Getting Started with ArcGIS

Why do people use a geographic information system (GIS)? The short answer is it helps them obtain better information, and better information leads to better decision making. In a GIS, data about real-world objects is linked to an onscreen map. Geographic features are drawn quickly and can be displayed using different information in the database.

ArcGIS® is the name of the family of ESRI programs. Because no two organizations are alike, ArcGIS is designed to meet the diverse needs of organizations, small and large. While the depth of functionality in ArcGIS is tremendous, as you'll see, it takes a friendly approach to GIS with easy-to-use tools that help you through the most complicated of tasks.

This lab provides an overview of basic GIS concepts and standard ArcGIS functions, while remaining modules provide more in-depth information. You'll start working with the software immediately and will be introduced to the main components of the ArcGIS family.

Learning objectives

A student who completes this module will be able to:

• explore a GIS map and get information about map features
• preview geographic data and metadata
• add data to a map
• describe the structure of a GIS map
• explain how a GIS represents real-world objects
• change the way features are drawn on a map
• access feature information in different ways

Exploring a GIS map

What's the difference between a GIS map and a static paper or electronic map? A big difference is that GIS maps are dynamic. While you can look at a static map and see where features are located and even measure approximate distances between them, you can't do much more than that. With a GIS map, however, you are in charge.

You can zoom in and out to see different areas with more or less detail, you can decide what features you want to see and how they are symbolized, and, most importantly, you can access a database of information about all the features shown on the map.

In this topic, you'll learn some of the concepts on which GIS maps are based. But first, you'll do an exercise to see just how easy they are to use and explore.

Plan a trip to San Diego

Congratulations! You've just won a roundtrip ticket for two from New York City to sunny San Diego, California. To help plan where you'll stay and what sites you'll visit, you're going to explore a GIS map of San Diego. In the following instructions you will encounter five questions marked in red. Open a text editor such as Notepad and write your answers to these five questions, which you will then send to Jing Li as an email attachment.

Estimated time to complete: a comfortable 40 minutes

Step 1 Start ArcMap and open a map document

Start ArcMap™ by double-clicking your ArcMap desktop shortcut icon or by clicking your Start menu, then clicking Programs -> ArcGIS -> ArcMap.

If you see a dialog, choose the option to start using ArcMap with an existing map and double-click "Browse for maps."

If you don't see the dialog, click the Open button .

Navigate to your C:\Temp\Lab05 folder.

Note: If you saved the module data to a different folder than C:\Temp, navigate to that folder.

Double-click tourism.mxd to open the map document.

Step 1: Start ArcMap and open a map document

When the map opens, you see a page layout with the title "San Diego, California." It contains two maps. The small map at the lower right of the page is a locator map of the United States, on which New York City and San Diego are represented as red points. The larger map is of San Diego.

To the left of the map display area, you see a list of the geographic data layers that are represented in each of the maps. A checkmark next to a layer name means it's currently visible on the map.

The list of layers is called the Table of Contents. The legend on the right side of the San Diego map shows the layers in the Table of Contents that are displayed in that map.

Does your ArcMap window look different?

If this is the first time you've opened ArcMap, the Tools toolbar and the Layout toolbar may be floating on your desktop. When you work in ArcMap, you will use the tools on these toolbars often.

If you like, you can dock the toolbars to your ArcMap window by dragging them over to the desired location. The View Result graphics provided in this course will all show the Tools toolbar docked in between the Table of Contents and the map display area, and the Layout toolbar docked above the Table of Contents.

If you don't see the Tools toolbar or the Layout toolbar, right-click in the gray area next to the Help menu and check each one.

Step 2 Explore the United States map

In the Table of Contents, you see two icons with the names San Diego and United States. San Diego and United States are data frames. In ArcGIS, data frames are the containers for the layers shown on a map. Like here, you can have multiple data frames in one map document but you work with only one at a time.

In the Table of Contents, right-click United States and choose Activate.

Now the United States data frame is active. Notice that its name is selected and displays in bold. In the map display area, the United States map is surrounded by a gray dashed line.

The active data frame is the one you are working with.

Uncheck the box next to the States layer.

The states have disappeared from the map. In ArcMap, you turn layers on and off by checking and unchecking them in the Table of Contents.

Turn the States layer back on.

Click the minus sign in front of the United States data frame to collapse it.

Step 2: Explore the United States map

Now you'll turn your attention to the San Diego data frame. After all, you have a trip to plan.

Step 3 Zoom in to San Diego

In the Table of Contents, right-click San Diego and choose Activate.

To see more details of the San Diego area, you will zoom in.

On the Tools toolbar, click the Zoom In tool .

Click in the center of the San Diego map and draw a box.

