Professional
Working with GeoMedia
Professional
DJA080780
SJ**690 (5.2)
GeoMedia Professional
Warranties and Liabilities
All warranties given by Intergraph Corporation about software are set forth in the End User License
Agreement provided with the software, and nothing stated in or implied by this document or its contents shall
be considered or deemed a modification or amendment of such warranties.
The information and the software discussed in this document are subject to change without notice and should
not be considered commitments by Intergraph Corporation. Intergraph Corporation assumes no
responsibility for any error that may appear in this document.
No responsibility is assumed by Intergraph for the use or reliability of software on equipment that does not
meet the specified requirements as found in the product Readme.
Trademarks
Intergraph and GeoMedia are registered trademarks of Intergraph Corporation. SmartSketch is a trademark
of Intergraph Corporation. Windows, Windows NT, and Windows XP are registered trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation. MapInfo is a registered trademark of MapInfo Corporation. Matchmaker SDK is a
trademark of
GDT
2002 Geographic Data Technology, Inc. This product contains proprietary and confidential
property of Geographic Data Technology, Inc. Unauthorized use, including copying for other than testing
and standard backup procedures, of this product is expressly prohibited.
Restricted Rights Legend
Software is subject to the U.S. Export Regulations. Any diversion of the software that is contrary to U.S.
law is prohibited.
Use, duplication, or disclosure by the government is subject to restrictions as set forth below. For civilian
agencies: This was developed at private expense and is restricted computer software submitted with
restricted rights in accordance with subparagraphs (a) through (d) of the Commercial Computer Software -
Restricted Rights clause at 52.227-19 of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and its successors,
and is unpublished and all rights are reserved under the copyright laws of the United States. For units of
the Department of Defense (DoD): This is commercial computer software as defined at DFARS
252.227-7014 and the rights of the Government are as specified at DFARS 227.7202-3.
Unpublished rights reserved under the copyright laws of the United States.
Intergraph Corporation
Huntsville, Alabama 35894-0001
Copyright for the Canadian National Transformation Version 2 Software: 1995. Her Majesty the
Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Natural Resources. Produced under licence
from Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Natural Resources.
Software based on the National Transformation Version 2 developed by Geodetic Survey Division,
Geomatics Canada.
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DJA080780
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i
Table of Contents
Start Here .................................................................................................................................... 1-1
Looking at GeoMedia Professional: An Overview............................................................... 1-2
What You Need to Know to Work......................................................................................... 1-3
Documents Shipped ............................................................................................................... 1-3
Getting Started ....................................................................................................................... 1-7
Getting Around in the Software ............................................................................................. 1-8
The Product Workflows ......................................................................................................... 1-9
What is a GIS? ..................................................................................................................... 1-15
Working with GeoWorkspaces................................................................................................. 2-1
Creating a GeoWorkspace...................................................................................................... 2-2
Opening a GeoWorkspace...................................................................................................... 2-2
Delaying Data Loading .......................................................................................................... 2-3
Automatically Backing Up GeoWorkspaces.......................................................................... 2-5
Saving, Closing, and Copying a GeoWorkspace ................................................................... 2-6
E-Mailing a GeoWorkspace................................................................................................... 2-7
Creating a GeoWorkspace Template...................................................................................... 2-7
Linking and Embedding a GeoWorkspace............................................................................. 2-8
Working with Coordinate Systems .......................................................................................... 3-1
Defining a Coordinate System for a GeoWorkspace ............................................................. 3-6
Defining a Coordinate System for a Feature Class ................................................................ 3-7
Matching GeoWorkspace and Default Warehouse Coordinate Systems ............................... 3-9
Getting Coordinate Readouts ............................................................................................... 3-12
Setting Units and Formats.................................................................................................... 3-12
Configuring for Datum Transformations ............................................................................. 3-14
Displaying Data That Has No Coordinate System Specified............................................... 3-16
Creating Coordinate-System Files from Design Files.......................................................... 3-19
Working with Warehouses........................................................................................................ 4-1
Creating a Read/Write Access Warehouse............................................................................. 4-2
Defining a Coordinate System for a Warehouse.................................................................... 4-3
Preparing to Connect.............................................................................................................. 4-4
Working with Connections .................................................................................................. 4-33
Working with Spatial Filters ................................................................................................ 4-38
Working with Vicinity Connections .................................................................................... 4-45
Viewing Changes in a Multi-User Environment.................................................................. 4-46
Creating an Access Warehouse Template............................................................................ 4-47
Changing the Coordinate System of a New Access Warehouse Template.......................... 4-47
Configuring PickLists with Access Warehouses ................................................................. 4-48
Working with GeoMedia Professional
ii
Working with Images ................................................................................................................ 5-1
Inserting Images into Warehouses ......................................................................................... 5-1
Managing Warehouse Images ................................................................................................ 5-8
Changing the Raster Image Display..................................................................................... 5-13
Creating Image Footprints.................................................................................................... 5-14
Displaying Selected Images ................................................................................................. 5-16
Working with Map Windows ................................................................................................... 6-1
Understanding the Legend ..................................................................................................... 6-2
Displaying or Hiding the Legend........................................................................................... 6-4
Adding Entries to the Legend ................................................................................................ 6-4
Creating Thematic Maps ........................................................................................................ 6-7
Controlling the Map Window.............................................................................................. 6-10
Customizing the Legend ...................................................................................................... 6-36
Customizing the Legend Toolbar......................................................................................... 6-40
Using the Legend Pop-up Menu .......................................................................................... 6-40
Creating Additional Map Windows ..................................................................................... 6-41
Displaying Design Files ....................................................................................................... 6-42
Working with Data Windows ................................................................................................... 7-1
Opening a Data Window........................................................................................................ 7-1
Controlling the Data Window................................................................................................ 7-2
Editing Cells in the Data Window ......................................................................................... 7-6
Taking a Snapshot of the Data Window................................................................................. 7-8
Working with Features ............................................................................................................. 8-1
Understanding Geometry Types ............................................................................................ 8-2
Working with Feature Classes ............................................................................................... 8-3
Outputting Feature Data to Warehouses .............................................................................. 8-10
Selecting Features in the Map Window............................................................................... 8-17
Collecting Data .................................................................................................................... 8-23
Inserting Features................................................................................................................. 8-39
Inserting Points by Radii...................................................................................................... 8-57
Inserting Circles ................................................................................................................... 8-60
Digitizing Discontiguous Features and Features with Holes ............................................... 8-63
Tools for Collection of Attribute Information...................................................................... 8-67
Inserting Area Features Automatically ................................................................................ 8-69
Inserting Text Features into a Feature Class ........................................................................ 8-72
Editing Text.......................................................................................................................... 8-74
Adding Hypertext to a Feature Class ................................................................................... 8-76
Table of Contents
iii
Editing Features and Geometries.............................................................................................. 9-1
Editing a Map Window.......................................................................................................... 9-1
Changing Attribute Values of Features.................................................................................. 9-1
Updating Feature Attributes................................................................................................... 9-5
Updating Feature Attributes Using Text ................................................................................ 9-9
Copying Attributes............................................................................................................... 9-12
Manipulating Features.......................................................................................................... 9-16
Manipulating Geometry ....................................................................................................... 9-28
Changing Feature Classes .................................................................................................... 9-43
Registering Data ...................................................................................................................... 10-1
Performing Digitizer Setup .................................................................................................. 10-1
Setting Digitizer Mode......................................................................................................... 10-9
Registering Images............................................................................................................. 10-11
Outputting to GeoTIFF ...................................................................................................... 10-15
Registering Vector Data..................................................................................................... 10-16
Validating and Fixing Data..................................................................................................... 11-1
Displaying Geometry Information ....................................................................................... 11-2
Validating Geometry............................................................................................................ 11-8
Fixing Geometry ................................................................................................................ 11-11
Validating Connectivity ..................................................................................................... 11-13
Fixing Connectivity............................................................................................................ 11-21
Extending Geometry .......................................................................................................... 11-24
Extending Geometry to Intersections................................................................................. 11-26
Extending Two Lines to an Intersection ............................................................................ 11-28
Trimming Geometry........................................................................................................... 11-29
Trimming Geometry to Intersections ................................................................................. 11-31
Inserting Intersections ........................................................................................................ 11-33
Constructing Circular Fillets .............................................................................................. 11-36
Reversing Direction ........................................................................................................... 11-39
Analyzing GeoMedia Professional Data ................................................................................ 12-1
Working with Filter Queries ................................................................................................ 12-2
Working with Native Queries ............................................................................................ 12-17
Manipulating Queries......................................................................................................... 12-27
Querying Graphics-Only Features in MGE and MGSM.................................................... 12-31
Working with Joins ............................................................................................................ 12-31
Analyzing Geometry.......................................................................................................... 12-34
Placing Buffer Zones Around Features.............................................................................. 12-39
Working with Functional Attributes .................................................................................. 12-41
Merging Feature Classes and Queries................................................................................ 12-51
Aggregating Data ............................................................................................................... 12-56
Generating Base Geometry ................................................................................................ 12-64
Working with GeoMedia Professional
iv
Working with Labels ................................................................................................................ 13-1
Inserting Labels.................................................................................................................... 13-1
Inserting Leader Lines.......................................................................................................... 13-6
Inserting Interactive Labels................................................................................................ 13-10
Resolving Text Conflicts.................................................................................................... 13-14
Working with Data Capture and Presentation..................................................................... 14-1
Finding and Geocoding Addresses....................................................................................... 14-1
Finding Addresses................................................................................................................ 14-3
Geocoding Addresses........................................................................................................... 14-5
Geocoding Coordinates........................................................................................................ 14-9
Inserting Traverses.................................................................................................................. 15-1
Defining a Traverse.............................................................................................................. 15-2
Additional Command Features ............................................................................................ 15-7
Insert Traverse Workflows................................................................................................... 15-8
Working with Layout Windows ............................................................................................. 16-1
Layout Window Overview................................................................................................... 16-1
Starting the Layout Window................................................................................................ 16-4
Inserting Layout Sheets........................................................................................................ 16-5
Importing Layout Sheets and Layout Templates ................................................................. 16-5
Exporting Layout Sheets and Templates............................................................................ 16-10
Selecting and Manipulating Layout Sheets........................................................................ 16-13
Renaming Layout Sheets.................................................................................................... 16-14
Deleting Layout Sheets ...................................................................................................... 16-14
Viewing Background and Working Sheets ........................................................................ 16-15
Viewing Layout Window Properties.................................................................................. 16-15
Manipulating Layers .......................................................................................................... 16-16
Designing Map Layouts for Printing in the Layout Window.............................................. 17-1
Designing Map Layouts Overview ...................................................................................... 17-1
Map Window Considerations When Printing from the Layout Window............................. 17-1
Basic Map Layout Workflows ............................................................................................. 17-6
Components of the Map Layout........................................................................................... 17-8
Workflows for Placing Map Graphics Using Layout Frames............................................ 17-39
Workflows for Placing Map Graphics Without Using Layout Frames.............................. 17-46
Updating Map Graphics in Layout Sheets ......................................................................... 17-61
Modifying Map Graphics in Layout Sheets ....................................................................... 17-62
Inserting Cartographic Grids.............................................................................................. 17-77
Inserting Reference Grids and Indexes .............................................................................. 17-91
Table of Contents
v
Printing in GeoMedia Professional ......................................................................................... 18-1
Printing Overview................................................................................................................ 18-1
Defining the Map Window Page Setup................................................................................ 18-1
Printing a Map Window....................................................................................................... 18-4
Printing to a File................................................................................................................... 18-5
Defining the Data Window Page Setup................................................................................ 18-6
Printing a Data Window....................................................................................................... 18-8
Defining the Layout Window Page Setup............................................................................ 18-9
Printing Layout Sheets from the Layout Window ............................................................. 18-12
Plotting............................................................................................................................... 18-16
Printing Transparent or Translucent Graphics ................................................................... 18-16
Outputting PDF from GeoMedia Professional................................................................... 18-17
Exporting Data to Other Systems .......................................................................................... 19-1
Exporting to Shapefile.......................................................................................................... 19-1
Exporting to MapInfo Interchange Format .......................................................................... 19-4
Exporting to Design File ...................................................................................................... 19-7
Exporting to Oracle Object Model ..................................................................................... 19-18
Exporting to SQL Server.................................................................................................... 19-21
Exporting to AutoCAD...................................................................................................... 19-23
How to Reach Intergraph ........................................................................................................ A-1
Electronic Self-Help Support ................................................................................................ A-1
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) .................................................................................... A-1
Whats New in GeoMedia Professional 5.2.......................................................................... A-1
Using the Oracle Object Model Data Server...........................................................................B-1
Delivery and Connection........................................................................................................B-1
Native Data Model .................................................................................................................B-5
Oracles SRID......................................................................................................................B-12
Geometry Indexing...............................................................................................................B-13
Oriented Points.....................................................................................................................B-21
Text and Labels....................................................................................................................B-21
Raster Images.......................................................................................................................B-22
Using Views and Join-Views ...............................................................................................B-23
GeoMedias GDOSYS Metadata Schema............................................................................B-25
Configuring Pick Lists .........................................................................................................B-38
Using an Existing Oracle Spatial Object Schema ................................................................B-41
Creating a New Oracle Spatial Object Database..................................................................B-42
Database Utilities .................................................................................................................B-42
Example 1: Preparing Existing Geometry Data ..................................................................B-45
Example 2: Using Views.....................................................................................................B-47
Working with GeoMedia Professional
vi
Using the SQL Data Server....................................................................................................... C-1
Delivery and Connection........................................................................................................C-1
SQL Server Data Model.........................................................................................................C-3
SQL Data Server Metadata ....................................................................................................C-6
Configuring PickLists ..........................................................................................................C-15
Triggers ................................................................................................................................C-17
Importing Data .....................................................................................................................C-19
Feature Class Definition.......................................................................................................C-20
Using Database Utilities.......................................................................................................C-23
Coordinate System Information.............................................................................................. D-1
Projection Algorithms ........................................................................................................... D-1
Datum Transformation Models ............................................................................................. D-1
Standard Geodetic Datums.................................................................................................... D-6
Named Geodetic Datums ...................................................................................................... D-8
Ellipsoids............................................................................................................................... D-8
Units of Measure (UOM) .................................................................................................... D-10
State Plane Zone CodesNAD27 Datum.......................................................................... D-12
State Plane Zone CodesNAD83 Datum.......................................................................... D-14
UTM Zones ......................................................................................................................... D-16
GeoTIFF Capabilities.......................................................................................................... D-17
Raster Information....................................................................................................................E-1
Raster Formats Supported in GeoMedia Professional ........................................................... E-1
Compression Techniques ....................................................................................................... E-3
Tiling...................................................................................................................................... E-4
Data Types ............................................................................................................................. E-4
File Types and Categories Listed for Inserting a Georeferenced Image................................ E-5
Troubleshooting Connection Problems ................................................................................... F-1
Troubleshooting MGE Connections ...................................................................................... F-1
Troubleshooting MGSM Connections ................................................................................. F-12
Troubleshooting Oracle Object Model Connections (OOM) ) ............................................ F-13
Line Weight Conversions and Line Styles.............................................................................. G-1
Line Weight Conversions...................................................................................................... G-1
Line Styles............................................................................................................................. G-3
Creating Data Server .INI Files............................................................................................... H-1
The ARC/INFO Data Server .INI File .................................................................................. H-2
The ArcView Data Server .INI File ...................................................................................... H-4
The CAD Data Server .INI File ............................................................................................ H-7
The FRAMME Data Server .INI File.................................................................................. H-18
The MapInfo Data Server .INI File..................................................................................... H-24
Table of Contents
vii
The MGDM Data Server .INI File...................................................................................... H-29
The MGE Data Server .INI File.......................................................................................... H-37
The MGSM Data Server .INI Files ..................................................................................... H-54
Layout Window Graphics Commands ..................................................................................... I-1
Conversion Tables ..................................................................................................................... J-1
International System of Units to United States Customary System........................................ J-1
United States Customary System to International System of Units........................................ J-2
Functional Attributes Information ......................................................................................... K-1
Expressions ........................................................................................................................... K-2
Data Types ............................................................................................................................ K-3
Identifiers .............................................................................................................................. K-3
Operands ............................................................................................................................... K-4
Operators............................................................................................................................... K-4
Functions............................................................................................................................. K-18
Constants............................................................................................................................. K-81
Reserved Keywords ............................................................................................................ K-86
Functional Attributes Examples.......................................................................................... K-86
Index .......................................................................................................................................... IN-1
Working with GeoMedia Professional
viii
1-1
1
Start Here
Welcome to GeoMedia
2000, Windows
Visual Basic
.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
1-2
Looking at GeoMedia Professional: An Overview
The first thing you do in GeoMedia Professional is create a
GeoWorkspace or open an existing one. After you open a
GeoWorkspace, you configure it to suit your needs. You can, for
example, change the coordinate-system properties or insert a map or
raster image to use as a backdrop for geographic data. Your
configuration is saved when you save the GeoWorkspace and restored
when you reopen it.
The data you view is stored in warehouses, and you access data by
creating connections from the GeoWorkspace to one or more
warehouses. The Warehouse Connection Wizard presents a series of
dialog boxes that prompt you for the information necessary to create the
connection. Because data are not stored in the GeoWorkspace, all
workflows require at least one warehouse connection.
A warehouse stores both geometric (graphic) and attribute (nongraphic)
information. For example, a parcel might be represented by an area
geometry and defined by attribute information such as the owners name
and the date it was purchased.
Once you connect to at least one warehouse, you can display and analyze
data from it. The software allows you to view multiple data sets from
different warehouses in various formats in a single GeoWorkspace. This
means you can perform spatial analyses on data from different sources in
different formats using buffer zones, spatial queries, and thematic
displays.
In this product, features are contained in feature classes, and the word
feature refers to each instance of a feature within a feature class. Feature
classes, images, query results, and thematic displays in the map window
are collectively referred to as either features or map objects.
Features are represented in the map window by geometry and in the data
window by attributes. You can display any number of map and data
windows simultaneously or separately. They are linked so that changes
made in one window are automatically reflected in the other.
You display features in a map window by adding entries to the legend.
The legend is the control center for the map window. Through the
legend, you populate the contents of the map window and control the
display characteristics of the features, including their style and display
priority.
Start Here
1-3
1
You can also perform tasks, such as capturing new data, performing
maintenance on existing data, and inserting images or buffer zones.
Furthermore, you can view data written to a read/write warehouse along
with other data sets in a single GeoWorkspace.
Results of your analyses can be customized in the map window, printed,
and saved for future use, all without altering the original data.
What You Need to Know to Work
The documentation and learning tools assume that you have the
following:
A basic understanding of your operating system.
The ability to move around in the Windows environment.
An understanding of the data you want to use.
Documents Shipped
The documents are shipped with GeoMedia Professional are delivered
into three groups: Developer Documentation, User Documentation, and
Utilities Documentation.
See the "How to
Reach Intergraph"
appendix.
Note: Within the U.S., you can request copies of the paper documents
from the Intergraph Sales Order Processing. Outside the U.S., call
your Intergraph representative.
Developer Documentation
Developer Documentation is accessed online only.
Document Description
GeoMedia
Professional
Command Wizard
Help Topics
Information about using the Command Wizard to create Visual
Basic commands for the GeoMedia-based application and to edit
or to delete Visual Basic or Visual C++ command-set information.
Access through the Command Wizard.
GeoMedia
Professional Object
Reference
Programmer's guide to the objects, methods, and properties in the
softwares automation layer. Access through Start > Programs >
GeoMedia Professional > Developer Documentation.
Building on the
GeoMedia
Professional Engine
Information about customizing the software and building your own
applications with the GeoMedia engine. Access through Start >
Programs > GeoMedia Professional> Developer
Documentation.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
1-4
User Documentation
User Documentation is accessed, depending on the component, both in
hard copy and online or online only.
Document Number Description
GeoMedia
Professional
Help
Online
only
Step-by-step instructions for all tasks and information
about tools and dialog boxes.
Installing
GeoMedia
Professional
DJA0809 Instructions for installing the product. Available in paper
as a pamphlet in the delivery package, and online in .pdf
format through the PDF Viewer from Start > Programs >
GeoMedia Professional > User Documentation. Visit
our web site at http://imgs.intergraph.com/, and select
Support > Downloads > Product Documentation for the
latest version of these documents.
Learning
GeoMedia
Professional
Online
only
Hands-on tutorial that guides you through the basics using
an example workflow and real data. Runs through Web
browser. Available online from Start > Programs >
GeoMedia Professional > User Documentation.
Working with
GeoMedia
Professional
DJA0807 Overview of and workflows for performing most software
tasks. Available in paper (without appendices), and online
(with appendices) in .pdf format through the PDF Viewer
from Start > Programs > GeoMedia Professional > User
Documentation, or from the C:\Program Files\GeoMedia
Professional folder. Visit our web site at
http://imgs.intergraph.com/, and select Support >
Downloads > Product Documentation for the latest
version of these documents.
Utilities Documentation
Utilities Documentation consists of online-only documentation for the
following delivered utilities (Start > Programs > GeoMedia
Professional > Utilities):
Batch Plotting
Database Utilities
Define CAD Server Schema File
Define Coordinate System File
Start Here
1-5
1
Define Symbol File
Define Text File Server Format File
Define Warehouse Configuration File
Edit MGSM Parameter File
Publish to GeoMedia SmartStore Warehouse
You can access this online documentation by:
Selecting the utility document name in the GeoMedia Professional
Help menu.
Pressing F1 while the utility is active.
Selecting online Help from the utility Help menu in the Batch Plotting,
Define CAD Server Schema File, Define Text File Server Format File,
Define Warehouse Configuration File, and Publish to GeoMedia
SmartStore Warehouse utilities.
Typeface Conventions Used in the Documents
ALL
CAPS
Keyboard keys.
If keys are separated by a comma, press them in
sequence. For example: ALT, F5. If they are joined
by a plus sign, press them at the same time.
For example: CTRL+z.
Bold
unserifed
type
An item in the graphical interface, such as the title of a
dialog box or a tool. Paths through menus use right
angle brackets between items you select.
For example: Select File > Open to load a new file.
Cour i er
t ype
Information you type.
For example: Type or i gi nal . dat to load the
ASCII file.
Italic type A document title, the first occurrence of a new or
special term, folder and file names, or information
about what the software is doing.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Interactive Documents
This product provides an interactive tutorial to help you learn how to
perform the basic tasks. If you are new to the software, you should work
through Learning GeoMedia Professional first.
Help is available online if you need step-by-step instructions, and other
documents are available for programmers who want to customize the
software.
Learning GeoMedia Professional
Learning GeoMedia Professional steps you through an example
workflow that uses real data and covers the basic tasks. You start this
tutorial by selecting Help > Learning GeoMedia Professional from the
GeoMedia Professional menu or by selecting Start > Programs >
GeoMedia Professional > User Documentation > Learning
GeoMedia Professional from the Start menu when the software is not
active. This opens the tutorial in your default Web browser. This
tutorial works best with Internet Explorer 5.0, but it will run on another
browser.
After you have worked through the tutorial, use Working with
GeoMedia Professional to gain a broader understanding of what you can
accomplish using this product.
Help Topics
You can find information for advanced topics and procedures from the
online Help. Included with the Help topics is a dictionary.
If Help was not installed on your hard drive during setup, you must have
the GeoMedia Professional CD in your CD-ROM drive or be connected
to the network node containing the Help files.
To display Help when GeoMedia Professional is active, select Help
> GeoMedia Professional Help from the menu. To display Help
when GeoMedia Professional is not active, select Start > Programs
> GeoMedia Professional > User Documentation > GeoMedia
Professional Help.
Help is context sensitive, which means that you can press F1 to
display Help for the active window or dialog box. You can also
click the Help button or press SHIFT+F1. When the cursor changes
to a question mark, select a menu item, toolbar, or area of a window
or dialog box.
1-6
Start Here
1-7
1
Programming Guides
This product includes two online guides for developers who have
experience with programming languages that use automated objects and
who want to customize or build applications on this software.
Building on the GeoMedia Professional Engine is an interactive
users guide developed in HTML.
GeoMedia Professional Object Reference covers the objects,
methods, and properties available through automation.
You access these documents by selecting Programs > GeoMedia
Professional > Developer Documentation from the Start menu.
Whats New in GeoMedia Professional 5.2
To learn about changed and new features in GeoMedia Professional 5.2
and its documentation, see the following:
Whats New in GeoMedia Professional 5.2 Go to
http://imgs.intergraph.com/, and select Support > Downloads >
Product Documentation for the latest version of this document.
What's New in GeoMedia Professional 5.2 Go to this topic in the
GeoMedia Professional Help.
Getting Started
To start this product, select Start > Programs > GeoMedia
Professional > GeoMedia Professional. If the introductory GeoMedia
Professional dialog box has not been turned off, this dialog box
appears.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
1-8
This dialog box lets you create a new GeoWorkspace using a blank
GeoWorkspace or a GeoWorkspace template or open an existing
GeoWorkspace from a list of recently opened GeoWorkspaces. You can
select one from the list, and click OK, or if the existing GeoWorkspace
you want is not listed, you can select More Files, and click OK to find the
GeoWorkspace yourself. To not open this dialog box when you start the
software, check the Dont show this dialog box again check box.
See the Working with
GeoWorkspaces
chapter for complete
information on using
GeoWorkspaces.
Note: To exit the software at any time, select File > Exit from the
GeoMedia Professional menu.
Getting Around in the Software
Familiarity with Microsoft Windows conventions and Microsoft-Office
applications should make it easy for you to get around in this product. As
in Windows, for example, you move a window by placing the cursor over
the title bar and dragging the window to a new location. Buttons and
menu items are dimmed when the tools they invoke are not available, and
you can see what tool a button invokes by placing your cursor over the
button.
Common tools, such as File > Print, work essentially the same
application as they do in any Windows application. Similarly, you can
customize your software working environment to display the menu items
and buttons you want and to accept the keyboard shortcuts you specify.
Still, the GeoMedia Professional working environment does have some
special characteristics:
GeoMedia Professional offers several specialized toolbars that are
available only under the appropriate circumstances. The Data
toolbar, for example, is available only when the data window is
active. Select View > Toolbars to specify which toolbars you want
to display.
Some pop-up menus are available in this product. You display pop-
up menus by pressing the right mouse button. The tools on the menu
vary with the location of your cursor.
The products toolbars can be moved from their default locations and
docked at other locations within the interface. Moving a toolbar over a
map window converts the toolbar to a dockable control, and some
tools provide a control rather than a dialog box interface. Further,
clicking the right mouse button on the title bar of a control displays a
menu that allows you to restore, move, minimize, maximize, or hide
the control, while clicking the X icon dismisses the control. Clicking
the right mouse button on a toolbar (or on the icons in a control)
Start Here
1-9
1
displays a menu that allows you to turn toolbars on and off, display the
Status and Precision Coordinates toolbars, and customize toolbars.
See the "Working with
Map Windows,"
"Working with Data
Windows," and
Working with Layout
Windows chapters for
information on the three
types of windows
Within the software, you work in three types of windows, map
windows, data windows, and the layout window. These windows are
contained in a GeoWorkspace, which is roughly analogous to a
workbook in Microsoft Excel
/IGDS Oracle
Object Model
FRAMME
SQL Server
MapInfo
SmartStore Server
Modular GIS Environment
(MGE)
Text File Server
See the Working with
Map Windows and
Working with Data
Windows chapters for
more information.
All warehouse types are read-only, except for Access, Oracle, and SQL
Server. This protects the integrity of your source data. So, if you want
only to display data in the software from one or more warehouses, you
simply create one or more warehouse connections and then use map
windows and data windows to display the data.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
4-2
This is a representative workflow for accessing the warehouse data you
want to display:
1. Open a new GeoWorkspace.
2. Connect to the warehouse containing the vicinity data for your area of
interest.
3. Use Tools > Options to designate the vicinity connection.
4. Display the vicinity data.
5. Define the spatial filter for your area of interest using the vicinity map.
6. Connect to other warehouse(s), selecting the default spatial filter.
7. Display the feature data.
If you want write access to the data in the softwareto add new features
or change attributes of existing ones, for exampleyou create a new
Access warehouse and import data into it.
Whether you are displaying data or writing it, your GeoWorkspace can
contain data from many different sources, even those whose native data
types are incompatible.
This is a representative workflow for importing data into a read/write
warehouse:
1. Follow the steps in the preceding workflow to identify the area for
which data are to be imported.
2. Optional: Define a coordinate system for the empty warehouse. (The
GeoWorkspace defaults to the coordinate system from the first feature
added to the legend.)
3. Import feature classes from the connected warehouses into your
read/write Access warehouse.
Creating a Read/Write Access Warehouse
See the Working with
Features chapter.
A read/write Access warehouse can contain feature class definitions,
features, raster images, and a coordinate system.
Like a GeoWorkspace, a read/write Access warehouse is built on a
template, and you can create your own template(s) or use an existing
one. The software is delivered with a default Access warehouse
template, normal.mdt.
If you accidentally delete the normal.mdt file, you may have to reinstall
the software to restore the template. If you have Microsoft Access, you
can create a blank .mdb file to use as your template. Be sure and follow
Working with Warehouses
4-3
4
the instructions for defining a warehouse coordinate system, since this
default database will not have one. Better still, make a backup copy of the
template.
To create a read/write warehouse:
1. Select Warehouse > New Warehouse.
2. On the New dialog box, select a template. The default is normal.mdt.
3. Verify that Document is selected.
4. Click New.
5. On the New Warehouse dialog box in the Save in field, select a
storage location. The default is <drive:>\warehouses.
Note: The default storage location is established when the software is
installed, but you can change it in the product from the File
Locations tab of the Options dialog box (Tools > Options).
6. In the File name field, type a unique file name.
7. Leave Access as the file type.
8. Click Save.
Defining a Coordinate System for a Warehouse
Normally, you define a warehouse coordinate system only for an empty
read/write Access warehouse that you just created. You can view but
cannot change the coordinate system in a warehouse in which feature
classes already exist, but you can accomplish a change to the coordinate
system with the following procedure:
See the Working with
Coordinate Systems
chapter.
1. Create a new read/write Access warehouse.
2. Change the coordinate system.
3. Import the data into the new warehouse.
4. Delete the old warehouse.
If you plan to use multiple coordinate systems in your Access Server
warehouse, you need to assign one coordinate system to use as default. To
do this, type Default in the Description field when naming or assigning
a coordinate system to a feature class.
When digitizing in GeoMedia Professional, you must ensure that the
GeoWorkspace coordinate system matches the coordinate system of the
feature class into which you are digitizing. Failure to do so can result in
Working with GeoMedia Professional
4-4
data that contains incorrect coordinates. GeoMedia Professional will
compare the GeoWorkspace coordinate system to the coordinate system of
the feature you select for editing and will warn you if there is a mismatch.
It will be up to you to rectify the mismatch.
Preparing to Connect
See the
Troubleshooting
Connection Problems
appendix.
As the universal geographic client, the software lets you combine data
from many sources and in different formats into one spatially accurate
environment. To ensure accuracy, you must set up your data servers and
provide the software with certain information about the data you want to
view. Each data type requires different information; the following sections
cover special procedures or information required for each.
Connecting to an Access Warehouse
To connect to an Access database, you must identify or select an Access
GeoMedia Professional Database file (.mdb).
Connecting to an ARC/INFO Warehouse
See Displaying Data
That Has No Coordinate
System Specified in the
Working with
Coordinate Systems
chapter and the
Creating Data Server
.INI Files appendix.
To connect to an ARC/INFO warehouse, you must identify or select an
ARC/INFO GeoWorkspace folder. Before trying to connect, check the
following:
ARC/INFO data must be in native format (not exported). Native
format requires a GeoWorkspace defined as a folder that contains
subfolders corresponding to coverages and an \INFO folder that
contains an ARCDR9 or ARC.DIR file.
A coordinate-system file (.csf) for the ARC/INFO data must be created
with Define Coordinate System File.
The coordinate-system file for the ARC/INFO data must be identified
in a <Arc/Infoworkspace folder name>.ini file, which should be stored
in the ARC/INFO GeoWorkspace folder, or if that is not possible, in
the softwares \Warehouses folder.
For ease of maintenance, you should store the .csf and .ini files along
with the data in the ARC/INFO GeoWorkspace folder as the primary
location. When this is not possible (due to read-only media, for
example), you should store these files in the default warehouse
location, and the software will find them there.
The software does not support the PC version of ARC/INFO.
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4-5
4
Connecting to an ArcView Warehouse
See Displaying Data
That Has No Coordinate
System Specified in the
Working with
Coordinate Systems
chapter and the
Creating Data Server
.INI Files appendix.
To connect to an ArcView warehouse, you must identify or select an
ArcView Shape Files folder. Before trying to connect, check the
following:
ArcView data must be in native format (not exported). Native format
requires a GeoWorkspace defined as a folder that contains themes
with each theme having its individual .dbf, .shp, and .shx files.
A coordinate-system file (.csf) for the ArcView data must be created
with Define Coordinate System File.
The coordinate-system file for the ArcView data should be identified
in a <workspace name>.ini file, which should be stored in the Arc
View Shape Files folder, or if that is not possible, in the \Warehouses
folder of the software.
For maintenance ease, you should store the .csf and .ini files along
with the data in the ArcView Shape Files folder as the primary
location. When this is not possible (due to read-only media, for
example), you should store these files in the default warehouse
location, and the software will find them there.
If an <ArcView Shape Files folder>.ini file is not found, the server
looks for a <theme name>.csf file in the GeoWorkspace folder.
Connecting to a CAD Warehouse
See the Define CAD
Server Schema File
utilitys online Help for
complete information
about this utility.
See the Displaying
Data That Has No
Coordinate System
Specified in the
Working with
Coordinate Systems
chapter.
See the Creating Data
Server .INI Files
appendix.
To connect to a CAD warehouse, you must identify or select a CAD
Server Schema file. Before trying to connect, check the following:
For AutoCAD and MicroStation V8 data, a coordinate-system file
(.csf) must have been created with Define Coordinate System File.
For IGDS and AutoCAD data, an ODBC data source must have been
created if there are database attribute linkages that have to be served.
A CAD schema definition file (.csd) must have been defined with
Define CAD Server Schema File. The CAD data server allows you
to use MicroStation V7 design files (with or without attribute
linkages) or AutoCAD files (.dwg/.dxf with or without database
attribute linkages) or MicroStation V8 design files (without attribute
linkages) as a GeoMedia Professional data source.
You can specify a .ini file in the .csd file that allows for persistent caching.
Persistent caching is done in CAD data server to improve server
performance. The .ini file format is as follows:
Working with GeoMedia Professional
4-6
CACHE FILE: <cache file name with .csc extension, with/ without its
path>
CACHE UPTODATE: < TRUE|FALSE |T| F > [optional]
LOCK TIMEOUT THRESHOLD: < a reasonable value, based on the size
of the .dxf, .dgn files > [optional]
The keywords and their values are not case sensitive.
Though the Cache UPTODATE flag is optional, it is a good idea to
have it as TRUE if there are not changes in the map files (dxf/
dwg/dgn). Also, set it to FALSE if there are changes to the map files,
which helps improve server performance.
Similarly, if the lock timeout threshold value is not specified, the
default value is 60 seconds. If the map file involved is too big, a
higher value than 60 is advised for the display.
If MicroStation V7 CAD data are linked to attribute data stored in
DBASE, the table sqltables.dbf is required to alias tablenames that are
longer then eight characters. The sqltables.dbf attribute columns TABLE
and FILENAME are required where the FILENAME represents the eight-
character limited name of the .dbf file. Of particular importance is the
alias of the MSCATALOG table the filename, mscatlog. An example
sqltables.dbf follows:
Table Filename
PARCEL parcel
PARCEL_VALUE parv
MSCATALOG mscatlog
Using the Define CAD Server Schema File Utility
The Define CAD Server Schema File utility allows you to specify
the parameters the software uses when creating connections with the
CAD data server. This version of the CAD data server allows you
to use MicroStation V7 design files, MicroStation V8 design files,
or AutoCAD files as a data source.
Note: In order to use the Define CAD Server Schema File utility, you
must have clear and complete understanding of your CAD data.
Working with Warehouses
To set up a CAD data server:
1. Select Start > Programs > Product_Name > Utilities > Define CAD
Server Schema File.
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4
2. On the Define CAD Server Schema File dialog box, select File >
New to create a new CAD server schema file.
OR
Select File > Open to open an existing CAD server schema file.
Note: You can also double click on an existing CAD Server
Definition (.csd) file to open it in the Define CAD Server Schema File
utility.
Looking at the CAD Server Definition Workflow
See the Define CAD
Server Schema File
utilitys online Help for
details about each step.
This section describes the Define CAD Server Schema File dialog box
workflow.
1. Use the Files drop-down menu to create, open, and save .csd files.
2. Use the Feature Class drop-down menu to select maps for processing,
select coordinate system files to use during processing, and define
feature classes to be processed. You also can use this menu to edit
coordinate system to map associations, edit coordinate system to
feature class associations, and edit feature class to map associations.
3. Use the Options drop-down menu to specify the connection
parameters for your CAD data, specify the primary unique key for
Working with GeoMedia Professional
CAD data with database linkages, specify advanced database linkage
parameters, and update map MBRs.
Specifying Connection Parameters
To connect to a CAD server you must specify the following parameters:
Warehouse configuration file An appropriate warehouse
configuration file (.ini) name.
ODBC data source - An ODBC data source from all available ODBC
data sources on your system. You can also enter any other name in the
text field. Validation of the ODBC data source is not done.
User ID - The user ID of the ODBC data source.
Password - The password for the ODBC data source.
Additional ODBC parameters - Additional information (if any)
about the ODBC data source.
To connect to a CAD data server:
1. On the Define CAD Server Schema File dialog box, select Options >
Connection.
2. Select an appropriate Warehouse configuration file (.ini).
3. Define the corresponding Database connection information; then
click OK.
4-8
Working with Warehouses
4-9
4
Supported MicroStation Element Types
The following table lists the MicroStation element types supported by
GeoMedia Professional:
Type Name GDO Geometry Type
2 Cell (named) OrientedPointGeometry, TextPointGeometry,
and Collection Geometry. This is served based
on the .ini file variables.
2 Cell (orphaned) BoundaryPolygonGeometry
2 Cell (unnamed) BoundaryPolygonGeometry
3 Line PolylineGeometry and OrientedPointGeometry.
In case of degenerate lines,
OrientedPointGeometry is served.
4 LineString PolylineGeometry
6 Shape PolygonGeometry
7 TextNode TextPointGeometry (collection)
11 Curve Stroked PolylineGeometry
12 Complex String CompositePolylineGeometry
14 Complex Shape CompositePolygonGeometry
15 Ellipse PolygonGeometry
16 Arc Stroked PolylineGeometry for elliptical arcs.
ArcGeometry for circular arcs.
17 Text TextPointGeometry
22 Point OrientedPointGeometry (collection)
35 Shared Cell OrientedPointGeometry, TextPointGeometry,
and CollectionGeometry. This is served based
on the .ini file variables.
Connecting to a FRAMME Warehouse
See Displaying Data
That Has No Coordinate
System Specified in the
Working with
Coordinate Systems
chapter and the
Creating Data Server
.INI Files appendix.
To connect to FRAMME data, the software needs a valid FRAMME
gateway file (.gtw). The Warehouse Connection Wizard asks you to
specify the location of the FRAMME Gateway file and to select the
FRAMME segments you want. Identifying a warehouse configuration
(.ini) file is optional.
If necessary, use Define Coordinate System File to create a coordinate-
system-file for your FRAMME data. Also, certain data configurations
may require a <rulebase_name>.ini file for your FRAMME data server.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
4-10
Connecting to a MapInfo Warehouse
See Displaying Data
That Has No
Coordinate System
Specified in the
Working with
Coordinate Systems
chapter and the
Creating Data Server
.INI Files appendix.
To connect to a MapInfo warehouse, you must specify the folder location
of the MapInfo files, the MapInfo Tables folder with valid MapInfo tables
(.tab or .txt files). The server can then read the MapInfo tables in the
folder and create the feature classes. Before trying to connect, check the
following:
A coordinate-system file (.csf) for the MapInfo data must be created
with Define Coordinate System File and be referenced by the .ini
file. There can be one .csf file for the entire MapInfo dataset or one
.csf file created for each MapInfo table.
MapInfo data must be in native format (not exported). There should
be a table file (.tab), an index file (.id), a map file (.map), and/or an
info file (.dat/.dbf or .xls). All four files are needed for both geometry
and attribution.
The coordinate-system file(s) for the MapInfo data should be
identified in a <MapInfo Tables folder name>.ini file using the
COORDINATE SYSTEM: .ini variable. If a <MapInfo Tables
folder name >.ini file is not found in the \Warehouses folder or the
MapInfo Tables folder, the server looks for a <MapInfo Tables folder
name>.csf file in the MapInfo Tables folder. If this is not found, the
server looks for a <MapInfo Tables folder name>.csf file in the
MapInfo Tables folder.
The software geometry type (point, linear, areal, graphicstext, or
anyspatial) for each MapInfo Table can also be defined in the
<MapInfo Tables folder name>.ini file using the GEOMETRY
TYPE: variable. If there is no entry in the .ini file regarding geometry
type for a coverage, the data are served up as AnySpatial.
If the coverage has text in addition to a point, linear, or areal
geometry, use the TEXT: variable in the <MapInfo Tables folder
name>.ini file to enable the data server to serve up Text. The server
will not display the Text Geometry for a coverage if this is not enabled
in the <MapInfo Tables folder name>.ini file.
The COORDINATE SYSTEM: section should be the first section in
the <MapInfo Tables folder name>.ini file. The other sections may or
may not be present. If they are present, they may be in any order.
Working with Warehouses
4-11
4
Connecting to an MGE or MGDM Warehouse
See the Creating Data
Server .INI Files
appendix.
Before you can connect to an MGE or MGDM warehouse, you must set up
an ODBC data source name that identifies the project database. The
ODBC data source must have the same name as the schema identified in
the MGE or MGDM (.mge) project file. Verify that the path variable in
the .mge file matches the actual folder/location for the MGE project.
Then, to connect to the warehouse, you need to identify an MGE or
MGDM (.mge) project file. If the ODBC connection requires a user name
and a password, you are prompted to supply them. Identifying a
warehouse configuration (.ini) file is optional.
Connecting to an MGSM Warehouse
See the Creating Data
Server .INI Files
appendix.
To connect to MGSM data, you will need to identify the following:
MGE project file (.mge)
Warehouse configuration file (.ini)
Parameter file (.prm)
Seed file (.dgn)
Coordinate file (.crd)
RIS schema password (if using RIS and the schema is passworded)
You can access MGSM warehouses through either RIS or ODBC. The
SchemaName in the .mge file can refer to either an ODBC data source or
an RIS schema. A single MGSM parameter file can point to tables in
either or both ODBC- and RIS-accessible warehouses. Distributed
attribute tables based on the same linear reference system and accessed
through ODBC can be overlaid with tables accessed through RIS (and vice
versa).
Use your ODBC Administrator to set up access to distributed attribute
tables in warehouses that you access through ODBC connections. To
access an MGSM warehouse from ODBC client, you need to have an
ODBC driver installed on your machine corresponding to your database.
You also need to configure the ODBC driver to point to your database
with a DSN (Data Source Name). This DSN is the schema name in the
.mge file. Make sure that the DSN name is different from the schema
names. If the same name exists in the RIS client and in ODBC DSNs, RIS
is given priority.
For access to MGSM warehouses through RIS, the software delivers RIS
Client, so that you can find an RIS client and an RIS schema file on either
Working with GeoMedia Professional
4-12
a local or a remote system. However, there are some things you should
know about accessing MGSM databases:
If RIS Client 05.03 or 05.04 already exists on your system, use RIS
Schema Manager to locate the RIS client and schema file.
See the RIS SQL
Reference Manual for
more information.
If you must have more than one version of RIS on your system, set
the RIS_PARAMETERS environment variable to point to the correct
parmeter filefor example, RIS_PARAMETERS=c:\Program Files
\Common Files\Intergraph\RIS05.04\parmsand specify a fully
qualified path when locating the schema-definition filefor example,
c:\schema\schemas.
Editing MGSM Parameter Files
The MGSM data server allows you to display and to analyze data stored in
distributed attribute tables with GeoMedia Professional. These tables are
relational tables that do not contain geometry, but instead contain
information that allows geometry to be generated for them. The process of
generating the geometry is called dynamic segmentation.
Dynamic segmentation is very similar to geocoding. Each record in the
distributed attribute table contains values that allow it to be located on a
linear reference system. The linear reference system is defined and built in
the MGSM product and is stored as a coordinate file (.crd).
A parameter file (.prm) is generated in MGSM to store the names of the
tables and columns in the database that have special meaning for dynamic
segmentation. Of particular interest to the MGSM data server is the list of
distributed attribute tables (and associated information) in the parameter
file.
The MGSM data server uses the parameter file and coordinate file to know
what tables and columns to access in the data base and how to perform
dynamic segmentation to generate the geometries for each record in each
distributed attribute table.
It is useful to be able to create your own distributed attribute tables and
immediately access them in GeoMedia Professional. For example,
Department of Transportation personnel performing what-if analysis often
generate new distributed attribute tables to try different scenarios to
achieve a desired result. Pavement management studies require
construction plans for the next cycle to be evaluated. Potential alternatives
need to be mapped and plotted to show results to executives. Individual
engineers in district offices need to be able to generate and access their
own distributed attribute tables in local databases, such as Access or other
ODBC- accessible databases, instead of having to request to have the data
added to the master database back in the state capital.
