IntroductiontoArcGIS10

The BASICS of ArcMap

LetusnowgettoknowtheArcMapenvironment.

StartArcMap:
Clickonthestartmenusymbolinthelowerleftcornerofyourscreen.
ChooseProgramsorAllPrograms.
ChooseArcGIS.
ChooseArcMap.

Inthedialogthatappears,choosetomakeanewblankmapandthenclickOK:

Bydefault,thereare16shortcutkeysthatcomprisethestandardArcMaptoolbar.Theseshortcutsallowyou
tocreate,open,save,orprintamap;cut,copy,paste,ordeleteselectedelementsinyourmap;undoorredo
your actions; Add Data to your mapand open the Editor Toolbar, which is used to edit your map; launch
ArcCatalog;show/hideArcToolboxandtheCommandLine;andgethelp(WhatsThis?).

YoucanaddanumberoftoolbarstotheArcMapwindow.Fornow,letusgetstartedwiththeToolstoolbar:

Fromlefttorightthetoolsare:
1. ZoomIn:Allowsyoutozoomintoageographicwindowbyclickingapointordraggingabox.
2. ZoomOut:Allowsyoutozoomoutfromageographicwindowbyclickingapointordraggingabox.
3. FixedZoomIn:Allowsyoutozoominonthecenterofyourdataframe.
4. FixedZoomOut:Allowsyoutozoomoutonthecenterofyourdataframe.
5. Pan:Allowsyoutopanthedataframe.
6. FullExtent:Allowsyoutozoomtothefullextentofyourmap.
7. GoBacktoPreviousExtent:Allowsyoutoreturntothepreviousextent.
8. GototheNextExtent:Allowsyoutogoforwardtothenextextent.
9. SelectFeatures:Allowsyoutoselectfeaturesbyclickingordraggingabox.
10. ClearSelectedFeatures:Deselectsallofthecurrentlyselectedfeaturesintheactivedataframe.
11. Selectelements:Allowsyoutoselect,resize,andmovetext,graphics,andotherobjectsplacedonthe
map.
12. Identify:Identifiesthegeographicfeatureorplaceonwhichyouclick.
13. GotoXY:Allowsyoutotypeanx,ylocationandnavigatetoit.
14. Measure:Measuredistanceonthemap.
15. Hyperlink:Triggershyperlinksfromfeatures.

LayersinArcMap

Thereareseveralwaystoadddataintoyourmap.Youcanclickontheadddatabutton.
NavigatetowhereyourfileisstoredandclickonthefileyouwanttouseandthenclickAdd.

YoucanalsorightclickonLayersfromtheTableofContents,andscrolldowntoadddata.

AnotherwayistogototheFileMenuandselectAddData.

OryoucanusetheCatalog.ClickontheCatalogtabattherightsideofthescreentoopenit.(Ifyoudonotsee
theCatalogtab,clickonthemenuoptionWindowsandthenclickoncatalog.)

SetuptheCatalogtoincludeyourdatafiles:
In the Catalog window rightclick on Folder Connections, then click on Connect Folder Navigate to where
yourdatafilesarestored,andthenclickOk.

Note:UsethemenupinintheupperrightcorneroftheCatalogwindowtosetyourCatalogtoretractortopin
itopen.ApinfacingleftletstheCatalogautomaticallyretract;itwillreopenwhenyouhoveryourmouseover
theCatalogtab.ApinfacingdownkeepstheCatalogopen.

OnceyourFolderConnectionsaresetup,youcandraganddropfilesfromtheCatalogintoyourdataframe.
Forexample,addingthemapofphilfileaddsalayerrepresentingthePhilippineswithprovincialboundaries.