When you zoom in, the map's scale changes. The scale is shown in a box above the map display area.

Step 3: Zoom in to San Diego

The number in your scale box may be different than the one shown in the View Result graphic. It depends on how large your map display area is and how large a box you drew when you zoomed in.

The scale is the ratio between the size of features on the map and the size of those same features on the earth. If the scale is 1:57,283, that means that one unit on the map is equal to 57,283 units in the real world—or, that features in the real world are 57,283 times larger than they are on the map.

With the Zoom In tool still active, click the center of the map.

Notice that the scale number decreased. You'll learn more about scale later in this topic, but so far, you've learned that you can change the scale in a GIS map by using the Zoom In tool two different ways—by drawing a box and by clicking the map.

You can also change the scale by typing directly into the scale box.

Click in the scale box and delete the current number. Type 50000 (50 thousand) and press Enter.

The map display changes. Now you can see more streets on the map.

The Surface Streets layer is set to display only when the number in the scale box is 50,000 or less. Because the surface streets are now visible in the map, their symbol is no longer grayed out in the Table of Contents and the layer also displays in the map legend.

Click the Pan tool . Click in the center of the map and drag to the right.

Did you notice that the scale did not change? Panning a map is a way to see different areas of the map at the same scale.

To get the San Diego map back to what it looked like before you started zooming and panning, you will use a bookmark. A bookmark is like a snapshot—it's an area of the map saved at a particular scale.

From the View menu, choose Bookmarks, then click San Diego City.

San Diego is a large city, but you know you want to stay near the ocean. In the next steps, you will explore the downtown area of San Diego.

Step 4 Switch to data view and label hotels

In ArcMap, there are two views for working with your data: layout view and data view. So far, you have been exploring the map in layout view. In order to explore the data in more detail, you will switch to data view.

Click the Data View button on the bottom left of your map display area.

Step 4a: Switch to data view and label hotels

Note the following visible differences between layout view and data view:

• The locator map of the United States and the other map elements (north arrow, legend, and scale bar) are missing from data view.
• In data view, you can view only one map at a time (the active data frame).

In the Table of Contents, check the box next to Hotels to see the hotels display on the map.

Click the Zoom In tool and zoom in on the cluster of hotels along the coast, the area you're interested in staying.

Step 4b: Switch to data view and label hotels

Click the Select Elements tool . Pause your mouse pointer over the hotel symbols just south of the Interstate 5 Freeway.

Step 4c: Switch to data view and label hotels

The hotel name displays as a map tip when you hover over its symbol.

To see the names of all the hotels at once, you will turn on their labels.

Right-click Hotels and choose Label Features.

Step 4d: Switch to data view and label hotels

Step 5 Find a hotel and get information about it

You participate in the Marriott Rewards program and are happy to see a couple of Marriott hotels on the map. Hopefully, you can find one that's located near the trolley line and the ocean. It would be a huge cost savings if you could walk or take the trolley to sightsee instead of renting a car.

With a GIS map, you can quickly locate all the hotels you're interested in. You will use the Find tool to locate all the Marriott hotels.

Click the Find tool .

The Find dialog opens.

In the Find field, type Marriott. Click the dropdown arrow next to "In" and choose Hotels.

Step 5a: Find a hotel and get information about it

Click Find.

Move the Find dialog so you can see both it and the map. At the bottom of the Find dialog, right-click Marriott Suites Hotel and choose Flash Feature.

If you were watching, you should have seen the hotel flash on the map.

If you didn't see the hotel flash on the map, try it again.

Flash the location of the Marriott Hotel and Marina.

1 Why would this hotel be a desirable location?

It's close to the water and the trolley line, making it easily accessible to attractions you want to visit while in San Diego.

You'd like to get the telephone number for the Marriott Hotel and Marina to call for a reservation.

In the Find dialog, right-click Marriott Hotel and Marina and choose Identify feature.

The Identify Results window opens. Here you see a list of information about the Marriott Hotel and Marina, including its phone number.

If necessary, enlarge the Identify Results window so you can see all the information about the hotel.

Step 5b: Find a hotel and get information about it

Features on a GIS map are linked to a database that contains information about the features.

2 What is the hotel's telephone number?

Now that you have the phone number for the hotel, you can call to make reservations.

Close the Identify Results window.

In the Find dialog, right-click the Marriott Hotel and Marina and choose Select Feature. Close the Find dialog.

Now you see a light blue dot over the hotel symbol. You will keep this hotel symbol selected so you can easily see where your hotel of choice is in comparison to the trolley line and major attractions.

In the Table of Contents, right-click Hotels and choose Label Features to remove their labels.