Working with Warehouses
GeoMedia Professional supports this pavement management workflow
(and a variety of others) by:
Allowing access to distributed attribute tables through ODBC
connections, and
Using Edit MGSM Parameter File to add the new table to the
parameter file so that it is recognized by the MGSM data server.
See the Edit MGSM
Parameter File utilitys
online Help for
complete information.
Edit MGSM Parameter File allows you to create, modify, and delete
distributed attribute table definitions in the MGSM parameter files.
However, you can only edit the distributed attribute portion of the
parameter files because that is the only section used in GeoMedia
Professional.
Edit MGSM Parameter File allows you to describe the structure of your
data so that the MGSM Data Server can display it in GeoMedia
Professional. The MGSM Data Server handles data in a number of
different formats, including multiple referencing systems and distributed
attribute tables in different database schemas.
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4
Edit MGSM Parameter File outputs a file that describes the database
tables and column names so that the MGSM Data Server knows what to
display and how to display it.
You must grant access to attribute tables to RIS schemas that are going to
be referenced by a segmentation parameter file. If access is not granted, an
error message is displayed when you try to select a distributed attribute
table.
To start Edit MGSM Parameter File:
1. Select Start > GeoMedia Professional > Utilities > Edit MGSM
Parameter File.
2. Select File > Open Project.
3. Select the appropriate project file from the Open MGE Project File
dialog box.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
4. Select File > Open Prm File.
5. Select the appropriate parameter file from the Open Parameter File
dialog box.
6. Select the appropriate command(s) for your workflow.
Defining Distributed Attribute Linear Parameters
This section discusses how to define distributed attribute parameters, for
example, the lanes table. It is assumed that the lanes table contains
distributed attribute data and accurately indicates the start and end point of
each segment using one of the MGSM-compatible referencing systems.
To define how to access a new linear distributed attribute table:
1. On the Edit MGSM Parameter File dialog box, select Settings > New
DA Table to start the Distributed Attribute Wizard.
2. In the Schema field, type the appropriate schema name.
3. Select the distributed attribute table you want to define from the Table
Name drop-down list; then click Next.
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Working with Warehouses
4. Select the referencing system that the table uses from the Reference
System drop-down list.
5. Select the Linear option to indicate the table is one of distributed
linear values, not of point values; then click Next.
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4
Different sets of fields are displayed according to the particular
referencing system.
6. Select the Associated Column beside each of the reference system
parameters; then select the column name from the Column drop-down
list.
The following are examples of how the lanes table would be structured in
each of the referencing systems and how you would define the distributed
attribute parameters for each setting:
Distance Referencing System
The following lanes table is structured according to the Distance
referencing system. To describe this table, you would select Distance
from the Reference System drop-down list; then you would type the
column names as follows:
Parameter Column Name
Linear Feature ID hwy_id
Begin Distance b_dist
Begin Secondary ID cnty
End Distance e_dist
End Secondary ID cnty
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Distance-Length Referencing System
The following lanes table is structured according to the Distance-Length
referencing system. To describe this table, you would select Distance
Length from the Reference System drop-down list; then you would type
the column names as follows:
Parameter Column Name
Linear Feature ID hwy_i d
Distance b_di st
Secondary ID cnt y
Length l engt h
Known Marker Referencing System
The following lanes table is structured according to the Known Marker
referencing system. To describe this table, you would select Known
Marker from the Reference System drop-down list; then you would type
the column names as follows:
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Working with Warehouses
4-17
4
Parameter Column Name
Linear Feature ID hwy_i d
Begin Control Point ID mar ker _i d1
Begin Secondary ID cnt y
Begin Offset of f set 1
End Control Point ID mar ker _i d2
End Secondary ID cnt y
End Offset of f set 2
Geographic XY Referencing System
The following lanes table is structured according to the Geographic XY
referencing system. To describe this table, you would select Geographic
XY from the Reference System drop-down list; then you would type the
column names as follows:
Parameter Column Name
Linear Feature ID hwy_i d
Begin Longitude b_l on
Begin Latitude b_l at
End Longitude e_l on
End Latitude e_l at
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Projected XY Referencing System
The following lanes table is structured according to the Projected XY
referencing system. To describe this table, you would select Projected XY
from the Reference System drop-down list; then you would type the
column names as follows:
Parameter Column Name
Linear Feature ID hwy_i d
Begin Easting b_east
Begin Northing b_nor t h
End Easting e_east
End Norhting e_nor t h
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Working with Warehouses
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4
Defining units of measure for distributed attribute linear
parameters
7. Click Next to open the next Distributed Attribute Wizard dialog box.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
8. For Known Maker, Distance, and Distance Length referencing
systems, select the distance units of measure.
OR
For Geographic X,Y and Projected X,Y, select units of measure for
the X,Y coordinates.
OR
For X,Y coordinates, select the tolerance radius and units of measure.
Defining How to Access a New Point Distributed Attribute Table
This section demonstrates how to define distributed parameters for a point
table, for example, an accident table. It is assumed that the accident table
contains distributed attribute data and accurately indicates the location of
each value using one of the MGSM-compatible referencing systems. A
series of examples simulates how the accident table would be structured
in each of the referencing systems and how you would define distributed
attribute parameters for each system.
1. On the Edit MGSM Parameter File dialog box, select Settings > New
DA Table to start the Distributed Attribute Wizard.
2. In the Schema field, type the appropriate schema name.
3. Select the distributed attribute table you want to define from the Table
Name drop-down list; then click Next.
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Working with Warehouses
4. Select the referencing system that the table uses from the Reference
System drop-down list.
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4
5. Select the Point option to indicate that the table is one of distributed
point values, not of linear values; then click Next.
Different sets of text boxes are displayed according to the particular
referencing system.
6. Select the Associated Column beside each of the reference system
parameters; then select the column name from the Column drop-down
list.
The following are examples of how the accident table would be structured
in each of the referencing systems and how you would define the
distributed attribute parameters for each setting:
Distance Referencing System
The following accident table is structured according to the Distance
referencing system. To describe this table, you would select Distance
from the Reference System drop-down list; then you would select the
column names as follows:
Parameter Column Name
Linear Feature ID hwy_i d
Secondary ID cnt y
Distance di st _3d
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Known Marker Referencing System
The following accident table is structured according to the Known
Marker referencing system. To describe this table, select Known Marker
from the Reference System drop-down list; then type the column names
as follows:
Parameter Column Name
Linear Feature ID hwy_i d
Marker ID mar ker _i d
Offset of f set
Secondary ID cnt y
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4
Geographic XY Referencing System
The following accident table is structured according to the Geographic
XY referencing system. To describe this table, select Geographic XY from
the Reference System drop-down list; then type the column names as
follows:
Parameter Column Name
Linear Feature ID hwy_i d
Longitude l on
Latitude l at
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Projected XY Referencing System
The following accident table is structured according to the Projected XY
referencing system. To describe this table, you would select Projected XY
from the Reference System drop-down list; then you would type the
column names as follows:
Parameter Column Name
Linear Feature ID hwy_i d
Easting b_east
Northing b_nor t h
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4
Defining units of measure for distributed attribute point
parameters
7. Click Next to display the next Distributed Attribute Wizard dialog
box.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
8. For Known Maker and Distance referencing systems, select the
distance units of measure.
OR
For Geographic X,Y and Projected X,Y, select units of measure for
the X,Y coordinates.
OR
For X,Y coordinates, select the tolerance radius and units of measure.
Editing, Saving, and Verifying Parameter Files
To edit an existing parameter file:
1. On the Edit MGSM Parameter File dialog box, select the appropriate
table; then select Edit > Properties, or press ENTER.
OR
Double click the table name.
2. Select the appropriate command(s) for your workflow from the Edit
menu (Cut, Copy, Paste, and/or Delete) to edit the table
information.
To save changes to a parameter file:
On the Edit MGSM Parameter File dialog box, select File > Save.
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4
To verify parameter file entries:
1. On the Edit MGSM Parameter File dialog box, select Settings >
Verify Settings.
A report is generated for you to verify that the entries are complete.
2. Copy, save, and/or print the report.
Note: Printing requires that you have an application, such as
WordPad, associated to .txt files. You can also display this report in
WordPad once you have saved it.
Using Reference Readout
For MGSM data-server connections, the Reference Readout command
allows you to display the Linear Feature Reference System information for
a point that you specify in the active map window. When you select a
point in the map window, the point is snapped to the linear network, and
the command displays information about that position on the linear
network. If multiple Network Linear Features (NLFs) are within the
tolerance zone of the specified point, information is displayed for each.
The displayed information consists of the following:
NLF ID
Secondary ID (if there is one)
Distance of the selected point on the linear feature
Nearest control point to the selected feature
Offset of the selected point from the nearest control point that is
displayed in the control point field
Note: To use Reference Readout, you must have a connection to an
MGSM warehouse.
To display NLF information for linear features:
1. Select Tools > MGSM Data Server > Reference Readout.
2. Click with the cross-hairs on an appropriate point within the tolerance
of an NLF feature on the map window.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
The window coordinates are converted into MGSM coordinates, and a
query is performed. If the location is within the tolerance zone,
information about the closest linear feature appears.
3. Click Close.
Note: If the query finds more than one linear feature from single or
multiple connections within the tolerance zone of the selected point,
the command displays the information of the first feature. After you
close the dialog box, it displays the information about another feature.
This continues until it displays all the features within the tolerance
zone.
4. Optional: While the command is active, continue selecting other
locations in the map window to review network linear features
information.
Using Reference Keyin
For MGSM data-server connections, the Reference Keyin command
allows you to locate a required position on a Network Linear Feature
(NLF) by allowing you to type a position in terms of the Linear Reference
System and displaying the location in a map window. This command
highlights the point on the linear network in the highlight color.
As input, this command requires the Network Linear Feature ID,
secondary ID (if there is one), and distance information (control point
name and offset or distance). You can locate multiple points successively
within the same instance of the command.
The units and precision and the highlight color are taken from the values
set on the Units and Formats tab of the GeoWorkspace Coordinate
System dialog box (View > GeoWorkspace Coordinate System) and
the Map Display tab of the Options dialog box (Tools > Options),
respectively.
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Working with Warehouses
Note: To use Reference Keyin, you must have a connection to an MGSM
warehouse.
To display NLF positions:
1. Select Tools > MGSM Data Server > Reference Keyin.
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2. Select the appropriate MGSM connection name from the Connection
drop-down list.
3. Type the appropriate network linear feature name in the NLF ID field.
4. If there is a secondary ID, type it in the Secondary ID field.
5. Select the Control point and offset input method; then type the
appropriate values in the Control point name and Offset fields.
OR
Select the Distance input method; then type the appropriate value in
the Distance field.
6. Click Apply.
The NLF location is found and highlighted.
7. Optional: Continue locating linear referencing positions by changing
the input information and clicking Apply.
Connecting to an ODBC Tabular Warehouse
Before you try to connect to an ODBC Tabular Model warehouse, you
must set up an ODBC connection through the ODBC Data source
Administrator. You will need to choose the correct ODBC driver for the
database you want to connect and enter the appropriate information.
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To connect to ODBC Tabular Model data, you will need to identify the
following:
ODBC connection name.
ODBC Data source (from the ODBC Administrator).
User name (as required by data source).
Password (as required by data source).
See Working with
Feature Classes in the
Working with Features
chapter for information
on the Feature Class
Definition command.
Using the ODBC Tabular read-only data server is an alternative to using
the Attach table command (Warehouse > Feature Class Definition).
This data server uses Microsofts ODBC and ADO technology to create a
warehouse connection and to serve up any type of data that can be used
with the Settings > Control Panel, Data Sources (ODBC) command. If
you are connecting to text files, you place the files in a folder to
themselves and then use the Data Sources (ODBC) command to create a
Data Source Name (DSN) that points to the folder containing the data.
The connection will read the Schema.ini file found in the folder to
determine the format of the text file(s). You can create the Schema.ini file
manually or use the Data Sources command to create the file.
You can also use ODBC Tabular to serve up tables from other formats and
databases as nongraphic (data) tables. Examples might include Dbase,
Paradox, Excel, and so forth.
Note: It is strongly recommended that you use ODBC Tabular only for
data types that do not have a data server available in GeoMedia
Professional. For example, do not use the ODBC Tabular data server to
connect to Access; instead connect using the Access data server.
If you are using the ODBC Tabular data server to connect to Excel (.xls),
you need to define a named range in the Excel workbook to expose a table
name. By default, the range is usually already defined as all rows and the
name is defined as the sheet name. You can easily define a name in Excel
by selecting the range of data for the table and then using the Insert >
Name > Define command.
You cannot use the ODBC Tabular data server to connect to either Oracle
Object Model warehouses. You can, however, use it to connect to any
Oracle schema containing attribute data.
For more information on Excel, ODBC, and ADO technology see
http://www.microsoft.com.
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Connecting to an Oracle Object Model Warehouse
Before you try to connect to an Oracle Object Model warehouse, you must
have already set up an Oracle database server with Oracles Spatial
Cartridge and added a user account containing object model data that you
want to access.
See the Oracle 9i
documentation.
At a minimum, the Oracle Client software must reside on the system
running the software, and you must create a database alias/service. Use
the Oracle Net 8 configuration utility to configure a database alias/service.
To connect to Oracle Object Model data, you will need to identify the
following:
Oracle connection name.
User name.
Password.
Host string. The host string is the Oracle database alias/service name
that you create with the Oracle network configuration utility.
Connecting to a SmartStore Server Warehouse
See the Publish to
GeoMedia SmartStore
Warehouse utilitys
online Help for
complete information on
this server and its
limitations.
The GeoMedia SmartStore warehouse is a spatially indexed cache of 2-D
geometry and significant attributes used to facilitate the quick generation
of maps without querying the original warehouse database. It supports all
of the GeoMedia GDO-based warehouse types. The GeoMedia
SmartStore data server supports read-only access to the SmartStore
warehouse.
Before you try to connect to a GeoMedia SmartStore warehouse, you must
indicate the following:
A single GeoMedia SmartStore file (.ddc)
OR
A GeoMedia SmartStore GeoWorkspace folder containing one or
more GeoMedia SmartStore files.
Note: The Connect to Folder option on the SmartStore Warehouse
Connection Wizard assumes that the .ddc files you have published to
this folder came from a single source warehouse. If your folder
contains .ddc files from multiple source warehouses, you will
encounter errors.
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You have the option of using the coordinate system of the input
warehouse, or of specifying that SmartStore is to transform the data to a
different coordinate system.
Connecting to an SQL Server Warehouse
Before you try to connect to an SQL Server warehouse, you must set up a
SQL Server database.
To connect to SQL Server data, you will need to indicate the following:
Server name.
SQL Server database name.
Whether to use Windows NT to authenticate the network login ID or
to use SQL Server to authenticate the user ID and password.
User name.
Password
Connecting to a Text File Server Warehouse
See the Define Text File
Server Format File
utilitys online Help for
complete information.
To connect to Text File Server data, you will need to indicate the
following:
Input data text file, which can be any ASCII file.
Text format definition file (.tfd)
Coordinate system file (.csf) - optional
Connecting to the Text File Server is a two-step process. You must first
define the format of the input data file so that the server can understand it.
The Define Text File Server Format File utility lets you perform this
definition. Then you perform the actual connection with the Warehouse
Connection Wizard, using the format definition file as input, in addition to
the input data file, and an optional coordinate system file.
Enabling AFM Proxy Servers for GeoMedia PublicWorks Manager
See the GeoMedia
PublicWorks Manager
documentation for more
information on proxy
servers (Available with
GeoMedia PublicWorks
Manager 5.2).
The Connection Wizard lets you enable a data server to use an AFM
(Advanced Feature Model) proxy server to proxy the warehouse
connection. A proxy server is one that is AFM aware or enabled so that it
can process AFM metadata if it is present.
You perform this by checking the Enable advanced feature model check
box on the fourth wizard dialog box. This check box is enabled if the
following criteria are met.
The AFM proxy server is available.
The data server is one of the following servers:
Access Oracle Object Model
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DB2 SQL Server
LTT (Long Term Transaction)
For all other cases, the connection is not proxied.
While using the Edit Connection command, verify if the connection type
is AFM.GDatabase. In such case, instead of displaying the data server
type as AFM, the underlying data server name is determined and
populated.
Working with Connections
To make connecting to your data a simple matter of responding to a few
prompts, the software provides the Warehouse Connection Wizard.
Before you start the Warehouse Connection Wizard, you need to know
what type of connection you want to make, the name and location of
certain files, which default spatial filter to associate (if any), and whether
you want to open the connection or keep it closed.
The connection types available to you depend on which data servers were
loaded during setup. The complete list of available connection types
appears in the Warehouse Connection Wizard. If you want a connection
type for a data server that the software provides but that does not appear in
the Warehouse Connection Wizard list, you can add it by reinstalling the
software.
The connection type you choose determines what additional information
you need. At a minimum, the wizard asks if you want to associate a
default spatial filter to the warehouse data and what status you want a
connection to have.
Default Spatial Features
See Working with
Spatial Filters in this
chapter for information
on defining and applying
spatial filters.
While not applying a spatial filter gives you access to all features or
queries in the warehouse, applying a spatial filter can significantly
shorten access times when you are interested in only those features in a
defined geographical area. You can make the association of a default
spatial filter and warehouse data with the Warehouse Connection Wizard
through the New Connection and Edit Connection commands. You
cannot associate a default spatial filter if one has not already been
defined, but you can add one to the connection later. The default spatial
filter remains passive until a first request for a feature class is made or a
query is performed.
When you create a warehouse connection, the Warehouse Connection
Wizard asks if you want to access all features in the warehouse or if you
want to subset features by using a default spatial filter. Associating a
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spatial filter to an existing connection does not affect feature classes that
have already been added to the legend or data window or that have been
used in a query.
For example, you connect to a warehouse and add the feature classes
Roads and Railroads to your legend. You then define a spatial filter in
which some of the features in both feature classes are located outside the
filter area.
After you associate the filter, all features from both feature classes are still
displayed because they were added to the legend before you applied the
filter. However, a feature class you add to the legend after associating the
filter does not include in its display any features that fall outside the filter
area.
Note: In workflow explained later in this chapter, you can also associate
the default spatial filter automatically with the Apply Spatial Filter by
View command, and optionally with the Define Spatial Filter by Area and
Define Spatial Filter by Fence commands.
Status
For all connection types except Access, your only choices of status are
open as read-only or closed. For an Access connection, you have the
additional choice of open as read/write.
If you choose an open connection, the software creates a physical
connection to the warehouse as the connection is created. If you choose a
closed status, the connection will still be created, but you will not have
immediate access to the data. Later you can change the status simply by
editing the warehouse connection.
There are compelling reasons for creating a connection without opening
the connection:
When you want to connect to a number of warehouses containing
large data sets, you can save time by creating the connections without
opening them immediately.
You can create only one FRAMME connection per warehouse, and
you can have only one FRAMME connection open at a time. So, if
you have several FRAMME warehouses, you can create a single
connection to each warehouse, but you can have only one connection
open at a time.
To connect to a warehouse:
1. Select Warehouse > New Connection.
Working with Warehouses
2. Select the Connection Type appropriate for your data, and click Next.
3. Type a connection name, or keep the default.
4. Optional: Type a description of the connection.
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5. Provide the remaining required information, which varies with each
connection type; then click Next.
6. Optional: Select Apply a spatial filter to your warehouse (if any are
available), and select the default spatial filter from the drop-down list;
then click Next.
7. Select a connection status, and click Finish.
IMPORTANT: Avoid opening more than one connection to a single
warehouse.
To open or close a warehouse connection:
1. Select Warehouse > Edit Connection.
2. On the Warehouse Connections dialog box, select the cell in the
Status column that corresponds to the connection and status you want
to change.
3. From the drop-down list, select the appropriate status.
4. Close the Warehouse Connections dialog box.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
To edit an existing warehouse connection:
1. Select Warehouse > Edit Connection.
2. On the Warehouse Connections dialog box, check the status of the
connection you want to edit. The connection must be closed before
you can edit it; if it is not, close it.
3. Select the connection you want to edit by clicking the selection button
in the far-left column.
4. Click Edit.
5. Edit the parameters you want to change as the Warehouse Connection
Wizard displays them, and then click Next. (You can edit everything
except the connection type and the connection name.)
Note: When a vicinity connection (described later in this chapter) has
been selected, the drop-down list of available spatial filters is empty.
This prevents the selection of a spatial filter with a vicinity connection.
6. Click Finish.
7. Close the Warehouse Connections dialog box.
To delete a warehouse connection:
1. Select Warehouse > Edit Connection.
2. On the Warehouse Connections dialog box, check the status of the
connection you want to delete. The connection must be closed before
you can delete it; if it is not closed, close it.
3. Select the connection you want to delete by clicking the row selector.
4. Click Delete.
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Working with Warehouses
Note: If you have ever had legend entries, queries, or internal
references using the connection, a confirmation message informs you
that deleting the connection also deletes these legend entries, queries,
and internal references.
5. Close the Warehouse Connections dialog box.
To associate a default spatial filter to an open warehouse connection:
1. Select Warehouse > Edit Connection.
2. On the Warehouse Connections dialog box, click anywhere in the
Default spatial filter cell of the warehouse connection you want to
filter to display the drop-down arrow.
3. Click the drop-down arrow to display the list of available spatial
filters.
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4. Select the spatial filter that you want to associate.
5. Click Close.
6. Optional: If you want to apply this spatial filter immediately to any
existing legend entries, data windows, or queries, use the Spatial
Filters command.
To remove a default spatial filter from a warehouse connection:
1. Select Warehouse > Edit Connection.
2. Select the row for the warehouse connection.
3. Click the Default spatial filter column to display a drop-down list,
and then select the blank area.
When the filter name no longer appears in the Default spatial filter
column, the filter is removed from the warehouse connection.
4. Click Close.
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5. Optional: If you want to apply this change immediately to any
existing legend entries, data windows, or queries, use the Spatial
Filters command.
Working with Spatial Filters
To limit the geographical area and thus the number of features that can
appear in the map window, you can define a spatial filter in the
GeoWorkspace and apply it to data in the GeoWorkspace with the Define
Spatial Filter by Area, Define Spatial Filter by Fence, and Apply
Spatial Filter by View commands. Depending on the size of your data set,
spatial filters can save a great deal of processing time.
See Defining Spatial
Queries in the
Analyzing GeoMedia
Professional Data
chapter.
For best results when using the Spatial Query command, you should
create and apply connection filters to spatially constrain the search area.
The spatial query alone does not spatially constrain the search area of the
subject feature class.
In defining a spatial filter by area or by fence for one or more feature
classes or queries, you can:
Give the spatial filter an appropriate name.
Select the appropriate spatial operator.
Automatically apply the filter for all feature classes in all legend
entries and data windows in the GeoWorkspace.
Associate the filter as a default for all connections, for subsequent
filtering of feature classes from those connections that have not yet
been filtered, and for new legend entries and data windows in the
GeoWorkspace. Associating the filter as a default does not update
filters on feature classes in existing legend entries, data windows, or
queries.
Note: Warehouse > Import to Warehouse and Export to always
honor the default spatial filter whether or not the feature(s) have been
previously referenced by the GeoWorkspace.
Automatically apply the filter and associate the filter as a default. In
this case, you would not see any immediate effect from setting the
filter as the default until you loaded new data because this default
only applies to data loaded after this option has been selected.
Neither automatically apply the filter nor associate the filter as a
default. This would be the case when you are creating multiple
spatial filters for use later in your workflow. For example, you may
have several areas within a dataset to access and may want to create
Working with Warehouses
all the filters beforehand without necessarily applying them at the
time of creation.
See Managing Spatial
Filters later in this
chapter.
To identify individual feature classes to apply a spatial filter to, you use
the Spatial Filters command.
Note: As explained earlier in this chapter, you can also use New
Connection and Edit Connection to associate a default spatial filter for a
connection.
In applying a spatial filter by view, you:
Create a new spatial filter from the view extents of the active map
window.
Automatically apply the filter immediately to all existing feature
classes and queries in the GeoWorkspace.
Associate the filter as the default spatial filter for the GeoWorkspace.
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This command does not allow you to specify the filter name or spatial
operator. It uses the default filter name ViewFilter and the default spatial
operator overlap. Upon applying a spatial filter by view, there is no
apparent change in the map window display. To view the display of the
filter results, you can use the Fit All command.
Selecting a Spatial Operator and a Geographic Area
A spatial filter consists of one of three spatial operators and a geographical
area defined by a fence, by a single area geometry, or by the view extents
of the active map window.
Spatial Operators
The available spatial operators are the following:
Overlap (the default) lets you access any feature that falls within or
touches at any point the boundaries of your filter.
Inside lets you access only data that falls completely within the
boundaries of your filter.
Course overlap lets you access all data inside or overlapping the
boundaries of your filter, but it may also return some additional
features. The purpose of this operator is to allow the data server to
quickly and efficiently return data according to its internal spatial
indexing system, without doing individual geometry comparisons
against the boundaries of the spatial filter. This varies with server
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efficiency and data complexity and often results in excess features
being returned, but the results are usually returned more quickly.
This spatial operator is available for Oracle and Access data servers
only. If you choose this spatial operator with any other data server, it
reverts to the overlap spatial operator.
Each database has a different indexing system, so the spatial filtering
results may vary drastically. The Access data server employs a Quad-
Tree algorithm for its spatial indexing. When applying a spatial filter
with the coarse overlap spatial operator to data in an Access
warehouse, the results returned include all features overlapping the
spatial filter boundary, and any features that lie on certain Quad-Tree
boundaries. This often includes strips of features that are at some
distance from the spatial filter boundary, particularly for linear and
areal features.
The Oracle data server also employs a Quad-Tree algorithm for its
spatial indexing. The software compares the extent of the spatial-filter
area to the appropriate quad tiles and only retrieves those geometries
that fall within them. This can dramatically reduce the number of
records transferred from the Oracle warehouse to the GeoMedia
Professional session.
Geographic Areas
You can identify a geographical area to define a spatial filter in a map
window by using the following:
FenceDefine Spatial Filter by Fence places a rectangular fence,
which you draw by placing a data point and dragging the fence to the
opposing corner of the geographic area you want to view.
AreaDefine Spatial Filter by Area selects a single area geometry.
ViewApply Spatial Filter by View creates and applies a new spatial
filter from the view extents of the active map window and associates it
as the default spatial filter.
When to Define a Spatial Filter
You can define a spatial filter for a warehouse almost any time, but it is
easier when you can see at least the outline of the map. If you have a very
large data set and want to import features into a read/write warehouse, you
can greatly reduce processing time by displaying only the feature class
containing the boundaries of your map, using that view to define a spatial
filter, and then importing features.
For example, from the large sample data set of the United States delivered
with the software, you want to study the northwestern states. After
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connecting to the U.S. Sample Data Access warehouse, you display only
the States feature class. If you define and apply a spatial filter that
includes only the northwestern states, importing features will be much
faster because the geographic area covered is only about one-fourth the
size of the entire data set.
Here are two common scenarios for defining a spatial filter:
Before you create an additional warehouse connection. If your map
window contains data from one warehouse and you want to add it to
data from another warehouse, you can easily define a spatial filter to
confine your display to one geographic area:
1. Create a warehouse connection.
2. Display the data to determine the exact area of interest.
3. Define the spatial filter using the option to set the filter as a default
for all connections.
4. Create additional warehouse connections to other warehouses.
After you create all your warehouse connections. This workflow gives
you the most precise display:
See the Working with
Map Windows chapter
for instructions.
1. Create all warehouse connections.
2. Display enough data from at least one warehouse to determine
the exact area of interest.
3. Define the spatial filter using the option to apply the filter to
all existing legend entries and data windows.
To define a spatial filter by area or by fence:
1. Select Warehouse > Define Spatial Filter by Area or Warehouse >
Define Spatial Filter by Fence.
You are put into an active map window.
2. Define the filter area by drawing a rectangular fence.
OR
Define the filter by selecting an existing area geometry.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
3. In the Filter name field, type a name for the new filter, or use the
default.
4. Select the appropriate spatial operator.
5. Select Apply to GeoWorkspace to apply the filter to all existing
legend entries and data windows.
AND/OR
Select Set as default filter for existing connections to associate the
filter as the default for subsequent new legend entries (no effect is seen
until you load new data).
Note: If neither option is selected, only the new spatial filter is
created.
6. Click OK.
To apply a spatial filter by view:
1. Open the appropriate map view.
2. Select Warehouse > Apply Spatial Filter by View.
A spatial filter named ViewFilter is created with the overlap operator
from the view extents of the active map window. The filter is
automatically applied to the entire GeoWorkspace and is associated
as the default filter for all connections.
3. Optional: Select View > Fit All to view the filtered area more clearly.
Managing Spatial Filters
After you have defined spatial filters, you can manage them by using the
Spatial Filters command to:
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Working with Warehouses
Display spatial filters. Selecting the name(s) of the spatial filter(s)
from the dialog box displays the spatial filter geometry in the map
window, using a dashed line style and the current highlight color.
Apply spatial filters (or no filter) to feature classes. You can apply
spatial filters to one or more selected feature classes, and all selected
feature classes within the GeoWorkspace are newly filtered. Those
feature classes from a designated vicinity connection are omitted from
the list of available filters.
The results of applying a spatial filter are displayed in the map and
data windows. Because this process forces a re-query of all affected
data, the processing time may be lengthy, depending on the size and
complexity of the data.
Review spatial-filter properties. The command displays the filter name
and spatial operator in read-only mode.
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Delete spatial filters. Deleting a spatial filter deletes the filter from the
list of available spatial filters. This does not affect any current legend
entries, data windows, or queries; however, it makes the filter
unavailable as the default spatial filter for any connections.
To display a spatial filter:
1. Select Warehouse > Spatial Filters.
2. Select the appropriate filter name(s) to display the filter(s) in the map
window.
To apply a spatial filter:
1. Select Warehouse > Spatial Filters.
2. Select the appropriate filter name to display the filter in the map
window, or select <None>.
3. Click Apply.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
4. From the Available features list, select one or more feature classes or
queries.
To select an individual feature class, connection, or query, select
one or more (using the CTRL or SHIFT keys to select multiples),
and click >.
To select all feature classes and queries, click >>.
To remove individual feature classes or queries from the Selected
features list, select one or more (using the CTRL or SHIFT keys
to select multiples), and click <.
To remove all feature classes and queries from the Selected
feature classes list, click <<.
5. Click OK.
The spatial filter is applied to all selected feature classes and queries.
Displays are updated in all map and data windows, and queries built
on the selected features are updated.
To view spatial-filter properties:
1. Select Warehouse > Spatial Filters.
2. Select the appropriate filter name to display the filter in the map
window.
3. Click Properties.
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Working with Warehouses
To delete spatial filters
1. Select Warehouse > Spatial Filters.
2. Select the appropriate filter name(s), using the CTRL or SHIFT keys
to select multiples, to display the filter(s) in the map window.
3. Click Delete.
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4. Click Yes to delete the filter(s).
Working with Vicinity Connections
A vicinity connection is a connection to a vicinity warehouse. A vicinity
warehouse usually provides a small-scale, sparse, backdrop, overview
display of features to function as a vicinity map. A vicinity map helps you
navigate and orient yourself in your data. This map should be small
enough to connect and to display features quickly, but detailed enough to
present you with a reasonable visual representation of the data, from which
you can more easily place spatial filters.
For example, you might set up a vicinity connection to a vicinity
warehouse consisting only of the boundaries of a particular state. You can
also set up a GeoWorkspace template with a map window display of the
vicinity data so that you are immediately presented with a vicinity map
upon which to place spatial filters.
You designate a vicinity connection by selecting a connection from the
Vicinity connection drop-down list on the General tab of the Options
dialog box (Tools > Options). The first entry by default is <None>, and
Working with GeoMedia Professional
the rest are the names of all the connections in the GeoWorkspace. The
software stores the name of the connection (if any) that you want to have
designated as the vicinity connection.
A vicinity connection interacts with several other commands as follows:
Define Spatial Filter by Fence, Define Spatial Filter by Area, Apply
Spatial Filter by View, and Spatial Filters overlook the vicinity
connection when applying spatial filters, so the vicinity map is never
filtered itself. Define Spatial Filter by Fence, Define Spatial Filter
by Area, and Apply Spatial Filter by View skip the feature classes of
the vicinity connection when applying a spatial filter. Spatial Filters
removes the vicinity connection and its feature classes from the list of
available feature classes.
New Connection overlooks the vicinity connection when attempting
to determine if it should match the coordinate system of the
GeoWorkspace to that of the newly connected warehouse. If the new
connection is the only non-vicinity connection available, then this
command copies the coordinate system to the GeoWorkspace.
Viewing Changes in a Multi-User Environment
You can use Warehouse > Refresh with Warehouse Changes to
update the workspace for any changes made to the schema outside your
GeoMedia session. This is useful in multi-user environments where other
GeoMedia users may be making modifications to the same schema you are
using. Changes you make though non-GeoMedia software do not appear
unless you close and reopen the connection or you restart your session.
The exception is with the use of the Oracle Object Model data server. In
4-46
Working with Warehouses
4-47
4
an Oracle schema, you can assign Modification Log triggers to the feature
classes you wish to track. These Modification Log Triggers are assigned
to feature classes using Database Utilities, and they log all insert, update,
or delete events. Refresh with Warehouse Changes then picks up
external modifications on these feature classes even if the changes are
made by non-GeoMedia applications.
Creating an Access Warehouse Template
The default location for warehouse templates is <drive:>\Program
Files\GeoMedia Professional\Templates\Warehouses. You can specify a
different folder through Tools > Options > File locations.
To create an Access warehouse template:
1. Select Warehouse > New Warehouse.
2. On the New dialog box, select the Template option.
3. Select the normal.mdt template, and click New.
4. On the New Warehouse dialog box, accept the default storage folder,
or browse to select a new one. If you have named an alternate file
location for warehouse templates, that location appears in the Save in
field.
5. Verify that Access Template appears in the Save as type field.
6. Type a name for the template in the File name text box.
7. Click Save.
Changing the Coordinate System of a New Access
Warehouse Template
See the Working with
Coordinate Systems
chapter.
Because the New Warehouse command does not establish a connection
when you use it to create a new Access warehouse template (.mdt), you
should use the following workflow to change the coordinate system of
such a new template.
To change the coordinate system of a new access warehouse template:
1. Using the procedure from the previous section, create and save a new
Access warehouse template, selecting normal.mdt as the template on
the New dialog box.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
4-48
Note: Because you are creating a template, no GeoWorkspace
coordinate-system matching occurs, regardless of the preference
setting.
2. Select Warehouse > New Warehouse.
3. On the Warehouse Connection Wizard, select Access as the
connection type.
4. Type a connection name, or keep the default.
5. Select your new template as the new GeoMedia Professional database
file. You must either type the full path or change the file dialog filter
to *.* if you browse for your new template.
6. Optional: Type a description of the connection.
7. Click Next on the next two screens, taking the defaults; then click
Finish.
See the Working with
Coordinate Systems
chapter.
8. Select View > GeoWorkspace Coordinate System, and proceed to
change the appropriate values.
9. Select Warehouse > Edit Connection to close and to delete the
connection to the template.
Note: After changing the coordinate system, the new Access warehouse
template is ready for you to use to create new warehouses. When you turn
on the Match GeoWorkspace and Warehouse coordinate systems
options on the General tab of the Options dialog box (Tools > Options),
the coordinate system defined in the template by the previous procedure
will be the coordinate system of the newly created Access warehouses.
Configuring PickLists with Access Warehouses
GeoMedia Professional includes support for the use of PickLists through
the Properties dialog box (Edit > Select Set Properties). PickLists
allow for a predefined list of values to be used when updating attribute
fields.
GeoMedia Professional determines if an attribute has a PickList by
querying a preconfigured metadata table. The name of the table that stores
the PickList configuration must be defined in GAliasTable with a
TableType of INGRPickLists. You can use any name you want for the
PickList definition table as long as it is referenced in the GAliasTable.
Working with Warehouses
4-49
4
Use Microsoft Access to make the necessary changes to the GAliasTable.
For example, if the PickList definition table were called GPickListTable,
the following entries would need to be added to GAliasTable:
GAliasTable
TABLETYPE TABLENAME
I NGRPi ckLi st s GPi ckLi st Tabl e
The table referred to by the GAliasTable entry for INGRPickLists must
contain the following fields: FeatureName, FieldName,
PickListTableName, ValueFieldName, DescriptionFieldName, and
FilterClause. Use the New Table command in Access to create the
PickList metadata table using the following provided definitions (the table
itself can be called anything as long as it is referenced in the GAliasTable):
GPickListTable
Column Name Datatype
Feat ur eName Var char ( 255)
Fi el dName Var char ( 255)
Pi ckLi st Tabl eName Var char ( 255)
Val ueFi el dName Var char ( 255)
Descr i pt i onFi el dName Var char ( 255)
Fi l t er Cl ause Var char ( 255)
In the table definition:
FeatureName and FieldName refer to the Feature Class and the
specific Attribute field for which the PickList is to be used.
PickListTableName specifies a table in the schema containing the
PickList values.
ValueFieldName and DescriptionFieldName refer to the name of the
fields in the table containing the PickList values.
The ValueFieldName specifies the field in the PickList table that
contains values to be stored in the database. The datatype of the field
in the PickList table specified here must match the datatype of the
Attribute assigned in the FieldName.
The DescriptionFieldName specifies the field that contains PickList
descriptions to be displayed in the pop-up menu on the Attribute tab
of the Properties dialog box.
The values stored in ValueFieldName and DescriptionFieldName
could be the same when the displayed values are the same as the stored
values.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
4-50
The FilterClause is optional and may contain an SQL where clause
that will be used to filter the records in the PickList. The filter allows a
single PickList table to be used when creating multiple PickLists.
PickList tables can be any tables that contain the required information,
including existing feature classes. You can implement a PickList as a code
list (using separate value and description entries) or as a domain list (when
value and description entries are the same). Ranges are not supported.
The following is an example of tables, columns, and values that could be
defined for PickLists:
GAliasTable
TableType TableName
I NGRPi ckLi st s GPi ckLi st Tabl e
GPickListTable
FeatureName FieldName PickListTableName ValueFieldName
Bui l di ngs Name PL_Bui l di ng CodeVal ue
Bui l di ngs St at e PL_St at e St at eName
Bui l di ngs Type PL_Bui l di ng CodeVal ue
DescriptionFieldName FliterClause
Val Descr i pt i on Bl d_Type = ' NAME'
Desc
Val Descr i pt i on Bl d_Type = ' TYPE'
PL_Building
CodeValue ValDescription Bld_Type
0 MOTEL TYPE
1 MARRI OT NAME
2 HOLI DAY I NN NAME
3 BED AND BREAKFAST TYPE
PL_State
StateName Desc
Al abama ALABAMA
Ar kansas ARKANSAS
Col or ado COLORADO
Texas TEXAS
Fl or i da FLORI DA
5-1
5
Working with Images
In GeoMedia Professional, raster images, such as a scanned map sheet, an
aerial photograph, or a satellite image, reside in image feature classes.
Image feature classes are distinguished from one another based on the
coordinate system of the feature class. You can only insert images into an
existing feature class when the coordinate systems of the image and the
feature class are in agreement. All the images in an image feature class
can be represented by a either a single legend entry or multiple legend
entries. You can add images to existing feature classes as needed, without
the images being displayed, thereby managing system resources more
efficiently.
Inserting Images into Warehouses
See the Raster
Information appendix.
See Adding Entries to
the Legend in the
Working with Map
Windows chapter.
You can insert a raster image into a read/write warehouse and use it as
a logo or a backdrop in your GeoWorkspace. The image file is not
moved from its location on your hard disk, but the paths to the image
and the geometry of the image are saved in the warehouse. To edit or
to change the actual image content (image pixels), you must edit the
source file. Image linkage and geometries are stored in the database
tables (warehouse feature classes) and are managed like any other
feature. While multiple images can be represented by a single legend
entry, they must be images from the same feature class.
Note: Avoid inserting multiple images with the same filename into a
single warehouse, even if the images are stored in different folders.
The file type, associated metadata, and ancillary information contained in
the file determine whether the file must be inserted by interactive
placement or, optionally, by georeferenced placement.
Before inserting the image(s), you should determine the appropriate
warehouse, feature class, and placement method. You should define the
image feature class name for the specified image(s). This feature class
name is actually the table name in the warehouse in which the specified
image(s)s information will be placed.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
5-2
Note: A valid image feature class must have a primary key of type
autonumber. The Insert > Interactive Image and the Insert >
Georeferenced Image commands automatically insert this key into any
new image feature classes they create. Image feature classes created with
other tools are not usable unless they also have a primary key of type
autonumber.
Interactive Image placementRequires you to draw a dynamic rectangle
by placing two points in the map window to define the size and the
location of the image. With Interactive Image placement, the coordinate
system of the inserted image is identical to the GeoWorkspace coordinate
system, as is the coordinate system of the target image feature class. The
aspect ratio (ratio of width to height) of this rectangle is determined by the
number of lines and pixels per line in the image (the image pixels are
assumed to be square). It is possible to insert images interactively into an
image feature class without displaying the image because the visibility of
any feature class is dependent on the legend status of the feature class.
Georeferenced Image placementInserts georegistered images directly
into an image feature class in a user-specified warehouse. All the selected
images must share the same coordinate system. This placement method
lets you insert one image file or multiple image files into either an existing
image feature class or a new image feature class. The georeferencing
mode is determined by those available for the selected file(s) and the
operators choice when multiple modes are available. Some
georeferencing modes require you to define the correct coordinate system
using external files either a .dgn or a .csf file can be used.
Georeferenced placement uses the following georeference modes:
GeoTIFF (the default mode) tags - if GeoTIFF tags are available in the
header
Intergraph GeoTie information
Intergraph header matrix
Native matrix with internal CS
Native matrix with external GS
USGS DOQ
Associated world file
Working with Images
5-3
5
In all cases, when the raster image is displayed, the appropriate affine
transformation is applied to warp the image into the GeoWorkspace
coordinate system. This is only an approximation; rigorous re-projection
through samplings of the raster image is not available in GeoMedia
Professional.
Note: The following World Wide Web site contains the GeoTIFF
specification, details about who is supporting GeoTIFF, source code, and
sample images: http://www.remotesensing.org/geotiff/geotiff.html
GeoTie information consists of coordinates for the corners of the map
image in a geographic coordinate system based on the WGS84 datum.
Only Intergraph raster-file formats support the use of GeoTie information.
A Header matrix is an Intergraph-specific matrix that uses design file
UORs to properly position the image geographically. This type of matrix
is only found in Intergraph raster format and TIFF format images.
Note: The following World Wide Web site contains the Intergraph raster
file format specification:
http://www.ziimaging.com/developers/rffrg/rffrg.htm
A Native matrix with internal CS image is an image that contains a matrix
and a coordinate system definition within the image itself, but which does
not fall into the other categories with internal coordinate system
information: GeoTIFF, Intergraph GeoTie, or USGS DOQ.
A Native matrix with external CS image is an image that contains a matrix
but which does not contain any internal coordinate system information and
which does not fall into the world file or by-header category.
A USGS DOQ image is an image with geodetic information in its header
in a format specific to USGS data. The software places USGS DOQ
images using this information.
MrSid files, TIFF files, or JFIF (.jpg) files can have associated world files
(*.sdw , *.tfw, or *.jgw). These world files contain the six parameters
necessary to define an affine matrix that will transform the image to the
desired geographic location in a specific coordinate system. World files
do not contain coordinate system information, so you must specify this
information in a coordinate system file or a MicroStation design file,
which contains a type 56 (coordinate system definition) element.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
IMPORTANT: With the georeferenced placement mode using a world
file, you must supply a design file to which the image was originally
registered or create a coordinate system file for the image. The coordinate
system you define in the coordinate system file describes the native
coordinate system of the image, not the coordinate system of the
GeoWorkspace. When you insert an image into your map window, you
specify the design file or coordinate system file to be used in the
Coordinate system information file field.
To insert an interactive image:
1. Select Insert > Interactive Image.
2. In the Image name field, type the name of the image you want to
insert, or click Browse to select the image from the standard Open
dialog box.
3. From the Warehouse drop-down list, select the read/write warehouse
where you want to store the path to the image and other associated
attributes.
4. From the Feature class drop-down list, select the feature class to add
the image to, or type a new feature class name. Remember, all images
in a single feature class must have a common coordinate system and
projection. Only those image feature classes in which the coordinate
system matches that of the GeoWorkspace will appear in the drop-
down list.
5. Click OK to load the image into the specified warehouse and feature
class.
The software prompts you to define a rectangle by two points in the
active map window for the location of the image.
6. Place the cursor over the location for one corner, press and hold the
mouse button, and then drag the cursor to the opposite corner.
The aspect ratio of the image is maintained.
5-4
Working with Images
7. Release the mouse button.
The image is inserted into the specified feature class, and the path to
the image is saved in the read/write warehouse.
If you specified a new feature class, a new image entry is added to the
top of the legend associated with the active map window, and the
image is displayed. If you specified an existing image feature class,
the display of the newly inserted image is dependent on the current
display properties of the image feature class.
To insert georeferenced images:
1. Select Insert > Georeferenced Images.
5-5
5
2. From the Georeference mode drop-down list, select the appropriate
mode (GeoTIFF is the default). If your Georeference mode is USGS
DOQ, GeoTIFF, Native matrix with internal CS, or GeoTie, no
coordinate system file is required; go to Step 4.