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Beforewegofurther,noticeafewthingsthatarenumberedinsidetheredcircleshownabove:

1. Data Frame:When working with map layers, the part of the screen in which the layers are drawn is
calledthedataframe.
2. TableOfContents:The columntotheleftofthedataframe,whichshowsalistofyourdatalayers,is
calledtheTableOfContents.
3. List By Drawing Order: The Table of Contents can list the map layers in your project in different
ways. You can switch modes (List by Drawing Order, List By Source, List By Visibility, and List By
Selection) clicking on the buttons at the top of the Table of Contents. We will be using the List By
DrawingOrdermode.
4. Layervisibilityswitch:Nexttoeachlayernamethereisasmallcheckbox.Ifyouclickit,thelayerwill
turnonandoff.Youcanusethistodisplay(ornotdisplay)anindividuallayer.
5. Collapse/Expand:Totheleftofthatcheckbox,thereisasmallerboxshowinga+orcharacter.This
controls display of the color coding or symbology for each layer. If the character is displayed
(expanded),thecolorcoding(symbology)isshown.IfyouwanttocompactyourTableofContents,
youcanturnthisoffbyclickingonthe,whichwillhide(collapse)thesymbologyoftheselectedlayer.

GISLaboratoryExercise#1ExploringArcMap

Objectives:
Inthisexercise,youwillnavigatethroughtheArcMapenvironment.Youwilllearnto:
- workwithlayersandattributetable
- changelabels
- editthelegend
- classifyfeatures
- createamap

A. WorkingwithLayersandtheAttributeTable

First,besurethatafoldermyGISOutputsexistsinyourworkingdrive/folder.IfmyGISOutputsdoesnotexist
yet,createthefolderbyusingtheWindowsExplorer.AllMapProjectsmustbesavedinsidethisfolder.

RunArcMap(doubleclickontheArcMapicon).
Chooseablankmap.
Now set up the Catalog to include your data files. In the Catalog window rightclick on Folder
Connections,thenclickonConnectFoldernavigateto...\LearnGISandthenclickOK.
Find,draganddropSTATESintotheDataFrame.

1. Whathappenedtoyourdataframeandtableofcontents?

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2. WhattypeofmodeistheTableofContents?

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Clickeachbuttonatthetopofthetableofcontents,justbelowthetitle,andnoticehowthetableof
contentschanges.

NowswitchtoListbyDrawingOrdermode.

3. Howcanyoudeterminethenameofabutton?

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ClickthecoloredboxbelowSTATEStoopentheSymbolSelector.

ChangethecurrentmapFillColortoRoseQuartz(row1,column2).

NowaddCITIES.

4. Whereisthenewlayerplacedinthetableofcontents?Isitturnedon?

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UnchecktheboxnexttoCITIES.

5. Whathappenedtothemapdisplay?

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Inthetableofcontents,clicktheListByVisibilitybutton.NoticethatCitiesisplacedbelowacollapsible
headingcalledNotVisible.

ClicktheListByDrawingOrderandturnCitiesbackonbycheckingthebox.

6. Whatdoyounoticeinthetableofcontentsandthedataframe?Whatistheadvantageofbeingable
toturnonandoffalayer?
____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

ClicktheCITIESlayertoselectit.

Click and slowly drag the layer downward through the Table OfContents. As you drag the layer, its
positionisindicatedbyahorizontalblackbar.

DropthelayeratthebottomofSTATESlayer.

7. Whyarethecitiesonthemapnolongervisible?

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DragtheCitieslayerbacktothetopoftheTableOfContents.

NowaddRivers.shp(dragdropRiversfromtheCatalog).

Open the attribute table of the Rivers layer. Right click on Rivers and scroll down to Open Attribute
Table.

8. Whattypeoffeatureisthe:

a. Riverslayer?___________

b. Citieslayer?___________

c. Stateslayer?___________

9. Howmanyrecordsdoeseachofthetablecontain?Howmanyfieldsdoeseachtablehave?

a. Riverslayer?___________records ___________fields

b. Citieslayer?___________records___________fields

c. Stateslayer?__________records___________fields

Bysortinganattributetable,youcanlistthefeaturesbyorderofimportance.

Open the attribute table of the STATES layer. Rightclick the field labelled Households and then
selectSortDescending.