Step 5c: Find a hotel and get information about it

Step 6 Get information about major attractions

Next, you'll explore some of the attractions you'd like to visit while you're in San Diego. First, you'll explore attractions close to the hotel.

In the Table of Contents, check Major Attractions. Right-click Major Attractions and choose Open Attribute Table.

Step 6a: Get information about major attractions

This table contains information about each major attraction that's displayed on the map. It's another way to view information about the features in a layer. In the previous step, you accessed information about a feature using the Identify Results window.

In this table, each major attraction has its own record, or row, in the table. Each column represents a type of information, or attribute, for each record.

Scroll to the right of the table and examine the fields.

Right-click the NAME field name and choose Sort Ascending.

Now all the major attractions are sorted alphabetically. This makes it easier to find a particular attraction.

Scroll down until you find Seaport Village, a coastal retail area with shops and restaurants. Click the gray box to the left of the record.

The Seaport Village record is selected in the table. In a GIS map, you can select features on the map or in the table.

Step 6b: Get information about major attractions

3 What is the address of Seaport Village?

Close the table.

Notice that the symbol for Seaport Village is selected, just west of the selected hotel.

Step 6c: Get information about major attractions

Seaport Village and the Marriott Hotel and Marina are located on the same road. In the next step, you will measure the distance between the two locations to see if they're within walking distance of each other.

Step 7 Measure distance between features

To make it easier to measure the distance between the hotel and Seaport Village, first you'll zoom in closer.

Click the Zoom In tool and draw a box around the two selected features.

Click the Measure tool .

Notice that your mouse pointer changes to a ruler when you move it over the map.

Click the symbol for the Marriott Hotel and Marina, then move your mouse pointer over to the symbol for Seaport Village.

Tip: If you don't remember which symbol is the hotel, pause your mouse pointer over each symbol to see its map tip.

Step 7a: Measure distance between features

Double-click to measure the distance. Look at the status bar at the bottom left of your ArcMap window.

Tip: If you don't see the ArcMap status bar, click the View menu and check Status Bar.

The distance you measured displays there.

4 Approximately how far is it from the Marriott Hotel and Marina to Seaport Village?

Notice that the trolley line is also close to the hotel.

Use the Measure tool to measure the distance from the Marriott Hotel and Marina to the nearest trolley stop. If necessary, use the Pan tool to see the nearest trolley stop.

Step 7b: Measure distance between features

5 Approximately how far is the nearest trolley stop?

Next, you'll see if you can take the trolley to the San Diego Zoo and Qualcomm Stadium, two other attractions you want to visit.

Step 8 Find attractions and determine the best method of transportation

You're a big sports fan. You've already done some research and found out there's a game you want to see while you're in San Diego. The game is at Qualcomm Stadium. You'll see if the trolley will take you there.

From the Selection menu, choose Clear Selected Features.

From the View menu, choose Bookmarks, then click San Diego City.

In the Table of Contents, turn off Major Roads. Right-click Major Attractions and choose Label Features.

Step 8: Find attractions and determine the best method of transportation

Look for Qualcomm Stadium on the map.

It looks like there's a trolley stop very close to the stadium.

Click the Identify tool .

The Identify Results window opens.

In the Layers dropdown list, choose Trolley Stops.

On the map, click the trolley stop closest to Qualcomm Stadium.

6 What is the name of the trolley stop?

Close the Identify Results window.

Now look for the San Diego Zoo on the map.

You've always heard how beautiful the San Diego Zoo is and would really like to visit it on your trip. In the next step, you'll get more information about the zoo.

Step 9 Use a hyperlink for the San Diego Zoo Web site

A GIS map can include hyperlinks to documents, images, and even Web sites. On this map, there's a hyperlink to the San Diego Zoo Web site. It's likely that this Web site has information about public transportation to the zoo.

Zoom in to the San Diego Zoo.

Click the Hyperlink tool , then click the San Diego Zoo symbol (Tip: Click the blue dot over the symbol).

The Web site for the San Diego Zoo opens.

If the Web site doesn't open, try clicking the blue dot again. You need to click in the center of the dot.

Briefly explore the Visit section to see what type of information it contains.

Close the browser window with the San Diego Zoo Web site.

Step 10 Close ArcMap

From the File menu, choose Exit. Click No when asked if you want to save changes.

This exercise introduced you to some of the features of a GIS map. You were able to quickly plan a fun-filled trip to San Diego. You found a hotel, saw where the attractions you want to visit are located, and determined how you'll get around. All that's left now is to pack your bags!

While exploring this GIS map, you were able to view features at different scales and access information about them.

So not forget to save your five answers from your Notepad file. Send them both to Jing Li and to yourself (as a backup).