3. In the Coordinate system file field, type the name of the coordinate
system for the chosen georeference mode, or click Browse to select it
from the standard Open dialog box.
4. In the Folder field, type the name of the folder that contains the
appropriate image files, or click Browse to select it from the standard
Browse for Folder dialog box.
5. Optional: In the Extensions field, type a new extension to change the
default *.*.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
5-6
If you enter a new extension, the Images list is updated accordingly,
and any selected image files are unselected.
6. From the Images list, select an image or images.
7. From the Warehouse drop-down list, select the read/write warehouse
where you want to store the path to the image.
8. From the Feature class drop-down list, select the image feature class
to add the image to, or type a new image feature class name. Only
those existing image feature classes that have coordinate systems
matching those of the selected images are available for selection.
9. Optional: For a new feature class only, select the Image display
method by checking the Add new legend entry for feature class
check box, or by leaving it unchecked (the default) to not add a new
legend entry.
Note: When inserting large numbers of images, it may be to your
advantage to not add the entire feature class to the legend. This allows
the use of a spatial filter to restrict image display as desired.
10. Click OK or Apply.
The images are inserted into the specified feature class.
If a new feature class name was provided, a new image feature class is
created in the specified warehouse. If the Add new legend entry for
feature class check box was selected, the feature class name appears
on the legend, and the images are displayed. If this check box was not
selected, the new feature class is created, but no entry for it is placed
on the legend, and the images do not display.
If an existing feature class was selected, the images are inserted into
that feature class. Display of the newly inserted images depends on
whether the feature class appears on the legend, and on the current
display settings for that legend entry.
Images and Coordinate Systems
In GeoMedia Professional, each data source has its own coordinate system.
This coordinate system is defined in a variety of ways. In the case of
GeoMedia feature data in Access, SQL Server, or Oracle databases, the
feature class coordinate system is defined when the feature class is created.
Data in non-GeoMedia based warehouses, such as ArcView, ARC/INFO,
MapInfo, FRAMME, and MGE data, can be imported to GeoMedia
feature classes or served directly from the warehouse. These data sources
may or may not have their coordinate system explicitly defined. If
Working with Images
5-7
5
GeoMedia Professional is unable to determine the coordinate system of a
dataset, you must provide this information by associating a coordinate
system definition file with the data source. This is the case when serving
CAD data that specify an XY coordinate for a feature but do not provide
coordinate system, projection, unit, and datum.
When importing vector features to a GeoMedia Professional read/write
warehouse, the coordinate system file is used for the one-time
transformation of the data to the coordinate system of the new feature
class. Leaving the vector data in the native warehouse means that
GeoMedia Professional refers to the coordinate system definition file
whenever the data are served from that warehouse.
Image data are treated a little differently. There is no non-GeoMedia
based image warehouse from which images can be served. Records for all
images will reside in GeoMedia image feature classes that are stored in a
read/write warehouse. Also, GeoMedia image records are always stored in
their native coordinate system there is no warping or transformation of
the image geometry prior to its insertion into an image feature class.
The suitability of any image feature class for storage of a new image
record is determined by how similar the two coordinate systems (that of
the feature class and that of the image) are to one another. If the match is
not sufficiently close, a new feature class needs to be created to store the
new image record. When an image is inserted into an image feature class,
the path to the image file and the geometry of the image are recorded.
Relocation of the image file causes errors when displaying the image.
Modification of any file-based georeferencing information stored in or
with the image file (GeoTIFF tags, world file information, and so forth) is
ignored by GeoMedia Professional, once the images are inserted into an
image feature class.
The coordinate system of a given image (and of the image feature class it
can be inserted into) can be specified in a number of ways. Some
georeferencing modes (GeoTIFF, GeoTie, and DOQ) contain their own
coordinate system definitions. For these data, the image feature class
coordinate system is taken from the image file header. Other modes of
georeferencing images (an image with a WorldFile, Intergraph raster
format with header matrix) require the use of an associated coordinate
system definition file to provide the necessary context. This file can be
either a MicroStation design file with coordinate system element (.dgn) or
a GeoMedia Coordinate System File (.csf).
Working with GeoMedia Professional
MicroStation Design Files
For MicroStation design (.dgn) files, a coordinate system element is
written into the file by Intergraphs MGE Coordinate System Operations
(MCSO) software, which is bundled with various Intergraph software
packages such as MGE, and by ZI Imagings ZI Coordinate System
Operations (ZICSO) software, which is bundled with various ZI Imaging
software packages such as I/RAS C.
Define Coordinate System File
See the Creating Data
Server .INI Files
appendix for data on
.INI naming
conventions, folder
paths, and coordinate
system entries for the
data source types.
The second method of specifying a coordinate system is through the
Define Coordinate System File utility provided with GeoMedia
applications. This utility creates a Coordinate System File (.csf)
containing the coordinate system information. The .csf file or a .dgn file
can be associated with a particular data source (warehouse) using an entry
in an .INI file.
Linking Geometry Data to Coordinate Systems
The geometry field for raster images contains only the footprint of the
raster. An affine transformation is performed on the footprint when the
coordinate system of the image is displayed in a GeoWorkspace with a
different coordinate system. The actual image is retrieved from the hard
disk containing the raster file and placed on the footprint. Since the raster
image must be retrieved from a hard disk, it is often advisable to use a
UNC path when inserting images residing on other computers.
Managing Warehouse Images
You can manage the image records that exist in an image feature class of a
selected warehouse connection with the Images command. These image
records are shown on the dialog box as either a filename or an XML
(Extensible Markup Language) moniker. You can display, update, delete,
and validate image records with a filename in a read/write connection; in a
read-only connection, you can only display and validate the records. For
those image records with an XML moniker, you can only display or delete
the records in a read/write connection and only display those in a read-
only connection.
Each image record listed for a connection has a corresponding icon to
denote whether GeoMedia Professional can link an image record to a file
or to an XML string, as follows:
The specified file or XML moniker is valid.
5-8
Working with Images
Note: An XML moniker is always considered valid, so the associated icon
is always the valid icon.
The specified file is invalid.
The specified file has an unknown state.
This command displays selected images from an image feature class in an
open warehouse connection in the active map window. You can choose
one or more valid image entries (which can be filenames, XML monikers,
or both) and display these images using a single legend entry or separate
legend entries for each selected image. Alternatively, you can create a
query from selected images, to be added to the legend at a later time. The
selected images are stored in a query based on the values of their primary
key field(s). This query contains a fixed and permanent list of images,
referenced by keys. This list is not editable. However, you can use the
Queries command to edit the query, but only to edit the query name and
description. The image files of the selected filename entries are
automatically validated and their associated icons are updated after the
display operation.
5-9
5
See Adding Entries to
the Legend in the
Working with Map
Windows chapter.
Note: If you want to add all the images in a feature class to the display,
under a single legend entry, consider using the Legend > Add Feature
Class command.
The Images command also lets you review the image entries and update
the paths to any filename image entries, single or multiple, not pointing to
valid raster image files. You cannot, however, update multiple images
entries that contain both filenames and XML monikers, nor single or
multiple XML monikers, which are always valid. GeoMedia Professional
does not store the image in the warehouse; rather the path to the image is
stored in the image feature class. If the location of the image file is
changed, you can update the path stored in the geometry column with this
command. The image files of the selected filename entries are
automatically validated and their associated icons are updated after the
update operation.
If an image will no longer be used, you can delete its record from its image
feature class with the Images command. Alternatively, select the image in
the map window and use the Delete Feature command, or you can delete
the feature class entirely with the Feature Class Definition command.
Additionally, this command lets you validate the files associated with the
selected entries. The icons of the entries are then updated after the
operation. As previously stated, you cannot validate entries with XML
monikers because they are always valid.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
To display selected warehouse images in a map window (as a single legend
entry, or multiple legend entries), or to group images as a query that can be
added to the legend at any time:
1. Select Warehouse > Images.
2. Select the appropriate image record from the Feature class drop-
down list, which only displays image feature classes.
All image records of the selected image feature class are displayed in
the Images list.
3. To display selected images, select the valid image record(s) from the
Images list; then click Display.
4. Select the Display in a single legend entry (the default) option to
display the selected images in a single legend entry; then click OK.
OR
5-10
Working with Images
5-11
5
Select the Display in separate legend entries option to display the
selected images with one legend entry per image; then click OK.
OR
Select the Create query without legend entry option to create a
query containing the selected images that can be added to the legend at
a later time through the Analysis > Queries command; then click OK.
The image files of the selected entries are automatically validated, the
icons of the entries are updated after the operation, and the images
are displayed in the active map window or the query is created.
To update image records:
1. Select Warehouse > Images.
2. Select the appropriate image feature class from the Feature class
drop-down list.
3. To update a single image record with the invalid filename icon, select
the appropriate record from the Images list; then click Update to open
the standard Open file dialog box, from which you choose a valid path
and filename.
4. To update a single valid or unknown-state image record or multiple
image records (regardless of the icon) from the Images list, select the
entry or entries; then click Update to open the standard Browse for
Folder dialog box, from which you choose a valid folder.
Once the update is finished and the dialog dismissed, the image entries
are updated with the new folder and the warehouse is updated. The
Images list is then refreshed so that the appropriate icons are
displayed for any updated entries.
5. Click Close.
To delete image records:
1. Select Warehouse > Images.
2. Select the appropriate image feature class from the Feature class
drop-down list.
3. Select the image record(s) that you want to delete from the Images
list.
4. Click Delete.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
5-12
Note: You can also delete an image as any other legend entry by
selecting the image name on the legend using the Select by Legend
Entry and Delete commands on the Edit menu.
To delete an image feature class with Warehouse > Feature Class Definition:
1. Select Warehouse > Feature Class Definition.
2. Select the image feature class to delete from the Feature Classes
drop-down list.
3. Click Delete.
4. Click Yes to confirm the deletion of the image feature class.
The image feature class is deleted from the warehouse, and any
images in that feature class that were displayed are removed from the
map window. Notice that the name of the image feature class may still
be on the legend
5. Click Close.
6. Delete the old image feature class entry from the legend.
To validate image records:
1. Select Warehouse > Images.
2. Select the appropriate image feature class from the Feature class
drop-down list.
3. Select the image record filename(s) you want to validate from the
Images list.
4. Click Validate.
All files of the selected entries are validated and their associated icons
are updated accordingly.
Working with Images
5-13
5
Removing Images from a View and Redisplaying Them
Deleting an image feature class or query from the legend removes its
images from the view but does not alter the contents of the image feature
class in the warehouse. If you remove an image feature class from the
legend, the Legend > Add Feature Class command lets you redisplay
the entire contents of the image feature class.
Note: When inserting large numbers of images, it may be to your
advantage to not add the entire feature class to the legend. This allows the
use of a spatial filter to restrict image display as appropriate. If you want
to display only selected images from the image feature class, use the
Warehouse > Images command as previously described.
To remove an image feature class or query from a view and redisplay it:
1. Select the image feature class or query name on the legend.
2. Press DELETE on the keyboard; then confirm the deletion from the
legend and map window by clicking Yes.
3. Select Legend > Add Feature Class.
4. Select the appropriate warehouse entry from the Connection drop-
down list to display all feature classes in the warehouse.
5. Select the appropriate image feature class from the Feature Classes
drop-down list; then click OK to redisplay the image.
Changing the Raster Image Display
If a map object is a raster image, the Image Display dialog box lets you
change the display characteristics of the image or images associated with
the legend. These characteristics include contrast, brightness, inversion,
transparency, translucency, background color, and foreground color. Any
changes you make are not written to the image but are stored with the
GeoWorkspace.
Note: When using images as a backdrop, it is often useful to use the
legend to turn off the locate property for the image feature class so that the
image canvas is not selected when working with features.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
To change the raster image display:
1. On the legend, double click the style key of the image feature class
you want to change, or select the image feature class entry on the
Legend Properties dialog box and click Style.
Note: The first image type associated with the raster legend entry
determines which tab is available.
2. On the appropriate tabs of the Image Display dialog box, change the
characteristics of the associated image(s).
3. Optional: Click Preview to temporarily see the effects of your
changes in the display of the image(s) in the associated map window.
4. Click OK.
The changes are saved and reflected in the display of the image(s) in
the associated map window.
Creating Image Footprints
See Displaying
Selected Images in the
next section in this
chapter.
The Image Footprints command lets you create image footprint polygons
of an image feature class or query. An image footprint is an area geometry
that represents the outline of the image. Using image footprints when
possible, rather than the raster images themselves, greatly speeds display
processing (panning, zooming, and so forth). The separate Display
Selected Images command loads the images from selected footprints.
You must have an active map window to use this command.
5-14
Working with Images
You can add the footprints query to a map and/or data window, and you
can also edit these queries using the standard edit query procedure. The
Image Footprints command also creates a legend entry of labels based on
the image filenames. These labels are centered within the footprint
polygons. The default title of the legend entry for the labels is GGG of
QQQ where GGG is the name of the text geometry field, and QQQ is the
query name. The default name for the text geometry field is
ImageLabelGeometry. This default field name cannot be changed
through the command dialog box. An example legend entry title is
ImageLabelGeometry of Image footprints of LincolnCoTopos.
To create image footprints:
1. Select Analysis > Image Footprints.
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5
2. Select an image feature class or query from the Create image
footprints for drop-down list.
3. Optional: Change the output Query name and/or optional
Description.
4. Optional: Check the Display footprints in map window check box;
then optionally change the name in the Map window name field.
5. Optional: Click Style, and change the default style on the Style
Definition dialog box.
6. Optional: Check the Display labels in map window check box; then
optionally change the name in the Map window name field.
7. Optional: Click Style, and change the default style on the Style
Definition dialog box.
8. Optional: Check the Display results in data window check box;
then optionally change the name in the Data window name field.
9. Click OK.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
The dialog is dismissed and the query is added to the queries folder.
The appropriate legend entries are created in the map window based
on the settings of the check boxes. A data window is created if the
check box is checked.
Displaying Selected Images
See the previous
Creating Image
Footprints" section in
this chapter.
See Working with
Functional Attributes in
the Analyzing
GeoMedia Professional
Data chapter.
The Display Selected Images command displays images from those
features in a select set that have coverage geometries. Objects in the select
set that do not have a coverage geometry are skipped. This command is
designed to be used in conjunction with the Image Footprints command,
which creates image footprint polygons of an image feature class or query,
although it can also be used in other contexts. The Display Selected
Images command loads only those images that have been placed in the
select set, whether they have been placed by selection of their footprints in
a map window, their rows in a data window, or some other technique. To
use this command, which has no graphical interface, you must have a
select set, and an active map window.
In a typical workflow, you would use Image Footprints to generate
footprints (image shapes) for an image feature class. A subset of these
footprints is placed into a select set, and the images are then displayed
through Display Selected Images. Alternatively, footprints may have
been created through the Functional Attributes command, through
custom software, provided directly through a data server, and so forth. In
another workflow, Display Selected Images may operate without
footprints, for example, through image features selected in a data window.
This command has no graphical interface.
5-16
Working with Images
Once all the coverage geometries in the select set are found, a legend entry
is created. If coverage geometries from multiple feature classes are found
in the select set, multiple legend entries are created. The title of each
legend entry will be Selected images of <X> where X is the feature class
or query from the select set that contains the coverage geometry.
Legend entries for a given feature are reused if they exist. That is, for the
existing legend entry, the previous selected images are unloaded and the
newly selected images are displayed. If no newly selected images match
an existing legend entry, the legend entry remains in the legend but has
zero records; thus, any displayed images for that legend entry are
unloaded. This reuse allows legend entry settings, such as transparency, to
be maintained across multiple invocations of the Display Selected
Images command. If no matching legend entry can be found, a new
legend entry will be created with the extended property set to the
appropriate value. Objects in the select set that do not have a coverage
geometry are skipped.
See Defining Queries
from Select Set in the
Working with Features
chapter.
Queries are not created as output. To make a reusable named query in the
GeoWorkspace, you must use the Select Set to Query command.
To display selected images:
1. Generate a select set of objects that have coverage geometries.
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5
2. Make a map window active.
3. Select View > Display Selected Images.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
5-18
6-1
6
Working with Map Windows
See the Working with
Data Windows and the
Working with Layout
Windows chapters for
information on data and
layout windows,
respectively.
The GeoMedia GeoWorkspace can contain one or more windowsmap
windows, data windows, and a layout window. These windows provide
you with different ways of visualizing your data. The map window shows
graphic display or features (geographic and other map objects). The data
window shows the same features in attribute form, that is, nongraphic data
associated with the geographic objects (geometries). Thus, if a feature is
displayed in multiple map and data windows, it highlights in all when
selected. The window allows you to design and to plot a map layout. Map
graphics in the layout window can be optionally linked to reflect changes
made in the map window, or they can be a static snapshot reflecting the
characteristics of the map window at the time of placement.
Each map window contains the following marginalia items: a legend, a
north arrow, and a scale bar. You can select or deselect each of them on
the View menu to turn them on or off. Whatever the active parameters are
for these marginalia items in the map window, the same parameters are
used to render these items in the layout window.
For the most part you define the content and design of each map window
through its legend. While a traditional legend simply reflects what is
displayed on a map, you use the GeoMedia Professional legend to control
what is displayed in the map window and how it looks.
This is a representative workflow for displaying geographic data and map
objects in a map window:
1. In an open GeoWorkspace, connect to the warehouse(s) containing the
data you want to display.
2. Display the legend in the active map window.
3. Add entries to the legend.
4. Customize the look of your map by using the legend to change the
display characteristics of the map objects.
5. Turn on the north arrow and change its appearance.
6. Turn on the scale bar and change its appearance.
7. Customize the appearance of the legend.
8. Add new map and/or data windows to the GeoWorkspace to show
different views of your map and/or data.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Understanding the Legend
The legend contains the following parts:
A title bar, which you can turn on or off. The title bar must be turned
on before you can dismiss the legend.
Legend entries, which you use to control the display of the objects in
the active map window. Legend entries can have titles, subtitles, and
headings.
The legend contains a separate entry for each map object. When a feature
class or query has multiple geometry or text attributes, a separate entry is
added to the legend for each of these attributes.
Each entry contains a title and a style key. If statistics for a legend are
turned on, the entry displays the count of map objects in parentheses next
to the title. Style keys for feature classes and queries are dynamic and
represent the geometry type of the feature class (point, line, area, or
compound). Style keys for thematic displays, images, and text are static
and represent the object type.
6-2
Working with Map Windows
Style keys include the following:
Style Key Object Type
Point feature class
Linear feature class
Area feature class
Text label
Compound feature class
Image feature class
Range thematic display
Unique-values thematic display
Style keys can also indicate the state of the following legend entries:
6-3
6
Style Key Indicates
The data are not loaded. Here are some possible causes:
If you press ESC while the map object is being loaded,
the legend entry is created but the data are not loaded.
If you turn off the display of a map object, close the
warehouse connection or the GeoWorkspace, and then
reopen the connection or the GeoWorkspace, the data
are not loaded.
If you replace a legend with a named legend, and the
named legend has the display of a map object turned
off, the data for that map object is not loaded.
If you have checked the Do not load data when
opening GeoWorkspace option on the General tab of
the Options dialog box (Tools > Options), all legend
entries are not loaded.
The warehouse connection is closed.
The legend entry is in an invalid state. This could mean the
feature table has been deleted or that an attribute has been
altered in such a way as to prevent the display of data.
Map object is locatable, which means you can use the
mouse to click on a map feature and retrieve its attribute
information.
Map object is displayed by scale, which means the feature
will only appear when the map window is displayed within
a specific scale range.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Displaying or Hiding the Legend
See the Inserting North
Arrows section in the
Designing Map Layouts
for Printing in the
Layout Window chapter
for information on using
north arrows in the
layout window.
If the legend is not displayed in the map window, you display it in one
of the following ways:
From the GeoMedia Professional menu, select View > Legend. A
checkmark next to Legend on the menu indicates that the legend
display is turned on.
Press the right mouse button, and select Legend from the pop-up
menu.
You hide the legend in one of the following ways:
From the GeoMedia Professional menu, select View, and deselect
Legend.
Right click the legend, and deselect Legend from the pop-up menu.
Double click the legend icon or the X on the legend title bar, if it is
displayed.
Adding Entries to the Legend
See Inserting Images
into Warehouses in the
Working with Images
chapter for information
on adding image entries.
When you add a map object, such as a feature class or raster image, to the
legend, it also appears in the active map window when it is in the display
area. The legend entry controls the style of the features and queries. You
can add the same map objects multiple times to create multiple legend
entries with different styles. However, the features or queries themselves
are only loaded once. There is no feature or query duplication, just
different ways of visualizing the same features.
Note: If you interrupt the loading of map objects by pressing ESC, the
entry will still appear on the legend, but data for subsequent legend entries
will not be loaded. To reload the data, select Load Data from the Legend
right mouse menu.
You can add the following types of map objects as entries to the legend:
Feature classes (Legend > Add Feature Class)
Queries (Legend > Add Query or Analysis > Queries > Display)
Thematic displays (Legend > Add Thematic)
Raster images (Legend > Add Feature Class or Warehouse >
Images)
6-4
Working with Map Windows
To manually add feature-class entries to the legend:
1. Select Legend > Add Feature Class.
2. On the Add Feature Class Entry dialog box, select the connection to
the warehouse that contains the feature classes you want to add.
If the table associated with the feature class has one or more spatial
or graphic fields, the feature class appears on the Add Feature Class
dialog box, and the additional fields are automatically added as new
legend entries.
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6
3. Select the feature classes you want to add. Use the CTRL or SHIFT
keys (and click with the mouse or use arrow Up/Down keys) to select
multiple feature classes.
4. Click OK.
An entry is added to the top of the legend for each feature class, and
the associated map objects are displayed in the active map window.
5. If any point features, styles, or labels do not display properly in the
map window, adjust the nominal map scale on the Paper Space tab of
the Display Properties dialog box (View > Display Properties).
To add query entries to the legend:
You can add a query to the legend only if one has been predefined. The
procedure to add queries to the legend through Legend > Add Query is
similar to that just described for adding feature-class entries. You can also
add a query to the legend by displaying a query as described in the
following operating sequence.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
1. Select Analysis > Queries.
2. Select the appropriate query; then click Display.
3. Click OK.
An entry is added to the top of the legend for the query, and the active
map window reflect the changes.
To add image entries to the legend:
Image entries are added to the legend using the same procedure just
described for adding any other feature class. This procedure adds the
entire image feature class. This means that every image associated with
the selected image feature class will be associated with the new legend
entry. If this is not appropriate, the Images command (Warehouse >
Images) lets you select specific image entries from within an image
feature class to be associated with the new legend entry.
6-6
Working with Map Windows
6-7
6
Creating Thematic Maps
Thematic mapping is the process of quickly and easily setting feature
styles (color, point size, symbol, pattern, and so forth) based on attribute
values of the selected feature class. For example, a feature class called
states (as in USSampleData.mdb) could be thematically mapped so that the
states are color-filled based on their average temperature values. You can
specify the number of colors used by defining the number of ranges that
essentially classify the data. All geometry types can be mapped
thematically and will update when the source data changes. You can
create thematic mappings with the Add Thematic command.
This command lets you map the attributes of graphic data and stylize the
graphics based on the value of a user-specified attribute column (theme).
In other words, GeoMedia Professional can paint a picture in the map
view that represents attribute data in the feature class table. This type of
data presentation is more user friendly because it is easier to analyze a
picture than to analyze a column of random statistics.
If the selected theme (attribute column) is numeric, the Range option can
analyze the values and group them into classes, with each class having a
defined range. These ranges or classes may then be displayed in the map
window, each with its own style. For example, county population values
may be broken into ranges, and each county may be color-filled based on
the range its population is classified as.
You can also use this command to assign a different style (for example,
color) to each unique attribute value. This unique style assignment may
be used with numeric as well as character attribute data. The Unique
option is best used with themes (columns) where the number of unique
attribute values is small. For example, if a column called Airport_Status
has valid values of on-time, delayed, or closed, then the Unique option
can be used to quickly display different symbols for each status.
The thematic map updates when changes occur in the source data. The
timing as to when the thematic changes occur varies based on the type of
connection. A thematic from read-only data updates when the
GeoWorkspace is opened. A thematic from read/write data updates
automatically if the edit to the source data is done from the local client
machine. If the edit to the source data occurred on a different machine, the
thematic updates when the GeoWorkspace is opened or after selection of
Warehouse > Refresh with Warehouse Changes.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
To add thematic display entries to the legend:
1. Select Legend > Add Thematic.
2. On the Add Thematic Entry dialog box, select the feature class or
query you want from the Feature class drop-down list.
3. Select an attribute from the list of Available attributes.
4. Click Unique or Range to set the type of values you want for the
attribute.
5. Click Define to display the corresponding dialog box.
6-8
Working with Map Windows
See the corresponding
GeoMedia Professional
Help topics for
information on setting
the parameters of these
two dialog boxes.
6. On the Unique Values or Map By Ranges dialog box, define the
thematic display for the attribute.
7. Optional: Select another attribute and repeat Steps 4 - 6.
8. Click OK.
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6
An entry is added to the top of the legend for each thematic display,
and the active map window reflects the changes.
9. Optional: Thematic mappings are stored only on the legend. To save
the legend, select Legend > Name Legend; then type an appropriate
legend name. You can also easily re-created the thematic mappings if
needed.
Note: To edit a thematic display attribute, double click the attribute key.
This brings up the appropriate Unique Values or Map By Ranges dialog
box, on which you can redefine the thematic display for the attribute.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Controlling the Map Window
To the left of a map-window title or in the upper-left corner of a
maximized map window is the map-window icon. Clicking this icon
displays a menu that allows you to control the map window.
Depending on the current state of the map window, this menu lets you
do the following:
Restore a minimized window.
Move, restore, minimize, or maximize the window.
Close the map window.
Activate the next map or data window in the stack.
The GeoMedia Professional Window menu contains tools for cascading or
tiling windows and for activating a different window. The bottom of this
menu lists all the open windows in the GeoWorkspace. A checkmark
appears next to the title of the active window. You set the title and
behavior of a map window by setting its properties. To adjust the display
in a map window, you use the mouse and the map viewing tools. The
north arrow and scale bar, which you can turn on and off from the View
menu, dynamically update to reflect changes to the map window. The
status bar dynamically updates to reflect the current display scale or view
extents.
On the Map Display tab of the Options dialog box, you can specify with
the When resizing map windows options that the contents of a map
window be fit automatically when the window is resized, or that the map
scale be preserved.
Changing Map Window Properties
When you set map-window properties, you specify the title that appears in
the map window as well as the way the map window displays features you
select in another window.
Because the windows in a GeoWorkspace are linked, features you select in
one map or data window always highlight in the other map or data
windows. Moreover, you can set certain properties in a map window to
have its view change when you select a feature in another window.
For example, suppose you set the properties in Map Window A to fit and
zoom out at 200%. When you select a feature in a data window or in
another map window, the view in Map Window A changes to fit the
selected feature and zooms out at double the view scale. In another
example, you can use these properties as a simple queuing mechanism.
6-10
Working with Map Windows
The following properties determine the display in the map view when a
feature is selected in another window:
View at current scale (the default)Features in the select set are
highlighted, but the map window does not shift or change scale.
Center at current scaleFeatures in the select set are highlighted
and centered in the map view, but the map window does not change
scale.
Fit and zoom outFeatures in the select set are fit to the map view,
and the view zooms out according to the percentage you specify. The
default setting is 105%.
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6
If you set the properties in Window 1, for example, to Center at current
scale or Fit and zoom out, selecting features in any window changes the
zoom scale or window location. You probably do not want this to happen
when selecting features in Window 1 itself, only when selecting in other
windows. To override this behavior in Window 1, you select the View at
current scale option.
The following diagram shows a feature selected in the left map window.
The same feature is centered, fit, and zoomed out in the right map window:
The following diagram shows a the same feature selected in a data window
and centered, fit, and zoomed out in the map window:
Working with GeoMedia Professional
To change the properties of a map window:
1. Select Window > Map Window Properties.
2. On the Map Window Properties dialog box, type a new title in the
Map window name field if appropriate.
3. Select the option you want in the For items in the select set box.
4. If you selected Center at current scale or Fit and zoom out, select
or accept the setting for selecting in the current window.
5. Click OK.
Defining Map Window Display Properties
See Defining Map
Specifications in the
Map Window in the
Designing Map
Layouts for Printing in
the Layout Window
chapter to use this
command in a plotting
workflow.
View > Display Properties helps you visualize what your map data in the
map window will look like when viewed or plotted at a given map scale.
6-12
Working with Map Windows
This command lets you define the following properties that affect the way
the map graphics are displayed:
Display scaleTypically associated with screen displays, display scale is
the scale factor with which to view the map data in a map window. This
factor is flexible, changing every time you zoom in or out. The current
display scale is shown in the GeoWorkspace in the lower-right corner of
the Status bar.
Nominal map scaleWhen you set the style of a feature (for example,
line thickness, point size, or text size), it is set at a given point size. This
point size is only correct at a certain scale, the nominal map scale. As you
zoom in and out in a map window and the display scale changes, the
appearance of the features in the display also changes. However, when the
features are plotted on a paper map, they will plot at the point size that is
correct at the nominal map scale.
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6
You can choose from two different ways of displaying data in a map view:
Size remains constant as display scale changes and Size changes as
display scale changes (true at nominal map scale). When Size
remains constant as display scale changes is turned on, the appearance
of features will not change as you zoom in and out on the map window. In
other words, the size of the symbols and text features, and the thickness of
the lines, will not increase or decrease. When Size remains constant as
display scale changes is turned off, zooming in will make the text and
symbol size bigger and the line thickness larger. Zooming out will have
the opposite affect. This effect of zooming in and out is much like moving
a paper map closer to and farther from your face.
When Size remains constant as display scale changes is turned off,
the nominal map scale becomes important in controlling the display in the
map window because the features are being displayed at a point size that is
valid only at the nominal map scale at which they were placed. Thus, if
your nominal map scale is set to 1:10,000, and you symbolize your text
feature to be 12 point size, they will only appear this size on the screen
when the display scale is set to 1:10,000. If you zoom out to 1:20,000, the
text will then appear to be 6 point in size. For this reason, you may notice
Working with GeoMedia Professional
that certain features sometimes are too small to be seen, even though you
set the style to be 20 points. This is because your nominal map scale is
large, for example, 1:5,000, and you are zoomed out so the display scale is
much smaller, for example, 1:100,000. The text is thus being displayed at
1/20
th
of its point size. You can fix this by changing the nominal map
scale, close to something you want to plot at. Or you can turn off an
option so it always displays at 20 points, regardless of how far in or out
you are zoomed (display scale).
When you set the Nominal map scale value, the warehouse connections
are closed and reopened so the coordinate system object can properly scale
and project all the legend entries. For performance reasons, when a
connection is opened or reopened, if the legend entry is not displayable,
the data are not loaded. For example, on the Entries tab of the Legend
Properties dialog box, the legend entries with the display off setting (no
check in the Entry column) display the data not loaded icon ( ) on the
legend after the Nominal map scale is changed.
Rotation angleRotation angle of the map view. When the units are
degrees (deg), the values in the drop-down list are: -90, -75, -60, -45, -30,
-15, 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90. When the units are not degrees, the
values are the preceding degree values converted to the current angular
units.
UnitsAngular units. Changing the units converts the rotation value to
the new units.
Set all legend entry styles toLegend entry display in the map window.
Size remains constant as display scale changesThe styles on all
legend entries are display-scale independent, overwriting the setting of
the Size remains constant as display scale changes setting on the
legend Style Definition dialog box.
Size changes as display scale changes (true at nominal map
scale)The styles on all legend entries are display-scale dependent,
overwriting the Size remains constant as display scale changes
setting on the legend Style Definition dialog box.
See Previewing the
Map in the Map
Window in the
Designing Map
Layouts for Printing in
the Layout Window
chapter.
To achieve a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) display in the
map view, you set the Display scale and Nominal map scale to the
intended plot scale, set the Set all legend entries to setting to Size
changes as display scale changes (true at nominal map scale), and
apply any rotation angle. The display of the features on the screen is how
they will look when plotted. If line weights, text sizes, and symbol sizes
appear too small or too large, you should make the necessary adjustments
in the style definition for those features. In general, the nominal map scale
will be the same as the plot scale. However, it is not necessary that they be
6-14
Working with Map Windows
the same, and having them differ does offer additional design flexibility.
After you have set these properties, you can use the View > Pan command
to view different areas of the intended plot area.
Using the Mouse in a Map Window
Note: If your mouse has been reconfigured so that the button functions
are reversed, you must reverse left and right mouse-button instructions in
all the products documents.
In a map window, you use the left mouse button to do the following:
Activate the window.
Create a select set.
Place or edit a map object.
Zoom and pan when the appropriate viewing tool is selected.
Invoke a hypertext link.
You use the right mouse button to click an empty space in the map
window and invoke the map-window pop-up menu. This menu contains
tools most commonly used in the map window.
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6
Using an IntelliMouse
If you have a Microsoft IntelliMouse, you can use it to manipulate the
display in your map windows faster and more efficiently. Rolling the
IntelliMouse wheel forward causes the view to zoom in at the current
cursor location, and rolling the IntelliMouse wheel backward causes the
view to zoom out at the current cursor location.
Using Map Viewing Tools
The following viewing tools are available only when a map window is
active. You exit persistent viewing tools by pressing ESC, by selecting
another viewing tool, or by selecting the Select Tool.
Zoom In Zoom in on a point you identify with a single mouse click
or on an area you define by pressing and holding the left
mouse button on one corner of the area, dragging the fence
to the diagonally opposite corner, and then releasing the
mouse button.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Zoom Out Zoom out on a point you identify with a single mouse click
or on an area you define with a dynamic two-point line.
Zoom
Previous
Return a map window to its previous zoom scale and view
extents.
Zoom to
Nominal
Map Scale
Zoom the display scale of the map window to the current
nominal map scale as specified on the Display Properties
dialog box.
Fit All Fit all displayable objects to the active window.
Fit Select
Set
Fit the contents of a select set to the active window.
Note: This command generates expected results only when the selected
features are within the defined display scale range of the legend entry.
Update All Load unloaded legend entries and refresh the display in all
map windows.
Pan Drag the display in the direction of the cursor.
Pan has two modes, dynamic and fast, which are set through the When
panning map windows options on the Map Display tab of the Options
dialog box (Tools > Options). While the Pan command is active, you can
switch between dynamic and fast panning by changing the selected option.
The Use dynamic pan option means that all the graphics in the map
window move continuously in unison with the mouse cursor when panning
is performed as you press and hold the left mouse button.
The Fast pan option means that the graphics in the map window remain
fixed while panning is performed, thus limiting the number of map
window redraw operations. This mode is useful if the map window
contains a large number of graphic objects, images in particular, which
results in dynamic panning not being smooth and efficient because it takes
too long to continuously redraw the window due to the large number of
graphic objects.
In performing fast panning, the graphics do not move until the left mouse
button is released. Placing the cursor in the map view and pressing and
holding the left mouse button defines the pan starting point. As you move
the cursor, the graphics remain fixed, and a dynamic dashed line appears.
One end of this line remains fixed at the pan starting point; the other end
moves dynamically with the cursor, thus giving you a visual indication of
the distance and direction of the pan that will occur when the left mouse
6-16
Working with Map Windows
6-17
6
button is released. Releasing the mouse button defines the pan ending
point and ends the current pan action, and the dashed line disappears. The
map window is redrawn with the pan starting point moved to the pan
ending point.
On the General tab of the Options dialog box, which you access from the
Tools menu, you can specify whether to display in the status bar the view
extents or the zoom scale. If you have the status bar turned on, the view
extents or current zoom scale appears in the rightmost panel at the bottom
of the GeoWorkspace window. To see the zoom scale change, select it on
the Options dialog box, and zoom in or out in the map window.
Changing Display Characteristics of Map Objects
You change the display characteristics of a map object by changing the
properties of its legend entry. Map windows are independent of each
other, and each has its own legend. This means, for example, that you can
display highways as blue dashed lines in one map window and as red solid
lines in another map window within the same GeoWorkspace.
The look and function of a map is determined by certain display
characteristics of each map object:
Display priority. Which map objects are displayed on top of other
map objects?
Style. What does each map object look like?
Scale range. At what scale range can map objects be displayed?
Locatability. Can the map object be selected or highlighted in the map
window?
Changing the Display Priority of Map Objects
The order in which map objects are displayed determines which object can
be seen when more than one object has the same spatial location.
Depending on their relative size, type, and display setting, the object on
top is likely to be the only one you can see.
You change the display priority of a map object by changing its order on
the legend. The map object associated with the bottom legend entry is
drawn first, the object associated with the next-to-last entry is drawn on
top of it, and so forth. The map object associated with the first legend
entry has highest priority and is drawn last.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
There are two ways to change display priority:
On the legend, select an entry and drag it up or down the list of legend
entries.
On the Entries tab of the Legend Properties dialog box, select
the entry you want to move, and click the Priority buttons to move
the entry up or down.
Note: When you open the Legend Properties dialog box through the
right mouse menu, you can resize its columns. However, if you open it by
double clicking a legend entry, you cannot resize the columns. This is
because the legend title is pre-selected for you at the cell level for editing;
therefore, the column resize is not possible.
Changing the Style of Map Objects
See the Line Weight
Conversions and Line
Styles appendix for line
weight information.
To change the style of a map object, double click its style key on the
legend or on the Legend Properties dialog box. This displays a dialog
box appropriate to the type of map object.
If the map object is a thematic display, the Map by Ranges or Unique
Values dialog box appears so that you can redefine the entry.
If the map object is a raster image, the Image Display dialog box
appears so that you can change the display characteristics of the image
or images associated with the legend. These characteristics include
contrast, brightness, transparency, translucency, inversion, background
color, and foreground color.
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If the map object is any other typefeature class, query result, or
textthe appropriate tab of the Style Definition dialog box appears.
Styles that are defined as Size remains constant as display scale
changes on the Style Definition dialog box maintain their size definition
when you change the zoom factor in the map window. Line weight, text
size, and symbol size definitions are always rendered at the current display
scale. When you zoom in on a line that is defined as Size remains
constant as display scale changes, the line continues to be the same
number of pixels wide in the display.
The following diagram shows the affect of having the Size remains
constant as display scale changes setting turned on for text features at
three different zoom levels. The text remains the same size at all levels.
See Defining Map
Window Display
Properties in this
chapter.
A map object whose style is not defined as Size remains constant as
display scale changes is display scale dependent, meaning that its
display is associated with a particular scale. Line weight, text size, and
symbol size are rendered at the nominal map scale defined on the Display
Properties dialog box. The display appears larger as you zoom in and
smaller as you zoom out.
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The following diagram shows the affect of having the Size remains
constant as display scale changes setting turned off for text features at
three different zoom levels. The size of the text varies with the zoom
factor but remains proportionate to the map.
On the Style Definitions dialog box, the Size remains constant as
display scale changes setting is enabled by default. When this setting is
enabled, a fixed number of screen pixels is used to define the style size,
such as line width or text font size. Whereas, if the Size remains
Working with GeoMedia Professional
constant as display scale changes setting is disabled, the style size
represents a fixed number of map (ground) units.
For text, area, point, lines, and compound features, the Size remains
constant as display scale changes setting is enabled by default. If you
accept the defaults, text, lines, areas, and compound objects will not
appear larger as you zoom in, that is, the thickness of the line used to draw
the features does not change as the display scale changes.
To change the style of a feature class or query:
See the Style Definition
Dialog Box GeoMedia
Professional Help topic.
On the legend, double click the style key of the feature class you want to
change, or select the feature class on the Legend Properties dialog box
and click Style.
On the corresponding tabs of the Style Definition dialog box, you set the
appropriate style options for a feature class or query. On all style tabs, you
can turn on or off the Size remains constant as display scale changes
option can and define Style Units. The tabs are as follows:
PointDefine the font (TrueType), point size, color, and a character
to represent the point feature class. You can browse to select a bitmap
image and specify its size. You can also browse to select a symbol
file.
LineDefine single, multiple, or patterned primary and secondary
line styles, choosing the color, line weight, and line style, custom
style, line pattering, and endcap type (rounded or flat).
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Area BoundaryDefine single or multiple primary and secondary
area boundaries, choosing its color, line weight, custom style, style,
and endcap type (rounded or flat).
Area BoundaryDefine a single or multiple line boundary, choosing
its color, line weight, custom style, and style.
Area FillDefine the type of background for the primary fill and
color for the area feature and a pattern for the area feature for the
secondary fill. Optionally, you can choose a symbol with which to
pattern the area feature.
TextDefine the font (TrueType), size, color, and font style. You can
also define the frame border and fill characteristics.
To change the style of individual features:
1. Run a query to find the feature or features.
2. Change the style of the query results.
3. The features returned by the query appear in the style defined for the
legend entry that has highest priority on the legend.
4. If necessary, change the display priority of the feature class and query
results.
For example, you add a feature class roads to the legend and define its
color as blue, which means all roads in the class appear blue on the map.
To change the color of just one road, you run a query to find only that road
and define the style of the query to be red so that the road displays in red.
Because you have run the query after adding the feature class roads to the
legend, the legend entry for the query result is placed above the roads
legend entry. Because the query entry is on top, it has highest priority and
the single road appears red. If you move the roads legend entry above the
query legend entry, all roads, including the one in the query result, will
display as blue.
Saving and Reusing Styles
The Style Definition dialog box lets you create a style and assign it to a
particular legend entry. But what if you want to reuse that style on another
legend entry in the same GeoWorkspace, or in another GeoWorkspace?
Clicking Save on this dialog box lets you save a style to a style folder.
The folder is referenced on the File Locations tab of the Options dialog
box. Also, clicking Load lets you load a style from the same folder. In
this way you can create libraries of named styles for re-use in any
GeoWorkspace. Style files by default have a .gsd extension. Each saved
style resides in its own .gsd file; each .gsd file contains only one style
definition. To automatically associate styles with features, you must set
the Styles folder on the File Locations tab. However, note that the
Working with GeoMedia Professional
6-22
master legend definitions take precedence, so there is a new Delete All
button on the Master Legend dialog box to delete all master legend
entries to avoid this.
Note: Double clicking on a .gsd file opens Internet Explorer.
This style library capability, for example, lets you create a feature class
such as Interstates, and then rather than having to specify a weight of 2.0
and a color of red on the Style Definition dialog box, you can just use
Load and choose from the style library a predefined style, such as
Interstates style.grd. Thus, when this style is loaded, the weight of 2.0 and
color of red are already selected on the Style Definition dialog box.
You may also want to associate styles with feature classes. Say, for
example, that you have a standard set of styles for your features, and you
want to make sure that all users in your organization are using the same set
of standard styles. Saved styles can be associated to a given feature class
or query by assigning the same name to the feature class and the style. In
this way whenever the feature class is added to the legend, the application
checks the style folder to see if there are any styles of the same name, and
the new legend entry is given the correct style.
The style files are accessed automatically when adding new entries to the
legend. When a saved GeoWorkspace with legend entries is opened, the
style files are not accessed; the styles that were stored in the
GeoWorkspace are used. The style files are used for all new feature class
and query legend entries, but they are not used for thematic or raster
legend entries.
To save a new style:
1. Define the style on the appropriate Style Definition dialog box tab.
2. Click Save.
3. Type the new name in the File name field; then click OK to save the
file.
Depending on the geometry type of the style being edited, one of the
following subfolder names will be appended to the default folder (if
the subfolder exists): Point, Line, Area, Text, or Compound.
To load a style:
1. Select the appropriate Style Definition dialog box tab.
2. Click Load.
3. Select the appropriate style file; then click OK.
Working with Map Windows
The selected style is loaded from the style file into the Style Definition
dialog box.
Obtaining Symbols for Feature-Class Displays
The software delivers several symbol libraries that contain symbols you
can use to represent point-type features and to pattern linear and area
features.
The symbol libraries are organized by industry, such as GIS (GISsym.fsm),
Utilities (UTILsym.fsm), Recreation (recreation.fsm), Transportation
(transportation.fsm), and so forth. They are installed in the
<drive:>\Program Files\GeoMedia Professional\Symbols folder. You can
change this default locations on the File Locations tab of the Options
dialog box (Tools > Options).
See the Define Symbol
File utilitys online Help
for complete
information.
If these symbol-library files do not contain the symbols you want, or you
would like to combine symbols from across multiple symbol files, you can
create your own symbol library file using the Define Symbol File utility.
This utility supports assorted file types, including: map window symbol
(.fsm) files, layout window symbol (.sym) files, MicroStation cell (.cel)
files, and AutoCAD block (.dwg) files.
To create your own symbol files:
1. From the Start menu of the Windows taskbar, select Programs >
GeoMedia Professional > Utilities > Define Symbol File.
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2. To place map window symbols (.fsm), layout window symbols (.sym),
AutoCAD blocks (.dwg), or MicroStation cells (.cel), from an existing
file into the new file:
Click Add.
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6-24
Identify the appropriate file type, select a file from the list on the
Add From File dialog box, and then click Open.
Use the SHIFT and CTRL keys to select symbols from the list.
Click Insert.
Click Close.
The symbols you selected are appended to the new library file. Symbol
colors that match the map-window background may be replaced with
another color so they can be seen against the software background.
3. To change the name or description of a symbol, select it, click Edit,
make the changes, and click OK on the Edit Symbols dialog box.
4. To remove a symbol from the library, select it and click Remove.
5. Click Save As, and save the opened file in the \symbols folder.
6. Close the Define Symbol File dialog box.
Note: 1 ) To have the correct color definition transferred from your
MicroStation cell library to the new GeoMedia Professional symbol file,
copy the MicroStation design-file color table used when creating the cells
to <drive>:\Program Files\GeoMedia Professional\Program\Color.tbl.