10. Whichstatehas:

a. thelowestnumberofhouseholds?_________________

b. thehighestnumberofhouseholds?_________________

B. LabellingFeatures

You may also want to add labels to identify features on your map. Right click on the Rivers layer and
scrolldowntoProperties.TheLayerPropertieswindowwillopenandthenclicktheLabelstab.

UnderthetabLabels,checktheLabelfeaturesinthislayer(clicktheboxbesidethetext).

SelectNAMEfortheLabelField.

On the Predefined Label Style, click the Label Styles button. On the Label Style Selector locate and
selectRiver(scrolldownifnecessary).ClickOKtocloseLabelStyleSelectorwindow.

On Other Options frame, click Placement Properties button. On the Placement Properties window
chooseOntheLineunderPositionframe(makesurethatonlytheOnthelineischecked).

ClickOktoclosethePlacementPropertieswindow.

ClickApplyandthenOKtocloseLayerPropertieswindow.

Use the ZoomIn toolandselectareasonthemaptozoomin.YoucanalsouseFixedZoom

11. Describewhathappenedtothelabelsasyouzoomin.

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RightclicktheRiverslayerandlocateLabelFeaturesmenuitem.ObservethattheLabelFeaturesmenu
itemischecked.

UncheckLabelFeaturestoremovethelabelsonthemap.

ClicktheFullExtent tooltoviewthefullextentofthemap.

C. EditingtheLegend

You may want to create colorcoded visualizations of some of your variables. For example, you want to
represent the different states by having each its own color. To perform this, you need to modify the layers
Symbology.Symbologyisbasedonthelayersattributes.Soifyouwanttogiveeachstateitsowncolor,you
needanattributethathasuniquevaluesforeachfeature.ThisiscommonlyanameorIDattribute.

IntheTableOfContents,doubleclicktheSTATESlayertoopentheLayerPropertiesdialogbox.

ClicktheSymbologytab,ifnecessary.

IntheShowareaclickCategoriesandchooseUniqueValues.

SettheValueFielddropdownlisttoSTATE_NAME.

ClickAddAllValues.

RightclicktheColorRampbar.

Onthecontextmenu,clickGraphicViewtouncheckit.

12. WhatisnowdisplayedontheColorRamp?

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Clickthedropdownarrow,scrolltothetop,andchooseBasicRandom.

RightclicktheRampNameandagainclickGraphicView(thistimetocheckit).

IntheSymbolcolumn,unchecktheboxfor<allothervalues>.

ClickApplyandmovetheLayerPropertiesdialogboxawayfromthedisplaymap.

13. WhatappearedintheTableofContents?

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RenametheheadingundertheLabelcolumnfromSTATE_NAMEtoUSStates.

ClickoutsidetheheadingeditedtextorpressENTER.Nowtheheadinghasbeenrenamed.

14. Describeanotherwayofrenamingtheheading.

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Saveyourmap.

Clickthesavebutton orgotoFile>Savemenu.

NamethefileUSStateswithRiver.

Remembertosavein..\myGISOutputsfolder.

D. ClassifyingFeatures

Features can also be symbolized using quantitative attributes. When symbolizing quantities, you want to see
how attributes relate to one another in a continuous scale. To do this, your data need to be grouped into
classes.ArcMaphas6predefinedclassificationschemes:

1.NaturalBreaks(Jenks):Classifiesdatabasedonnaturalgroupsinherenttothedata.Boundariesareset
wheretherearebigjumpsbetweenthedatavalues.ThisisthedefaultmethodinArcGIS.
2.Quantiles:Eachclasscontainsanequalnumberoffeatures.Itcontainsunequalsizedintervals.This
classificationschemeismostsuitedtolinearlydistributeddata.
3.EqualInterval:Basesclassificationonequalsizedintervals,withthenumberofclassesdefinedbythe
user.
4.DefinedInterval:Thisclassificationschemeissimilartoequalinterval,exceptthenumberofintervals
determinestheclasses.
5.StandardDeviation:Thisclassificationschemeshowshowmuchoftheattributesvaluesvariesfromthe
mean.ArcMapcalculatesthestatisticalmean.Thenumberofintervalsdeterminestheclasses
6.Manual:Youdetermineyourownbreak.

