits and then stop editing finally.
 Getting Polygon features

24. Go to the arc tool box. Click the data management/features. Select feature
to Polygon. Set the name of input feature as merge_landc_ar, and then the
output feature as Landc_poly.
25. Leave the other parameters as they are and then click OK.
26. Now a new feature named Landc_poly is added in TOC. Set the
transparency to 50% by using right click/ properties/ display.
27. Open the attribute table of the new polygon feature class.
28. Click options.
29. Click add field.
30. Set the name as Fcode and type as long integer of width 7.
31. Click OK
32. Close the attribute table.
33. Click editir/start editing. Set the target as landc_poly. Select the feature of
same attributes such as forest or rivers or sand or cultivation (one feature
type at time).
34. After seleting a feature from the landc_poly, click the attribute button in
the editor tool bar.
35. Set the Fcode (one of the attribute) of these selected features as already
defined.
36. After assigning FCODE of all features, Click editor/save edits and then
finally editor/stop editing.
37. Your Land Cover Data Generation project is over.
38. You can apply symbology through the properties dialog box and clicking
symbology tab and setting the fields as fcode. Click Apply and then OK.
39. Right click the new landc_poly feature class
40. Select Data/Export data.
41. Set the name of the new feature calss as boundary.
42. And then click save button.
43. Set the symbology for the boundary layers as Hollow.

Success