The RGB definitions obtained from the color table will be used when
creating the new symbols. 2) If MicroStation fonts are used in the .cel
files, for the correct translation of the font, you must copy the font
resource file into the <drive>:\Program Files\GeoMedia
Professional\Program\Symtrans\font.rsc, and update the same location in
MS Resource files entry under the [Options] section of
<drive>:\Program Files\GeoMedia
Professional\Program\Symtrans\DGNGT2D.ini.
To open an existing .fsm file:
On the Define Symbol File dialog box, click Open, and browse to select
the file. Once the file is open, you can edit, add, or remove symbols.
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6-25
6
Creating Symbols in Layout Windows to Use in Map Windows
See Obtaining
Symbols for Feature-
Class Displays in this
chapter and the Define
Symbol File utilitys
online Help.
You can create your own symbols in the layout window through a two-
step workflow. You first create the required symbol with the layout
window graphics commands as a layout window symbol file (.sym), and
then you add it to a map window symbol file (.fsm) with the Define
Symbol File utility.
Note: Double clicking a .fsm file starts the Define Symbol File utility.
When creating the layout window symbol files, you should draw the
graphics at the appropriate output scale and size of intended use, using the
appropriate line thickness and colors. When converted to a map window
symbol file, the size of the symbol is relative, but the line thickness
remains absolute. In other words, you can resize the symbols during
placement, but when you do, the geometry scales, but the line thickness
stays the same. If the symbol size defined with the utility is equivalent to
the original layout window symbol size, the symbol appears identical in
the map window to the symbol drawn in the layout window.
To create a layout window symbol file:
1. Draw the appropriate elements on a layout sheet using any of the
drawing commands located on the Drawing toolbox; then place them
in a select set.
Note: When creating a symbol using different elements, press CTRL
while choosing elements with the Select Tool.
2. From the Drawing toolbox, select Draw > Create Symbol.
3. Click a point on the layout sheet to define the origin of the symbol.
4. On the Save As dialog box, select the directory, and then type an
appropriate name.
The document is saved with a .sym extension.
To add a layout window symbol file to a map window symbol file:
1. From the Start menu of the Windows taskbar, select Programs >
GeoMedia Professional > Utilities > Define Symbol File.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
2. To place a layout window symbols (.sym) into a new or existing file:
Click Add.
Select Layout Window Symbol Files (*.sym) as the file type,
select a file from the list on the Add From File dialog box, and
then click Open.
Select the symbols from the list.
Click Insert.
Click Close.
The symbol selected is appended to the new library file.
3. Click Save As, and save the opened file in the \symbols folder.
4. Close the Define Symbol File dialog box.
Setting a Scale Range for a Map Object
One way to define the display in your map window is to set a scale range
for map objects. This means that, when the view scale of the map window
falls within the scale range of a legend entry, whether or not the object is
displayed depends on whether or not the Display property of the legend
entry is set to By scale.
For example, interstate highways might be set to display at scales between
1:250,000 and 1:1,000,000. Zooming to a scale outside this range causes
the display of interstate highways to turn off and the legend-entry title to
be gray.
You can also use this to display feature classes differently depending on
the display scale. For example, at 1:1,000,000 U.S. Interstates may be
drawn as a single line, but as you zoom in they could be drawn as thicker,
double lines.
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Working with Map Windows
To set a scale range for a map object:
1. Select Legend > Properties.
2. On the Entries tab of the Legend Properties dialog box, select the
Display cell of the entry you want to set a scale range for.
3. From the drop-down list, scroll down and select By Scale.
4. Click Scale.
5. On the Scale Range dialog box, select a predefined range, select
minimum and maximum range values from the drop-down lists, or key
in minimum and maximum range values between 1 and 1,000,000,000.
6. Click OK.
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Changing the Locatability of Map Objects
A map object must be locatable to be selected with the cursor. Turning off
the locatability setting helps when you have several feature classes
clustered in one area but only want to select from one feature class.
Likewise, it makes no sense to select certain map objects, such as
backdrops or logos. You can turn its locatability off to prevent its being
selected accidentally.
An arrow next to the legend entry indicates that an object is locatable.
You control this through the Locatable column on the Entries tab of the
Legend Properties dialog box or the Locatable item on the right mouse
menu. An arrow in the cell means the map object is locatable. Clicking
the cell toggles locatability on and off.
Setting Defaults for Feature-Class Legend Entries
When a feature-class entry or query is added to a legend for the first time,
an entry for that feature class or query is automatically added to the master
legend, where default styles and properties for these legend entries are set.
The master legend serves as a template for map objects on all the legends
in a GeoWorkspace.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Through the master legend, you can change the default properties for a
feature class so that it will display with the same properties each time it is
added to any legend in the GeoWorkspace. When a feature class that
already has a master-legend entry is added to a legend, it is displayed with
the properties defined in the master legend.
All feature classes in connected warehouses are available from the master
legend but do not have master-legend entries until they have been added to
a legend or accessed from the Master Legend dialog box.
For example, if you want the feature class railroads to be displayed by
default as green dotted lines when subsequently added to a legend, you
can change the default legend-entry properties through the Master
Legend dialog box .
You can change master-legend entries at any time by selecting Legend >
Master Legend from the GeoMedia Professional menu. Changes to the
master legend do not affect existing legend entries, but do affect future
additions to legends. You can use the master legend to change the default
legend properties for a feature class, and still customize individual
legends with the Legend Properties dialog box.
The master legend entries override the styles in the style files. When you
add features to the legend, the software first checks if there is a master
legend entry for the feature class or query. If there is no entry in the
master legend, the style file is used. If there is no match in the style file,
the legend entry is given a default style. You can override the master
legend behavior by using the Delete All button on the dialog box to clear
all entries in the master legend.
Displaying the North Arrow
See the Inserting
North Arrows section
in the Designing Map
Layouts for Printing in
the Layout Window
chapter for information
on using north arrows
in the layout window.
By default, the north arrow is not displayed. You can toggle the display
on and off in the active map window through View > North Arrow. You
can display only one north arrow in a map window.
You can click and drag the north arrow anywhere within the map window.
The size of the north arrow remains constant regardless of how the scale is
changed in the map window. If the azimuth is defined by the north arrow
location, the north arrow is intelligent, that is, it updates dynamically when
you move it or when you resize or pan through the window. If the azimuth
is user-defined, the north arrow does not update dynamically.
The direction of the north arrow is determined in the following manner:
1. The center of the north arrow window is calculated (the center of the
square box around the north arrow).
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Working with Map Windows
2. The position of this center point on the earth is determined.
3. The world coordinates for the center point are given to the Coordinate
System Manager and the azimuth of that point is returned.
4. The arrow is rotated about the center point to match the azimuth.
To change the appearance of the north arrow:
You can change the symbol used, size, background color, position, and
azimuth of the north arrow. In addition, you can set the north arrow
transparency, that is, whether the north arrow background is transparent
when the map window is printed. You can print the north arrow without a
background so that any items behind the north arrow are visible, or you
can print the north arrow so that it masks all the items behind and the
background uses the specified background color. The north arrow always
masks when displayed in the map window. You can also display a
compass rose instead of a north arrow. As you make changes in the
symbol, north azimuth, and background color, they are displayed in the
Preview area. This display is always at a fixed size; it does not reflect
changes made in the Size field.
Note: If your operating system is Microsoft Windows 95, you cannot
change the north-arrow symbol or rotate the north-arrow symbol.
1. With the north arrow displayed in the active map window, select Edit
> North Arrow Properties, or right click the north arrow and select
Properties from the pop-up menu.
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Working with GeoMedia Professional
6-30
2. To change the north-arrow symbol, browse to select a different one.
The product delivers .wmf files for north arrows and compass roses in
the \GeoMedia Professional\Program folder, but you can also select
another one if you have it.
Note: To see graphics of all the north arrows and compass roses, open
the NorthArrows.pdf file, which is also in the \GeoMedia
Professional\Program folder.
3. Select the size from the Size drop-down list, or type the appropriate
value. The north arrow is not defined in ground units; it is printed at
the position and size specified in the map window.
Note: The largest value in the drop-down list is 96, but you can type a
larger value in the Size field. The maximum size allowed is 32767
points.
4. Click the Background color button to change the background color.
Note: If you want the arrow to appear transparent in the map window,
select a color that matches the background of the map window.
5. To make the background of the north arrow transparent during
printing, check the Print transparent check box.
Note: The north arrow appears in a printed copy exactly as it appears
in the map window.
6. Select Azimuth at north arrow location to draw the north arrow
according to the north azimuth of the north arrow location.
OR
7. Select Custom azimuth to define your own azimuth of north, by
selecting or , typing the appropriate degree value.
Note: The azimuth of north is measured clockwise from the vertical:
0 points straight up, 90 points horizontally to the right, 180 points
straight down, and so forth. .
Working with Map Windows
8. To save the settings on the North Arrow Properties dialog box as the
default settings for all map windows in the GeoWorkspace, click Save
as Default If you do not, only the properties and location of the north
arrow in the active window are saved
9. Click OK.
Displaying the Scale Bar
The scale bar shows intervals in ground units to indicate the distance
on a map. You toggle the display of the scale bar on and off in the
active map window through View > Scale Bar.
See the Inserting Scale
Bars section in the
Designing Map Layouts
for Printing in the
Layout Window chapter
for information on using
scale bars in the layout
window.
The scale bar shows the scale for the window in which it is displayed.
You can display only one scale bar in a map window. You can click
and drag the scale bar anywhere within the map window. The scale
that the scale bar uses is the scale of the map window. The
measurement unit of the scale bar is km by default, but you may
change that using the Edit > Scale Bar Properties command.
The scale bar provides great flexibility for changing its appearance
through Scale Bar Properties. You can easily change the scale bar
displayed in the active map window by selecting Edit > Scale Bar
Properties or right clicking the scale bar and selecting Properties from
the pop-up menu, and then setting appropriately the options on the three
tabs of the dialog box. As you make changes, they are displayed in the
Preview area.
The Style tab lets you define the display characteristics of the scale bar
including the type, color, and line widths.
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Working with GeoMedia Professional
You can choose from the following types of scale bars:
Single Block Double Block Single Block with Centerline
Single Ruler with Ticks Down Single Ruler with Ticks Up Double Ruler
Stepped Ruler
This tab also lets you select the color fill of odd- and even-numbered
interval blocks and the line work in the scale bar. In addition, you set the
scale bar height, width, and centerline. Finally, you can specify whether
the scale bar background is transparent when the map window is printed.
You can print the scale bar without a background so that it lets any items
behind the scale bar be seen. Or you can have the scale bar mask all the
items behind it when printed with the background using the specified
color. The scale bar always masks when displayed in the map window.
The Intervals and Units tab lets you specify information such as the
number of intervals, interval length, and ground units represented by the
scale bar. You can also define the text, position, and font characters of the
units label.
See the Conversion
Tables appendix for
converting from the
International System of
Units (metric) to the
U.S. Customary
System, and vice versa.
If you modify the extents of the map window, the scale bar automatically
resizes to indicate the correct scale bar length. The scale bar length and
the number of displayed intervals may be shortened or lengthened to
maintain a length that is approximately one-fifth the width of the map
window. To ensure that information is displayed clearly, the scale bar
holds a minimum length.
You can define the interval properties for the scale bar or have them
automatically calculated based on the size of the map display associated
with the scale bar. When you specify the number of intervals and/or
interval length, the scale bar maintains those values regardless of the
effects of resizing or rescaling. If the resulting display is inappropriate,
you can change the scale bar-interval properties.
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Working with Map Windows
You can choose from the following unit label positions on the Intervals
and Units tab:
Above scale bar Below scale bar
Before interval labels After interval labels
Before and after interval labels Before scale bar
After scale bar Before and after scale bar
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The Labels tab lets you specify the appearance of the scale bar numbers
and caption and where they are displayed.
You can choose from the following fixed interval label locations on the
Labels tab:
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Every interval Intervals and first subinterval
Intervals and all subintervals Intervals and first midpoint
Scale bar ends and zero
The following example shows displayed interval label ticks:
Note: For scale bars in the map window, the unit for this property is
defined by the Line weight field on the Style Units dialog box accessed
through the found on the Style Definition dialog box of the legend.
Measuring Distances
See the Conversion
Tables appendix for
converting from the
International System of
Units (metric) to the
U.S. Customary
System, and vice versa.
The Measure Distance tool calculates the linear distance between two or
more points. The measurement interpretation option, the units of measure,
and their precision are set on the Units and Formats tab of the Define
Coordinate System File dialog box. In addition, this tool updates the
Precision Coordinates control with the coordinate values of each
snapped point found as you move the cursor in the active map window
instead of the coordinate values of the actual cursor position.
To find the area of a feature, right click a single area feature that you have
selected, and select Select Set Properties from the pop-up menu. The
area of the feature is listed on the General tab.
When using Oracle and measuring areas of features that contain arcs,
GeoMedia Professional reads the three points stored in Oracle to represent
the arc and generates a GeoMedia ArcGeometry object from them.
Internally, this object consists of a start point, an end point, a radius, a
normal vector and a greater than PI flag. The GeoMedia ArcGeometry
does not keep track of the original point on the arc that is stored in Oracle
(nor does it need to in order to do its job).
For measurement, GeoMedia Professional strokes the 3-D representation
of the arc to a 3-D polyline using a very fine tolerance, which is calculated
by the measurement software to ensure that the area measurements are
correct to within 0.01 sq. m. The points resulting from stroking (perhaps
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Working with Map Windows
thousands of them) are then projected to the 2-D plane. The resulting 2-D
polyline can be a representation of an elliptical arc in 2-D, which is what
you would see when viewing such an arc from a top view. What is
important is when the arc is stroked, before it is projected to the 2-D plane,
or after.
To measure distance:
1. Optional: Start Define Coordinate System File, and use the Units
and Formats tab to change the units to be used to measure.
2. Select Tools > Measure Distance, or select Measure Distance from
the map-window pop-up menu.
3. In the map window, click the starting point, and move the mouse to
draw a dashed line to the second point.
The dashed line moves with the mouse, and the Distance fields in the
Measure Distance dialog box is updated dynamically. If the Update
coordinates on mouse move option has been set on the Precision
Coordinates control, its coordinate values are also updated
dynamically.
Note: You can use snaps during measurement to snap to specific
locations.
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4. Click the second point, and move the mouse to the third point, click it,
and continue in this fashion until you have the measurement you want.
You can press the BACKSPACE key to delete a previous point
measurement, and right click to reset and start over.
Now the Distance field shows the distance from the last point as you
move the mouse, and the Total field shows the cumulative distance
between all points clicked (it does not update dynamically as the
mouse moves).
5. Press the right mouse button to clear the measure.
6. Leave the Measure Distance dialog box displayed while you work on
other tasks, or dismiss it by clicking the X on the title bar.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Taking a Snapshot of the Map Window
You can copy an image of the active map window to the Clipboard by
selecting the Snapshot tool from the GeoMedia Professional Edit menu
or from the map-window pop-up menu. Use the Paste tool to paste it
into any application that supports Object Linking and Embedding (OLE),
such as Word, MSPaint, or an HTML Web page.
Deleting Map Objects through the Legend
You remove an object from a map window and from a legend by deleting
the associated legend entry. Deleting the legend entry does not delete the
data from the warehouse. There are two ways to delete map objects
through the legend:
Select the associated legend entry or entries, using the SHIFT key to
select contiguous entries and the CTRL key to select discontiguous
entries or to deselect entries, and press DELETE.
On the Legend Properties dialog box, select the row selector for the
map object you want to remove, and click Delete or press DELETE.
Customizing the Legend
You can move, resize, and close the legend as you would any standard
window. Generally, you control how the legend and legend entries appear
in the map window by setting the legend properties.
After customizing a legend, you can save it by giving it a name, and then
you can use it in other map windows within the same GeoWorkspace.
When you create a new map window, the New Map Window dialog box
presents a list of all the named legends in the GeoWorkspace. You can
select one of the named legends or an empty one.
IMPORTANT: If you close a map window without naming the legend,
the legend is deleted.
In addition to the steps listed below, you can use certain shortcuts to
change legend (and thus map-object) properties.
To edit the style of a map object, double click the style key on its
legend entry.
To change a thematic-display attribute, double click the attribute key.
6-36
Working with Map Windows
To edit a title or subtitle of a legend entry, double click the title or
subtitle.
To change the display priority of map objects, drag legend entries up
or down the legend with the cursor.
To delete a map object, select its legend entry and press DELETE.
If you have created and customized a legend that you want to use in other
GeoWorkspaces, save the GeoWorkspace in which you have customized
the legend as a template. Then, when you create a new GeoWorkspace,
select that template and use the customized legend.
To control the appearance of legend entries:
1. Select Legend > Properties.
2. Select the General tab of the Legend Properties dialog box.
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6
3. Set the font characteristics of the legend-entry text by clicking the
Title, Subtitle, and Heading buttons in the Font box. The Title
column on the Entries tab contains the legend-entry title, and the
Subtitle column contains the legend-entry subtitle. Subtitles are not
added by default.
4. Click the Background color button to select the background color of
the legend from the Color dialog box.
5. Turn tooltips on or off to suit your preference.
Tooltips are helpful instructions that appear in pop-up windows when
you pause the cursor over legend entries.
For example, if you hold the cursor over a query style key, the
message Double click to edit style appears.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Note: This check box does not control tooltips for the GeoMedia
Professional toolbar. You control the display of the toolbar tooltips
through View > Toolbars.
6. Turn statistics on or off to suit your preference. The type of statistics
shown depends on the type of legend entry. For example, feature
classes, queries, and images show count statistics. You specify the
type of statistics for thematic displays on the Map by Ranges and
Unique Values dialog boxes.
7. Turn the title bar on or off to suit your preference.
8. Check Autofit legend if you want the legend to resize automatically
whenever an entry is hidden, deleted, added, collapsed, or has a title or
subtitle change.
9. Click OK to accept the changes.
To fit the legend:
You fit the legend in one of the following ways:
Double click the title bar or the white space around legend entries.
From the GeoMedia Professional menu, select Legend > Fit Legend.
To turn off the display of legend entries:
To gain space on the legend, you can turn off the display of some legend
entries without turning off the display of map objects in the map window.
The Entry column on the Entries tab controls whether the legend entry is
visible or hidden on the legend. A check indicates that the entry is visible.
Clicking the cell toggles the status on and off.
To name a legend:
1. To name and thus save the legend in the active map window, select
Legend > Name Legend.
2. On the Name Legend dialog box, type a name for the legend.
3. Click OK.
6-38
Working with Map Windows
To rename a legend:
1. Select Legend > Legends.
2. On the Legends dialog box, click Organizer.
3. On the Legend Organizer dialog box, click Rename.
4. On the Rename Legend dialog box, type the new name in the Name
field.
5. Click OK.
6. Close the Legend Organizer and Legends dialog boxes.
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6
To replace a legend:
You can replace the legend in the active map window with a copy of
another named legend.
1. Select Legend > Legends.
2. Select the legend that you want to use as the replacement.
3. Click Replace.
To delete a legend:
1. Select Legend > Legends.
2. On the Legends dialog box, click Organizer.
3. On the Legend Organizer dialog box, select the legend that you want
to delete.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
6-40
4. Click Delete.
5. Close the Legend Organizer and Legends dialog boxes.
Customizing the Legend Toolbar
The default Legend toolbar contains buttons for the most commonly used
legend operations, but you can customize it to suit your preferences.
To customize the Legend toolbar:
1. Select Tools > Customize.
2. On the Toolbars tab of the Customize dialog box, select Legend
from the list of categories.
3. Drag buttons for functions you do not want off the Legend toolbar.
4. Drag buttons for functions you do want from the grouping of available
buttons onto the Legend toolbar.
5. If you want to add the button that turns the legend on and off, select it
from the View category.
6. Close the Customize dialog box.
Using the Legend Pop-up Menu
You display the legend pop-up (right mouse) menu by clicking the right
mouse button with your cursor on a legend entry. You can select multiple
legend entries while holding down the CTRL or SHIFT key. The status of
the legend entry or entries that you select determines which options are
available on the pop-up menu.
Option Does this
Display On
Display Off
Turns on or off the display of objects in the map window
associated with the selected legend entries.
Display by Scale Displays map objects associated with selected legend
entries according to scale.
Locatable Toggles locatability of map objects associated with the
selected legend entries. A checkmark by this menu item
indicates that all map objects associated with selected
legend entries are locatable. No checkmark indicates that
one or more map objects associated with selected legend
entries have locatability turned off. When a legend entry
has locatability turned off, the arrow beside it disappears.
Working with Map Windows
Load Data Loads data that was previously in an unloaded state for the
selected legend entries.
Hide Legend
Entry
Hides selected legend entries on the legend without
affecting the display of associated objects in the map
window.
To display a hidden legend entry, use the Legend
Properties dialog box.
Collapse
Legend Entry
Collapses or expands selected thematic display legend
entries. A checkmark by the menu item indicates that all
selected legend entries are collapsed. No checkmark
indicates that one or more selected legend entries are not
collapsed.
If multiple entries are selected and not all are collapsed,
clicking on this option collapses expanded entries.
Fit Legend Fits the legend to display all entries.
Legend Hides the legend.
Properties Displays the Legend Properties dialog box.
Creating Additional Map Windows
You can create multiple map windows in a GeoWorkspace to display
different views of your map. Each map window contains its own legend,
north arrow, and scale bar.
To create a map window:
1. Select Window > New Map Window.
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2. Type a title for the map window in the Window name field.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
6-42
3. Select a legend for the map window. The legend can be one that has
already been named (saved) in the GeoWorkspace, if one exists, or an
empty legend.
4. Click OK.
Displaying Design Files
See Connecting to a
CAD Warehouse in the
Working with
Warehouses chapter
and the Define CAD
Server Schema File
utilitys online Help.
Display Design Files allows you to quickly and easily display
MicroStation V7/IGDS file data in a map window based solely on levels.
This command provides an alternative to using the delivered Define CAD
Server Schema File to specify the parameters the software uses when
creating connections with the CAD server. Thus, you do not need to have
a complete understanding of the CAD data or knowledge of the project,
for example, how the features are defined in the project and whether the
graphics in the project have attributes. This is useful for quick viewing or
backdrop data. Currently, this command displays only MicroStation
Version 7 files; MicroStation Version 8 files are not supported.
This command automatically builds the CAD server schema (.csd) file
from a level-based template, makes a connection to that .csd file, and then
displays the data in the active map window according to the specified
levels (0-63, with level 0 for cells). Depending on your selection, there is
one legend (feature class) entry displayed per level.
In addition, you can create a feature class that encompasses all of the
levels. This additional feature class is a convenience to you if you want to
see the entire map without style differentiation between levels. In this
case, only one legend entry is created.
Note: If the GeoWorkspace options are set to match the GeoWorkspace
and the default warehouse coordinate systems when you first make a
connection, and if there are no connections in the GeoWorkspace, and if
you have specified a coordinate system file - then the GeoWorkspace
coordinate system is changed to match the coordinate system you
specified.
To display design files:
1. Select Tools > Display Design Files.
Working with Map Windows
2. In the Folder field, type the complete path of the folder containing the
design files, or use Browse to locate the folder.
3. From the Available files list, select one or more design files you want
to display.
4. Optional: In the Coordinate system file field, type the complete path
of the file to be used for all selected design files, or use Browse to
select the file.
5. Optional: Change the default in the CAD server schema file field by
typing the complete path of the CAD server schema output file or by
using Browse to locate the file.
6. Optional: In the Connection name field, change the default
connection name.
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7. Accept the default All levels together display option, or select Levels
individually and type the appropriate levels in the field.
Note: These settings are not mutually exclusive, so you have the
ability to map individually selected design file levels as separate
feature classes in addition to mapping all design file levels into a
single feature class.
8. Click OK.
The software creates a new CAD server schema file and a CAD server
connection with that file, and (depending on your selection) displays
the features on the specified levels in the active map window.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
6-44
Note: If you do not select a display option, the command terminates
after making the connection. You then need to use Legend > Add
Feature Class to display any features.
7-1
7
Working with Data Windows
Each data window contains the nongraphic attributes of a single feature
class or query. This equates to a feature table, with each column
representing an attribute and each row representing an instancea
featureof the feature class. The data in each cell is called a value or
attribute value. Data windows display area, linear, point, image,
compound, graphics text, and nongraphic feature classes, but do not
display geometry or spatial index key attributes.
In a read/write warehouse, you can review and edit the features and values
in a data window, and any changes you make will be reflected in the map
window. So, if you delete a row in a data window, the corresponding
feature is also deleted from the map.
Opening a Data Window
To open a data window, you must be connected to a warehouse. Once you
open a warehouse connection, you can select a feature class or query result
to display in a data window.
To open a data window:
1. Select Window > New Data Window.
2. Type a title for the data window in the Window name field.
3. Click the plus sign next to the warehouse or query folder that contains
the feature class you want to display in the data window.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
If you select a query that has not been run, the software runs the query
and displays the results in the data window. If you select a query that
has been run, the existing results are displayed in the data window.
4. Click OK.
The Data menu replaces the Legend menu.
Controlling the Data Window
To the left of a data-window title or in the upper-left corner of a
maximized data window is the data-window icon.
Clicking this icon displays a menu that allows you to control the data
window. Depending on the current state of the data window, this menu
lets you do the following:
Restore a minimized window.
Move, restore, minimize, or maximize the window.
Close the data window.
Activate the next data or map window in the stack.
In addition, the GeoMedia Professional Window menu contains tools for
cascading or tiling windows and for activating a different window. The
bottom of this menu lists all the open windows in the GeoWorkspace. A
checkmark appears next to the title of the active window.
7-2
Working with Data Windows
To change the title of a data window:
7-3
7
1. Select Window > Data Window Properties.
2. On the Data Window Properties dialog box, type a new title in the
Data window name field.
3. Click OK.
Using the Mouse in a Data Window
Note: If your mouse has been reconfigured so that the button functions
are reversed, you must reverse left and right mouse-button instructions in
all the products documents.
In a data window, you use the left mouse button to do the following:
Activate the window.
Place the cursor.
Create a select set.
Select a table, row, column, or cell.
You use the right mouse button to open the data-window pop-up menu.
This menu contains tools commonly used in the data window.
Using an IntelliMouse
If you have a Microsoft IntelliMouse, you can use it to manipulate the
display in your data windows faster and more efficiently. Rolling the
IntelliMouse wheel forward scrolls up at the cursor location. Rolling the
IntelliMouse wheel backward scrolls down at the cursor location.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Using the Data-View Tools
To adjust the display in a data window, you use the data view tools, which
you access on the Data menu, from the Data toolbar, or from the data-
window pop-up menu. These tools are available only when a data window
is active. Before you use some of these viewing tools, you generally have
to select the entire table, one or more rows, one or more columns, or one or
more cells.
To select the entire table, click the table button in the upper-left corner
of the data window, or select Edit > Select All Rows.
To select cell contents, click the cell.
To select a row, click the row selector. To select adjacent cells in a
row, click and drag the mouse cursor across the cells.
To select a column, click the column header. To select adjacent cells
in a column, click and drag the mouse up or down.
You can use the SHIFT and CTRL keys to add and remove rows or
columns to or from a select set, but you cannot select a column and then
add a row, or select a row and then add a cell from another row.
To show columns in the table:
1. Select Data > Show Columns.
2. On the Show Columns dialog box, toggle the display of individual
columns (attributes) on or off. A check beside a column name means
that the column is shown in the data window. Removing the check
hides the column, but does not delete it.
3. Click OK.
7-4
Working with Data Windows
7-5
7
To hide columns in the table:
You can hide columns in one of two ways. One way is to toggle it off on
the Show Columns dialog box. Here is another:
1. Select the column you want to hide by clicking its header cell. You
can select multiple contiguous cells by dragging the cursor across the
column headers. You select discontiguous columns by pressing the
CTRL key while clicking the column headers.
2. Select Data > Hide Columns. This tool is only available when at least
one column is selected. You can hide all but one column.
To promote rows in the table:
1. Click the row selector(s) of the rows you want to promote to the top of
the table.
2. Select Data > Promote Columns.
When multiple rows are promoted, they are displayed at the top, but
they retain their original order in the table.
To sort rows in the table:
1. Click the header of the column by which you want the rows sorted.
2. To sort rows in ascending order, select Data > Sort Ascending.
3. To sort rows in descending order, select Data > Sort Descending.
To display column statistics:
1. Click the header of the column for which you want statistics. The
attribute must be numeric.
2. Select Data > Column Statistics.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
To change the contents of the active data window:
1. Select Data > Change Contents.
2. On the Data Window Contents dialog box, select another feature
class or query.
3. Click OK to update the active data window.
Editing Cells in the Data Window
When you edit a cell or field in the data window, you are changing the
value of an attribute of the affected feature. The software uses standard
Windows editing tools and the Clipboard to allow you to cut, copy, and
paste text in the data window. These actions do not affect hidden cells or
cells containing hypertext. You can also use the Clipboard to copy
features in the data window, but associated graphics are not copied.
Edit > Cut deletes selected cell values. You cannot cut cells containing
the primary key or other required values.
Edit > Copy copies selected multiple cells, columns, and rows to the
Clipboard as text. For example, you can copy a data view into an Excel
spreadsheet. You can select cells directly as a range of one or more
cells or indirectly by selecting rows or columns, which you can select in
various ways including their buttons on the data window, the Select
Tool in the map window, Select by Legend Entry, and so forth. This
command is enabled when you select one or several cells, rows, or
columns in the data window.
Both the Cut and Copy commands let you copy data window column
headers to the clipboard. You set this option through the Copy data
window column headers to clipboard check box on the General tab
of the Options dialog box (Tools > Options). The default (unchecked)
is to not copy the headers.
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Working with Data Windows
7-7
7
If you are cutting or copying a single cell, the copy header setting is
ignored and the headers are not included. Also, if you have copied data
to the clipboard with column headers, the headers are removed before
you paste the cell data back into the data window.
Edit > Paste copies data from the Clipboard to the selected cell(s).
When you select a single cell, the data on the Clipboard is pasted to the
right and down from the selected cell, replacing the selected cell. When
you select a contiguous block of cells, the data on the Clipboard
replaces each selected cell with the corresponding entry on the
Clipboard.
Paste will not work in the following circumstances:
If the shape you want to paste does not match exactly the shape of the
selected cell(s), except when pasting to one cell.
If pasting to the right and down would exceed the number of columns
in the data window.
If pasting would create null values for required cells.
If the primary key column is not displayed.
If pasting would require an invalid data conversion, such as trying to
paste a text string containing letters into a numeric field.
If pasting would require duplicate values for the primary key field or
any other fields requiring unique values.
In pasting into the last row, the software tries to paste all cells from the
Clipboard. If you have selected multiple cells in the last row, the
shapes must match exactly. If you have selected a single cell, cells are
pasted to the right of the selected cell, but not down. If the paste
would populate required fields and create a unique primary key, the
paste creates new features in the database corresponding to each row
from the Clipboard. Pasting does not occur if the paste would not
populate the required fields, or if the paste would create duplicate
primary keys.
You can use Edit > Undo to undo changes made as in standard
Microsoft Office products. You cannot use Undo following a cut or
paste operation.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Taking a Snapshot of the Data Window
You can copy an image of the active data window to the Clipboard by
selecting the Snapshot tool from the GeoMedia Professional Edit menu or
from the data-window pop-up menu. Hidden columns and cells containing
hypertext are not copied.
You can paste the snapshot into any application that supports OLE, such as
Word, MSPaint, or an HTML Web page.
7-8
8-1
8
Working with Features
A feature is represented in a map window by geometry and is further
defined by nongraphic attributes in the database. The values of these
nongraphic attributes can be viewed as cells in the data window view on
the non-spatial data of the feature. For example, a parcel of landParcel
126-Ais represented graphically in the map window by area geometry.
The area geometry attributes for Parcel 126-A are part of a single row in
the Parcels table. The Parcels table contains information about all the
members of the Parcels feature class. Parcel 126-A is one of 15 members
of this feature class. The Parcels table, therefore, contains 15 rows, one
for each parcel.
Among the nongraphic attributes of Parcel 126-A are its identification
number (126A), the name of its owner (P. Brown), and its assessed value
($10,000). Each of these attributes is a column in the Parcels table. So,
the Parcels table has at least the following three columns: ID, OWNER,
and ASSESSED_VALUE.
126A, P. Brown, and $10,000 are values (or cells) in the ID, OWNER, and
ASSESSED_VALUE columns of the row containing the geometry for the
Parcel 126-A geometry.
In a read/write warehouse, you can create a new feature class, delete a
feature class, and edit a feature class definition. You can edit a feature
class in the following ways:
By adding attributes (columns)
By removing attributes
By changing attributes
In a read/write warehouse, you can also manage feature data in the
following ways:
By changing attribute values (cells)
By adding or deleting features (rows)
IMPORTANT: Changes to data in a read/write warehouse are
automatically saved as soon as you make them.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Understanding Geometry Types
Geometry refers to the graphic representation of a feature in the map
window. Features are represented by the following geometry types:
A point feature is represented by one or more points on a map that
represent the location of a feature. A point can also represent
features that cannot be mapped at the defined map scale. Points can
have an orientation, that is, they can be rotated. Elevation control
points, oil wells, and manholes are all examples of point features.
A linear feature is represented by one or more lines and/or arcs.
What appears on the map to be a single line may actually be line
segments strung together to form a single feature. Rivers, railroad
tracks, utility lines, and roads are examples of linear features.
An area feature is represented by closed boundaries. Each boundary
may or may not contain one or more holes, and the boundaries and
holes themselves may be composed of one or more lines and/or arcs.
Counties and land parcels are examples of area features.
A compound feature may have point, linear, and/or area geometry
within the feature class or even within a single feature.
A text feature is represented by text that appears at a point location
on a map. You can place text in an existing text feature class or
create a new one to contain it. Text can have an orientation, that is,
it can be rotated.
An image feature is a raster image.
Features can be contiguous or discontiguous. A contiguous feature has a
single geometry. In a map data set, for example, California is a single
contiguous feature that consists of one geometry. A discontiguous feature
consists of multiple geometries. For example, Hawaii is a single
discontiguous feature that consists of several islands, each island being a
separate geometry.
Note: When a discontiguous area is placed so that it completely encloses
a second discontiguous area, then the second discontiguous area becomes a
hole inside the area being placed. When the hole completely encloses a
third discontiguous area, the third discontiguous area becomes an island.
You can create a hole in an area geometry by adding a second area
geometry that falls entirely inside the boundary of the first area geometry.
You can create an island inside the hole by adding a third area geometry
that falls entirely inside the boundary of the second area geometry.
8-2
Working with Features
8-3
8
Working with Feature Classes
In GeoMedia Professional, you can create a feature class from an active
map window or data window, and only in an open read/write Access
warehouse. When you add a feature to a feature class, you have the option
of placing geometry. A feature does not need geometry to exist, although
most features do have geometry.
The software allows you to create feature classes in various ways:
From scratch
By copying some of the information from an existing feature class into
a new feature class in the same warehouse
By importing data
By outputting to feature classes
By attaching an external data source
When you add a feature to a feature class, you have the option of placing
geometry. A feature does not need geometry to exist, although most
features do have geometry.
Coordinate Systems
When creating a feature class through the Feature Class Definition
command, you select a coordinate system to be assigned to the primary
geometry field of the feature class from the list of available warehouse
coordinate systems. Upon starting this command, a coordinate system is
pre-selected on the General tab of New/Edit/Copy <FeatureClass>
dialog box. For a new feature class, this is the inherent default coordinate
system. For an existing feature class being edited or reviewed, this is the
coordinate system assigned to the primary geometry field.
The available warehouse coordinate systems are listed alphabetically with
an icon for each to indicate its validity and default status, as follows:
Non-default coordinate system.
Default coordinate system, with Default appended to its name. If
the coordinate system name is blank, it is listed with <Unnamed #>,
where # is a number to make the name unique within the list. If the
coordinate system has a non-unique name within the list, the name is
appended with #, a number to make it unique within the list.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Temporary coordinate system. When a new coordinate system
definition is defined, it is added to the list and assigned this icon as
this coordinate system has not yet been written to the warehouse.
Invalid coordinate system. In cases where the coordinate system
environment is faulty such as the following:
Client side coordinate system metadata table does not exist or
there is no reference to it in the server side table.
The metadata table is properly set up (that is, it exists and is
referenced), but it is empty.
The metadata table is populated but does not contain the
coordinate system referenced by the primary geometry field of
the feature class.
Clicking Save As Default on this tab lets you set the selected coordinate
system to be the default for the read/write warehouse and assign it to the
feature class. Only one coordinate system can be set as the default.
Clicking Properties on this tab lets you review the selected coordinate
system definition on the Coordinate System dialog box. If the coordinate
system has not yet been written to the warehouse, you can edit its
definition. You can then save all of the changes to the new coordinate
system definition and assign the modified coordinate system to the primary
geometry field of the feature class. If the coordinate system was identified
as the default warehouse coordinate system, this information is also
written to the warehouse.
Clicking New on this tab lets you define a new coordinate system on the
Coordinate System dialog box and assign it to the feature class. When a
coordinate system in the warehouse is modified, the new coordinate
system definition is added to the list and is assigned the temporary
coordinate system bitmap as this coordinate system has not yet been
written to the warehouse. Once added, the new coordinate system can be
edited and/or set as default in the warehouse.
Key Attributes
Each feature class created from scratch or by copying must contain a key
attribute and a primary, unique index value on that key. You can define
multiple key fields (up to ten) for a feature class on the Attributes tab of
the New/Edit/Copy <FeatureClass> dialog box. Note that there can
only be one attribute with data type autonumber. You set the key
definition for the current or selected attribute row by clicking the Set
Primary Key button on this tab. When the selected attribute is already a
part of the primary key, the button caption changes to Unset Primary Key.
8-4
Working with Features
8-5
8
Ordering of the attributes in defining the primary compound key is
determined by the order in which they are defined. As you define new
keys, they are added at the next available index. When a key is undefined,
that key is removed, and all key indices below it are adjusted accordingly.
The Key column on this tab indicates the key priority ordering by
including the index number (1 to 10).
You cannot modify the key index order directly. However, by undefining
and redefining keys, you can move them to a different index position. For
example, to move the key at index 1 to index 2 when there are 2 keys
defined, you have to undefine and redefine key 1. When you undefine it,
key 2 moves up to the first position. When you redefine it, it is added at
index 2.
See Connecting to an
ODBC Tabular
Warehouse in the
Working with
Warehouses chapter
and the Working with
Feature Classes topic
in GeoMedia
Professional Help.
The ODBC Tabular Data Server allows you to create a connection to any
nongraphic table in an ODBC-compliant data source. Thus, you can
access additional data stores containing tabular-only data, such as
coordinate locations, addresses, and additional attribute information. In
addition, you can attach one or more tabular-only feature classes from the
following external data sources with the Feature Definition command: a
text file, an Excel worksheet, or an Xbase database. You can, however,
only attach an external data source to a read/write Access warehouse
connection.
You can view and handle the resulting table(s) in the target read/write
connection similarly to other tables except that the feature class is read-
only. For example, you can edit the name, description, and data source
name of the attached table and copy an attached table. When you copy an
attached table, the software creates a local table without data. This new,
empty table then serves as a template into which you can add data.
The software also allows you to easily to review the general and attribute
feature class properties or an attached table definition, to delete a feature
class, and to detach an attached table.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
You should use the Feature Class Definition command to add or to
modify features in an Access warehouse. Using Microsoft Access to
modify features in a GeoMedia Access warehouse can result in the
improper operation of the feature class or corruption of the warehouse.
You should never delete or modify these tables with Microsoft Access:
GcoordSystemTable INGRFeatures
Gmodifications INGRGeometryProperties
GmodifiedTables INGRAttributeProperties
INGRSQLOperatorsTable INGRFieldLookup
See the Defining
Attribute-Filter Queries
section in the Analyzing
GeoMedia Professional
Data chapter.
The words in the following list are the keywords in SQL Parser. They
are considered GeoMedia Keywords. As such, they cannot be used in
table or column names or anywhere else in a given warehouse. They
can only be used as part of SQL queries.
ABS ALL AND ANY ASC
AVG BETWEEN BY COMMIT COUNT
DATE DELETE DESC DISTINCT EXISTS
FLOAT FROM GROUP HAVING ININSERT
INTO IS LIKE MAX MIN
NOT NULL ON OR ORDER
ROLLBACK SELECT SET SOME SUM
TIME TIMESTAMP UNION UPDATE VALUES
WHERE WITH TO_DATE TO_CHAR TO_NUMBE
R
To create a feature class from scratch:
1. Select Warehouse > Feature Class Definition.
8-6
Working with Features
Note: This dialog box is resizable for better viewing of long query
names.
2. Select the connection to the read/write warehouse where you want to
store the new feature class; then click New.
8-7
8
3. On the General tab of the New - <FeatureClass> dialog box, type a
name for the feature class. The feature class name must be unique
within a warehouse.
Note: When creating or editing attribute names, the Name
column fields may seem to become un-editable. If this occurs,
toggle the Hypertext check box on the Attributes tab on then off
to edit the field.
4. Optional: Type a brief description of the feature class.
5. From the Geometry Type drop-down list, select a geometry type. To
create a feature class for labels or for inserting text, select a geometry
type of Text.
6. For a feature class other than a nongraphic type (None):
To change the default coordinate system, select a coordinate system
from the Coordinate System drop-down list; then click Set as
Default.
OR
Working with GeoMedia Professional
To change the coordinate system, select a different coordinate system
from the Coordinate System drop-down list.
OR
To review and/or edit the coordinate system properties, click
Properties; then make the appropriate changes on the Coordinate
Systems dialog box.
See the General Tab
(Coordinate System
Properties) topic in
GeoMedia Profession
Help for information on
using this dialog box.
OR
To define a new coordinate system and assign it to the feature class,
click New; then define the coordinate system on the Coordinate
Systems dialog box
7. Click the Attributes tab, which contains a grid with a row for each
attribute definition.
8-8
Working with Features
8. To define a unique primary key for the feature class, click in a cell in
the Key column or select the row; then click on the Set Primary Key
button or press the space bar . You can define multiple rows as key
columns as described earlier in this section.
9. In the Name column, type attribute names. Each of these must be
unique for the feature class.
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8
10. Click the cell in Type for each row to display the drop-down list of
available data types.
11. Select a data type, and define its parameters at the bottom of the
Attributes tab, which varies with the data type selected. The
AutoNumber data type has no parameters for you to define.
12. Optional: Type a brief description of the attribute in the Description
cell of each attribute.
13. Click OK.
14. Note the new feature class on the Feature Class Definition dialog
box, and close the dialog box.
To add, change, and delete attributes:
Note: You can change the geometry type of a feature class only if the
feature class is empty.
1. Select Warehouse > Feature Class Definition.
2. On the Feature Class Definition dialog box, select the connection to
the warehouse that contains the feature class you want to edit.
2. Select the feature class, and click Edit.
3. On the Edit - <FeatureClass> dialog box, click the Attribute tab.
4. To add an attribute, enter the attribute name, data type, and description
in the bottom row, and set a primary key.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
5. To change an attribute, click the cell you want to change, and make the
changes.
6. To delete an attribute, select the attribute row, and press DELETE.
7. Click OK to update the feature class.
8. Close the Feature Class Definition dialog box.
Note: Editing an existing Oracle feature class definition is an Oracle
administrative task and is, therefore, not allowed in the GeoMedia
Professional Feature Class Definition tool.
Outputting Feature Data to Warehouses
You can output feature data in any GeoMedia Professional-supported
format to a warehouse with the Output to Feature Classes command.
You must have at least one read/write open connection to use this
command.
Output to Feature Classes lets you perform the following:
Output single and multiple feature classes and queries
Output selected fields from a feature class or query
Control output, key, and autonumber modes
Review the coordinate system of the primary geometry of the source
and target feature classes
Set the user-defined coordinate system for geometry of the new target
feature classes
In addition, this command lets you create feature classes from existing
feature classes or queries. You should bear in mind that features are static
and are stored in the database; in contrast, queries are dynamic and are not
stored in the database.
Output to Feature Classes lets you output a feature class from a
connection back into itself provided the target table name does not conflict
with existing table names. However, the command does not allow
appending, updating, or append-and-update operations back into same
feature class.
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Working with Features
8-11
8
Using the General Tab
To perform an output operation, you use the General and Advanced tabs
of the Output to Feature Classes dialog box. On the General tab, you
first select the source warehousethat is, the warehouse that contains the
data you want to output. If the source warehouse has a spatial filter
applied, only those features allowed by the filter can be output. You select
the source from list of all open connections (read/write and read-only) or
the set of available queries, with a single additional item Queries. Your
selection populates the feature classes list on the Advanced tab.
You next select the target read/write connection, the name of the target
warehousethat is, the warehouse into which the data are to be output.
You can select this from a list of all open read/write connections.
Finally, you select the feature classes/queries to output from a list those
available in the source data. The output default values are populated for
the selected items in the Output settings grid on the Advanced tab. You
can only output feature classes from a single connection at a time or from
the list of queries in the GeoWorkspace.
Using the Advanced Tab
The Advanced tab contains parameters in the Output settings grid as
described in this section. Rows are automatically added to this grid as
features are selected in the feature classes list on the General tab.
The read-only Source Features column is populated with the feature class
names you selected on the General tab.