AddCOUNTIESshapefiletotheTableOfContents.

RightclickontheCOUNTIESlayerandclickonProperties.

ClickontheSymbologytab.

Next,clickonQuantitiesGraduatedColors.

UnderValuefromtheFieldsgroup,selectPOP1997.

15. Whatisthedefaultclassificationdisplayed?Doyouthinkthisisappropriate?

________________________________________________________________________

Change the color scheme to Orange Light to Dark.(Note: You can view the text mode of the color
schemebyrightclickingontheColorRampanduncheckGraphicViewfromthepopupmenu.)

ClickApply.

ClicktheClassifybutton.

16. ListdowntheClassificationStatisticsshown:

a. Count:_________

b. Minimum:_________

c. Maximum:__________

d. Sum:_________

e. Mean:_________

f. Median:_________

g. StandardDeviation:_________

ClosetheClassificationandLayerPropertieswindows.
BesurethatonlytheCOUNTIESlayerisvisible.UsetheSelectbyRectangle buttonlocateandclick
on the darkest portion of the map (Hint: southwestern part of the USA).Rightclick on the selected
feature and click Zoom to Selected Features .Using the Identity Tool click on the selected
feature.

17. Whatisthenameofthecountyidentifiedasthemostpopulated?

_______________________________________________________________________

DeselectselectedfeaturesbyclickingClearSelectedFeatures button.

SaveyourmapandnameitasUSCountiesin..\myGISOutputs.

CloseArcMap.

E. CreatingaPrintableMap

Now that you have familiarized the ArcMap environment, you have to make your own map layout
suitableforprintout.

StartArcMap(chooseablankmapifnecessary).

OpentheCatalogwindow.

ClickonFolderConnections.Navigateto..\LearnGISfolder.

NavigateandexpandthefolderPhilippinesanddragdropmapofphilontheDataFrame.

Change the Symbology to Unique Values.Select REGION under the Value Field.Choose Basic Random
forthecolorscheme.

Click on the Add All Values and uncheck the <all other values>. Click OK to close the Layer Properties
dialogbox.

Savethemapdocumentinyour..\myGISOutputsfolderasMyPhilippinesMapLayout.

At present,your ArcMap view is the Data View. In order to change the view to the Layout View, click
View menu and select Layout View or simply click the icon located at the bottomleft of the Map
Viewer.

Change the map orientation from portrait to landscape (Hint: click the menu File>Page and Print
SetupandthenchangetheorientationfromPortraittoLandscape).

AccepttheotherdefaultsettingsandclickOK.

FromtheCustomizemenu,chooseArcMapOptions.

On the ArcMap Options dialog box, click the Layout View tab and change the units from inches to
centimeters.

IntheSnapelementstoarea,checktheboxforGuides.

Confirmthatyourdialogboxmatchesthefollowinggraphic.

ClickOKtocloseArcMapOptions.

ResizetheDataFrameaswellastheextentofthemap.

Placeyourmousepointerovertheleftverticalruler,thenrightclickandchooseSetGuide.

Holdyourmousepointeroverthewhitearrowthatmarkstheguideposition.

When the mouse pointer changes to a twoheaded arrow, click and drag the guide to the 19
centimeterposition.(Hint:Asyoudrag,payattentiontothetipintheupperleftcornerofthedisplay
areashowingtheguidesposition).

Setanotherguideatthe1centimeterpositionontheverticalruler.

Onthetopofthehorizontalruler,setguidesatthe1and26centimeterpositions.

ResizetheDataFrameusingtheguides.

OntheToolstoolbar,clicktheSelectElementstool .

ClicktheDataFrameonthevirtualpagetoselectit.(Hint:TheDataFramecontainsthemap).

Click and drag the Data Frame so that its upperleft corner aligns with the intersection of the guides
(19,1)intheupperleftcornerofthevirtualpage.

PlaceyourmousepointerovertheselectionhandleinthelowerrightcorneroftheDataFrame.When
itchangestoatwoheadedarrow,clickanddragthehandletotheintersectionoftheguides(1,26)in
thelowerrightcornerofthevirtualpage.

ClickanywhereoutsidethevirtualpagetodeselecttheDataFrame.

Adjustthescaleandextentofthemapandlockthemtopreventaccidentalchanges.

UsetheZoomIntooltoresizeandadjusttheextentofthemap.

ConfirmthatallofPhilippinesisstillincludedinthemapextent.

ClickoutsidetheDataFrametodeselectit.

OpentheDataFrameproperties(Hint:RightclickontheDataFrameandclickProperties.)andclickthe
DataFrametab.

IntheExtentarea,clickthedropdownlistandchoosetheFixedScaleOption.

ClickOK.

OntheLayouttoolbar,clicktheZoomto100%button.Thisdisplaysthemapsactualoutputsize.

OntheLayouttoolbar,clicktheZoomWholePagebutton.Themapisshownatareducedsize.

Addelementstoyourmap.

AddTitletotheMapLayout
FromtheInsertmenu,chooseTitle(typeRegionsinthePhilippines).

DoubleclickontheaddedTitleandtypeontheTextwithRegionsinthePhilippines.

ClickChangeSymbol.

OntheSymbolSelector,chooseacolor,font,size,andstylethatyoulike.(Makesurethatthetitlewill
belargeenoughtoberecognizable.)

ClickOKontheSymbolSelectorandonthePropertiesdialogbox.

Dragthetitletoanappropriateposition,suchastopleftportionofthelayout.

Rightclickthetitle,pointtoAlign,andchooseAligntoMargins.

Rightclickthetitleagain,pointtoAlign,andchooseAlignCenter.

Deselectthetitle.

Saveyourmap.

Addalegendtoyourmap.

FromtheInsertmenu,chooseLegend.

IntheLegendItems,clickmapofphiltoselectit.

ClickNexttoadvancetothenextpanel.

IntheLegendTitlearea,selectanddeletethedefaultlegendtitle,Legend.

ClickNext.

ClickNexttoskippastthelegendframepanel.

ClickNextagaintoskippastthelegendsymbolpatchpanel.

Onthefinalpanel,clickFinishtoaddthelegendtothemap.

Dragtheselectedlegendtothelowerleftofthemap.

Modifythelegend.

RightclickthelegendtoselectitandchooseProperties.

OntheLegendPropertiesdialogbox,ifnecessary,clicktheLegendtab.

InthePatcharea,changethewidthto15ptandtheheightto10pt.

ClickOK.

Selectthelegend.

Rightclickthelegendandopenitsproperties.

ClicktheFrametab.

IntheBorderarea,choose1.0Pointfromthemaindropdownlist.

ClickthecolorsquareandchangethecolortoLarkspurBlue(row10,column9).

Toputspacebetweenthelegendtextandtheborder,changetheXgapto5andtheYgapto5.Besure
yourdialogmatchesthefollowinggraphic.

ClickOK.

Ifyoulike,repositionthelegendinthecorner.

Clickoutsidethevirtualpagetodeselectthelegend.

Savethemap.

YoumayaddmoremapinformationliketheNorthArrow.NowtryaddingtheScaleBarandtheScaleText.
18. Describewhathappened.ExplainwhytheScaleBarcantbeaddedintothemaplayout.

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Preparedby:
Engr.JaniceB.Jamora,MEngandEngr.NoelNavasca,CompE
November2012

References:

1. ArcGISdesktopII:ToolsandFunctionalitybyGEODATA,ESRI
2. GettingStartedwithGISbySocialScienceandDataSoftware,LelandStandfordJuniorUniversity
3. MappingyourCommunitywithGIS