The Target Feature Class column lets you select a target feature class
name. Each cell in this column has a drop-down list to populate feature
class names from the target connection. You can select a feature class
from the list, edit an exiting feature class name, or type a new feature class
name. The default name is the same name given for the source features. If
you choose a new target feature class name, new values are generated as
needed for all subsequent columns in the grid. In the case of a query, any
embedded spaces are replaced with an underscore (_).
If the target feature class name you use does not conflict with a name
already in the target connection, the command populates the default values
in subsequent columns as in the following table:
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Column Name Default value
Output Mode New
Key Mode New Key
AutoNumber Preserve Definition and Values if the target warehouse supports this
capability, for example, OOM.
Preserve Values if the target warehouse do not support this capability,
for example, Access.
Target Coord
System
For vector geometry, the default coordinate system of the target
warehouse is populated.
For raster geometry, the source coordinate system is populated.
For nongraphic feature classes, this cell is empty.
For no default coordinate system in the target warehouse, the fall-
back logic (using MetadataService) is used to get the first
coordinate system from the GcoordSystem table.
For an empty target warehouse, the source coordinate system is
assigned to the target feature class. This similar to the raster case
mentioned.
For an invalid or missing source coordinate system, no coordinate
system is populated.
If the target feature class name you use or the default value conflicts with a
name already in the target connection, the command populates the default
values in subsequent columns as in the following table:
Column Name Default value
Output Mode Append
Key Mode N/A (blank)
AutoNumber N/A (blank)
Target Coord
System
Target coordinate system primary geometry's coordinate system of the
target warehouse. For non-geometry feature classes, this cell is blank.
The Output Mode column lets you set one output mode for a selected
item, based on the existence of the target feature class in the target
warehouse: New, Append, Append and Update, and Update. The
default is Append if the target feature class exists, New if not. These
modes are available on the right mouse menu after selecting this column.
The Key Mode column lets you set one of the following key modes (only
if the target feature class does not exist in the target warehouse, that is, if
the output mode is New).
New Key (the default)Preserves the name(s), data type(s), and
value(s) of any key field(s) as far as possible, but does not retain them
as the key in the new table; instead, an autonumber field is added to
the new table and identified as the key. This autonumber key field
name will be the ID string with a numeric suffix to generate a
unique field name.
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Working with Features
8-13
8
Preserve KeyPreserves the name(s), data type(s), and value(s) of
any key field(s) as far as possible, and retains them as the key in the
new table.
The default is New Key in the case of source data that have no key field(s)
or hidden key field(s), and Preserve Key in all other cases. These modes
are available on the right mouse menu after you select this column.
The AutoNumber column lets you set one of the following autonumber
modes (only if the target feature class does not exist in the target
warehouse, that is, if the output mode is New):
Preserve DefinitionPreserves the autonumber status of the field,
but generates new data values for each record in the output table.
Preserve Values (the default)Preserves the data values in the field,
but reverts the field definition to a simple gdbLong.
Preserve Definition and ValuesPreserves both the autonumber
status of the field and the data values in the field. This mode is only
available if supported by the target data server.
The default is Preserve Definition and Values if supported by the target
data server, and Preserve Value if not. These modes are available on the
right mouse menu after you select this column.
The read-only Target Coord System column is populated with the
coordinate system name of the primary geometry field of the selected
target feature class. If the name of the coordinate system is blank, a
temporary name is supplied. This cell is blank if the selected target feature
class is a nongraphic type or it has no coordinate system. If the selected
target feature class is a new feature class, the default coordinate system of
the target connection is populated for a vector type; otherwise, for a raster
type the coordinate system of the source feature class is populated by
default.
Below the Output settings grid, you have the following additional
options:
Select Source AttributesOpens the Attributes of <feature> dialog
box that lets you select a subset of fields. You can use this option if
only one record is selected in the grid.
Target Coordinate SystemOpens a dialog box of the same name
that lets you perform the following:
Review a coordinate system of a source feature class as well as the
target warehouse coordinate systems.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Set a coordinate system for one or more new target feature classes
at a time.
Assign a new coordinate system to one or more new target feature
classes at a time.
Set the source coordinate systems to the target feature classes for
multiple selected rows at a time, which are being output in New
output mode.
You can use this option only if at least one record is selected in the
grid.
Display target feature classes in map windowLets you add a new
legend entry to the active map window for each selected feature class.
While processing, the application status bar displays the output feature
class/query, target feature class, progress, and number of features
output.
Running Output To Feature Classes creates the log file gmotts.log in
your \temp folder, if the file does not already exist, and appends log
information to the contents of an existing log file. The command always
deletes the existing log file and creates a new one for each run of the
command.
To perform an output operation:
1. Select Warehouse > Output to Feature Classes.
Note: This dialog box is resizable.
8-14
Working with Features
2. On the General tab, select the appropriate source connection or the
Queries item from the Source connections and queries drop-down
list.
3. Select the appropriate target connection from the Target connection
drop-down list.
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8
4. Check the appropriate Feature classes check box(es).
Note: When you hover the mouse cursor over an entry in the feature
classes list, a tooltip is displayed indicating the geometry type. You
can also use the Select/Unselect All buttons to aid your selection.
5. Select the Advanced tab; then for a selected source feature, select the
appropriate name from the corresponding Target Feature Class cell
drop-down list, edit an existing name, or type a new name.
6. If appropriate, change the Output Mode, Key Mode, and
AutoNumber values.
Note: You can select these modes from the right mouse menu after
you select a column cell. You can also set a mode to all rows in bulk.
See the GeoMedia
Professional Help for
information on using
this dialog box.
7. Optional: Click Select Source Attributes to select a subset of fields if
only one record is selected in the grid.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
8. Optional: Click Target Coordinate System to review, define, or
assign a coordinate system. Continue with Steps 9 through 10.
See the Target Coord
System topic in the
GeoMedia Professional
Help for information on
using this dialog box.
See the Select
Coordinate System
topic in the GeoMedia
Professional Help for
information on using
this dialog box.
9. Select the appropriate name from the Coordinate systems list.
10. Click New to define a new coordinate system on the Define
Coordinate System File dialog box.
OR
Click Review to review the selected coordinate system.
OR
Click Assign to assign the selected coordinate system to the selected
target feature class(es) being output in New mode.
11. Optional: Check the Display target feature classes in map window
check box to add a new legend entry to the active map window for each
selected feature class.
12. Click OK.
The dialog box is dismissed, and a confirmation message box is
displayed with the following information:
8-16
Working with Features
The output process will result in:
<n> feature classes New mode
<n> feature classes Append mode
<n> feature classes Update mode
<n> feature classes Append and Update mode
Do you want to continue?
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8
13. Click Yes to output the data from the source connection/query to the
target warehouse
The status information and progress during processing are displayed
in the status bar, and the log file gmotts.log is created. Optionally,
new legend entries are added to the active map window.
Selecting Features in the Map Window
You select features with a left mouse click or by drawing a fence on the
map when the Select Tool is active. The Select Tool is located on the
Selection toolbar and is the default active mode. When Select mode is
active, the Select Tool button is depressed, and the tip of the cursor has a
circle around it called the locate zone.
The locate zone determines how close to a feature you must be to highlight
it or to select it. The size of the locate zone is set using the Size of cursor
locate zone slider on the SmartLocate tab of the Options dialog box
(Tools > Options).
The size or tolerance is measured in screen pixels. You drag the slider to
the right to increase the size and to the left to decrease it. A preview of the
locate zone is displayed next to the slider.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
See Changing the
Locatability of Map
Objects in the Working
with Map Windows
chapter.
A feature can be located (identified) only if it is displayed in the active
map window and its Locatable property is turned on. A feature within the
locate zone of the cursor is not located or highlighted until the cursor has
been paused over the feature for a short time, but you do not have to pause
the cursor to select the feature. The duration of the pause interval is set
using the Delay before cursor highlights features slider on the
SmartLocate tab.
When you select one or more features, they become a select set. A select
set can contain features from one or more sources. You create a select set
to edit it. When the select set contains more than one object, any Edit tool
you select affects all objects in the select set simultaneously.
A select set can also contain both read-only and read/write features. Objects
in the select set are distinguished as read-only or read/write by the display
of handles in the map window when an edit tool is selected. For example, if
you select the Move tool when a select set is active, handles appear on
read/write objects but not on the read-only objects in the select set.
Note: You change the highlight, select, and handles colors on the Map
Display tab of the Options dialog box.
You can have only one select set active in a GeoWorkspace at a time. The
same select set is visible in all displayed windows, both map windows and
data windows.
You can also select a feature by selecting its row in the data window by
clicking on the row selector or using the CTRL or SHIFT keys to select
multiple features.
To select a single feature:
You select a single feature with a left mouse click when the Select Tool is
active. The feature is highlighted as long as any part of it is within the
locate zone of the Select Tool. The feature changes to the select color
when you click it.
To add features to a select set:
Hold down the CTRL or SHIFT key while left clicking the highlighted
feature. This also works for data window record selects.
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Working with Features
8-19
8
To select a hidden or overlapped feature:
When multiple features are under the cursor, the Always display Pick
Quick dialog on locate check box on the SmartLocate tab lets you
control the Select Tool behavior.
When this check box is checked, the PickQuick dialog box is displayed
whenever you do a left mouse click and there is more than one object
inside the locate tolerance. If there is only one object inside the locate
tolerance, the object is selected without the PickQuick dialog box
displaying.
When this check box is not checked, there are multiple features within the
locate zone and you pause the cursor over them, an ellipsis (three dots)
appears at the lower-right edge of the Select Tool. If you left click when
the ellipsis is displayed, the PickQuick dialog box appears.
You use PickQuick to select features that overlap each other or features
that are hidden by other features. A numbered button is displayed for each
selectable feature. If there are more than six features, the dialog box
displays scroll buttons. Move the Select Tool over the buttons without
clicking to highlight the corresponding features. When the feature you
want to select is highlighted, click the corresponding button on the
PickQuick dialog box.
When you move the cursor over a numbered button representing a feature
in the map view, a tooltip appears showing the name of the feature class or
query of the highlighted item. If the Add connection prefix to feature
names check box is selected on the General tab of the Options dialog
box, the feature class name is prefixed with the connection name.
To select multiple features:
There are several ways to place multiple features in a select set. When the
Select Tool is active, you can:
Hold down the CTRL or SHIFT key while left clicking the highlighted
features.
Draw a fence with the Select Tool that encompasses the area
containing the features you want in the select set.
The features included in the select set are determined by which of two
other selection buttons (fence modes) is depressed.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
When the Inside selection button is depressed, all features that fall
completely within the fence will be selected.
When the Overlap selection button is depressed, all features that
fall inside and are overlapped by the fence will be selected.
To select all features for a legend entry:
Highlight the associated entries on the legend and select Edit > Select by
Legend Entry.
This selects all map objects in the map window associated with
highlighted legend entries, regardless of whether objects are fitted in the
map window. Legend entries must have the display turned on and must be
in the current view scale, but map objects do not need to be locatable.
To select all features for a data window:
Click on the table selection button in the upper-left corner of the data
window grid, or select Edit > Select All Rows.
This selects all features in the data window, whether they are visible in the
data window or not.
To clear a select set:
You can clear a select set in the following two ways:
Select Edit > Unselect All.
Left click an empty space on the map window.
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Working with Features
8-21
8
To remove features from a select set:
You can remove a feature from a select set in the following two ways:
Hold down the CTRL or SHIFT key while left clicking the feature you
want to remove from the select set.
Hold the CTRL or SHIFT key while clicking and dragging to place a
fence around the features you want to remove from the select set.
Note: You must hold down the CTRL or SHIFT key or the select set will
be replaced.
Defining Queries from Select Sets
See the Analyzing
GeoMedia Professional
Data chapter for
information on queries.
Select Set to Query lets you build a query from the contents of a select
set that belongs to a single feature or from a query participating in the
select set. You cannot, however, use heterogeneous select sets, that is,
those with mixtures of different feature classes and queries.
This command does not process features without primary keys. Due to an
internal system limitation, query objects in the select set are not processed
directly. Instead, the original feature class upon which the query is based
is used. For this reason, only the fields from the original feature class
appear in the output query; any fields that were added by the query in the
select set do not appear in the output query, nor are any other changes in
schema apparent. Queries resulting from other GeoMedia Professional
analysis commands that combine disparate feature classes (for example,
Join and Spatial Difference) cannot be processed. Only those feature
classes in the select set that are valid for processing by the command
appear in the drop-down list.
The resulting query is a snapshot of the select set at the time you run the
command. Any subsequent changes made in the select set do not affect
any queries previously created from the select set.
Select Set to Query appends the query to the query folder and optionally
outputs the resultant query to a data window and/or map window. You
can adjust the display style for optimum viewing in the map window.
To define query from a select set:
1. Create a select set.
2. Select Analysis > Select Set to Query.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
3. From the Select features from drop-down list, select a feature class
or query within the select set to be converted to a query.
Note: The Add connection prefix to feature names check box
setting on the General tab of the Options dialog box is honored.
Also, the complete connection name and feature class name appear as
a tooltip when you hover the mouse cursor over the list box.
4. Optional: Change the default name and/or type a description of the
query.
5. Verify that the Display query in map window box is checked, and
change in the Map window name field, if appropriate, the map
window in which to display the query results.
OR
To not display the query results in a map window, click the Display
query in map window box to remove the checkmark.
6. Optional: Click Style, and change the default style on the Style
Definition dialog box.
7. Verify that the Display query in data window check box is selected,
and change in the Data window name field, if appropriate, the data
window in which to display the query results.
OR
To not display the nongraphic attributes of the query results in a data
window, select the Display query in data window check box to
remove the checkmark.
8. Click OK to generate and to display the query results in the specified
data window and/or map window.
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Working with Features
8-23
8
Note: If you do not select either a map window or a data window, the
query is only appended to the query folder.
Collecting Data
GeoMedia Professional supports several methods of collecting data. You
can digitize features directly on screen, digitize features using a digitizing
table, digitize features on-screen off a scanned image, or enter features
using precision keyins plus coordinate geometry input.
In addition, you can bring in data from outside sources using GeoMedia
Professionals import capabilities, and you can bulk create features from
existing linework. You may also want to collect the geometry first and
populate the attribute information later, or vice versa. Alternatively, you
may want to collect attribute information as you digitize a feature.
GeoMedia Professional supports all of these workflows. This section
describes the tools and capabilities available to address these workflows.
It begins with a description of specialized productivity tools that are
common to multiple placement and edit commands.
Tools for Speeding Up the Digitizing Workflow
GeoMedia Professional provides several unique tools for speeding up
traditional capture and edit workflows. All of GeoMedia Professionals
commands are optimized to reduce the number of mouse clicks required
for common tasks, but there are four additional tools that work in
conjunction with other commands to speed up workflows even more.
These tools are the following:
SmartSnap
Using Existing Geometry
Coincidence
Automatic Feature Breaking
Placement and Editing Tab
The Placement and Editing tab on the Options dialog box (Tools >
Options) contains options for settings to use with these tools for speeding
up digitizing. It also is used for controlling editing behavior and
tolerances and for various other commands as described in this chapter.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Default Height
There are two ways to specify the default height during any placement and
editing operations. On the Placement and Editing tab, you can type the
height value into the Default height value field. Alternatively, you can
select View > Default Height to open the Default Height dockable control
whose value is taken from the Placement and Editing tab.
See the Define
Coordinate System File
utilitys online Help.
You can type a different height value, and press ENTER or click in the
map window to set the value. The dockable control provides more ease of
use while you are doing placement or editing operations The units on the
tab and the dockable control box are taken from the height unit type on the
Units and Formats tab of the Define Coordinate System File dialog
box.
SmartSnap
See Setting
Tolerances in this
chapter.
As you digitize and move the cursor within a tolerance distance of
locatable features in the map window, a glyph is displayed on the cursor.
(The glyph is the same as the symbol on the corresponding SmartSnap
button on the SmartSnap toolbar.) If you click to a place a vertex when
the glyph is displayed, that vertex will be automatically snapped to the
feature based on the type of SmartSnap glyph that was displayed (example
shows vector snap glyphs only).
8-24
Working with Features
SmartSnap, therefore, provides two important benefits:
Rapid digitizing by removing the need to set snaps, to tentative click,
or to check connectivity after snapping.
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8
Correct connectivity, thus greatly reducing the number of digitizing
errors, such as undershoots and overshoots. In this way, the data are
collected cleanly and require little or no post-collection cleanup.
GeoMedia Professional provides both vector and raster snaps for simple
digitizing and for digitizing over an image. Raster snaps speed up
digitizing over an image by reducing the need for constant zooming in and
out and panning, which is typically necessary in this kind of data capture.
The automatic visual display of potential snap points allows you to zoom
out farther and work on a larger area.
The SmartSnap toolbar contains buttons that allow you to turn vector and
raster snaps on and off as you work. Individual snaps can be turned on
and off anytime a map window is active, but the settings apply only to
placement tools, such as Insert Feature, and to editing tools, such as Edit
Geometry and Continue Geometry.
The vector snap and raster snap icons on the SmartSnap toolbar are the
following:
Vector Snaps
All vector snaps are on by default.
Intersection SnapDisplayed when the cursor is within the locate
tolerance of the intersection point of two geometries.
End Point SnapDisplayed when the cursor is within the locate
tolerance of an end point of a line feature.
Vertex SnapDisplayed when the cursor is within the locate tolerance of
a vertex of a line or area feature.
On Element SnapDisplayed when the cursor is within the locate
tolerance of any point on a line or area feature.
Origin SnapDisplayed when the cursor is within the locate tolerance of
the origin point of a text object or a symbol.
Midpoint SnapDisplayed when the cursor is within the locate tolerance
of the midpoint of a single segment in a line or area feature.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Raster Snaps
See the Raster
Information appendix
for supported formats.
All raster snaps are turned off by default. To use raster snaps, the raster
image must be in binary format.
Intersection SnapDisplayed when the cursor is within the locate
tolerance of the intersection point of two geometries.
End of Line SnapDisplayed when the cursor is within the locate
tolerance of the end of a raster line.
Corner SnapDisplayed when the cursor is within the locate tolerance
of a corner. A corner is the point where a raster line changes direction
abruptly at an angle close to 90 degrees. (The farther from 90 degrees the
angle is, the less likely a corner snap will find it.)
Open Symbol SnapAn open symbol refers to an unfilled circle. When
you click within the open symbol snap tolerance, a point is placed in the
center of the circle.
Closed Symbol SnapA closed symbol refers to a filled circle. When
you click within the closed symbol snap tolerance, a point is placed in the
center of the circle.
Center SnapDisplayed when the cursor is within the locate tolerance
of the center of a raster line. A point is placed at the center of the raster
line.
Setting Tolerances
Snap tolerances are set by using SmartSnap Tolerances. You can define
tolerances for the snap zone, the noise size, the open symbol size, and the
closed symbol size.
The search distance tolerance for raster and vector snaps is set using
Locate zone. The distance is measured in pixels. Clicking Locate zone
opens the Options dialog box with the SmartLocate tab selected.
Note: This is the same setting that defines the locate zone when
highlighting or selecting features. Changing the Locate Zone setting
when defining snap tolerances changes the locate zone used when
highlighting or selecting features.
The size of small raster elements to be ignored when snapping to raster
data is set using Noise size. To determine the tolerance, you should
measure across any pieces of raster data considered to be noise. The
tolerance is measured in the defined GeoWorkspace distance units (as
defined on the Units and Formats tab of the Define Coordinate System
File dialog box). For example, when the tolerance is set to a value that is
equivalent to two pixels, any isolated clump of raster data that is less than
or equal to two pixels wide will be ignored during snapping.
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Working with Features
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8
The size of raster symbols that contain holes (for example, a circle) is set
using Open symbol size. A raster image can have multiple open symbols
of varying sizes. The size is defined by a minimum and a maximum
tolerance. The minimum value is the smallest size of the holes of open
symbols that SmartSnap detects. The maximum value is the largest size.
Both values are measured in GeoWorkspace distance units.
The size of closed (solid) raster symbols is set using Closed symbol size.
A raster image can have multiple closed symbols of varying sizes. The
size is defined by a minimum and a maximum tolerance. The minimum
value is the smallest size of closed symbols that SmartSnap detects. The
maximum value is the largest size. Both values are measured in
GeoWorkspace distance units.
Note: Measuring slightly smaller and slightly larger than the actual hole
for the open symbols allows for variations in the raster symbols and
improves the software's ability to locate the symbol. The same applies
when measuring the size of closed (solid) raster symbols.
You can set the snap zone by clicking Locate zone and then by using the
Size of cursor locate zone slider on the SmartLocate tab of the Options
dialog box to define the size of the snap zone.
You type the tolerance values for Noise size, Open symbol size, and
Closed symbol size. Or you can click the corresponding Define button
to set the tolerances interactively by clicking two points in the map view.
The units are set on the Units and Formats tab of the Define Coordinate
System File dialog box, which you can change appropriately.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
See the "SmartSnap"
and "Placement and
Editing Tab" sections in
this chapter.
Note: When digitizing a new feature or using any other placement or
editing tool, you can turn snapping on and off as necessary using the icons
on the SmartSnap toolbar. For example, you can snap to vector end points
and vertices and to raster intersections and line ends. You can also turn
the automatic display of the Properties dialog box on and off, and you can
set other placement options by using the Placement and Editing tab of
the Options dialog box.
Reusing Geometry to Digitize New Features
In many digitizing workflows, features will share common boundaries or
geometry. For example, adjacent parcel features, or a political boundary
that follows the course of a river. In these cases you do not want to have
to digitize the geometry twice because it is time consuming and likely to
introduce errors, such as gaps between features, that will have to be
cleaned up later.
Using the Options tool bar option Use existing geometry when
digitizing in conjunction with SmartSnap allows you to reuse existing
features when placing a new feature or editing existing features.
This option allows you to click two points along the existing feature to
copy all the vertices between those two points to the new feature.
The Use existing geometry when digitizing option affects the following
tools when you create new features or edit existing features:
Edit > Geometry > Continue
Redigitize
Insert > Feature
Note: This option also applies when digitizing with offset.
This option is on by default, but you can turn it off on either the
Placement and Editing tab of the Options dialog box or on the Options
toolbar.
The following examples illustrate the use of this option:
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Using existing geometry to place a new feature:
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8
The shortest distance between the two points highlights by default.
Pressing TAB highlights the feature in the opposite direction:
Turning off Using existing geometry when digitizing from the toolbar
has the following result:
This is an example workflow used to add an adjacent feature to the
following figure:
1. Place the first point of the feature.
2. Move the cursor within the snap tolerance of an existing feature from a
locatable feature class, and the appropriate snap glyph is displayed.
3. Place the second point of the feature, and the point snaps to geometry
according to the snap type displayed.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
4. Move the cursor to another location on the geometry that has just been
snapped to, and the geometry is highlighted.
5. Click the third point along the geometry, and the geometry between
the last two points is duplicated on the feature being placed.
6. Click to place the fourth point.
7. Double click to end the feature.
Maintaining Coincidence
Coincidence refers to the relationship of features to each other, whether it
be a connectivity relationship such as Feature 1 connecting to Feature 2 or
a spatial equality relationship in which two features share common
geometry.
In the following two cases, the features share common vertices:
If this relationship is broken, errors will be introduced into your spatial
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8
database, and you have to spend time cleaning them up.
Sliver Polygon
Gap Polygon Undershoots Overshoots
In traditional GIS systems the relationship can easily be broken when
placing and editing features, for example, if you do not snap in correctly
when digitizing, or if you edit features in one layer and do not edit
common boundaries in a second layer. GeoMedia Professional makes it
easy to maintain these relationships by implementing SmartSnap and the
automatic maintenance of coincidence throughout the placement and
editing commands. This means that when you edit a common boundary,
all boundaries are edited simultaneously or if you move a vertex that is
connected to another feature, all connected features are edited.
This behavior is optional and is controlled by the Maintain coincidence
check box on the Placement and Editing tab of the Options dialog box
or through the Maintain Coincidence option on the Options toolbar.
Maintain Coincidence affects the following commands in GeoMedia
Professional:
Edit > Feature > Merge
Split
Edit > Geometry > Edit
Continue
Redigitize
Trim
Trim to Intersection
Extend
Extend to Intersection
Extend Two Lines to Intersection
Construct Circular Fillet
Insert > Feature (including digitizing with offset)
Maintain Coincidence will modify placement and edit commands so that
they add a vertex to all displayed and locatable features at the location of a
snap when any action occurs that involves snapping to another geometry.
This does not mean that the feature is split into two or that its shape is
modified. All it means is that an additional shape point is added to the
feature. It also means that if you delete or move a vertex, all coincident
vertices will be deleted or moved at the same time. In this way, feature
Working with GeoMedia Professional
relationships can be automatically maintained within and across feature
classes whenever an edit or placement operation occurs.
It is important to note that coincidence only applies to features that are
displayed and locatable. You can use the locatable setting for a legend
entry to control which features participate in coincidence.
An exception to the normal behavior for coincidence is supported when
using arc geometry. By default, you cannot insert a vertex into an arc
because it would require that they are automatically modified arcs do not
support additional vertices. Therefore, if you commonly use arcs in your
spatial database, you can control how they react to coincidence by
selecting the Segment arcs when inserting vertex check box on the
Options dialog box.
If both Maintain coincidence and Segment arcs when inserting vertex
are turned on, snapping to an arc divides the arc into two parts at the
snapped point. The arcs are still part of the original feature; they are not
split. The composite feature (a single feature containing more than one
piece of geometry) formed by the two new arcs replaces the original arc.
If Maintain coincidence is turned on but Segment arcs when inserting
vertex is turned off, snapping to an arc opens the following dialog box:
Clicking Yes divides the arc as previously described. Clicking No results
in the arcs not being divided nor made coincident.
Note: If Maintain coincidence or Segment arcs when inserting vertex
is turned off, this dialog box opens every time you snap to an arc. To stop
the dialog box from opening, select the Do not display this message
again check box.
If Maintain coincidence is turned off, the Segment arcs when inserting
vertex option is disabled, and arcs are not divided nor made coincident.
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Note: If intersecting features do not have vertices at the intersection
(because they were not snapped when digitized, or because they were
collected in another software package and imported into GeoMedia
Professional), you can use Insert Intersection to insert a vertex, or you
can use Edit Geometry to add a vertex. If Maintain coincidence is on
when you add a vertex, a vertex is also added at coincident features. If
several intersections exist without vertices, you can use Validate
Geometry to locate all non-coincident intersecting features, and then you
can use Insert Intersection to connect them.
Automatically Splitting Features
Some data capture workflows require features to be modeled using
polylines with only start points and end points and no intermediate shape
vertices. This is common, for example, in many land parcel and utility
network databases.
To maintain this model anytime a new feature is snapped into an existing
linear feature, the existing feature must be split into two at the snap point.
This has often been a cumbersome workflow in GIS and CAD systems
requiring several steps to achieve the result.
GeoMedia Professional provides the Break linear features option for
automatically splitting features on a snap. When this option is selected,
any edit or placement operation that snaps into an existing feature will
split the feature into two features at the snap point.
This option is off by default, but you can turn it on by selecting its check
box on the Placement and Editing tab of the Options dialog box or its
button on the Options toolbar.
For information on
these tools, see the
"Validating and Fixing
Data" chapter.
Note: You can find unbroken intersecting lines by using Validate
Connectivity, and then you can fix them by using Insert Intersection
with the Break linear features option turned on or by using Fix
Connectivity.
When the Break linear features is turned on, you have two options for
breaking linear features: Break same feature class only and Break all
feature classes.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Break same feature class only determines whether the break capability
breaks all linear features coincident at the snap point or just those
belonging to the same feature class as the feature being edited. When this
option is turned on, any placement or edit operation that involves snapping
to another feature only breaks features in the same feature class as the
feature being edited.
Break all feature classes determines whether the break capability breaks
all linear features coincident at the snap point or just those belonging to the
same feature class as the feature being edited. When this option is turned
on, any placement or edit operation that involves snapping to another
feature breaks features in all feature classes at the snap point.
The Break linear features option affects the following tools:
Edit > Geometry > Edit (only on end point vertex edit)
Continue
Redigitize
Trim
Trim to Intersection
Extend
Extend to Intersection
Construct Circular Fillet
Insert Intersection
Insert > Feature (including digitizing with offset)
Break Conditions
The Break linear features capability:
Works on any locatable feature class from a read/write warehouse.
Must snap to the feature to be broken. All snaps are valid, but the type
of snap and type of geometry snapped to will modify the behavior of a
break.
Breaks all coincident features, that is, they do not have to be in the
select set.
The following are cases of specific break conditions:
Case 1: Create crossing geometry without snapping to existing geometry.
Setting: Break same feature class.
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Result: No break occurs, regardless of the current break setting. A break
only occurs on a snap.
Case 2: Area breaking.
Setting: Break all feature classes.
Result: The operation places a vertex at the snap point on the area
geometry. The area features cannot be broken.
Note: An area feature can break a linear feature, but a linear feature
cannot break an area feature.
Case 3: Break between coincident line features.
Setting: Break same feature class.
Results: Only the Highway feature is broken at the snap point.
Case 4: Break between coincident line features.
Setting: Break all feature classes.
Results: All coincident features are broken at the snap point, not just the
Highway feature.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Interaction between Coincidence and Break
The following cases show the interaction between coincidence and break:
Case 1: Snapping to coincident features A.
Break: Across all feature classes.
Coincidence: Off
Solution: Lines A and B are broken at the snap point, regardless of the
coincidence setting.
Case 2: Snapping to coincident features B.
Break: In same feature class only.
Coincidence: On
Solution: Line B is broken into two features at the snap point because it is
the same feature class as line C. Line A is a different feature class, and
because the setting is to break within a single feature class only, it is not
broken. Line A, however, is split with a vertex at the snap point.
Note: You can control which features get broken or which features have a
vertex inserted into them by turning locatability on/off for a specific
feature class. For example, suppose you have Break all feature classes
turned on, but you do not want road features to break river features. To
prevent roads from breaking rivers, select the rivers legend entry, click the
right mouse button, and select Locatable. (A menu item is deselected
when the checkmark disappears.) Also note that each time you place a
feature with Break linear features turned on, the Properties dialog box
displays if you turned on Display Properties dialog box for new
features on the Placement and Editing tab of the Options dialog box, or
if there are required values. This is because you are creating a new
feature.
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Undoing and Redoing Placement and Editing
The Undo and Redo commands allow you to sequentially undo or redo
database changes that you have made with placement and editing
commands in the current session. When you open the Edit menu after you
have made a database change, the commands appear followed by the type
of undo or redo to be made. For example, if the last operation was moving
a feature with the Move command, the menu would display Undo Move or
Redo Move.
Undo restores all database changes made by a single operation. A single
operation consists of one or more database changes, depending on the
placement or editing command. For example, if you use Move to move a
single feature, Move makes a single database change (the change of the
geometry of a single feature instance). Undo then moves the single
feature back to its original position.
If, however, you used Move to move several features in a select set,
multiple database changes would occur (the change of the geometry of
every feature instance in the select set). In this case, using Undo once
moves all the features back to their original locations.
Because Undo can store multiple operations, you can use this command
repeatedly until all operations have been undone. For example, using
Undo once would undo the last operation; using Undo a second time
would undo the next to the last operation, and so forth up, to the limit set
through the Placement and Editing tab of the Options dialog box.
You access Undo and Redo from the Edit menu, from their toolbar
buttons, or by pressing CTRL+z and CTRL+y, respectively.
You can use Undo and Redo with the following placement and editing
commands in map and data windows:
Map Window
Insert > Feature
Circle
Traverse
Text
Interactive Label
Leader Line
Interactive Area By Face
Point by Radii
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Edit > Select Set Properties
Feature > Delete
Merge
Split
Copy
Copy Parallel
Change Feature Class
Geometry > all commands
Attribute > Update Attributes
Copy Attributes
Edit Text
Data Window
Edit > Cut
Paste
See the corresponding
layout window topics in
the GeoMedia
Professional Help.
Note: The Undo/Redo commands in the layout window pertain to the
layout window graphics commands, which are accessible only when the
layout window is the active window.
You set the Undo and Redo parameters through the Placement and
Editing tab of the Options dialog box. The Undo check box turns Undo
and Redo on and off; the default is on, checked. The Limit undo
operations check box lets you set a limit for the number of operations that
you can undo; the default is on, with a value of 5. Turning off this option
makes Undo unlimited, except by your system memory, for the current
session.
If any feature class or query that has been edited is closed, the Undo buffer
is cleared. The primary case in which this would happen is when the
GeoWorkspace coordinate system is changed. The Undo buffer can
become very large during a long work session and thus begin to affect
software performance, especially if a large number of bulk operations have
been performed, for example, deleting a large number of features. If
memory usage or performance degrades in a long session or after large
numbers of database modifications, you should try reducing the Undo
buffer size or turning Undo off and then on again to clear the buffer.
Note: If autonumber fields are defined for a feature class in an SQL
Server or Access 2000 warehouse, using Undo/Redo on features from the
feature class causes the autonumber fields to be incremented in certain
cases. The previous autonumber field values are not be preserved.
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Inserting Features
Once you have made a connection to a read/write warehouse containing
feature classes, or you have created a new feature class from scratch, you
can begin to create new features using the Insert Feature command.
Insert Feature is a very powerful command that gives you access to a
wide range of placement tools, including the following:
Point, line, area, and compound feature placement
Arc placement modes
Placement constraint to user-specified azimuth or bearing angle
Stream digitizing
Rotation modes for point symbol placement
Ability to constrain placement to a specific angle
Offset digitizing
Perpendicular placement
Relative placement
Coordinate keyin
Placement of areas with holes, discontiguous feature placement
Placement of line tangent to arc or arc tangent to arc or line
Placement by length
Placement of orthogonal features
These capabilities are discussed in detail in the following sections.
Insert Feature allows you to digitize a new feature and, optionally, to
define its attributes. To do this, you must have a connection to a
read/write warehouse. You must also have created a new feature class and
have added a new feature class entry to the legend in your map window.
You select the appropriate warehouse, feature class, and, if the feature is
compound, the geometry type from the Insert Feature dockable control,
which is displayed when you select Insert > Feature.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Note: This dockable control is also used by the Continue Geometry and
Redigitize commands; only the name of the control and its default values
are different.
For more information on
geometry types, see
"Understanding
Geometry Types in this
chapter.
The geometry types that you can place are point, line, and area. For point,
line, and area features, the geometry type icons only indicate the geometry
type of the selected feature class; all other icons are disabled. For
example, suppose you select a feature class that consists of area features,
such as counties. In that case, the geometry type is area, the area icon is
selected, and all three iconspoint, line, and areaare disabled.
However, if the geometry type of the selected feature class is compound
(meaning that features of this feature class can consist of point, line, or
area geometry), all three icons are enabled so that you can select the
geometry type of the feature you want.
Note: GeoMedia Professional lets you enter new features for feature
classes that have not been added to the legend. However, because the
legend controls what is displayed in the map window, these features are
not be displayed until you add the legend entry. Setting the Automatically
add legend entries option on the Placement and Editing tab of the
Options dialog box automatically adds a legend entry for a feature class
when it does not exist on the legend, or setting this option turns on the
display mode when it is turned off on an existing entry. This option is set
on by default.
To insert a feature into a map window:
1. Select Insert > Feature.
Note: Pressing ESC does not cancel Insert Feature; you must select
another command, such as the Select Tool, to cancel the command.
2. Click the drop-down arrow on the Insert Feature dockable control to
display the list of feature classes in the read/write warehouses to which
you are connected.
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8
3. Click the feature class of the new feature.
4. Click the left mouse button to place the first vertex of the feature.
5. Continue left clicking until you have finished the feature.
Note: If you are in the middle of placing a feature, pressing ESC
results in a prompt to discard the current feature and to remain in the
command. Otherwise, it will terminate the command. Pressing
BACKSPACE lets you back up one line.
6. Double click the left mouse button to end the feature.
Note: You can also end a feature by selecting End Feature on the
right mouse menu.
7. Place the next feature. The command remains active until you press
ESC or click the Select Tool button on the main toolbar; thus you can
continue placing features without having to re-execute the command.
Note: When using Insert Feature, Continue Geometry, or Redigitize,
use the back arrow key to sequentially remove previously placed points.
Placement Modes
The previous insert feature workflow showed a simple capture workflow.
The following section describes additional placement modes for digitizing
features.
You can easily switch between the placement modes by clicking on the
buttons on the Insert Feature dockable control or by using keyboard
shortcuts. In this way, you can create features containing polyline
Working with GeoMedia Professional
geometry, arcs, and/or angle constraints. The placement modes are as
follows:
Point by PointPlaces lines and area features one vertex at a time,
resulting in a single feature with multiple vertices. You can also use this
mode for placing individual point features (Shortcut L).
Arc by Start, End, Point on EdgePlaces arc geometry by entry in the
following order: the arc start point, the arc end point, and a point along the
arc (Shortcut A).
Arc by Start, Point on Edge, EndPlaces arc geometry by entry in the
following order: the arc start point, a point along the arc, and the arc end
point (Shortcut R).
Place at AnglePlaces polyline geometry by placing each point at a user-
specified angle, depending on cursor location, relative to the last segment
placed by digitizing in Place at Angle mode. If the previous geometry is
an arc, the previous segment is considered to be that tangent to the arc at
the arc end point.
If there is no previous geometry, the point is placed at a user-specified
angle, depending on cursor location, relative to the horizontal. You can
type any angle value in the angle field of the control to restrict placement.
The default angle for this placement mode is 90 degrees (Shortcut P).
Place by Azimuth/BearingRestricts placement to an absolute azimuth
or bearing angle for linear and area geometries. The default angle for this
placement mode is 0.
To insert a feature in Place at Angle mode:
1. Select Insert > Feature.
2. Select a feature class with linear or area geometry to place.
3. Digitize a few vertices.
4. Select the Place at Angle placement mode from the Insert Feature
dockable control.
The default angle is 90
o
, relative to the last segment placed. If there is
no previous segment, the angle is relative to horizontal.
5. Type an appropriate angle value in the placement angle field.
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The next points placed are constrained to a multiple of the typed
angle, based on the cursor position and relative to the last segment
placed.
6. Move the cursor over the map window.
A line is shown in dynamics that is constrained to a multiple of the
specified angle, based on cursor position, and relative to the last
segment placed. So, for example, if you entered 45
o
, the segment will
dynamically snap to an angle of 0
o
, 45
o
, 90
o
, 135
o
, 180
o
, 225
o
, or 270
o
as you move the cursor.
7. Click in the map window.
The next point is constrained to a multiple of the specified angle,
based on cursor position, and relative to the last segment placed.
To insert a feature in Place by Azimuth/Bearing mode:
1. Select Insert > Feature.
2. Select a feature class with linear geometry to place.
3. Digitize a few vertices.
4. Click the Place at Angle placement mode button on the Insert
Feature dockable control; then select Place by Azimuth from the
placement mode drop-down list.
5. Type an appropriate azimuth angle value in the placement angle field.
The next points placed are constrained to the typed azimuth angle,
based on the cursor position, with the azimuth setting on the
GeoWorkspace Coordinate System dialog box honored.
6. Click the Place at Angle placement mode button on the Insert
Feature dockable control; then select Place by Bearing item from the
placement mode drop-down list.
7. Type an appropriate bearing angle value in the placement angle field
(for example, N55E).
The next points placed are constrained to the typed bearing angle,
based on the cursor position.
8. Select one of the other placement modes to exit angle mode.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Rotation Modes
When placing a point feature class consisting of points, you can select a
rotation mode for placing the point feature. These modes are useful for
placing point features that are displayed as symbols. By default, the active
rotation mode is Place at angle, and the active angle (the field to the right
of the rotation mode) is 0 deg (zero degrees). In this mode, the new
feature is placed at the specified angle.
The other rotation modes are Orient to geometry and Rotate
dynamically. In Orient to geometry mode, the new feature is oriented in
the same direction as the existing geometry to which you snap.
If no geometry is snapped to, the placement is at zero-degrees rotation. In
Rotate dynamically mode, the new feature is placed using two clicks of
the left mouse button. The first click displays a temporary feature and a
dynamic crosshair that you move to define the rotation angle. When the
feature is displayed at the appropriate angle, a second click places the
feature in the map window.
Note: When you digitize a symbol in Orient to geometry mode, the
symbol appears dynamically before it is placed. You can also switch the
orientation based on the direction of the line by pressing TAB.
To digitize oriented points:
1. Verify that the legend entry style is set to something that will show
rotation, such as a symbol or font.
2. Choose a point feature class to insert.
Place at angle:
1. Set the rotation mode to Place at angle.
2. Type an angle in the angle field. Use 180
o
, for example, and each time
you click to place a point feature, it will be placed at an angle of 180
o
.
Rotate dynamically:
1. Set the rotation mode to Rotate dynamically.
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2. Click to place the origin point of the symbol.
The symbol is displayed in dynamics in the selected point style and
highlight color.
3. Move the cursor to rotate the point symbol dynamically.
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4. When you have adjusted the point symbol to the appropriate rotation
angle, click to place the feature.
Orient to geometry:
1. Set the rotation mode to Orient to geometry.
The point symbol is displayed in dynamics as you move the cursor
around the map window.
2. Move the cursor into the snap zone of the line segment.
The symbol is displayed dynamically oriented to the segment based on
the direction in which it was digitized.
3. Press TAB to switch the alignment if required.
4. Click to place the point that is oriented to the direction of the line.
Note: If you click without snapping, the point is placed at zero-
degrees rotation. If the snap zone includes more than one potential
snap point location, the closest will be the chosen location.
Placing Features by Length
The Place by Length control (Length field and a Lock check box on the
Insert Feature dockable control) lets you place features by length. When
the Lock check box is unchecked, the Length field is disabled and is
updated dynamically with the length of the dynamically constructed
segment or arc. Checking the Lock check box enables the Length field
so that you can type any valid length value. The Length field is then
locked in the current value, and the dynamically constructed segment or
arc is constructed and displayed with the locked length.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
To place by length:
1. Select Insert Feature.
2. Select a non-point feature class to place.
3. Digitize a few segments/arcs.
4. Check the Lock check box.
5. Type a length value in the Length field.
6. Move the cursor around, and notice that the dynamic segment/arc is
displayed with the locked length rather than attached to the cursor.
7. Click to accept and to place the segment/arc with the locked length.
Right Mouse Menu Placement Modes
See the Insert Feature
Right Mouse Menu
topic in GeoMedia
Professional Help.
At anytime while you are digitizing a feature, you can click the right
mouse button to bring up the Insert Feature right mouse menu. This
menu includes options for temporary placement, perpendicular placement,
and relative placement.
Offset Mode
Offset mode (Digitize With Offset from the right mouse menu) is very
useful if you want to place a feature parallel to an existing feature, but
offset at a certain distance. For example, you might want to digitize a
utility line offset twenty feet from a property boundary. Offset mode will
place a temporary feature at a specified offset distance from a user-selected
feature. You can then use the Options toolbar Use existing geometry
option (or the Use existing geometry when digitizing option on the
Placement and Editing tab of the Options dialog box) to quickly use all
or part of the temporary feature to create a new feature.
Offset mode remains on until you turn it off, at which point the temporary
feature is deleted. While offset mode is on, all the SmartSnap tools and all
the placement and editing options are available for use with the temporary
feature.
To digitize with offset:
1. Select Insert > Feature.
2. Select the feature class of the feature to be placed.
3. Select Digitize with Offset from the right mouse menu to display its
dockable control.
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4. Type the offset value in the offset distance field of the dockable
control.
5. Select the feature to offset from (Line A in the example).
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A temporary offset feature is displayed around the selected feature.
6. Verify that the Use existing geometry option is turned on.
7. Snap to and click on the first point and the last point of the temporary
feature to copy it to the new feature.
8. Press ESC to dismiss the dockable control and to turn off the offset
mode.
9. Digitize normally, with offset turned off.
10. Select Digitize With Offset from the right mouse menu to turn on the
offset mode.
The offset distance field remains populated with the previously entered
value.
11. Select Line C.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
12. Again, use the Use existing geometry option to snap to the first point
and the last point of the temporary feature and to copy it to the new
features.
13. Double click to end digitizing.
Using Arc Tangency
Arc Tangency (right mouse menu) lets you digitize a line tangent to an
arc and an arc tangent to a line (or an arc). Thus if a line and an arc or two
arcs are sequentially placed, they are tangent. You easily switch between
the arc tangency state (indicated by a check beside Arc Tangency on the
right mouse menu) and the regular placement state (indicated by no check
beside Arc Tangency).
The tangent segment/arc is drawn in dynamics as you move the cursor.
You can snap into any feature along the tangent direction while a tangent
line is being dynamically constructed and snap into any feature while a
tangent arc is being dynamically constructed.
To place a line tangent to arc or an arc tangent to line or arc:
1. Select Insert Feature.
2. Select a non-point feature class to place.
3. Select the Point By Point placement mode from the Insert Feature
dockable control.
4. Digitize a few line segments.
5. Select Arc Tangency from the right mouse menu.
6. Select the Arc By Start, End, Point On Edge placement mode; then
move the cursor.
7. Click to place the tangent arc being dynamically displayed.
8. Move the cursor in the map window.
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9. Click to place the tangent arc being dynamically displayed.
10. Select the Point By Point placement mode.
11. Move the cursor in the map window.
12. Click to place the tangent line being dynamically displayed.
13. Select Arc Tangency from the right mouse menu to turn it off.
14. Select Arc By Start, End, Point On Edge placement mode.
15. Digitize a regular arc in Arc By Start, End, Point On Edge placement
mode.
Inserting Orthogonal Features
Close Orthogonal (right mouse menu) lets you insert an orthogonal
feature through closing the geometry being digitized by making its last
segment to be perpendicular to its first segment, which may be trimmed or
extended to make the geometry closed. The trimmed or extended portion
of the first segment of the geometry, as well as the projection line of the
last point of the geometry projected onto the first segment of the geometry,
are drawn in dynamics to signal what would be added or truncated by the
insert orthogonal operation before you click to accept.
Note: Close Orthogonal is applicable to the Insert Feature and
Continue Geometry commands, but not to the Redigitize command.
To insert orthogonal features:
1. Select Insert Feature.
2. Select a non-point feature class to place.
3. Select the Point By Point placement mode from the Insert Feature
dockable control
4. Digitize a line segment (1 in Figure 1).
5. Select an arc placement mode; then digitize an arc (2 in Figure 1).
6. Select the Point By Point placement mode; then digitize a line
segment (3 in Figure 1).
7. Select the Close Orthogonal from the right mouse menu.
The projection point (P in Figure 1) is computed by projecting the last
point of the geometry onto the first segment of the geometry. Two
lines are then constructed by connecting the projection point and the
Working with GeoMedia Professional
last point, and by connecting the projection point and the first point.
These two lines are drawn in dynamics (dashed line in Figure 1) to
show what would be added or truncated by the Close Orthogonal
operation.
8. Click to accept.
The geometry is closed (Figure 2).
Figure 1 Figure 2
Stream Digitizing Mode
In stream digitizing mode (no toolbar button), you press and hold the left
mouse button while moving the mouse to place the feature using a
continuous stream of points. Releasing the button puts you back into the
mode that was active before you began stream digitizing.
This mode is especially useful for digitizing features with a lot of detail.
By dragging the cursor over the feature, either on a paper map attached to
a digitizing tablet or a scanned image displayed in the map view, you can
quickly add the feature to your digital database.
Stream Tolerances
Stream tolerances control how many vertices are created as you stream
digitize. If you have the tolerances set too large, you will need to weed out
too many vertices, and your digitized line will not have enough detail. If
you set the tolerances too small, your features will contain a large number
of unnecessary vertices, negatively affecting performance. The distance
and delta of the stream tolerance are described in the following discussion.
It is recommended that you experiment with different tolerance values to
determine which is most appropriate for your data.
You set stream tolerances on the Placement and Editing tab of the
Options dialog box. The Distance tolerance is the distance the cursor
must move before a new point will be placed. For example, if this
tolerance is set to one meter, the vertices will not be placed closer than one
meter apart.
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The Delta value sets the stream digitizing thinning tolerance for stream
digitizing. After you place geometry, the tolerance reduces the number of
streamed linear or area feature vertices by filtering out unneeded vertices.
A high filter value results in the removal of many vertices. The valid
range of numeric values is greater than zero, with no upper limit.
The filter moves along the placed vertices as follows:
Middle vertex is not dropped.
Middle vertex is dropped.
Use Existing Geometry for Temporary Placement
Use Existing Geometry lets you to digitize the next segment of a feature
using existing geometry. This option is useful when two features share all
or part of a boundary because you do not have to redigitize the entire
boundary between features. You can click two points along the existing
geometry, and all the vertices between those points are copied to the
feature being placed. This ensures clean data without slivers or gaps.
(You may optionally bypass the right mouse menu by pressing U on the
keyboard to set this placement mode.)
This temporary placement mode differs from the Use existing geometry
when digitizing option on the Placement and Editing tab or the Options
toolbar in two important ways:
The temporary placement mode is active for only the next vertex
placed, after which the previous placement mode is resumed. When
the option is on, it applies to every snapped vertex as long as it is on.
You must turn the option off in order to cancel its effect.
The Use existing geometry when digitizing option highlights the
geometry between the last vertex and the cursor snap point on every
mouse move, which can cause significant display delays with
geometries containing many vertices.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
The temporary placement mode highlights the geometry between the
first point and the second point one time (once the second point is
entered), and maintains the highlight until the third data point is
entered to accept the geometry. This allows the cursor to be moved
without any display delays.
Note: The Use Existing Geometry option is also available on the right
mouse menu with the Continue Geometry command.
To insert a feature with Use Existing Geometry
1. Select Insert > Feature.
2. Select a feature class to place.
3. Place a point on a linear or area feature.
4. Select the Use Existing Geometry temporary placement mode from
the Insert Feature right mouse menu; then place the next point.
If the previous vertex is snapped to a single feature, that feature is
highlighted. Go to Step 6. Otherwise, the previous vertex is snapped
to multiple features, so the PickQuick dialog box is displayed.
5. Select the feature whose geometry will be used.
The selected feature is highlighted.
6. Place the next point on the highlighted coincident feature.
The point is constrained to the coincident feature, and the geometry
from the first point to the second point is highlighted.
7. If the coincident geometry is an area feature, press TAB to switch to
the path you want to use.
The other path (from the second point to the first point) is highlighted.
8. Click another point to accept the highlighted geometry.
9. Return to Step 3 or Step 4, or continue placing additional points.
Perpendicular Placement
Perpendicular placement allows you to place a segment of a feature at a
90-degree angle from or to an existing feature. This placement also lets
you snap from an arc to place the next vertex perpendicular from or to the
tangent to the arc at the snap point.
The Perpendicular To command prompts you to select the non-point
feature to be perpendicular to. At this point, the next segment will be
displayed in dynamics at a 90-degree angle to the selected feature.
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8
This command does not automatically snap into the feature, but is
dynamically extended as you move the cursor. You can use SmartSnap to
ensure that you snap into any other feature along the perpendicular
extension. Once the point is placed, the perpendicular placement mode is
ended.
The Perpendicular From command is only enabled if the last vertex is
currently snapped to a non-point feature. As you move the cursor, the next
segment is drawn in dynamics at 90 degrees from the feature currently
snapped to.
To insert a feature with perpendicular placement:
1. Select Insert > Feature.
2. Select a feature class with linear or area geometry to place.
3. Digitize a few vertices.
4. Click the right mouse button to display its menu; then select
Perpendicular To.
5. Select the vertex you want to be perpendicular to.
The next vertex is drawn in dynamics at a 90
o
angle to the selected
vertex.
6. Move the mouse cursor into the snap zone on the feature you want to
be perpendicular to.
7. Click to place the next vertex at a 90
o
angle to the selected vertex.
8. Digitize a few more segments.
9. Snap to a non-point feature.
10. Click the right mouse button to display its menu; then select
Perpendicular From.
11. Move the cursor.
The next segment is drawn in dynamics that are constrained to be at a
90
o
angle from the segment snapped to in Step 8.
12. Click to place.
The segment is placed at a 90
o
angle, and you are returned to the
previous mode.
Note: You can cancel the perpendicular mode without placing a
segment from the right mouse menu.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Relative Placement
You can use the relative placement commands with the placement and
editing commands when you know the location of the next point only by
its relationship to another known location. There are two types of relative
placement:
Place the next point at a user-specified distance along a feature.
Place the next point at the user-specified distance and direction from a
known location.
Distance Along Feature
The Distance Along Feature command lets you snap to a location at a
specified distance along a feature. For example, you would use this
command if you were digitizing a parcel and you knew that the next vertex
of the parcel was located along the boundary of a second parcel 20 meters
from the parcel corner. You first type a distance into the Distance Along
Feature dialog box and then hover over the feature at the start point.
As the dynamic cursor snaps to the feature, a segment is shown in
dynamics from the last vertex placed to the proposed point along the
feature.
Place the next point 20 meters from the parcel corner.
If the distance is greater than the feature length or the area perimeter of an
area, no dynamics display. Highlighting is in the direction in which the
feature was digitized unless the line is too short in this direction.
However, you can switch the direction by selecting the right mouse menu
Switch Direction command or by pressing TAB. You do not have to snap
to the start point or end point of the feature; you can snap to any vertex or
the midpoint on the feature. Distance Along Feature does not work with
the On Element Snap vector snap.
To insert a feature with relative placement (Distance Along Feature):
1. Select Insert > Feature.
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2. Select a feature class to place.
3. Place the first point.
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4. Place the second point.
5. Click the right mouse button to display its menu; then select Distance
Along Feature.
6. Type the appropriate Distance.
7. Identify the source location by hovering over the vertex you want to
place the next point a distance from.
The feature is drawn in dynamics from the last point placed to the
specified distance along the feature from the current cursor snap
point.
8. Move the cursor along the feature.
The dynamic segment/arc connecting the last point placed and a point
the specified distance along the area feature is moved as the cursor is
moved.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
9. Select Switch Direction from the right mouse pop-up menu to
highlight the opposite direction (or the switch direction button on the
dialog box or TAB on the keyboard).
10. Click to accept and to determine direction.
The control is dismissed, and focus is returned to the mode that was
active before the distance/direction option was chosen.
OR
If multiple features are within the locate tolerance of the cursor, the
PickQuick (ellipsis) cursor displays. Continue to Step 11.
11. Click to display the PickQuick dialog box.
12. Move the cursor over a number on the PickQuick dialog box to select
a feature.
The feature is drawn in dynamics from the last point placed to the
specified distance and direction along the correpsonding selected
feature from the current cursor snap point.
13. Click the selected number on the PickQuick dialog box to place the
next vertex at the specified distance and direction along the
corresponding selected feature.
The PickQuick dialog box and the Distance Along Feature dockable
control are dismissed, and focus is returned to the mode that was
active before the Distance Along Feature temporary placement mode
was chosen.
Distance and Direction
The Distance and Direction command lets you place the next vertex of a
feature at a location that is a specified distance and direction from a known
location. For example, you would use this command if you were placing a
parcel feature and you knew that the next vertex was located N40E and 30
meters from the corner of another parcel feature.
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See Using Precision
Keyins in this chapter.
You type the distance and direction (distance bearing, distance azimuth,
and so forth) in the Precision Coordinates dockable control. You first
specify the source point, which can be a mouse click snapped to a location
on a feature or a point in space, or it can be a precision keyin. The source
point is then shown in dynamics. Next, you type a distance and direction
in the dockable control, and the vertex is placed at the specified location.
Note: You will have to change the coordinate format to distance/bearing
or distance/azimuth on the Precision Coordinates dockable control.
To insert a feature with relative placement (distance and direction):
1. Select Insert > Feature.
2. Select a feature class to place.
3. Digitize a few vertices.
4. Click the right mouse button to display its menu; then select Distance
and Direction.
5. Click or type a value to place a temporary point.
6. Change the coordinate format in the precision coordinates control to
distance/azimuth or to distance/bearing.
7. Type the distance and direction values in the precision coordinate
control.
A segment is connected from the last point placed to the point that is,
the specified distance and direction from the temporary point.
Inserting Points by Radii
The Insert Point by Radii command lets you digitize a point feature at
specified distances from two different locations that may or may not be
snapped to existing features. This is a common way of placing Water or
Sewer features (manholes, fire hydrants, and so forth) in a Public Works
workflow, for example, a Public Works employee with a tape measure
measuring the distance a manhole is from two fixed points.
With this command you define two overlapping circles, and then insert a
point feature at either intersection of the two circles. This intersection is
commonly referred to as a Distance/Distance intersection; two fixed points
and two distances from each of the points describe two intersecting circles.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Each circle is defined by specifying an origin point, either by clicking the
mouse in the map window, while possibly snapping to an existing feature,
or by precision keyin. The radius of the circle is then specified by either
dragging the mouse or by keying in the radius value. The intersection
point for feature placement is then chosen by clicking the mouse while
within the locate tolerance of the desired intersection. Vector and raster
snaps are honored when you are placing circle origins and specifying radii.
The Insert Point by Radii dockable control is displayed when you start
the command.
This command is enabled only when a map window is active and there is
at least one read/write connection in the GeoWorkspace.
To insert a point by radii:
1. Select Insert > Point by Radii.
2. Select the appropriate point feature class into which a new feature is to
be digitized from the feature class drop-down list on the commands
dockable control.
3. Place a point, P1, with the mouse to place the origin of the first circle
OR
Type the appropriate value in the Precision Coordinates dockable
control.
4. Specify the radius of the circle using either of the following methods:
Drag the cursor in the map window to define a distance, R1, from
point P1.
A circle is displayed in dynamics, with P1 as the origin, as the
mouse is moved in the map window, and the radius value in the
Radius 1 text box is updated accordingly.
Click to accept when the appropriate circle is displayed.
Type the distance, R1, in the Radius 1 field; then check the Lock
check box for Radius 1 if unchecked.
A circle with the specified radius is displayed in dynamics, with P1
as the origin.
Click at any location in the map window to accept the circle.
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5. Place a point, P2, with the mouse to place the origin of the second
circle.
OR
Type the appropriate value in the Precision Coordinates dockable
control.
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6. Specify the radius of the circle using either of the following methods:
Drag the cursor in the map window to define a distance, R2, from
point P2.
A circle is displayed in dynamics, with P2 as the origin, as the
mouse is moved in the map view, and the radius value in the
Radius 2 field is updated accordingly.
Click to accept when the appropriate circle is displayed.
Type the distance, R2, in the Radius 2 field; then check the Lock
check box for Radius 2 if unchecked.
A circle with the specified radius is displayed in dynamics, with P2
as the origin.
Click at any location in the map view to accept the circle.
Note: If the second circle does not overlap the first circle, you must
modify the radius of the second circle so that an overlap occurs before
you can accept the second circle with a click. If you attempt to accept
the second circle when it does not overlap the first circle, an error
message is displayed, and you are again prompted to specify the
radius of the second circle through one of the above methods.
7. Select the intersection point by hovering the cursor in the map window
so that the cursor is within the locate tolerance of the appropriate
candidate construction point, P3. (Candidate construction points are
the intersection points of the circles with origins P1 and P2 having
radii R1 and R2, respectively.)
Working with GeoMedia Professional
When the cursor is within the located tolerance of the desired
intersection point, the point is displayed in the highlight color, and the
prompt changes to Click to insert point.
8. Click to insert a new point feature of the selected feature class at the
location of the highlighted point.
The properties dialog is displayed if the Display Properties dialog
for new features check box is set on the Placement and Editing tab
of the Options dialog box.
9. Enter the appropriate attribute values for the inserted feature; then
click OK.
The circles disappear from the map window, and the command is
restarted.
Note: Pressing ESC at any stage of the command (except the first
stage) causes the command to restart. Pressing ESC at the first stage
of the command exits the command.
Inserting Circles
Insert Circle lets you insert a circle in the following three circle placement
modes:
By Center PointRequires the definition of a center point and a
radius. You can specify the radius dynamically or by key-in.
By DiameterRequires the definition of two diametrically opposed
points.
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By 3 PointsRequires the definition of three points on the edge of
the circle to be inserted.
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Selecting the Insert Circle command displays its dockable control, which
dynamically shows the radius based on the cursor location. The diameter
is shown instead of the radius while in By Diameter mode. In By Center
Point mode, you can type a distance of the radius of the circle being
placed in the Radius field, which is enabled by checking the Lock check
box. Key-in units are determined by the distance units on the Units and
Formats tab of the GeoWorkspace Coordinate System dialog box. You
cannot type a negative radius or a non-numeric value.
For all circle placement modes, the circle is shown dynamically as the
mouse cursor moves, as long as the required information for constructing a
circle has been defined. For example, in the By Center Point mode, a
dashed line is shown dynamically from the center first point to the cursor
location to represent the radius, and a circle is shown dynamically as you
move the mouse cursor for placement of the second point, as in the
following figure:
Likewise, the By Diameter mode shows the circle dynamically after you
define the first point of the diameter as you move the mouse cursor for
placement of the second point, as in the following figure:
In By 3 Points mode, a dashed triangle whose vertices represent the three
points on the edge of the circle is shown dynamically once two points have
been defined, as in the following figure:
Working with GeoMedia Professional
The CTRL-Click key combination may be used at the last step of any
circle placement workflow to enable the placement of geometry
collections. For example, if you want to place two disjointed circles as a
geometry collection using the By Diameter mode, you would click to
specify the first point of the diameter of the first circle in the geometry
collection, and then you would use CTRL-Click to specify the second
point of the diameter of the first circle. At this stage, you would click to
specify the first point of the diameter of the second circle in the geometry
collection, and then you would click to specify the second point of the
diameter of the second circle in the geometry collection, at which time the
geometry collection would be placed. However, you cannot use CTRL-
click to place a circle as a hole within another circle; the capability of
generating a hole inside a circle is currently not supported.
This command supports coincidence, break, and properties settings. In
addition, you can access the viewing commands while the command is
active. The AutoPan setting is also honored, as are vector and raster snaps
when moving the mouse cursor. You can undo/redo the insert circle
operation with the Undo/Redo commands. Pressing BACKSPACE
reverts the placement state to the previous step.
To insert a circle by point:
1. Select Insert > Circle.
2. Select a feature class from the feature class drop-down list on the
Insert Circle dockable control.
3. Select By Center Point from the placement mode drop-down list.
4. Click (or type precision coordinates) to define the center point.
Continue with Step 5.
OR
Check the Lock check box. Go to Step 6.
5. Move the cursor to dynamically define the radius of the circle; then
click to insert the circle. Go to Step 9.
6. Click to define the center point.
7. Type the radius on the Radius field; then press ENTER.
8. Click to insert circle
9. Press ESC to exit the command, or click again to define the center
point and to insert another circle.
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To insert a circle by diameter:
1. Select Insert > Circle.
2. Select a feature class from the feature class drop-down list on the
Insert Circle dockable control.
3. Select By Diameter from the placement mode drop-down list.
4. Click to define the first point of the diameter.
5. Click to define the second point of the diameter and to insert the circle.
6. Press ESC to exit the command, or return to Step 4 to place another
circle using this mode.
To insert a circle by point:
1. Select Insert > Circle.
2. Select a feature class from the feature class drop-down list on the
Insert Circle dockable control.
3. Select By 3 Points from the placement mode drop-down list.
4. Click to define the first point on the edge of the circle.
5. Click to define the second point on the edge of the circle.
6. Click to define the third point on the edge and to insert the circle.
7. Press ESC to exit the command, or return to Step 4 to place another
circle using this mode.
Digitizing Discontiguous Features and Features
with Holes
Discontiguous Features
As stated at the beginning of this chapter, GeoMedia Professional supports
modeling features with multiple unconnected geometries, such as the
islands of Hawaii, as a single feature or multiple separate features.
If you choose to model them as a single feature with multiple geometry, it
will have a single set of attributes, as opposed to separate attributes for
each geometry. It will also behave as a single feature when you select it in
the map window, that is, clicking on any one geometry will highlight all
geometries.
There are two ways to create discontiguous features:
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Add new geometry to an existing feature using the Continue
Geometry command.
Use the Insert Feature command with the CTRL key modifier.
Note: In the following workflows, left double click is the same as ALT-
click (pressing ALT while left clicking), except that ALT-click places a
point at the location of the click, and left double click does not place a
The following is a Continue Geometry workflow:
1. Select the feature you want to continue in the map window.
2. Select Edit > Geometry > Continue.
3. Place additional geometry using the normal tools.
Note: Continue Geometry uses the same toolbar as Insert Feature,
so all the same tools are available.
The following is a workflow for digitizing discontiguous features with
Insert Feature:
1. Digitize vertices normally using left mouse button clicks.
2. Instead of completing the first geometry with a double click, press and
hold CTRL while double clicking to complete the geometries.
The status bar prompts you to place the first point of additional
geometry.
3. Digitize the next geometry in the normal way.
Note: By holding down CTRL each time you complete a geometry,
you can add as many additional geometries as needed.
Areas with Holes
Often real word area features will contain holes, as in the following
example:
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It is easy to model these features in GeoMedia Professional. The
workflows are the same as those for creating discontiguous features except
that when you add the additional geometry in this case a hole you place
it inside an existing area feature. The software is smart enough to
recognize this and will automatically create a hole in the containing area
feature.
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Creating Features with More than One Geometry Type
It is possible that you may have features that contain both arc geometry
and linear geometry. An example is a parcel that has its corner defined as
an arc, as in the following example:
GeoMedia Professional supports the placement of these features called
composite features by allowing you to switch between placement modes
when you are digitizing individual features.
To digitize a composite polygon:
1. Select Insert > Feature.
2. Click the drop-down arrow to display the list of feature classes; then
click the appropriate area feature.
3. Click the appropriate placement mode to place for the first geometry.
4. For Point by Point Placement or Place at Angle, enter each point of
the polygon.
5. Switch to one of the arc placement modes, and enter the arc points in
the appropriate order.
Note: The last vertex placed is used as the start point of the arc.
6. Double click to end the feature.
Note: This works for linear features also.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Using Precision Keyins
When digitizing new features, or when editing existing features or
geometry, you can use precision keyins to specify the map coordinates of
input points. A precision coordinate is the exact real-world coordinate
location of a vertex. They are used as an alternative method of data
capture in which instead of clicking with the mouse to place a point, you
use the keyboard to type its actual coordinate location. This may be in one
of several formats, such as latitude/longitude coordinate, an
easting/northing, or a distance and direction from the last vertex.
Although they can be used for the capture of any feature type, precision
coordinates are often used as a way of entering parcel features where the
information is provided in coordinate and/or bearing/distance format.
See the Inserting
Traverses chapter for
additional precision
entry tools.
In GeoMedia Professional, you can use the Precision Coordinates
dockable control to type a coordinate anytime you are prompted to enter a
point. This includes placing features, editing vertices, and editing control
points for image and vector registration. The advantage of this method of
data entry is that it is much more accurate than digitizing off a paper map
or a scanned image. The disadvantage is that it is a somewhat slower
technique.
Note: The Precision Coordinates dockable control provides dynamic
readout of the cursor location.
See Setting Units and
Formats in the
Working with
Coordinate Systems
chapter.
You select the appropriate coordinate format, type the coordinate values,
and select an update setting using the Precision Coordinates dockable
control. The map coordinates corresponding to the current location of the
screen cursor are displayed next to the formats list.
Some of the coordinate formats and units that you can select are, for
example:
Latitude,Longitude(d:m:s),[Height(m)] (optional)
Easting,Northing(m),[Height(m)] (optional)
Distance(m),Azimuth(deg) (Geodesic or Planar)
Distance(m),Bearing(deg) (Geodesic or Planar)
You can set preferences for the coordinate formats and readouts on the
Precision Coordinates dockable control by using the Units and Formats
tab on the Define Coordinate System File dialog box. This tab contains
controls for setting the order to use when displaying geographic
coordinates; the hemisphere and quadrant to use when displaying projected
coordinates; the coordinate type, units, and precision; the distance and
starting point to use when displaying azimuths; and the default height to
use when placing and editing features.
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The active update setting on the Precision Coordinates control drop-
down list is Update coordinates on mouse move by default. This
setting displays the coordinates dynamically; when you move the mouse
over the map window, the coordinates update. The other settings are
Update coordinates on click, which updates the coordinates when you
click the left mouse button in the map window, and Clear coordinates
after entry, which tells the software to clear the entry field after you enter
the coordinate values.
You display the dockable control by selecting View > Precision
Coordinates.
To change the default update setting, you click the down arrow next to the
coordinate display, and you select a setting from the menu.
To display the list of available coordinate formats, you click the drop-
down arrow, and you select the appropriate format.
After you type the coordinate values that correspond to the location of the
input point in the field to the right of the format field, you press ENTER.
Tools for Collection of Attribute Information
So far the discussion of data collection tools has focused mostly on
geometry. The following section describes some of the tools for collecting
the information about the features the attributes. Some capture
workflows involve capturing the geometry first and adding the attributes
later; others focus on collecting the attributes and geometry separately and
combing them at a later stage. Still others call for collecting the attributes
of a feature at the time it is digitized.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Collecting Attributes
See the Working with
Data Windows chapter.
Attribute information can be added or updated at anytime using either the
data window or the feature Properties dialog box.
Collecting Attributes as the Feature is Digitized
This workflow is supported by the use of the Display Properties dialog
for new features option on the Placement and Editing tab of the
Options dialog box, which determines whether the Properties dialog box
automatically displays when you create a new feature with a placement or
editing tool.
For example, this option affects any operation when you create a new
feature, such as Insert > Feature. When turned off, the dialog box does
not display, except when the newly created feature has required attribute
values that must be populated.
In that case, the dialog box always displays regardless of the check box
setting. You can also turn this option on and off from the Options toolbar.
Using this tool ensures that attribute information is always entered when
new features are created.
Adding Geometry to Features
If you have created new features by adding rows in a data window, you
can add geometry to those features using the Continue Geometry
command, as follows:
1. In the data window, select the feature for which you want to create
new geometry.
2. Digitize the geometry in the map window to automatically add the
geometry to the existing feature.
Linking Existing Geometry to Existing Attributes
See Working with
Joins in the Analyzing
GeoMedia Professional
Data chapter.
If you have created attributes and geometry separately, you can link this
information by creating a join between the two on a common key value
and outputting the result of the join to a new feature class. If there is no
common key value, there is no way to automatically link the two sources
of information, and you then must perform this task manually.
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Automatically Populating Attributes
See Updating Feature
Attributes and
Updating Feature
Attributes Using Text
in the Editing Features
and Geometries
chapter, Working with
Joins in the Analyzing
GeoMedia Professional
Data chapter, and
Outputting Feature Data
to Warehouses in this
chapter.
GeoMedia Professional provides two ways of automatically populating
attribute values as you digitize:
Setting required values on default values on the Feature Class
Definition dialog box
Copying attributes from the last feature placed
In addition, other tools described in separate sections of this document
allow you to populate the attributes of multiple features after collection.
These include Update Attributes, Update Attributes Using Text, Join
features, and Output to Feature Classes. The last two are used to bring in
attribute information from other sources and to connect it to existing
feature geometry. This section describes the copying of attributes from
previous features.
Automatically Copying Attributes from Previous Features
When successively placing two or more features of the same feature class
with Insert Feature, Insert Text, or Interactive Label, you can
automatically copy the attribute values of the record of the first feature to
the record of the second feature, and so forth. Thus, when features have
many attributes that do not change from feature to feature, you only have
to edit those attributes that do change.
To copy attributes from previous features, you turn on the Copy attributes
from previous feature check box on the Placement and Editing tab of
the Options dialog box (Tools > Options). By default this check box is
unchecked. If the Properties dialog box is open for the second feature
you are placing, the attribute values are displayed.
Inserting Area Features Automatically
The Insert Area By Face and Insert Interactive Area By Face tools each
allow you to create multiple area features from existing linear or area
features. These commands are useful in two data-capture workflows.
First, when converting large amounts of area data, it is often more efficient
to collect the lines that make up the areas rather than digitizing each area
one at a time. These commands allow you to collect the linework in the
most efficient way and then to convert it into area features. Second, a
data-capture workflow often requires integrating line data collected in a
CAD system.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
You can use these commands to automatically convert this linework into
area features. Because you are creating new data, the Z value you receive
is the height value of the original features in the select set.
With these commands, you create a select set of component linear/area
features, select an area feature class for the new features (which must be a
writeable feature), and decide in the creation of new area features to ignore
holes, to include holes, or to include holes as features.
These two commands use the softwares topology-on-the-fly concept to
generate the area features. You should use the Validate Geometry
command to ensure that no invalid geometry conditions exist in the input
features before running the area creation commands.
When using Insert Area By Face, clicking OK on the dialog box begins
processing. A new area feature is automatically created for each closed
region in the select set.
Note: Because you are creating new data, the height value you receive is
always the default height value you specified on the Units and Formats
tab of the Define Coordinate System File dialog box.
When using Insert Interactive Area By Face, pause the cursor over a
proposed area feature. When the feature highlights, click the left mouse
button to create the new area feature.
In both tools, no extrapolation of data is performed; that is, no gaps in the
select set are closed. When the Include holes option is turned on, holes
are formed by feature geometries that form polygons within closed regions
in the select set. However, nested holes and islands are not detected.
When Include holes as features option is turned on, holes are converted
into features.
The following examples show the results of using these commands:
Area data collected as lines. Area inserted ignoring holes.
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Area inserted including holes. Area inserted including holes as features.
Note: Both tools preserve the original linear or area features used as
components of the new area feature. Therefore, you may want to delete
the component features manually.
To insert an area feature:
1. Select Insert > Area By Face.
2. Click the Feature class drop-down arrow to display the list of feature
classes in the read/write warehouses to which you are connected.
3. Click the feature class in which you want to create area features.
4. Select the appropriate Hole processing option.
5. Click OK.
If Display Properties dialog for new features is on, or if input is
required for the selected feature class, specify attribute values for each
feature on the <Feature> Properties dialog box; then click OK.
If Display Properties dialog for new features is off, and no input is
required for the selected feature class, all potential area features are
highlighted in the highlight color.
6. When prompted, click Yes to place the highlighted features in the
database. Or, click No to reject the highlighted features and to exit the
command.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
To insert an area feature interactively:
1. Select Insert > Interactive Area By Face.
2. Click the drop-down arrow to display the list of feature classes in the
read/write warehouses to which you are connected.
3. Click the feature class in which you want to create area features.
4. To include holes, select Include holes.
5. Pause the cursor over each closed region of linework.
For each closed region over which you pause, the new feature is
highlighted.
6. Click to accept the feature.
If Display Properties dialog for new features is on, or if input is
required for the selected feature class, specify the feature attributes on
the <Feature> Properties dialog box; then click OK.
If Display Properties dialog for new features is off, and no input is
required for the selected feature class, the feature is written to the
database immediately after you click to accept. The following
message is displayed: Writing area feature to database.
7. Continue until all area features have been created.
Inserting Text Features into a Feature Class
You can insert text features into a feature class and place them on the map
interactively with the Insert Text command. Text placement is dynamic,
so that you can see characters appear next to your cursor as you type. If
you change the alignment set for the text after typing your text, you can
also see the position of the text change next to your cursor.
If you want to place multiple copies of the same text, you can do that with
additional mouse clicks. Insert Text is an interactive mode, and you have
to press ESC or click the Select Tool to return to select mode.
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Working with Features
Starting Insert Text displays the following dockable control:
8
In addition to basic text insertion, Insert Text provides the following
functionality:
Applying instance-based symbology for text featuresBy default,
placed text relies on the Style Definition parameters defined in the
legend when displaying the text in the map window. You may
override these parameters on individual text instances (instance-based
symbology) by checking the Override style check box and defining
the appropriate text symbology. When the Override style check box
is checked, the entire text string will display using the defined format
(bold, italic, or underline), color, size, and font. To change instance-
based text symbology, you need to use the Edit Text command.
Placing incremental numeric textType a numeric (integer or real)
value into the text-entry field, and then set the increment value to an
integer or real number.
Placing text at a user-defined rotation angleSet the rotation mode
to Place at angle, set the appropriate angle for placing the text, and
then click to place the text. The controls on the dockable control
remain as set.
Placing text to rotate dynamicallySet the rotation mode to Rotate
dynamically, click for the location of the text origin, and then click for
rotation.
Placing text along an arcSet the rotation mode to Place along arc,
optionally modifying the inter-character spacing, and then digitize
three points to define the curvature of the arc, in the order 1-2-3.
Upon defining the third data point, the text will be floating and
oriented along the curvature of the arc defined. Click a fourth point to
place the text. Type additional text to continue the process, select
another command, or press ESC.
Optionally modifying the character spacingFor the Place along
arc rotation mode only, you can use character spacing modifications to
expand or to retract the text string. You can use the mouse wheel and
the + and - keys to increase or to decrease the character spacing after
the second click point and before the fourth click point.
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Working with GeoMedia Professional
To insert text:
1. Select Insert > Text to display the Insert Text dockable control.
2. Click the drop-down arrow to display the list of text feature classes in
the read/write warehouses to which you are connected. If none of the
open read/write warehouses contains a text feature class, create one
through Warehouse > Feature Class Definition.
3. Click the feature class you want to contain the text.
4. Optional: Check the Override Style check box; then define the
appropriate text symbology.
5. Select the text alignment you want from the drop-down list.
6. Type the text you want to place in the text-entry field. To create a new
line in the text, press CTRL+ENTER (except for curved text).
As you type, the text appears in the text field and in dynamics next to
the cursor in the map window.
7. Select the text placement rotation mode.
8. Position the text where you want it on the map; then click the left
mouse button.
9. To place additional instances of the same text, repeat Step 8.
10. To place additional but different text, repeat Steps 7 - 9.
11. To exit Insert Text mode, press ESC or click the Select Tool.
Note: If you dismiss the control by clicking the X on the title bar, the
control disappears, but Insert Text mode remains active.
Editing Text
Edit Text lets you to interactively edit one or more instances of read/write
text, and the corresponding alignment and symbology, generated by the
Insert Label command or Insert Text command. You can select the text
from a map window or a data window; however, if from a data window,
you must activate a map window to enable this command. Also, if you
select a mixture of read-only and read/write text, you can only edit the
read/write text.
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This command lets you place the text with instance-based text symbology
through the Override style check box. When you select this option, the
entire text string in the Edit Text dialog box is placed with instance-based
text symbology, and the active symbology settings for text format (bold,
italic, or underline), color, size, and font override the legend display
parameters set on the Style Definition dialog box for the selected feature
class.
Multiple Text Instances
When you select multiple instances of text, the Text and Alignment fields
on the dialog box are only populated if these properties are common across
the selected labels.
For example, consider selecting two instances of the Tennessee River, each
with an alignment of Center center. When you start this command, the
dialog box displays Tennessee River and Center center as the text and
alignment, respectively. However, selecting an instance of Tennessee
River and Flint River (assuming the same feature class), each having
different alignments, yields a dialog box displaying nothing for the Text or
Alignment fields. In the hybrid case where each river shared a common
text or alignment, the respective control would show the common value
and not the other.
If you select multiple instances of text, and one or more instances are not
instance-based text symbology, the Override style check box is
unchecked, and all of the options are disabled.
If you select multiple instances of text that are instance-based text
symbology, the Override style check box is checked, and all of the
options are enabled. If the font size and font definitions are different for
the items selected, these two fields are blank.
Furthermore, in the case of multiple instances, if you do not specifically
change the text and/or alignment settings, on clicking OK, these settings
are left unchanged. Thus, in certain cases of multiple selections, OK and
Cancel can perform the same action. However, once you make a specific
selection for either text, alignment, or style override options, OK updates
all valid selections with the change(s).
To edit a text feature:
Note: The following behavior also applies to one or more instances of text
selected from a text collection. Basically, the Edit Text dialog only
displays attributes if they are common. Any edits are written to all of the
items in the collection
Working with GeoMedia Professional
1. Select the text feature class instance(s) in the map window.
2. Select Edit > Edit Text.
3. In the Text field, type the replacement text. If you are editing multiple
text instances, all instances are modified to reflect the new text.
4. Accept or select a different alignment from the Alignment drop-down
list. If you are editing multiple text instances, all instances are set to
the new alignment.
5. Accept or change the Override style check box setting. If you are
editing multiple text instances, all instances will be modified to reflect
the new text.
6. Accept the text symbology, or change it through the format (bold,
italic, or underline), color, size, and font controls.
7. Click OK.
Adding Hypertext to a Feature Class
Hypertext is a link to an external file. Inserting hypertext into a feature
table is essentially attaching an external file or Web location to a feature in
the read/write warehouse. Once hypertext has been inserted into a table,
you can invoke the external application associated with the file and
activate the file by clicking the hypertext cell in the data window.
If the feature table does not already have a hypertext attribute defined, you
must define one in the warehouse before inserting hypertext. Once you
have a hypertext column in a table, you can add hypertext links to as many
features as the table contains.
To define a hypertext attribute in a read/write warehouse:
1. Select Warehouse > Feature Class Definition.
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8
2. On the Feature Class Definition dialog box, navigate to the
warehouse connection that contains the feature class in which you plan
to insert the hypertext, and select the feature class.
3. Click Edit.
4. On the Attributes tab of the Edit - <FeatureClass> dialog box, click
the bottom row selector that contains an asterisk.
5. Click somewhere in the Name field, and replace the automatically
generated attribute name by typing a meaningful name, such as
HYPERTEXT.
6. Click the Hypertext check box.
7. Click OK.
8. Close the Feature Class Definition dialog box.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
To insert hypertext into the data window:
1. In the data window, select the empty cell in the hypertext column of
the feature you want linked to an external application.
2. Select Insert > Hypertext.
3. From the Insert Hypertext dialog box, navigate to the appropriate
folder, and select the file or Web location that you want to attach to
the feature.
4. Click Open.
To insert or edit hypertext from the map window:
1. Select the feature in the map window.
2. Double click the selected feature, or select Edit > Select Set
Properties.
3. On the Attributes tab of the features Properties dialog box, click the
hypertext cell in the Value column, and type the path and name of the
file or Web location. To edit, highlight the file name or Web location,
and type the new file name or Web location.
Note: You must highlight the text to edit it. If you just click on the
text, the hypertext link is invoked.
4. Click OK.
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8
To designate a column in the database as a hypertext link in MGE or MGSM:
In MGE and MGSM, you must identify both the table and column names
in the .ini file for the MGE or MGSM data server using the HYPERTEXT:
keyword. You can identify several columns without repeating the
keyword, but each table-column pair must appear on a separate line.
For example, the Birds table contains a hypertext column linking a record
to a photograph of the species, one that references an audio clip of the
bird's call, and one that identifies a video clip of the bird in flight:
HYPERTEXT:Birds,Photo
Birds,Audio
Birds,Video
The MGE or MGSM data server looks for hypertext files in the
multimedia folder of the project unless the HYPERTEXT PATH: keyword
appears in the .ini file. Use this keyword to identify one or more folders in
which to search for multimedia files.
If more than one folder is specified, the folders are searched in the order
specified. You may use either a comma (,) or a semicolon (;) to separate
the path components. Path components may contain UNC-style folder
names:
HYPERTEXT PATH: C: \ I mages, D: \ Audi oCl i ps,
\ \ BI GSERVER\ VI DSHARE\ Bi r ds\ Vi deo
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8-80
Editing Features and Geometries
GeoMedia Professional provides various tools that allow you to edit
features and feature geometry. With these tools, you can perform the
following functions:
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Change feature attributes Delete features
Update feature attributes Edit geometry
Update feature attributes using text Spin geometry
Change feature class Rotate geometry
Copy features Move geometry
Copy features parallel to other features Continue geometry
Merge features Redigitize geometry
Split features Delete geometry
See Placement and
Editing Tab in the
Working with Features
chapter.
These editing tools work with the settings on the Placement and Editing
tab of the Options dialog box (Tools > Options).
Editing in a Map Window
When digitizing or editing data in GeoMedia Professional, you must
ensure that the GeoWorkspace coordinate system matches the coordinate
system of the feature class being edited or digitized. Failure to do so can
result in data that contains incorrect coordinates. GeoMedia Professional
will compare the workspace coordinate system to the coordinate system of
the feature you select for editing and will warn you if there is a mismatch
with the following message (it will be up to you to rectify the mismatch):
Changing Attribute Values of Features
You can change the attribute values of features either in a map window or
in a data window.
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9-2
See Editing Cells in the
Data Window in the
"Working with Data
Windows" chapter.
In a data window, you use standard Windows editing tools and the
Clipboard to cut, copy, and paste text in cells. You cannot, however,
edit hidden cells or cells containing hypertext.
In the map window, you use the Attributes tab of the Properties dialog
box, displayed by selecting Edit > Select Set Properties.
Attributes Tab
The Attributes tab lets you review and edit the attribute values of features.
On this tab, all required fields are indicated by the value in the Name
column appearing in bold, red type. All key fields are likewise indicated
by the value in the Name column appearing in bold, red type (because key
fields are also required fields) and by the values being underlined.
Tooltips
When you hover the cursor over a cell in the Name column, a tooltip
displays the value defined through the Feature Class Definition
command. If no value was defined, no tooltip appears.
When you hover the cursor over a cell in the Value column, a tooltip
displays the data type and the default value of the column. If there is no
default value, the tooltip displays only the appropriate data type string
from the table. If there is a default value, the data type string is followed
by the string : Default = and then by the actual default value string
supplied by the data server.
If the default value string is a literal value of the correct data type for the
attribute, it is formatted according to the display rules for the field
(honoring the format and precision properties, regional settings as
appropriate, custom Boolean wording, and so forth), as seen in the
following example:
Text (20) : Default = Alabama
Memo : Default = This is a default value for a memo field.
Integer : Default = 5
Double : Default = 123.456,789
Currency : Default = $ 1,200.50
Boolean : Default = Yes
Date : Default = 01-May-2000
If the default value string is not a literal value of the correct data type for
the attribute, it is displayed in its native form as provided by the data
server. This may occur when, for example, the default value is an
autonumber or is to be calculated through a database procedure, as in the
following example:
Editing Features and Geometries
Integer : Default = AutoNumber
Date : Default = TRUNC(SYSDATE)
To use the Properties dialog box:
1. Select one or more features as a select set.
2. Select Edit > Select Set Properties.
3. Optional: Resize the dialog as desired through standard Windows
resize operations.
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4. Position the pointer over the appropriate item for your task to display
the tooltip.
In this example, ID is a required field. The cursor is hovering over the
word Alabama in the Value column, thus the tooltip shows the data
type of the field, the size (because it is a text field), and the default
value.
OR
Position the pointer over the appropriate item for your task to display
the tooltip.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
The cursor is hovering over the word Hotel in the Value column, thus
the tooltip shows the data type of the field and the default value.
To change attribute values of features in a map window or data window:
1. In the map window, select a single feature you want to change.
OR
In the data window, select the row of the feature you want to change.
2. Select Edit > Select Set Properties.
3. On the Attributes tab of the features Properties dialog box, edit the
attribute values and click OK.
Note: You could also double click the select set, which amounts to
triple clicking a feature, or right click a select set and select
Properties from the pop-up menu.
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Editing Features and Geometries
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9
4. Optional: Resize the dialog box to more easily view and change data
in the Value column of both tabs.
5. On the Attributes tab of the Properties dialog box, click the cell in
the Value column that you want to edit.
The arrow on the row selector moves to the row you clicked.
6. Type the new value in the cell.
If the warehouse is read/write, a pencil appears on the row selector
when you begin to type.
7. Click OK.
If the map window display check box was selected, the map window
with the geometries is displayed. If the data window display check box
was selected, the data window with the geometries is displayed.
Updating Feature Attributes
The Update Attributes command lets you update the attribute values for
multiple features within a feature class automatically rather than one at a
time. This command is a powerful tool for updating the database schema
to optimize the attribute data. It is especially useful for cleaning,
altering, and adjusting data brought in from other sources. You can use
this command on a feature class, a query, or a select set. In the case of
the select set, you must choose a particular feature class that has features
in the select set to update.
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9-6
Note: When entering constants for columns with a data type "date"
assigned, you must enter the information in the form "Date(yyy,mm,dd)".
For Boolean fields, you must enter 0 for False and 1 for True, or use one of
the logical functions from the Expression for <attribute name> dialog
box.
The following are some example uses of this command:
Changing constant values in the database.
Assigning a new default value throughout the database.
Assigning a value to empty fields throughout the database.
Trimming trailing spaces from text fields.
Compressing geometry from the MGE/DGN format into an optimal
GeoMedia format.
This command lets you update the attributes in several ways:
Typing a constant value (such as 5 or Smith) or a combination of
values into the Value field(s) of the Update Attributes dialog box.
Typing a simple mathematical expression into the Value field of the
dialog box.
Right clicking in any Value field to open a right mouse menu with the
options Length, Area, and Perimeter, then selecting one of these to
append the corresponding fully qualified expression (the optional
arguments in these cases are provided) to the value string. The
constant name is displayed, for example, if Square Miles is the unit for
processing areas, SquareMile is displayed in the field.
Creating a functional attribute expression in the Expression for
<attribute name> dialog box, accessed through Update Attributes.
Update Attributes logs errors encountered (due to division by zero,
creation of duplicate values in the index, primary key, or relationship,
network problems, and so forth) while updating database with specified
value in the log file. This file is created in your temporary folder with the
root name the same as the feature class name with a .txt extension.
Creating Expressions
In creating the functional attribute expression, you can use the attributes
and all functions and operators that evaluate to a single value. This
command does not, however, store expressions created on the Expression
for <attribute name> dialog box.
Editing Features and Geometries
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9
See Working with
Functional Attributes in
the Analyzing
GeoMedia Professional
Data chapter for
information on
functional attributes.
The Expression for <attribute name> dialog box in this command for
functional attribute expressions appears and functions somewhat
differently from the Functional Attribute dialog box used for functional
attribute expressions by the Functional Attributes, Aggregation, and
Analytical Merge commands. Update Attributes is a database update
tool that actually changes the original data. The other three commands
produce queries to form additional data. Consequently, you must be
careful when using Update Attributes because it physically changes the
data stored in the database and the original data cannot be restored.
Update Attribute updates the database record only when the command is
run so the attribute is static. For example, update an attribute called
SALES_DATE using the NOW function. The resulting time value in the
database remains constant until you run the command again.
Using Literals
Update Attributes allows literals for the following data types:
Boolean Currency Double Long Single
Byte Date Integer Memo Text
You must enclose literals in single quotes (for example, ALABAMA for a
text attribute) if the attribute being updated is Text, Memo, Date, or
Boolean. If you do not enclose the value for these data types in single
quotes, it is validated and evaluated as an expression.
For numeric data types (including Currency), you type literals as they are,
without quotes. If the value does not evaluate to a numeric value, it is
validated and evaluated as expression.
This command also lets you update geometry (corresponding to data types
Graphic and Spatial). However, only functions provided by the
Expression for <attribute name> dialog box (and no literals) are allowed
for update of geometry.
To update feature attributes:
1. With a GeoWorkspace open with a connection to a read/write
warehouse, select Edit > Attribute > Update Attributes.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
2. Select an appropriate existing feature class, query, or select set object
from the Update features in treeview.
Note: For selected features there is an additional node in the treeview
named Select Set. For each feature class having an instance in the
select set, there is a leaf node in the treeview named <feature class
name> under leaf node <connection name> that is a leaf node of
Select Set.
3. Select the appropriate attribute(s) from the Attributes to update list;
then type the update value(s) and/or expressions into the
corresponding Value field(s), or use the right mouse menu for standard
functions to calculate area, length, or perimeter.
Note: Holding the cursor over an attribute name displays its data type.
AND/OR
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Editing Features and Geometries
Select the appropriate attribute(s) from the Attributes to update list;
then click Expression or double click the attribute field to open the
Expression for <attribute name> dialog box.
See the GeoMedia
Professional Help for
information on this
dialog box.
4. On the Expression for <attribute name> dialog box, create the
expression for the selected attribute; then click OK to write the
expression back to the selected attribute field on the Update
Attributes dialog box.
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5. After forming expressions and/or entering values for all the features
you want to update, click Apply to compute and to update the values.
Updating Feature Attributes Using Text
Update Attributes Using Text allows you to update feature class
attributes using spatially related text or label features. These attributes can
be either character or numeric. You can use this command on features in
feature classes, queries, and select sets.
The updating is performed by copying the text string stored in the
geometry of the feature into the selected column in the output feature class
or query. If the output feature class is an area feature class, the text from
the text feature whose origin falls within the area is used to update the
output feature class attribute.
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9-10
If the output feature class is a point, linear, or text feature class, the text of
the closest text feature is used to update the output feature class attribute.
The closest text feature is determined by the distance specified in the
Options area of the dialog box. If the closest text feature contains
geometry collection, the text from first geometry in the collection is used
to update the feature class attribute.
An example workflow involves data captured in a CAD system.
Frequently in a data-collection workflow, the geometry and attributes are
collected separately, and the conversion operator types text that represents
the key for joining them together.
This command allows you to load text onto spatially related features so
that you can use this as the key for joining to a database table.
This command detects the following error conditions and writes them to a
log file:
Area Features
No text features found inside an area.
Multiple text features found inside an area.
Area feature has invalid or null geometry.
Linear, Point, and Text Features
No text features found within the distance of a line feature.
Multiple text features found within distance of a line feature.
Linear feature has invalid or null geometry.
No text features found within distance of a point feature.
Multiple text features found within distance of a point feature.
Point feature has invalid or null geometry.
No text features found within distance of a text feature.
Multiple text features found within the distance of a text feature.
Text feature has invalid or null geometry.
To update feature attributes using text:
1. With a GeoWorkspace open with a connection to a read/write
warehouse, select Edit > Attribute > Update Attributes Using Text.
Editing Features and Geometries
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9
2. Select an appropriate existing geometry feature class, query, or select
set object from the Update features in treeview.
3. Select an appropriate character or numeric attribute from the Attribute
to update drop-down list.
Note: After selecting an attribute, hovering the cursor over the
attribute name displays a tooltip indicating the type of field
selected.
4. Select an appropriate label feature class or query (the text to use to
update) from the Update text from drop-down list.
5. When loading text to point, linear, or text features, type the
appropriate search distance, and/or select the unit of measure from the
drop-down list of the Distance field. This field is disabled for area
features.
6. Change the default error filename if appropriate, and/or click Browse
to select a different location.
7. Click Apply.
The attribute is updated for the feature class or query in the database,
a message with the number of features in the feature class updated is
displayed, and any errors are written to the error file.
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Copying Attributes
The creation of a spatial database not only includes capturing the map data
but also integrating the associated attribute information. GeoMedia
Professional provides the functionality to bring in the tabular attribute
information from a wide variety of data sources. The copy attribute
function provides the tool for such integration of spatial CAD data with
tabular attribute data where there is no common attribute key field. This
copy attribute function is performed through a two-step process of using
the Copy Attributes Definition and Copy Attributes commands, letting
you link, then, copy existing features and existing attributes.
Defining the Attribute Copy
Before you can copy attributes between features, you must establish the
source and the target feature classes/queries, and which attribute fields will
be copied from one to the other. You achieve this using the Copy
Attributes Definition command. You then use the Copy Attributes
command to perform the actual copy. The target feature class must be
read/write, but the source can be read/write or read-only. Copy Attributes
does not allow the adding of new fields in the case of a querys being
selected as the target.
Copy Attributes Definition selects the attributes available in the source
feature class/query whose values are to be copied to a target feature
class/query. This information is then used by the Copy Attributes
command to perform the copy. You can select the target feature class
from all currently open read/write connections or updateable queries to
which the attributes are to be copied. You first select the source feature
class/query from a currently open read-only or a read/write connection
from which the attributes are to be copied to the target feature class. If any
of the selected attributes do not already exist in the target feature class, the
metadata for these attributes is added to the target feature class definition.
Copy Attributes does not allow the adding of new fields in the case of a
querys being selected as the target. Geometry fields are not available for
selection.
Field Validation and Metadata Creation
Often the attributes in the source and the target feature classes will be
different in some way. Attributes may exist in one feature class and not
the other, or the attribute metadata may be slightly different between the
two feature classes. The attributes are displayed in the Attributes to copy
list on the Copy Attributes Definition dialog box. These attribute fields
can be divided into the following two cases:
Editing Features and Geometries
9-13
9
Group 1Attributes that exist only in the source feature class. In this
case the attribute metadata is copied over from the source feature class
to the target feature class.
Group 2Attributes that exist in both the source and the target
feature classes with a definition exactly/partially matching, that is,
either the data type is the same for both fields or the data type of the
field in the target feature class has greater storage capacity. In this
case the values are copied directly.
After selecting the source and the target feature class, the command
provides a list of attribute fields for selection. If you select a feature class
as the target, the command lists both Group 1 and Group 2 fields.
However, if you select a query as the target, the command lists only Group
2 fields because queries are read-only so there can be no editing of the
attribute metadata. The following are not displayed:
Hidden fields
Fields with type gdbLongBinary, gdbSpatial, gdbGraphic
Fields that already exist in the target feature class with the auto
increment property
Fields that already exist in the target feature class but are not
updateable
If any of the selected fields do not exist in the target feature class (from
Group 1), the command attempts to create the new field metadata in the
target feature class for these fields. While creating the field metadata, the
command makes use of the field properties of the field that exists in the
source feature class/query. However, in the two following cases, the
command does not preserve some properties of the field being added:
A field acting as a primary key in the source feature class loses its
primary key nature in the target class.
A field acting as an auto number in the source feature class loses its
auto increment property in the target class.
When this command prepares the required copy definition when new
attributes are to be created in the target feature class, the command
displays the New Attributes dialog box listing all the new fields. You
then confirm that the field metadata in the target feature class should be
created. Upon confirmation, the command creates the field metadata in
the target feature class, and both dialog boxes are dismissed. If you do not
confirm the metadata creation, no action is taken, the New Attributes
dialog box is dismissed, and the Copy Attributes Definition dialog box is
redisplayed.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
9-14
Copying Attributes
Copy Attributes performs the actual copy, that is, it copies the row values
of the selected attributes from a feature instance of the source feature class
to that of one or more feature instances of the target feature class or query.
This command uses the required copy information that was defined using
the Copy Attributes Definition command. Only those values of the
attributes fields present in the copy definition are copied.
The following are two rules for selecting feature instances for a copy:
A single feature instance from the source feature class must be
selected from a data window or a map window.
One or more feature instance(s) from the target feature class must be
selected from a data window or a map window.
When you start this command after making the required select set, the
features in the select set are validated with the copy information, and any
mismatch that occurs during validation is displayed to you. Then, the row
values of the selected attributes from the source feature class are copied to
the feature instance(s) in the target feature class. The command performs
the required type/data conversion wherever required. When copying a
numeric value to a numeric field, data conversion is performed if the field
type is not the same and the type of the target feature class has a greater
storage capacity than the type in the source feature class.
Note: You cannot create new columns for a feature class in an Oracle
Object Model read/write warehouse connection.
To copy attributes:
1. Create a read/write connection to a GDO warehouse containing the
target feature class to which attributes are to be copied.
2. Create a read/write or read-only connection to the warehouse
containing the source feature class from which attribute fields are to be
copied.
3. Select Edit > Attribute > Copy Attributes Definition.
Editing Features and Geometries
9-15
9 4. Select the appropriate feature class from the Target features drop-
down list.
5. Select the appropriate feature class from the Source features drop-
down list.
6. Check the appropriate Attribute to copy check boxes; then click OK.
Note: To select/unselect all attributes, click Select All or Unselect
All.
If the selected attributes do not exist in the target feature class, the
New Attributes dialog box is displayed to either create or not create
field metadata in the target feature class.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
7. Click OK to create metadata in the target feature class. Continue with
Step 8.
OR
Click Cancel to redisplay the Copy Attributes Definition dialog box.
8. Place one or more features from the target feature class and one
feature from the source feature class into the select set.
9. Select Edit > Attribute > Copy Attributes to complete the copy.
10. Optional: Select Edit > Attribute > Copy Attributes Definition
to redefine copy definition.
Manipulating Features
You can easily manipulate features by moving, merging, splitting,
copying, copying parallel, and deleting selected features.
You can change the location of a feature and change the orientation of
text and point symbols by creating a select set in a map window or a
data window and then activating the appropriate tool.
You can move a single feature, multiple features, or an entire feature
class together. Selected features can belong to different feature
classes.
You can rotate one or more text and/or point features that are
represented by symbols.
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Editing Features and Geometries
Merging Features
See Merging Feature
Classes and Queries in
the Analyzing
GeoMedia Data
chapter for information
on the Analytical
Merge command.
Merge allows you to take two or more features in a select set and merge
them into a single output feature. This tool works with features that are of
the geometry types point, line, area, or compound and that are of the same
feature class. Merging features copies the attributes from the first input
feature in the select set to the merged output feature. Merging also deletes
the input features and outputs the new feature with merged geometry (with
a new feature ID). The resultant merged geometry is discontiguous if the
original geometries cannot be merged into a single geometry.
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9
Merge honors the height settings on the Placement and Editing tab of the
Options dialog box. Merge modifies existing geometry, so it uses the
height values of the existing geometry. If the input geometries have
different height values, the resulting merged geometry will have different
height values as well.
The following are examples of area merge conditions:
If the features are not adjacent, merging the features creates a single
feature with discontiguous geometry.
The following are examples of line merge conditions:
To merge two or more features of the same feature class into one feature:
1. Select two or more features of the same feature class.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
2. Select Edit > Feature > Merge.
If the Properties dialog box option is off, the features are merged and
the new feature is written to the database, and the original features
are deleted.
If the Properties dialog box option is on, the features are merged, and
the dialog box is opened with the properties of the first input feature
for entry of new attribute values. Once the attribute values have been
specified, the new feature is written to the database, and the original
features are deleted.
Splitting Features
Split Feature allows you to split one or more features, copying the
attributes from the old feature(s) to the new feature(s). You can split
features having a single linear or areal geometry (polygon, boundary,
composite polygon, polyline, composite polyline, and arc) or a feature
comprised of a collection of discontiguous geometries. This command
gives you a choice in the type of split geometry to digitize during a split
operation by using split by polyline mode, split by polygon mode, or split
by point mode. You set the digitizing mode through the commands
dockable control.
Split by Polyline Mode
This mode (the default) lets you split a selected linear or areal geometry
(single) into two separate features by specifying a polyline about which the
original geometry is to be divided. You split area features by digitizing an
intersecting line across the selected feature. You can use existing
geometry when digitizing an intersecting line. Splitting occurs along the
intersection of the split line and the feature to be split. For areas, this is the
portion of the line that intersects the face of an area.
You can split an area feature using the geometry of a second feature with
the Use existing geometry when digitizing option from the Placement
and Editing tab of the Options dialog box. Clicking two points on the
intersecting feature indicates the start and end points of the intersection.
9-18
Editing Features and Geometries
You split line features by snapping to a selected line and double clicking
or digitizing a split line.
See the Working with
Features and Working
with Coordinate
Systems chapters for
more information on
these tabs.
This tool does not honor the break setting on the Placement and Editing
tab, but it does honor the coincidence setting and the automatic pan map
window setting on the SmartLocate tab of the Options dialog box. Any
features coincident to the split feature will have vertices inserted at the snap
points.
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9
When splitting a feature, the Z value you receive is always the interpolated
Z value of the existing data, except for when you are splitting areas. For
areas, the split line is new data, so the Z value you receive is always the
default Z value you specified on the Default height value field of the
Placement and Editing tab or the Default Height dockable control.
When digitizing the split line using precision key-ins, you can override the
default Z value by typing a different value in the Precision Coordinates
dockable control. Snapping to an existing feature takes the Z value of the
snapped point unless the Use default height value instead of height at
snap point option is set on the Placement and Editing tab.
Splitting Area Features
The following cases are split feature conditions for area features:
Case 1: The split line intersects the area boundary at two points.
Solution: The area is split into two features.
Case 2: The split line crosses the area boundary at more than two points.
Solution: This is a value split. The area is split into three area features.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Case 3: A split line intersects two area boundaries at two points each.
Solution: The two areas are split into six features.
Case 4: Given an area with a hole, the split line is snapped to the
boundary only.
Solution. The hole is converted to an area boundary.
Case 5: Given an area with a hole, the split line snaps to the boundary in
one location.
Solution: Invalid split. The larger area would share the middle vertex,
resulting in invalid topology.
Case 6: Given an area with a hole, the split line crosses the boundary
multiple times and has its end points outside the boundary.
Solution: The area is split into four features.
Splitting Line Features
The following cases are split feature conditions for line features:
Case 1: The split point intersects a feature.
Solution: The feature is split into two features at the intersection point.
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Editing Features and Geometries
Case 2: The splitting line can be digitized using stream digitizing and can
cross the feature(s) multiple times to split it into more than one feature.
Solution: The line is split into multiple lines at the intersection points.
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9
Splitting and Maintaining Coincidence
If the Maintain coincidence option on the Placement and Editing tab is
selected, any features coincident to the split features will have vertices
inserted at the snap points.
The following example is a split feature condition for maintaining
coincidence in which the split line snaps into area and coincidence line
geometry.
Line B is coincident with the portion of the boundary of Area D
Solution with coincidence on: Line B is split by a vertex only.
Solution with coincidence off: Line B is not split in any way; coincidence
is broken.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Split by Polygon Mode
This mode primarily lets you split either a heterogeneous or homogeneous
geometry collection. You can, however, also use this mode for a single
linear or areal geometry.
When you digitize a split polygon for a split operation, the portions of the
original geometry that fall inside the polygon are assigned to the original
feature, and the portions of the original geometry that fall outside the split
polygon are assigned to the new feature.
The following example illustrates the use of the split polygon mode:
A B C
AOriginal feature, containing a homogeneous geometry collection of
four discontiguous area geometries.
BOriginal feature geometry with a split polygon shown, specifying the
desired partitioning of the geometries.
CResult of the split operation. The shaded areas represent a geometry
collection belonging to the new feature created by the split (portions of the
original geometry that were external to the split polygon). The cross-
hatched areas are the geometry collection now associated with the original
feature (portions of original geometry that were internal to the split
polygon).
Split by Point Mode
You use this mode only when splitting a simple linear geometry feature.
To use this mode, you move the cursor to a point along a linear feature to
identify the location at which you want the split to occur; this point is then
highlighted.
To complete the split you simply click to split the geometry at the
highlighted point.
To split features with simple geometries:
1. Place a feature containing a simple linear or areal geometry in a select
set.
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Editing Features and Geometries
9-23
9
2. Select Edit > Feature > Split.
3. Select the split by polyline mode on the dockable control.
4. Place the first point of the line that will intersect the feature by
clicking the left mouse button.
5. Place the next point(s) of the intersecting line, or place the final point
by double clicking the left mouse button.
If the Use existing geometry when digitizing option has been
selected on the Placement and Editing tab of the Options dialog box,
a portion of a bisecting feature that extends across the feature can be
used to split the features. While digitizing the split line, snap to a
bisecting feature at two points, and the portion of the bisection feature
between them will be highlighted.
If this option is not selected, a straight two-point line will be
highlighted, ignoring the bisecting feature.
6. Optional: You can terminate the split by pressing ESC.
7. If the Display Properties dialog box for new features option is
selected on the Placement and Editing tab, type the attributes for
each of the new features in the Properties dialog box as it is displayed
for each feature (the attributes that appear in the Properties dialog box
are the attributes of the original feature).
8. Click OK.
Note: Precision key-ins may be used at any time instead of clicking
with the left mouse button to place the feature.
To split feature containing geometry collections:
1. Place a feature containing a geometry collection, having any
combination of geometry types, in a select set.
2. Select Edit > Feature > Split.
3. Select the split by polygon mode on the control.
4. Digitize the split polygon.
5. Double click to complete the digitization of the split polygon and to
perform the split operation.
To split a linear feature with the split by point mode:
1. Place a feature containing a simple linear geometry in a select set.
2. Select Edit > Feature > Split.
3. Select the split by point mode on the dockable control.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
9-24
4. Move the cursor to the point on the feature at which you want to
perform the split.
5. Click to perform the split operation on the geometry at the highlighted
point.
Copying Features
Copy (features) lets you make multiple copies of one or more selected
features to new features of the same feature class from a read/write
connection. The copied features are identical to the originals except that
any autonumber field is incremented automatically. If there are required
fields or key fields on the features to be copied that are not autonumbers,
the Properties dialog box opens for each copied feature, letting you
resolve these values. The Properties dialog box also opens if you have
selected the Display Properties dialog for new features option on the
Options dialog box (Tools > Options).
You can copy features from multiple feature classes in a single operation
just by placing them in a select set, which must contain at least one feature
from a read/write connection. You can designate the source point and
destination point for the copy with the cursor or by typing values on the
Precision Coordinates dockable control.
To copy features:
1. Select one or more features.
2. Select Edit > Feature > Copy.
3. Click to place a source point for the copy.
OR
Type the coordinate value of the source point in the Precision
Coordinates dockable control and press ENTER.
The writable selected feature(s) appear in dynamics on the cursor.
Note: Any read-only features in the select set do not appear in
dynamics.
4. Move the cursor to the appropriate destination.
5. Click to place the feature(s).
OR
Type a destination point and press ENTER.
Editing Features and Geometries
If there are no required unique attribute values and the Display
Properties dialog for new features option is turned off, the selected
feature(s) are copied and again appear in dynamics.
Go to Step 8.
If there are required unique attribute values and/or the Display
Properties dialog for new features option is turned on, dynamics are
turned off for all features, and the first read/write feature in the select
set is highlighted. The Properties dialog box for the first read/write
feature in the select set is displayed.
Continue with Step 6.
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9
6. Type the appropriate attributes on the Properties dialog box.
Note: Pressing Cancel or ESC when the Properties dialog box is
open displays a message asking if you want to discard the current
feature copy or all subsequent copies.
The feature is copied, and the Properties dialog box is displayed for
the next feature.
7. Repeat Step 6 for each read/write feature in the select set.
All writable features in the select set appear in dynamics on the cursor
again.
8. Perform another copy.
OR
Select the Select Tool or press ESC to exit the command.
Copying Features Parallel to Other Features
Copy Parallel allows you to copy a linear or area feature and offset it to a
specified distance from the original feature.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
The copied feature parallels the shape, angles, and lengths of the original
feature proportionally. You can copy a feature to the same feature class as
the selected feature or copy the feature to a different feature class. The
copied feature is created in the active destination feature class selected in
the feature selection control of the Copy Parallel dockable control, which
opens when you select this tool. Changing the Target feature class in this
window changes the feature class of the copied feature. Only feature
classes from read/write connections appear in this control.
See the Working with
Features and Working
with Coordinate
Systems chapters for
more information on
these tabs.
Copy Parallel also honors the Properties dialog box setting on the
Placement and Editing tab of the Options dialog box. This tool creates
new data, so it uses the height value you specify in the Default height
value field of the Placement and Editing tab. It uses the default height
for click or height-coordinate keyins.
You can specify the offset copy distance by either typing the distance in
the Offset field or by picking data points with your cursor. The unit and
precision for the offset distance comes from the Units and Formats tab of
the Define Coordinate System File dialog box.
You can also lock in the current distance value by selecting the Lock
offset check box. This locks the feature in dynamics at the offset distance
value, and the feature no longer moves with the cursor. You can then
place the new feature on either side of the original feature with a click.
When the offset value is not locked, the feature is displayed in dynamics at
the cursor location, and the offset value is automatically updated as you
move your cursor.
You can also place multiple copies of the selected features at different
offsets. You can easily do this with the CTRL+click keystroke
combination to place multiple features, each at the specified offset from
the last copied feature. The additional features are always placed on the
same side as the original.
Copy Parallel sets the height of every vertex of the new geometry to the
height of the input point. If the input comes from the mouse, the value is
the default height. If the input comes from a keyin, the value could either
be the default height or the height value you type.
To copy parallel:
1. Select Edit > Feature > Copy Parallel.
2. Select a feature to copy parallel from the Target drop-down list.
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Editing Features and Geometries
9-27
9
The feature is displayed in dynamics, and the Offset field is updated
based on the cursor location.
3. Optional: Select the Lock offset check box to maintain the offset at
the given value; then type a new value in the Offset field and press
ENTER.
4. Click to place the copy of the feature.
The feature is copied to the specified location with no change in
feature class, displayed in its correct style, and written to the
database.
The Properties dialog box is opened if the setting of the Placement
and Editing tab is on or if the new feature has required values.
5. Select a different feature class in the Target drop-down list.
6. Click to place the feature.
The feature is copied and changed to the specified feature class.
7. Click to select another feature to copy parallel.
The feature selection control is not populated with the feature class of
the selected feature.
8. Click to place the feature.
The feature is copied and changed to the specified feature class.
9. Click to select another feature to copy parallel.
10. When finished copying parallel, press ESC to end.
Deleting Features
When you delete a feature, it is removed from the warehouse and from all
windows. However, the legend entry is not affected, and you must delete
it separately.
IMPORTANT: This procedure deletes all selected features, including
those not displayed in the active view.
To delete a feature:
1. In a map window, create a select set containing the feature(s) you want
to delete.
OR
Working with GeoMedia Professional
In a data window, select the row(s) for the feature and then activate the
map window by clicking the title bar.
2. Select Edit > Feature > Delete.
OR
Press CTRL+D.
Note: Through Tools > Options > Placement and Editing, you can
specify whether the confirmation box is displayed before processing.
All views that were displaying the deleted features are updated.
Manipulating Geometry
See the Validating and
Fixing Data chapter for
tools to trim and to
extend geometry and to
insert intersections.
Edit Geometry allows you to edit (insert, move, and delete) vertices on
the selected features. This tool honors the break and coincidence settings
on the Placement and Editing tab of the Options dialog box (Tools >
Options).
Edit Geometry modifies existing data, so it uses the height values of the
existing geometry. Moving a vertex only affects the height and width
coordinates of the vertex. Inserting a new vertex gets the height value by
interpolating between the height values of the two bounding vertices. This
command also allows you to edit the height value.
Manipulating tips:
You can have multiple features selected for editing, but you can only
edit vertices from a single feature at any one time. The exception to
this is if there are coincident vertices, which are edited automatically if
coincidence is turned on.
You can select all the vertices in a geometry by selecting a vertex and
then pressing CTRL+A.
You can select all the vertices between two vertices in a geometry by
selecting a vertex (1) and then selecting another vertex (2), while
pressing SHIFT, as shown in the following example:
If you want to move multiple vertices, select the vertices and then hold
down CTRL on the last one while dragging them.
9-28
Editing Features and Geometries
To insert, move, edit height values for, and delete verticies:
1. In a map window, create a select set containing the feature(s) you want
to edit.
OR
In a data window, select the row for the feature and then activate the
map window by clicking the title bar.
2. Select Edit > Geometry > Edit.
Vertex handles appear on all geometries of the selected feature(s) to
indicate that the geometries can be edited.
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9
3. To insert a vertex, click on the point of the geometry where you want
to insert the vertex.
4. To move one vertex(es), press and hold the left mouse button on the
vertex (CTRL+left mouse button to select multiple vertex(es)) you
want to move, drag it to the desired location, and release the mouse
button.
5. To delete the vertex(es), select the vertex(es) and press DELETE.
OR
Select the vertex(es), right click to open the popup menu; then select
Delete Vertex.
To edit the vertex height:
1. Select Edit > Geometry > Edit.
2. Select the vertex(es) whose height you want to change.
3. Right click to open the popup menu.
4. Select Edit Height.
If a you selected a single vertex, the field displays the current height
value. If you selected multiple vertices, the field is blank.
5. Type the new value in the Height field.
6. Click OK to update the coordinates of the selected vertex(es).
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Moving a Vertex by Precision Keyin
In addition to dragging a vertex to a new position, you can move a vertex
by precisely defining where the vertex should be relocated by precision
keyin to the Precision Coordinates dockable control. Such a keyin move
honors all placement and editing options honored by a move with the
mouse. For multiple vertexes, moving a vertex by keyin is based on the
last point selected. The coordinate of the selected vertex defines the anchor
point of the move operation. When you type a location to which to move
the vertex, the last vertex selected is moved to the new location, and all
other selected vertices are moved relative to their original locations.
If snaps are turned on and the keyed-in location of the vertex is within the
snap tolerance of another geometry, it automatically snaps to it, overriding
the precision keyin value. If you do not want this to occur, you must turn
off all snaps before moving the vertex.
To move a vertex by precision keyin:
1. In a map window, create a select set containing the feature you want to
edit. Or, in a data window, select the row for the feature and then
activate the map window by clicking the title bar.
2. Select Edit > Geometry > Edit.
3. Select a vertex.
4. Using the Precision Coordinates control, type the coordinates of the
new location to move the selected vertex; then press ENTER.
5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 until the appropriate edits have been made.
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Editing Features and Geometries
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9
Editing Coincident Geometry
Edit allows you to edit (insert, move, and delete) coincident geometry
when the Maintain coincidence option of the Placement and Editing tab
is on. You can use the Locatable and Display On/Off options of the
Legend Properties dialog box to prevent features of individual feature
classes from interfering in coincidence for a given edit. For Edit, a vertex
is coincident with another vertex if and only if they share the same (X, Y)
position.
To edit coincident geometry, you must first select the geometry with the
Select Tool through the map window or the data window. When you
move or delete a vertex, Edit searches to determine if a coincident vertex
exists on any feature in the select set. If a coincident vertex exists, it is
moved or deleted, too.
When you insert a vertex, the tool searches to determine if a coincident
line segment exists. If one or more coincident line segments exist, they are
selected and vertices are inserted in them, too.
To edit coincident geometry:
1. In a map window, select the feature you want with the Select Tool.
OR
In a data window, select the row for the feature and then activate the
map window by clicking the title bar.
2. Select Edit > Geometry > Edit.
Handles are shown on all geometries of the selected feature to indicate
that the geometries can be edited. All features coincident are
highlighted by no handles are shown.
3. To insert a vertex, select the point of the geometry where you want to
insert the vertex.
OR
To move a vertex, press and hold the left mouse button on the vertex
you want to move, drag it to the desired location, and release the
mouse button.
OR
To delete a vertex, select the vertex and press DELETE.
The selected vertex and coincident geometry are edited.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Editing Geometry with a Snap-and-Break Workflow
You can use a productive snap-and-break workflow with the snap-and-
break capability of Edit.
To edit geometry with a snap-and-break workflow:
1. Select Tools > Options > Placement and Editing; then turn on
Display Properties dialog for new features and Break linear
features with the appropriate break option.
2. Select the features to be edited.
3. Select Edit > Geometry > Edit.
4. Select a vertex, and move it so that it snaps to another feature.
The features are split into two features when snapped to by the edited
feature with break on, and the attributes are copied.
Note: This is true only for end points. In this example, you would
not break line 1 because the edit was not done at an end point on line:
5. Select Tools > Options > Placement and Editing; then turn off
Break linear features, and turn on Maintain coincidence.
6. Select a vertex, and move it so that it snaps to another feature.
The feature is not split into two features when snapped to by the edited
feature. A vertex is placed on the geometry snapped to by the digitized
line, but the snapped-to feature is not split in two.
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Editing Features and Geometries
Deleting Geometry Using Edit Geometry
Edit also allows you to delete an entire geometry or a range of vertices.
To delete an entire geometry:
1. Select the features to be edited.
2. Select Edit > Geometry > Edit.
3. Select a vertex on the hole geometry.
4. Press CTRL+a.
5. Press DELETE.
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9
To delete a range of vertices:
1. Select the features to be edited.
2. Select Edit > Geometry > Edit.
3. Select a vertex (1) on the geometry.
4. Press SHIFT and select a second vertex (2).
5. Press DELETE.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Continuing Geometry
See the Working with
Features and Working
with Coordinate
Systems chapters for
more information on
these tabs.
Continue Geometry allows you to digitize additional geometry for a
selected feature or to add new geometry to a feature that has no geometry.
In the latter case, you would select the feature from a data window. This
command, like many of the placement and editing commands, honors the
settings on the Options dialog box (Tools > Options) for controlling
default height values, automatic breaking of features, and maintenance of
coincidence when snapping to other features.
See Inserting
Features in the
Working with Features
chapter for information
on using this control.
When you select a feature to be continued and select Continue, the
Continue Geometry dockable control opens. This control is similar to
the Insert Feature and Redigitize Command controls, except in this case
it opens with the feature class field filled in with the name of the feature
class of the selected feature to be continued.
To continue geometry:
1. Select the feature to be continued.
2. Select Edit > Geometry > Continue to display the control with the
feature class of the selected feature.
3. Place the new geometry in the map window.
To continue feature geometry with a snap-and-break workflow:
1. Select Tools > Options > Placement and Editing; then turn on
Display Properties dialog for new features and Break linear
features with, and the appropriate break option. Verify that Maintain
coincidence is turned off.
2. Select the feature to be continued.
3. Select Edit > Geometry > Continue to display the control with the
feature class of the selected feature.
4. Digitize the geometry.
9-34
Editing Features and Geometries
The features are split into two features when snapped to by the
digitized feature with breaks on, and the attributes are copied.
5. On the Placement and Editing tab, turn off Break linear features,
and turn on Maintain coincidence.
6. Continue the geometry.
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9
The feature is not split into two features when snapped to by the
digitized feature. A vertex is placed on the geometry snapped to by the
digitized line, but the snapped-to feature is not split into two features.
Continue Geometry and Use Existing Geometry
Use Existing Geometry on the right mouse menu lets you digitize the
next segment of a feature using existing geometry. This option is useful
when two features share all or part of a boundary because you dont have
to redigitize the entire boundary between features. You can click two
points along the existing geometry, and all the vertices between those
points are copied to the feature being placed. This ensures clean data
without slivers or gaps. (You may optionally bypass the right mouse menu
by pressing U on the keyboard to set this placement mode.) This
temporary placement mode differs from the Use existing geometry when
digitizing option on the Placement and Editing tab or the Options
toolbar in two important ways:
The temporary placement mode is active for only the next vertex placed,
after which the previous placement mode is resumed. When the option is
on, it applies to every snapped vertex as long as it is on. You must turn the
option off in order to cancel its effect.
The Use existing geometry when digitizing option highlights the
geometry between the last vertex and the cursor snap point on every mouse
move, which can cause significant display delays with geometries
containing many vertices. The temporary placement mode highlights the
geometry between the first point and the second point one time (once the
second point is entered), and maintains the highlight until the third data
point is entered to accept the geometry. This allows the cursor to be
moved without any display delays.
Note: The Use Existing Geometry option is also available on the right
mouse menu with the Insert Feature command.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
9-36
To continue geometry with Use Existing Geometry:
1. Activate the map window that contains the compound feature you
want to continue.
2. Select a feature to be added to.
3. Select Edit > Geometry > Continue.
4. Place a point on a linear or area feature.
5. Select the Use Existing Geometry temporary placement mode from
the Continue Geometry right mouse menu.
If the previous vertex is snapped to a single feature, that feature is
highlighted. Go to Step 7. Otherwise, the previous vertex is snapped
to multiple features, so the PickQuick dialog box is displayed.
6. Select the feature whose geometry will be used.
The selected feature is highlighted.
7. Place the next point on the highlighted coincident feature.
The point is constrained to the coincident feature and the geometry
from the first point to the second point is highlighted.
8. If the coincident geometry is an area, press TAB to switch to the path
you want to use.
The other path from the second point to the first point is highlighted.
9. Click another point to accept the highlighted geometry.
10. Return to Step 4 or Step 5, or continue placing additional points.
Moving Geometry
Move allows you to easily move feature geometry through a map window
or a data window.
To move a geometry:
1. In a data window, click the row selector of the feature geometry you
want to move. Press and hold the CTRL key while selecting multiple
features.
2. Activate the map window.
3. Select Edit > Geometry > Move.
Handles are displayed on all geometry and text associated with the
selected rows to indicate that they can be moved.
Editing Features and Geometries
4. Click a select-set handle to attach it to the cursor and drag the select
set to the new location.
Spinning Geometry
Spin allows you to spin a point symbol or text.
To spin a point symbol or text:
1. In a map window, select the point symbols or text you want to spin; or
select the row for the point symbols or text in the data window, and
then activate the map window by clicking the title bar.
2. Select Edit > Geometry > Spin.
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9
An origin handle appears in the map window for each selected point
symbol or text.
3. Click the origin handle.
A baseline (dashed line) and reference line (solid) appear from the
origin handle.
4. Move the cursor, using as a guide the dynamic spin of the reference
line in the active map window.
Moving the cursor in a clockwise direction counts degrees backwards
(0, 360, 359, . . . ). Moving the cursor in a counterclockwise direction
counts degrees forward (0, 1, 2, 3, . . . ).
When you click, the first reading before the cursor is moved shows the
beginning active angle. As you move the cursor in either direction, the
active angle changes and the readout in the status bar updates
dynamically.
5. Click to accept the angle.
Rotating Features
Rotate lets you interactively rotate one or more existing feature
geometries from a read/write connection. You can rotate all geometry
types except coverages and rectangles. If you need to undo rotation, the
Undo command lets you undo all rotated features in a single rotate
operation.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
To interactively rotate features:
1. In a map window, select the feature(s) you want to rotate.
2. Select Edit > Geometry > Rotate.
This displays the feature(s) able to be rotated in dynamics.
3. Select a base point about which to rotate the feature(s) by snapping to
an existing feature, or by typing a value in the Precision Coordinates
dockable control.
4. Move the mouse cursor to display the feature(s) rotated in dynamics
about the base point. The rotated angle is the angle made by the line
joining the mouse cursor and the base point with respect to the positive
X-axis.
Snap glyphs are displayed as the mouse moves over the existing
feature(s).
5. Click to accept the end point and to rotate the feature(s).
The command exits, and the features remain in the select set.
Redigitizing Feature Geometry
Redigitize allows you to delete any part of a linear or area feature
geometry and to redigitize it as a modification to the original feature. The
command prompts you to place a start and end point for redigitizing, and
you must place these points on the same geometry. For example, you
cannot place a start point on an area geometry and an end point on a hole
geometry. Redigitizing always begins from the start point. If the end
point is snapped to an end point of a line, you can continue digitizing
without being constrained by the end point as if you were extending the
feature.
9-38
Editing Features and Geometries
See Inserting
Features in the
Working with Features
chapter for more
information on this
control.
When you select a feature to be redigitized and then select Redigitize, the
Redigitize Command dockable control opens. This identifies the selected
feature class and geometry type of the selected feature. The Redigitize
Command control is similar to the Insert Feature and Continue
Geometry controls.
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9
Note: The rotation modes are displayed on the control but cannot be
enabled for Redigitize because it does not work with point geometries.
See the Working with
Features and Working
with Coordinate
Systems chapters for
more information on
these features.
Redigitize also allows you to use the back arrow key to undo previously
placed point, and it supports stream digitizing by holding down the left
mouse button and dragging the mouse.
This command, like Insert Feature and many other placement and editing
commands, honors the settings on the Options dialog box (Tools >
Options) for existing geometry, automatically breaking features, and
maintaining coincidence. Redigitize uses the height value you specify for
new points in the Default height value field of the Placement and
Editing tab. Finally, you can digitize in stream mode by holding down the
left mouse button.
To redigitize a line feature:
1. Select a line feature to redigitize.
2. Select Edit > Geometry > Redigitize.
3. Snap to a point on the line to identify the start point for redigitizing.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
4. Hover over the end point for digitizing.
The snap glyph is displayed, and the geometry is highlighted between
the start and end points.
5. Place the end point.
(a = highlight color, of what will be placed; b = select color)
The section of geometry between the start and end points is deleted,
and the line feature is displayed in dynamics from the start point.
6. Place the next point.
7. Double click to end.
To redigitize an area feature:
1. Select an area feature to redigitize.
2. Select Edit > Geometry > Redigitize.
3. Snap to a point on the area to identify the start point for redigitizing.
4. Hover over the end point for redigitizing.
The snap glyph is displayed, and the geometry is highlighted between
the start and end points.
5. Press the TAB key.
The area boundary is highlighted in the opposite direction.
9-40
Editing Features and Geometries
6. Place the end point.
(a = highlight color, of what will be placed; b = select color)
The section of geometry between the start and end points is deleted,
and the area feature is displayed in dynamics from the start point to
the end point.
7. Click to place the next point.
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9
8. Click the new point.
9. Double click to end.
To redigitize a feature with a break:
1. Turn on Break linear features and Display Properties dialog for
new features on the Placement and Editing tab.
2. Select Edit > Geometry > Redigitize.
3. Snap to a point on the feature to identify the start point for redigitizing.
4. Place the end point.
The feature is displayed in dynamics from the start point to the end
point.
5. Place a point by snapping to another line.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
9-42
The line feature snapped to is broken, and the Properties dialog box
is opened.
6. Type the required attribute values for the feature snapped to; then click
OK.
Note: The break only occurs if the geometry being redigitized is a line
and if the end point for redigitizing is snapped into another line. Then the
line that is snapped into is broken, the Properties dialog box is displayed
for the new piece, and the redigitize operation is ended. If the end point
for redigitizing is not the end point of the line, the break option is ignored
when snapping into another feature, and the command continues normally.
Deleting Feature Geometry
When you delete the geometry of a feature in a map window, the feature is
no longer displayed in the map window. Deleting geometry, however,
does not delete the feature. Attribute data still exists for the feature, which
can be viewed in a data window. You can add geometry back at any time
with the Continue tool.
IMPORTANT: When you select multiple rows in a data window, this
procedure deletes all the geometry and text for all selected rows, including
those not displayed in the active view.
Partially Deleting Linear Features
Partial Delete lets you partially delete a linear feature. You first select a
feature in a read/write connection, and then you enter start and end points
while the cursor is within the locate tolerance of the selected feature. The
portion of the feature delineated between the start and end points is
dynamically highlighted as you move the cursor; then it is deleted.
This command supports the partial deletion of lines, polylines, composite
polylines, arcs, and linear geometry collections. For a geometry
collection, the start and end points entered for partial deletion must reside
on the same linear geometry object in the collection.
You can specify a start point or an end point for partial deletion on either
end point of a feature. If the defined start and/or end points coincide with
some end points of the selected feature, the same geometry type as the
selected original geometry results from the deletion; otherwise, a geometry
collection results from the deletion. You cannot completely delete the
selected geometry by specifying the start and end points to be the two end
points of the selected geometry.
Editing Features and Geometries
9-43
9
While using Partial Delete, the AutoPan setting is honored, and you can
access the viewing commands. All vector snapping to the selected feature
is always honored, even when the vector snapping options are not selected
on the tool bar. The vector snapping to other (unselected) features is not
honored, however.
You can undo/redo the results of a partial deletion with the Undo/Redo
commands. Also, pressing BACKSPACE reverts the state of the geometry
placement back to the previous step.
To partialy delete a linear feature:
1. Select a linear feature.
2. Select Edit > Geometry > Partial Delete.
3. Move the cursor to some location within the locate tolerance of the
selected feature.
4. Click to define the start point for deletion.
5. Move the cursor to some other location within the locate tolerance of
the selected feature.
6. Click to define the end point for deletion.
The portion of the selected feature delineated by the start and end
points is deleted, and the command is exited automatically.
Changing Feature Classes
When you collect data using other software packages and import it into
GeoMedia Professional, some of the features may have the wrong feature
class. This is especially true for CAD data in which all the features were
collected into a single file. Change Feature Class lets you select one or
more features and change their feature class to another feature class. This
command supports converting point, line, and area features to a destination
feature class of the same geometry type or a compound geometry type.
To change a feature class, you select the source feature(s) to be reclassified
and then the target feature class. This command updates all open windows
to reflect the change of feature class (The input features may change
symbology, vanish, or appear.), and it deletes the selected feature
instance(s) from the source connection once the change operation is
complete. You can only use this command with a source feature and target
feature class in read/write warehouse connections.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
9-44
When the select set contains features of the same geometry type, the
Change Feature Class dialog box lists target feature classes of that
geometry type only. However, in the case of point, line, and area
geometry type, it also lists target feature classes of the type compound
geometry. When the select set contains a combination of point, line and/or
area features, the dialog box lists target feature classes having the
compound geometry type only. If none of the read/write connections have
compound feature classes, an appropriate error message is displayed. An
error message is also displayed if the select set is not valid. A select set is
considered to be not valid if it contains features of different geometry
types (other than just point, line, and area) that cannot be changed to a
single, target geometry type.
If the Display Properties dialog for new features option is turned on
(Tools > Options, Placement and Editing tab), the Properties dialog
box displays for each feature that has changed, allowing you to enter
attribute values.
Note: If the target feature class contains required attribute fields for which
values cannot be automatically calculated, the Properties dialog box
displays regardless of whether or not the Display Properties dialog for
new features option is turned on.
This command also uses the Copy attributes from previous feature
option on Placement and Editing tab. When this option is on, in case of
multiple source features, the values of the attribute field that you have
accepted for the previous feature are copied to current feature. By
checking the Copy attributes from matching fields check box on the
Change Feature Class dialog box, you can also copy matching attribute
fields along with the geometry to the destination feature class. When on,
this option takes precedence over the Copy attributes from previous
feature option (Placement and Editing tab, Options dialog box).
However, if the Copy attributes from matching fields option is not on,
and the Copy attributes from previous feature option is on, for the case
where there are multiple features in the select set, the values entered for
the attribute fields (both matching and non-matching) are carried over to
subsequent features.
To change feature class:
See "Selecting
Features in the Map
Window" in the
Working with Features
chapter.
1. In a map window, create a selection set that contains the feature(s) that
you want to reclassify.
OR
Editing Features and Geometries
In a data window, select the row(s) for the feature(s) that you want to
reclassify and then activate the map window by clicking the title bar.
2. To display the Properties dialog box for each reclassified feature so
that you can enter attribute values, select Tools > Options and do the
following:
On the Options dialog box, click the Placement and Editing tab.
Check the Display Properties dialog for new features check
box.
Click OK.
3. Select Edit > Feature > Change Feature Class.
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9
4. From the Target feature class drop-down list, navigate to the
warehouse connection that contains the target feature class that you
want; then select the feature class.
Note: The Target feature class field is blank the first time you use
this command.
5. Optional: Check the Copy attributes from matching fields check
box.
6. Click OK.
Note: If the select set contains features of different geometry types, a
message displays; click OK and reselect your features.
Each feature in the select set is highlighted and converted from the
current class to the target class as follows: a new record is created in
the target class for all features in the select set, the records in the
source class for all features in the select set are deleted, and all open
windows and queries displaying the target class are updated.
If Display Properties dialog for new features is turned on, or if the
target class contains attribute fields for which values cannot be
automatically calculated, the Properties dialog box is displayed for
each feature. Type the required attribute values, and click OK to
process the next feature.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
9-46
Note: If the select set contains features of the same geometry type
but that belong to different feature classes, the Properties dialog box
updates with the attribute values of the next feature. Type the
required attribute values, and click OK to process the next feature.
If Copy attributes from matching fields is turned on, the values of
those attribute fields (present in source and destination), which satisfy
the matching criteria, are copied to destination feature.
10-1
10
Registering Data
See the SmartSnap
section in the Working
with Features chapter.
GeoMedia Professional provides you with easy-to-use tools to capture new
data. These tools reduce the number of steps required to accomplish every
task. With integrated vector and raster snaps, you can capture vector data
from raster images with accurate heads-up digitizing. This product also
allows table-top digitizing and vector transformation for existing vector
data that requires geometry transformation to match your database. This
chapter deals with tools that provide data registration: Digitizer Setup,
Image Registration, Output to GeoTIFF, and Vector Registration.
These tools follow a similar source-and-target data collection workflow
with a similar graphic interface.
Performing Digitizer Setup
Digitizer Setup allows you to configure GeoMedia Professional to receive
input from a digitizing device for creating and editing features. Once you
have created this configuration, the digitizer setup, you can save it for
future use, and then edit, report on, and delete the saved setup.
This is a representative workflow for setting up a digitizer:
1. Install the digitizer software, and attach the digitizer tablet and
digitizer cursor.
2. Attach your paper map to the digitizer tablet.
3. Collect the appropriate control-point pairs. (A minimum of three pairs
is required.)
4. Check the calculated error, and make any necessary corrections.
5. Add a name and an optional description to the new setup.
6. Register the new setup.
Supported Digitizers
GeoMedia Professional supports all digitizer tablets that are Wintab32
compliant. This means that if your digitizer was delivered with a
Wintab32 driver (typically named wintab32.dll) for Microsoft 32-bit
operating systems (such as Windows
2000, Windows XP),
you should be able use it with this product.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
10-2
The following list contains various manufacturers and their models of
Wintab32-compliant digitizers. However, you should contact your
hardware vendor for a complete, current list.
Manufacturer Models
Acecad A-1812
Aristo Geo Board
Calcomp 3300 series (DrawingBoard III)
3400 series (DrawingBoard II)
3100 series (DrawingSlate)
3200 series (DrawingSlate II)
EstiMat Roll-up
Digirule The RAT Model 1000
Gtco Ultima II
Roll-up
Sketch Master
AccuTabSuper L II
Hitachi HDG 1212E
Kurta XGT series
Numonics
Summagraphics SummaExpression
SummaExpert
SummaFlex
SummaPad
SummaSketch II
SummaSketch III
SummaSketch FX
SummaSketch LC961
SummaGrid IV MicroGrid III
Wacom ArtZ II series
Note: To avoid the most common digitizer problems, verify that you
install the latest available Wintab32 driver and perform the installation
according to the vendors instructions.
Registering Data
10-3
10
Collecting Control-Point Pairs
Setting up the digitizer involves creating control-point pairs (X and Y
coordinate values) required to register a digitizer device to a map view. A
control point-pair is a point on a map for which an accurate easting,
northing or geographic coordinate is known, and its corresponding X,Y
location on a digitizer tablet.
A minimum of three control-point pairs are required for registration.
Control-point pairs allow the software to determine a mathematical
transformation between the digitizer surface and the coordinate system in
the map window and to help ensure more accurate digitizing. The New
Digitizer Setup dialog box contains the X and Y coordinates of the
digitizer control points (source) and the X and Y coordinates of the real-
world location, map easting and northing, for the corresponding control
points (target).
Note: You can use the vector snap and/or raster snap tools to snap to
existing geometries when interactively placing control points in a map
window.
You can collect the control-point pairs in several different ways,
depending on your workflow:
Collect all the digitizer (source) control points, and then collect all the
corresponding (target) control points, or vice versa.
Collect the control-point pairs by clicking Add Points on the New
Digitizer Setup dialog box and then following the prompts.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Collect control points graphically by clicking on the map in the map
view (target) and on the digitizer tablet (source). This automatically
populates the grid on the New Digitizer Setup dialog box with the
corresponding values.
Type them directly into the grid on the dialog box or cut and paste
them into the Precision Coordinates dockable control if you know
the actual coordinates of the target control point.
After you collect all of your control-point pairs, you need to check their
accuracy with the Root Mean Square (RMS) value on the New Digitizer
Setup dialog box. The RMS value is a measure of the fit of the
transformed source points as a whole for the whole set of control-point
pairs whenever their number meets or exceeds the minimum number for
the transformation. If the RMS error is too high, you need to experiment
with the Control/Check toggle of the Type column on the suspect pairs.
A control-point pair of the type Control is used in the registration
calculation and contributes to the overall RMS error value. A control-
point pair of the type Check is saved, but it is not used in the registration
or RMS value calculation. Once you have found the inaccurate control-
point pair, you can either modify or delete it. Click Edit Source or Edit
Target to edit the respective control points by selecting a row and then
clicking on a new location for the control point.
Note: You need to have a digitizer installed at startup, and a digitizer
tablet and digitizer cursor attached to perform digitizer setup.
To create a new digitizer setup by entering all source control points first:
1. Secure your paper map to the digitizing surface of your digitizer.
2. Select Tools > Digitizer Setup.
3. Click New.
10-4
Registering Data
4. Click Edit Source to close the dialog box and to display placement
prompts.
10-5
10
5. Click an appropriate point on the digitizer to place digitizer control
point 1.
Note: It is recommended that you mark your paper map with the
control-point number assigned by the software (in the # column on the
New Digitizer Setup dialog box) for later reference when entering the
target control-point values.
6. Click the next appropriate point to place digitizer control point 2.
7. Continue placing control points until you have entered them all; then
press the mouse key assigned to the left double click action to
complete source point placement.
The New Digitizer Setup dialog box is opened, with the X,Y
coordinates of the placed digitizer control point displayed.
8. Type the corresponding map control points directly into the control
point grid on the New Digitizer Setup dialog box.
9. Check the automatically calculated error in the Residuals field after
you have entered at least three control-point pairs. If it is not
acceptable, use the Control/Check toggle of the Type column to
examine the effect each control point has on the total RMS error.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Note: Those control points that reduce the total RMS error when
toggled to Check should be kept that way. Those control points that
increase the total RMS error should be toggled back to Control. The
goal is to have the smallest RMS error that can be obtained with a
reasonable amount of time and effort. Also, you must have a
minimum of three control-point pairs with their type being Control.
10. Select the Type column in the grid to remove pairs with a high
calculation error.
11. Type an appropriate name and an optional description for the digitizer
setup.
12. Click Register to save and to apply the digitizer setup.
13. Verify that the setup was successful with the name appearing in the list
on the Registrations dialog box.
To create a new digitizer setup by entering tablet and map control-point
pairs:
1. Secure your paper map to the digitizing surface of your digitizer.
2. Select Tools > Digitizer Setup.
3. Click New on the Registrations dialog box.
4. Click Add Points on the Digitizer Setup dialog box.
The dialog box is closed.
5. Click on an appropriate point on the digitizer to place digitizer control
point 1.
6. Click to place the corresponding map control point 1 on the map.
10-6
Registering Data
10-7
10
7. Continue placing control-point pairs until you have entered them all;
then press the digitizer cursor key assigned to the left double click
action to complete source point placement.
The New Digitizer Setup dialog box is opened, with the X,Y
coordinates of the placed digitizer control point displayed.
8. Check the calculated error in the Residuals field after you have
entered at least three control-point pairs. If it is not acceptable, use the
Control/Check toggle of the Type column to examine the error for
individual control-point pairs.
9. Select the Type column in the grid to remove pairs with a high error
from the calculation; then edit individual control-point pairs using the
editing steps that follow.
10. Type an appropriate name and an optional description for the digitizer
setup.
11. Click Register to save and to apply the digitizer setup.
12. Verify that the setup was successful with the name appearing in the list
on the Registrations dialog box.
To edit control points before applying setup:
1. Select Tools > Digitizer Setup.
2. Click New on the Registrations dialog box to create a new digitizer
setup. Continue with Step 3.
OR
Select a digitizer setup from the list on the Registrations dialog box
to edit an existing setup. Go to Step 4.
3. Collect control points by one of the four methods from the previously
described new digitizer setup procedure.
4. Edit the control points by performing the following, as appropriate:
Select and delete a row in the control-point grid; then type the
appropriate information in a new row placed in the grid using
Append.
Type edits directly into the control-point grid.
Select a row with the control points to be edited; then click Edit
Source (to update the digitizer control-point source value) or Edit
Target (to update the map control-point target value).
5. Click Register to save and to apply the digitizer setup.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
To perform a digitizer setup by applying an existing setup:
1. Select Tools > Digitizer Setup.
2. Select an existing digitizer setup from the list on the Registrations
dialog box.
3. Click Edit and retype the tablet control points, or use Edit Source, if
the paper map has been moved on the digitizing tablet; then click
Register.
OR
If you do not need to re-register the tablet control points, click
Register.
To report on a digitizer setup:
1. Select Tools > Digitizer Setup.
2. Select an existing digitizer setup from the list on the Registrations
dialog box.
3. Click Report.
4. Type a filename and location for the report file on the Save As dialog
box; then click OK.
To delete a digitizer setup:
1. Select Tools > Digitizer Setup.
2. Select an existing digitizer setup from the list on the Registrations
dialog box.
3. Click Delete.
10-8
Registering Data
10-9
10
Setting Digitizer Mode
Setting the digitizer mode allows you to define the behavior of the digitizer
cursor as screen mode or digitizer mode. In screen mode (with the
Digitizer Mode item on the Tools menu unchecked, the default), the
digitizer cursor has access to the entire monitor screen and behaves like a
mouse cursor.
In digitizer mode (with the Digitizer Mode menu item checked), the cursor
has access to only open map windows and cannot access menus. You
must be in digitizer mode to digitize from a paper map using a digitizer
registration. When you move the digitizer on the digitizer tablet in this
mode, the distance is translated to a real-world distance in the map
window on the registration created with Digitizer Setup. You can only set
the digitizer mode when you have a digitizer attached, and you can only
have one mode active at a time.
Note: In digitizer mode, the cursor can move out of the map window if
the digitizer tablet area is bigger than the window area. In this case, the
cursor disappears from the screen. You can still place points with the
digitizer, but they will not be visible at the current view extents of the
windows.
Before you can use your cursor in digitizer mode, you must have the
following:
Digitizer installed on startup
Digitizer tablet attached
Digitizer setup registered
Active map view
To set digitizer mode to add features:
1. Secure your paper map to the digitizing surface of your digitizer.
2. Start GeoMedia Professional.
3. Use Digitizer Setup to register your paper map to a map window.
4. Select Tools > Digitizer Mode to change it to digitizer mode
(checked).
5. Select Insert > Feature with the digitizer puck, and select a feature to
digitize.
6. Digitize the selected feature(s).
Working with GeoMedia Professional
10-10
Digitizer Button Mapping
In general, if a digitizer button has been mapped to a mouse action outside
of GeoMedia Professional (for example, by using the tablet manufacturers
own software), the mapping takes precedence, and the tracker tool ignores
the button.
Buttons 0-3 are mapped as specified through the setup software provided
with your digitizer tablet. Buttons 4-15 are mapped to specific buttons or
sequences of buttons by the tracker software. Buttons 4-9 are mapped to
specific system buttons as specified in this section. Buttons 10-15 are
mapped to specific key sequences as specified in this section.
The following is the recommended button mapping to meet all GeoMedia
Professional requirements:
Button Number Recommended Wintab32 Mapping
0 Left Click
1 Left Double Click
2 Left Drag
3 (if present) Right Click
Buttons 0, 1, and 2
When there are only three buttons on the cursor, you must be able to use
the keyboard simultaneously to carry out all the placement and editing
tools. For example, to enter a CTRL+Double Click, required for
discontinuous feature placement, you would need to hold down the CTRL
key while pressing button 1 on the cursor.
Buttons 3 and Higher
With more than three buttons, you can do the following:
Allow more types of mouse events to be mapped using Wintab32.
Add other keys used in placement and editing (TAB, BACKSPACE,
DELETE).
Simulate metakey presses SHIFT and CTRL. For example, if the
button assigned to CTRL is pressed, all events coming from the cursor,
until and including the next button key pressed, will have a CTRL
metakey mask.
Initiate and terminate tools commonly used during placement or
editing actions, such as Zoom In and Zoom Out.
Registering Data
10-11
10
Note: Command mapping is done at a level of indirection, thus allowing
you more flexibility. Instead of calling commands directly, the tracker
command sends unused key strings to the application, such as
CTRL+ALT+w, which you can map through Tools > Customize.
Button Number Recommended Wintab32 Mapping
3 Exit to screen mode (Right click in screen mode)
4 Send ESC (To terminate command)
5 Send SHIFT keymask
6 Send CTRL keymask
7 Send TAB
8 Send <- (Backspace)
9 Send DEL
10 Send CTRL+ALT+Z (Zoom In suggested)
11 Send CTRL+ALT+Y (Zoom Out suggested)
12 Send CTRL+ALT+X (Fit All suggested)
13 Send CTRL+ALT+W
14 Send CTRL+ALT+V
15 Send CTRL+ALT+U
Registering Images
Image Registration allows you to register a selected image by creating a
new registration or applying an existing registration. Creating a new
image registration involves registering an image to its real-world
coordinates, that is, transforming raster points to map control points. You
can enter these points in any order and can collect them by placing data
points or by precision keyins.
This tool also allows you to re-register a selected image by editing the
registration originally used to register the image. In the process of creating
or editing image registration, you create or edit the control-point pairs.
This tool is different from Digitizer Setup and Vector Registration in
that it changes the display matrix of the image but does not change the data
itself. In addition, this tool allows you to report on and to delete
previously saved image registrations. Image Registration currently uses
only the Affine transformation model.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
To create a new image registration, a single image must be in the select set
before you select Image Registration. You must select an image to re-
register it, and you must register it manually with the Register button; the
tool does not do it automatically.
After you collect all of your control points, you need to check their
accuracy with the RMS (Root Mean Square) value on the New Digitizer
Setup dialog box. The RMS value is a measure of the fit of the
transformed source points as a whole for the whole set of control points
whenever the number of control points meets or exceeds the minimum
number for the transformation. If the RMS error is too high, you need to
experiment with the Control/Check toggle of the Type column on the
suspect pairs. A control-point pair of the type Control is used in the
registration calculation and contributes to the overall RMS error value. A
control-point pair of the type Check is saved, but not used in the
registration or RMS value calculation. Once you have found the inaccurate
control point, you can either modify or delete it. Click Edit Source or
Edit Target to edit the respective control points by selecting a row and
clicking on a new location for the control point
Note: You must have at least one map view open during image
registration and interactive selection of control-point pairs. Also, control-
point icons are displayed in all appropriate open map windows.
To register an image by creating a new registration:
1. Insert an image into your GeoWorkspace.
2. Place the image you want to register in a select set.
3. Select Tools > Image Registration.
4. Click New.
10-12
Registering Data
5. Collect control-point pairs using the following available options:
Click Add Points; then follow the prompts for adding control-
point pairs. When complete, double click to fill the grid with
control-point pair coordinates.
10-13
10
Type the coordinates directly into the grid.
Click Add Points; then type the coordinate values into the
Precision Coordinates dockable control.
Collect all source points by clicking Edit Source; then add the
target points by typing them directly into the grid or by clicking
Edit Target.
Collect all target points by clicking Edit Target; then add the
source points by typing them directly into the grid or by clicking
Edit Source.
6. Check the calculated error in the Residuals field after you have
entered at least three control-point pairs. If it is not acceptable, use the
Control/Check toggle of the Type column to examine the error for
individual control-point pairs.
7. Select the Type column in the grid to remove pairs with a high error
from the calculation; then edit individual control-point pairs using the
editing steps that follow.
8. Type an appropriate name and an optional description for the
registration.
9. Click Register to register the image.
OR
Click Save to save the registration without registering the image.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
To register an image by applying an existing registration:
1. Select the image you want to register.
2. Select Tools > Image Registration.
3. Select the appropriate registration from the list on the Registrations
dialog box.
4. Click Register.
To re-register an image by editing its registration:
1. Select the image you want to re-register.
2. Select Tools > Image Registration.
3. Select the registration originally used to register the image from the
list on the Registrations dialog box.
4. Click Edit.
5. Make the required changes in the registration.
6. Click Register to re-register the image.
To edit a saved image registration:
1. Remove any images from the select set.
2. Select Tools > Image Registration.
3. Select the appropriate registration from the list on the Registrations
dialog box.
4. Click Edit.
5. Make the required changes in the registration on the Edit Registration
dialog box; then click Save.
10-14
Registering Data
10-15
10
To report on an image registration:
1. Select Tools > Image Registration.
2. Select the appropriate registration from the list on the Registrations
dialog box.
3. Click Report.
4. Type the appropriate folder and filename on the Save As dialog box;
then click OK.
To delete an image registration:
1. Select Tools > Image Registration.
2. Select one or more registrations from the list on the Registrations
dialog box.
3. Click Delete.
Outputting to GeoTIFF
Output to GeoTIFF takes a selected TIFF image and writes it out to a new
GeoTIFF image file containing geographic header information. The
selected TIFF image is assumed to display in the correct location. The
image could have been inserted with Insert Interactive Image and
registered with Image Registration, or it could have been placed using the
Insert Georeferenced Images command. The output header information
(also called GeoTIFF tags) in the GeoTIFF file allows the image to be
inserted in another GeoWorkspace in the correct geographic location
automatically with Insert Georeferenced Images or to be used in other
software packages that accept GeoTIFF-formatted image files.
You can only select one raster at a time, and the raster must be a TIFF file
without GeoTIFF tags; GeoTIFF tags cannot be written to other raster
formats. You cannot overwrite the original TIFF file, thus this command
protects you against destroying your original data.
Note: GeoMedia does not permit you to overwrite an existing GeoTIFF
file. If you were able to overwrite a GeoTIFF file, the existing GeoTIFF
tags would be overwritten, and an unforeseen combination of tags that
does not conform to the GeoTIFF specifications might accidentally be
produced. As a result, your geographic data would be incorrect and the
file would not place properly, if at all.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
10-16
See the Coordinate
System Information
appendix for a list of
supported coordinate
systems for writing
GeoTIFF files.
Output to GeoTIFF can write out to only certain projections and datums
of coordinate systems. Insert Georeferenced Images can, however, read
almost any data that is correctly defined within the GeoTIFF
specifications. You can use GeoMedia and GeoMedia Professional to
insert any GeoTIFF image with Insert Georeferenced Images. You can
use GeoMedia Professional to output some TIFF images as GeoTIFF
images as long as the coordinate system is one of those supported by
Output to GeoTIFF.
To output to GeoTIFF:
1. To insert a TIFF image without any existing GeoTIFF tags, select
either Insert > Interactive Image (Continue with Step 2.)
OR
select Insert > Georeferenced Images (Go to Step 3.).
2. Register the image with Image Registration to the correct geographic
location
OR
Move the image to the correct location.
3. Select the image.
4. Select Warehouse > Output to GeoTIFF.
5. On the Save File dialog box, select the appropriate folder to which to
save the file.
6. Type an appropriate filename; then click OK.
Registering Vector Data
Vector Registration allows source vector data to be transformed to match
a set of already correctly registered target (base) features in a map. This
tool is useful in situations where input features either do not have any
projection information, such as a local coordinate system, or where
discrepancies exist between the input data registration and the base data,
such as a result of different accuracy of data collection. Thus, you can
adjust (rotate, move, and scale) survey data to better fit with the
surrounding parcel data in your master database. You can define a new
vector registration or select an existing registration from a set of
previously defined saved registrations. You can also edit, report on, and
delete saved registrations.
Registering Data
10-17
10
With Vector Registration, you can select a source feature class to be
registered, selecting by feature name, and apply a transformation to its
geometry. This tool supports the Affine and Helmert transformation
models, which require a minimum of three or two control-point pairs,
respectively. Each pair must consist of one point from the source and one
point from the target.
This tool displays the residual value (the difference between the
transformed source point and its corresponding target point) for each point
pair whenever the number of control points meets or exceeds the minimum
number for the transformation. Also displayed is an RMS (Root Mean
Square) value (a measure of the fit of the transformed source points as a
whole) for the whole set of control points whenever the number of control
points meets or exceeds the minimum number for the transformation.
Vector Registration produces two types of output, review and feature
class, whose display style you can customize for optimum results. Review
output allows you to view the data in an appropriate style to verify the that
the registration is correct, and to make changes if it is not, before
performing the actual transformation.
Feature output allows the source data to be transformed directly into a
feature that is stored in the target connection, which must be read/write.
This is useful if the transformation has already been verified and there are
many vector features to be registered.
Certain conditions apply to storing the output in an existing feature class.
For example, the source and target attribute lists must be compatible, that
is, the source attributes must be a subset of the attributes of the target
feature and have the same type definitions. Also, any unique key field
cannot have duplicates in the target feature after the new features have
been added.
Note: For this command to work properly, the features being transformed
must have a coordinate system defined. If you are using ArcInfo,
ArcView, or MapInfo as a data source, you must specify in an .ini file a
coordinate system file that matches the coordinate system the features
were originally collected in.
This is a representative workflow for registering vector data:
1. Input the features to be transformed and the features for identifying the
target transformation location.
2. Specify the transformation parameters.
3. Identify the source and destination control points.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
4. Review the transformation, and make corrections if necessary.
5. Perform the actual transformation.
To create a new vector registration and to register source vector data for
review and output feature:
1. Connect to an appropriate source warehouse.
2. Open a source map view, and display the source features you want to
transform in the source map view.
Note: You can further specify features with connection filters or any
query conditions.
3. Connect to the target warehouse/server as read/write.
4. Open a target map view.
5. Display various target features in the target map view.
6. Select Tools > Vector Registration.
7. Click New.
10-18
Registering Data
8. Click Add Points; then follow the prompts to register the source
features against the target features by choosing corresponding control-
point pairs.
9. Check the residual errors, and make corrections if necessary.
10-19
10
10. Click Transform.
11. Select the correct source feature class from the Transform features in
drop-down list.
12. Verify that the Output as option is set to Review.
13. Optional: Click Style to open the Style Definition dialog box and
customize your display; then click OK.
14. Select the appropriate map window from the Map window name
drop-down list to display the source features and target features in a
map view.
15. Click Apply on the Vector Transformation dialog box to review the
transformation.
16. Visually check the placement of the transformed feature against the
base feature display.
17. If the transformation is not acceptable, edit the transformation control
points, repeat the process, and again check the results.
OR
Working with GeoMedia Professional
10-20
If the transformation is acceptable, press ESC to return the Vector
Transformation dialog box; then select the Feature class output
option.
18. Select the appropriate connection from the Connection drop-down
list.
19. Select the appropriate feature class from the Feature class drop-down
list, or type a new feature class name in the field.
20. Optional: Type a description in the Description field.
21. Click Apply to perform the transformation.
22. Click Close to close the Vector Transformation dialog box.
OR
Continue by specifying each additional source feature class in turn,
and use the specified registration to transform it directly into the
output feature table
To report on a vector registration:
1. Connect to an appropriate warehouse.
2. Select Tools > Vector Registration.
3. Select the appropriate registration from the list on the Registrations
dialog box.
4. Click Report.
5. Type the appropriate folder and filename on the Save As dialog box;
then click OK.
To delete a vector registration:
1. Connect to an appropriate warehouse.
2. Select Tools > Vector Registration.
3. Select the appropriate registration from the list on the Registrations
dialog box.
4. Click Delete.
11-1
11
Validating and Fixing Data
See the Working with
Features and the
Editing Features and
Geometries chapters
for information on other
editing tools.
GeoMedia Professional provides tools that allow you to maintain data
integrity by reviewing geometry information, validating geometry, and
validating connectivity. In addition, this product provides tools to correct
data by trimming and extending geometry to intersections, inserting
intersections, fixing connectivity, and fixing geometry. These tools are the
following:
Geometry Information Extend to Intersection
Validate Geometry Extend Two Lines to Intersection
Fix Geometry Trim
Validate Connectivity Trim to Intersection
Fix Connectivity Insert Intersections
Reverse Direction
Extend
Construct Circular Fillet
This product also contains other editing tools for editing other conditions.
There are two basic workflow scenarios for using these tools. In the first,
you perform all of the data capture within GeoMedia Professional.
Because the functionality of this product stresses getting the data right the
first time, there should be a minimal number of conditions found that need
to be corrected. In the second workflow, you import data that was
captured outside of GeoMedia Professional, then validate its composition.
In either workflow, you would typically perform data validation as a first
step in using your data because clean data are required for accurate results
of subsequent processing.
See Placement and
Editing Tab in the
Working with Features
chapter.
These correction tools honor the settings on the Placement and Editing
tab on the Tools > Options dialog box for coincidence, linear feature
break, stream tolerance, display of the Properties attribution dialog box,
and use of existing geometry when digitizing. You can also set
coincidence, break, and attribution from the tool bar.
Using Editing Tools with Data Validation Tools
See Changing Map-
Window Properties in
the Working with Map
Windows chapter.
Validate Geometry and Validate Connectivity produce output queries of
found conditions to a map window and/or data window. In a typical
workflow, you would have both windows open and vertically tiled. You
would also use Window > Map Window Properties to set the display so
that you could zoom in on each found condition. In addition, you need to
set the map legend so that the found anomalies are under the features
because you edit the features, not the anomalies. You can also turn the
locate off for the anomalies on the legend.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
11-2
The display of the anomalies in the map and data windows allows you to
make use of the powerful GeoMedia Professional function, dynamic
queued editing. Dynamic queued editing presents each problem in
sequence, so you do not have to perform time-consuming searches. Then
as you fix each problem, the queue is automatically updated. If you fix a
problem in the data window, the solution is automatically reflected in the
map window and vice versa. Also, if you create a feature or an error while
editing in one window, this is reflected in the other window, too.
When you are validating or editing, the GeoWorkspace coordinate system
and the warehouse coordinate system should be the same. All calculations
are performed in the warehouse coordinate system. It is possible that
anomalies between two geometries in the warehouse may not visually look
like anomalies when displayed on a map that is in a different coordinate
system. Also, an edit that looks good on a map may not be sufficient to
resolve an anomaly in the warehouse.
An output query produced by Validate Geometry and Validate
Connectivity remains dynamic until you:
Delete it from the GeoWorkspace using the Queries command.
Remove it from all map window legends.
Remove it from all data windows.
If you do not perform the above, leaving active queries lowers system
performance, especially when you have several active queries running at
the same time.
Displaying Geometry Information
Geometry Information allows you to display and to edit information
about the geometry of individual features in a warehouse. This command
is a useful tool for understanding and resolving problems with a given
feature that may have been uncovered by the validation or other
commands in GeoMedia Professional or that may not be obvious from
looking at the feature itself. For example, you can determine if two points
that appear to be the same in the map window are in fact the same, which
part of a polygon hole geometry falls outside its boundary, or which vertex
needs to be changed to fix a loop error. This command is also useful
because many GeoMedia Professional operations behave differently
depending on the geometry type of a feature. For example, a two-point
line can be broken but cannot have a vertex automatically inserted.
To use Geometry Information, you must have at least one read-only or
read/write warehouse connection, an active map window, and one or more
features in the select set. This command lets you perform the following:
Validating and Fixing Data
Determine the geometry type of a feature, for example, a polyline,
two-point line, arc, polygon boundary, or hole in a polygon.
Determine if a feature consists of more than one geometry. For
example, a feature can be a composite geometry made up of a polyline
and an arc.
Determine the order in which vertices are stored.
Display the coordinate values for individual vertices.
Display all arc parameters.
Change the order of geometries within a collection or the holes
collection of a boundary polygon.
Reverse a polyline or composite polyline, or arc or line geometry. The
polyline or composite polyline can be either a standalone geometry or
a constituent geometry of a geometry collection.
Delete a geometry that is part of a geometry collection or the holes
collection of a boundary polygon.
Delete a vertex within a polyline, composite polyline, polygon,
boundary, or composite polygon.
11-3
11
To display the geometry information, you select a feature from a map
window or a data window, and the corresponding geometry highlights in
all windows. You can configure the style of the highlight display and the
format of the coordinate information. As individual pieces of the
geometry are selected and highlighted in the treeview, they are also
highlighted in the map window as in the following figure.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
This command honors the Maintain coincidence option on Placement
and Editing tab (Tools > Options). If this option is checked, and a vertex
of geometry is selected in the treeview, the command highlights all the
other geometries that are coincident with the selected vertex as in the
following figure. If a coincident vertex is deleted, this vertex is deleted
from all the editable coincident geometries
Supported Geometry Types
Geometry Information supports the following geometry types:
Geometry Type Information Displays
Arc Geometry Start Point, Origin Point, End Point, Radius,
Normal Vector
Boundary Geometry Exterior Geometry, Geometry Collection of Holes
Composite Polygon Geometry List of Geometries
Composite Polyline Geometry List of Geometries
Geometry Collection List of Geometries
Line Geometry Start Point, End Point
Matrix Four Column Vectors
Oriented Point Geometry Origin Point, Orientation Vector
Point x, y, z
Polygon Geometry List of Points
Polyline Geometry List of Points
Raster Geometry Display Matrix, Translation Vector, Polygon
Geometry
Rectangle Geometry Origin Point, Height, Width, Rotational Vector,
Normal Vector
Text Point Geometry Text String and x, y, z
Vector i, j, k
11-4
Validating and Fixing Data
11-5
11
Editing Geometry
The right mouse editing menu lets you edit the selected geometry in the
treeview of the Geometry Information dialog box, but only if the selected
feature is from a read/write warehouse. For each valid edit operation, all
the associated views are refreshed to reflect the change.
The editing menu contains the following commands:
DeleteDeletes a geometry from a collection or a hole polygon from a
boundary geometry. This command is enabled when the selected
geometry is part of a geometry collection or part of the holes collection in
a boundary geometry.
If only one geometry remains in the collection after a delete action, the
collection is converted to the corresponding geometry. If all the hole
polygons in a boundary geometry are deleted, it is converted to a polygon
or composite polygon geometry.
This command also deletes a vertex from most geometry types. However,
Delete is not enabled when you select a vertex in a composite geometry
whose deletion would affect the connectivity of the constituent elements
making up that composite geometry or select a vertex on an arc.
See Reversing
Direction in this
chapter.
ReverseChanges the direction of the vertices making up the geometry.
This command is enabled for all polylines, composite polylines, arcs, and
lines. It is restricted to the single element already highlighted.
Move to the top, Move up, Move down, Move to the bottomReorder
the geometries within the geometry collection or holes collection. These
commands are enabled when the selected geometry is part of a geometry
collection or part of the holes collection of a boundary geometry.
The following table summarizes the editing functions:
Enabling
Conditions
Supported
Geometry
Types
Processing
Special Rules
Delete
(geometry)
Constituent
geometry of a
supported
geometry type is
selected on the
dialog box.
Geometry
Collection
Boundary
Geometry
Holes
Collection
Constituent
geometry is
deleted.
If the edited geometry may
result in a conversion to a
simpler geometry, single
member collections and
zero member holes
collections (that is,
boundary converted to
polygon or composite
polygon) are converted.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
11-6
Delete
(vertex)
A vertex from a
supported
geometry type is
selected on the
dialog box, if
standalone or part
of a geometry
collection.
Polyline
Polygon
Boundary
Composite
Polyline
Composite
Polygon
Vertex is
deleted from
the geometry.
If the selected vertex of a
composite polyline or
composite polygon is on
an arc, or is a vertex
shared by consecutive
members of the composite,
this command is disabled.
Reverse
One of the
supported
geometry types is
selected on the
dialog box, if
standalone or part
of a geometry
collection.
Line
Arc
Polyline
Composite
Polyline
Order of the
vertices is
reversed.
N/A
Move
Constituent
geometry of a
supported
geometry type is
selected on the
dialog box.
Geometry
Collection
Boundary
Geometry
Holes
Collection
Order of the
constituent
geometry
within the
collection is
altered as
specified.
N/A
Changing Geometry Display
With this command you can customize the geometry display through the
Options dialog box accessed in this command by choosing among the
following the following:
Whether to display the height value for point geometries.
Whether to display the coordinate values vertically or horizontally.
The color and the weight of the highlight display in map windows.
The format of the coordinate display (geographic or projection)
To display and to edit geometry information:
1. Select a feature in a map window or a data window.
2. Select Tools > Geometry Information.
3. Expand the geometry in the treeview.
4. Select the appropriate geometry to display its values and to highlight it
in the map window.
Validating and Fixing Data
Note: This dialog box is resizable.
11-7
11
5. Optional: Click the right mouse button to open the edit menu; then
make the appropriate edits.
For each valid edit operation, all the associated views are refreshed to
reflect the change.
Note: You can also perform deletes by pressing the DELETE key.
6. Optional: Click Options to change the map window and coordinate
displays.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
7. Repeat Steps 4 through 6 until the appropriate results have been
displayed.
8. Click OK to write the edited geometry to the database.
Validating Geometry
Validate Geometry finds geometry errors in the GeoMedia Professional
data model that will cause problems in other processes. For example, you
cannot perform buffer zoning on an area with a loop. These errors may
not prevent subsequent processing from running successfully because
some error conditions are ignored; however, the results may be
unexpected.
Examples of such errors are areas closing on themselves, coincident
sequential points in linestrings, and holes crossing area boundaries. You
should run this tool on all your data as an initial cleanup step, especially if
you import the data from another source, such as design files, ARC/INFO,
and ArcView. You then need to fix the detected geometry errors by using
the appropriate editing tools.
You access Validate Geometry from the Tools menu and input a feature
class or query containing the features for which geometry is to be
validated. Each record from the input feature class or query may have
zero, one, or more anomalies. Next, you specify the output query and its
display. This tool displays the output query to a map window containing
geometric depictions of the location and nature of the anomalies and/or a
data window containing a text description of the anomalies. You also have
the option of changing the default display style of the map window for
optimum results.
11-8
Validating and Fixing Data
Geometry Validation Error Conditions
Validate Geometry can find the following error conditions:
11-9
11
Error Definition
Kickback and
Duplicate Point
An area boundary or hole, or linear geometry that reverses direction
temporarily so that it doubles back over itself and then proceeds in the
original direction without creating a face. This includes conditions of
repeating consecutive vertices.
Loop The geometry of an area boundary or hole intersects itself.
Unclosed Area An area boundary or hole that does not close on itself, that is, the last
vertex does not equal the first vertex.
Uncontained
Hole
A hole that is not contained within its boundary.
Overlapping
Holes
Holes that overlap within a boundary.
Invalid
Geometry
Type
Actual geometry stored in a GDO field that does not match the GDO
type/subtype definition.
Empty
Geometry
Collection
Geometry collection contains zero geometries.
Too Few
Vertices
Polygon geometries contain fewer than four vertices; polyline
geometries contain fewer than two vertices.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
11-10
Error Definition
Unknown
Geometry
Type
Binary format cannot be converted into a geometry object.
To validate geometry:
1. Connect to a read/write warehouse.
2. Select Tools > Validate Geometry.
3. Select the feature class or query for which to validate geometry from
the Validate geometry contained in drop-down list.
4. Verify, and change if appropriate, the default name <Feature>
anomalies assigned to the output record set in the Query name field.
5. Optional: Type a query description in the Description field.
6. Verify that the Display results in map window box is checked in the
Map window name area, and change, if appropriate, the default active
map window in which to display the results.
OR
To not display the results in a map window, click the Display results
in map window box to remove the checkmark.
7. Optional: Click Style, and change the default style on the Style
Definition dialog box.
8. Verify that the Display results in data window box is checked in the
Data window name area, and change, if appropriate, the default new
data window in which to display the results.
OR
To not display the results in a data window, click the Display results
in data window box to remove the checkmark.
Validating and Fixing Data
9. Click OK to perform geometry validation.
Validation processing is performed in the selected feature class or
query, and an output query is produced with the query name from the
dialog box.
If the map window display check box was selected, the map window
with the anomalies is displayed. If the data window display check box
was selected, the data window with the anomalies is displayed.
11-11
11
10. If you have a map window, set its properties for display of each error
found. If you have two windows, you can tile them vertically for ease
of use. Perform the appropriate maintenance on the errors found.
Fixing Geometry
Fix Geometry allows you to automatically correct duplicate points and
kickbacks geometry problems found by having first run the Validate
Geometry command, which outputs the errors as a query. There must be
at least one such query to be able to run Fix Geometry. Thus, the
Validate Geometry query becomes the input for Fix Geometry.
Fix Geometry fixes what it can and leaves the residual problems for
manual fixing. The automatic fixing process is similar to the manual
fixing process in that it makes edits to the original geometry, broadcasts
changes to the database, re-evaluates the edited geometry through
notification, and, if the anomaly has been fixed, it removes the anomaly
from the Validate Geometry query.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Other errors found by Validate Geometry cannot be automatically
corrected; they require your intervention to be resolved. You can use the
output query with the Map Window Properties command and the data
window to set up a queuing workflow for scrolling through the list of
anomalies and for correcting them with Extend to Intersection, Trim to
Intersection, Insert Intersection, and other geometry editing commands
if necessary.
To fix geometry:
1. Run Tools > Validate Geometry to determine the types of problems
associated with your data.
2. Select Tools > Fix Geometry.
3. Select a query from the Fix geometry errors in drop-down list of
Validate Geometry anomaly queries.
4. Select the appropriate Errors to fix check box(es), Duplicate points
and/or Kickbacks.
Note: If there are no duplicate points or kickbacks, an error message
is displayed.
5. Click OK.
The message Fixing <query name> and a progress bar are displayed
as the geometry problems are automatically fixed; then a message is
displayed with statistics on the number of problems fixed per selected
option.
Note: You can stop processing at any point by pressing ESC;
however, this does not undo any fixes that have already been made.
6. Optional: Manually fix those problems that could not be fixed
automatically.
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11-13
This command takes two feature classes and/or queries as input and
creates a new query containing any connectivity errors as output. The
input can be the same feature class or query (for example, Street versus
Street, in which case you validate connectivity between features within the
same feature class) or a combination (for example, Street versus Railroad).
11
Validating Connectivity
Validate Connectivity finds anomalous conditions caused by inaccurate
digitizing, such as undershoots and overshoots. These conditions are not
necessarily errors, but they should be examined to see if they need to be
corrected to ensure that your data are clean. You access Validate
Connectivity from the Tools menu.
The digitizing and editing tools of the software (such as SmartSnap,
automatic break, and automatic maintenance of coincidence) are designed
to allow you to collect clean data the first time rather than having to clean
up problems as a post-process. Thus, creating and editing features within
the software usually result in a relatively small number of connectivity
errors. Some errors are inevitable, however, especially those involving
coincidence and automatic breaking. The connectivity validation tools are
designed to find these problems.
Data brought in from other sources, such as CAD files, that have been
spaghetti digitized without much attention to connectivity often include a
large number of connectivity errors such as undershoots, overshoots, node
mismatches, and slivers. Validate Connectivity also locates these
problems.
You can display the output query in a map window or in a new data
window containing a text description of the anomalies. When outputting
to a map window, you have the option of changing the default display style
of the connectivity errors.
See Fixing
Connectivity in this
chapter.
You can use the output query with the Map Window Properties command
and the data window to set up a queuing workflow for scrolling through
the list of anomalies and for correcting them with Extend to Intersection,
Trim to Intersection, Insert Intersection, and other geometry editing
commands if necessary. You can also use the Fix Connectivity command
to automatically correct connectivity problems.
Because the query is dynamic, the software automatically removes errors
from the map window and the data window as they are corrected so you do
not have to run the validation command again to see the updates.
Similarly, a placement or edit operation that creates a new error is
automatically displayed without having to run the validation command
again.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Validate Connectivity detects the following potential error conditions:
Undershoots
Overshoots
Node mismatches
Unbroken intersecting geometry
Non-coincident intersecting geometry
Nearly coincident geometry
Note: If you select both the unbroken intersecting geometry and the non-
coincident intersecting geometry conditions, the unbroken intersecting
geometry takes precedence.
It is strongly recommended that you use Validate Connectivity in an
iterative manner. You should first select one validation condition most
appropriate for your purposes, run the command, and then change the
query parameters by editing the query to further refine the validation.
Thus, you would alternate commands, checking one validation condition at
a time. If you use Validate Connectivity with many validation conditions
in one run, the output query may contain an excess of anomalies for you to
work with at one time.
Connectivity Conditions
Validate Connectivity allows you to choose from among six connectivity
conditions to be found for the selected feature classes/queries and to define
the distance tolerance to be used to search for errors.
Note: In the following examples, the squares represent how the different
conditions are symbolized. You can select any point style with the style
dialog box for the legend entry.
Overshoot
This condition occurs when the end of a linear geometry extends beyond
the point at which it should intersect with, and stop at, another geometry.
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11
Undershoot
This condition occurs when the end of linear geometry or a point geometry
falls short of intersecting another geometry.
Node Mismatch
This condition occurs when the end of a linear or point geometry falls
short of intersecting with the end of another linear or point geometry.
Unbroken Intersecting Geometry
This condition occurs when features intersect one another without creating
corresponding end point nodes at the intersection points. Only linear
geometries can be broken, but the intersecting geometries can be either
points, lines, or areas.
Non-coincident Intersecting Geometry
This condition occurs when features intersect one another without creating
corresponding vertices at the intersecting points. Both linear and areal
geometries can have vertices inserted. The intersection geometries can be
points, lines, or areas.
Nearly Coincident Geometry
This condition occurs when an interior vertex of one geometry falls within
the tolerance of either a vertex or an edge of another geometry. The
geometry types affected are point (discontiguous), linear (single and
discontiguous geometry), and area (single and discontiguous geometry,
boundary, and holes).
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Examples of Connectivity Conditions by Feature Class
Line versus Line
Overshoot
(Intersection not broken, intersection not coincident. If all these switches
are on, overshoot takes precedence.)
Undershoot Node Mismatch
Node Mismatch Undershoot
(If both switches are on, node mismatch takes precedence.)
Nearly Coincident Nearly Coincident
Intersection Not Broken
(This takes precedence over intersection not coincident.)
Intersection Not Coincident
Line versus Area
Overshoot Undershoot
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Validating and Fixing Data
Node Mismatch Nearly Coincident
Nearly Coincident Intersection Not Broken
Line versus Point
Node Mismatch Nearly Coincident
Intersection Not Broken
(The line needs to be broken at the point.)
Intersections Not Coincident
(The line needs a vertex at the point.)
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Area versus Area
Nearly Coincident Nearly Coincident
Intersections Not Coincident
(The area needs vertices at the intersection points.)
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Area versus Line
Nearly Coincident Nearly Coincident
Intersection Not Coincident
(The area needs a vertex at the intersection.)
Area versus Point
Area vertex nearly coincident with point
Intersection Not Coincident
(The area needs a vertex.)
Point versus Point
Node Mismatch between two points
Point versus Area
Node Mismatch between point and vertex.
Undershoot of point to a segment.
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Validating and Fixing Data
Point versus Line
Node Mismatch Node Mismatch
Undershoot
To validate connectivity:
1. Open a read/write warehouse.
2. Select Tools > Validate Connectivity.
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3. Select the feature class(es) or the quer(ies) for which geometry is to be
validated from the Features in drop-down lists, in the Validate
connectivity between selection area.
4. If you want to validate connectivity within a single feature class/query,
you must enter the same feature class or query in the two input fields.
(The only way to validate within a feature class is to enter the same
one in both fields.)
5. Select the appropriate Find check boxes for the conditions to be found.
6. Type the appropriate tolerance value in the Tolerance field, and select
the appropriate unit of measure.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
7. Verify, and change if necessary, the default query name for the output
query in the Query name field.
8. Optional: Type a query description in the Description field.
9. Verify that the Display results in map window check box is checked
in the Map window name field, and change, if appropriate, the map
window in which to display the results.
OR
To not display the results in a map window, uncheck the Display
results in map window check box.
10. Optional: Click Style, and change the default style on the Style
Definition dialog box.
11. Verify that the Display results in data window check box is checked
in the Data window name field, and change, if appropriate, the data
window in which to display the results.
OR
To not display the results in a data window, uncheck the Display
results in data window check box.
12. Click OK to validate connectivity.
Validation processing is performed in the selected feature class and/or
query, and an output query is produced with the query name from the
dialog box.
If the map window display check box was selected, the map window
with the anomalies is displayed. If the data window display check box
was selected, the data window with the anomalies is displayed.
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Validating and Fixing Data
13. If you have a map window, set its properties for display of each error
found. If you have two windows, tile them vertically for ease of use.
Perform the appropriate maintenance of the conditions found.
14. Optional: Change the query parameters to further refine the
validation.
Select Analysis > Queries, select the query on the Queries dialog
box; then click Edit. Edit the query, and run Validate Connectivity
again.
Fixing Connectivity
Fix Connectivity allows you to automatically correct connectivity
problems for polylines, polygons, and boundary geometries by:
Trimming overshoots
Extending undershoots
Breaking crossing lines
Inserting a vertex into crossing lines
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You identify these problems by having first run Validate Connectivity,
which outputs an anomaly query. There must be at least one such query to
be able to run Fix Connectivity. The Validate Connectivity query in turn
becomes the input for Fix Connectivity, which fixes what it can and
leaves the residual problems for manual fixing. The automatic fixing
process is similar to the manual fixing process in that it makes edits to the
original geometry, broadcasts the changes to the database, re-evaluates the
edited geometry through notification, and, if the anomaly has been fixed, it
removes the anomaly from the Validate Connectivity query. Fix
Connectivity honors the Break linear features options on the Placement
and Editing tab of the Options dialog box (Tools > Options).
Examples of problems Fix Connectivity corrects:
Trim Overshoots
Line A is trimmed back to Line B.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Extend Undershoots
Line A is extended to Line B.
Break Crossing Lines
Line A is broken into two segments, A and C, at the intersection of Line B.
Insert Vertex into Crossing Lines
A vertex is inserted into Line A at the intersection with Line B.
Examples of problems Fix Connectivity cannot correct:
Extend Undershoots
The extension of Line B is outside the tolerance.
The extension of Line B does not intersect Line A.
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Validating and Fixing Data
Order of Processing
The order in which you fix connectivity problems is important. In general,
you should trim overshoots first, then fix undershoots, and finally break
crossing lines or insert a vertex into crossing lines.
The following example shows where breaking crossing lines was
performed before trimming overshoots:
Line A was broken into two segments, A and C, at the intersection with
line B. Because Line C is now a separate feature, it is no longer detected
as an overshoot.
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Infinite Loops
In a few situations, Fix Connectivity can get caught in an infinite loop. If
this happens, you can easily exit the command by pressing ESC. You can
then restart the command using different options. You may also want to
change the detection options on the query through the Edit Query
command.
The following is an example that results in an infinite loop:
Line A overshoots line B. Line A is trimmed to Line B. Line A
undershoots line C. Line A is extended to Line C. Line A overshoots
Line B, and so forth into an infinite loop.
To fix conectivity:
1. Run Tools > Validate Connectivity to determine the types of
problems associated with your data.
2. Use Edit Query to change parameters and/or tolerances for the
Validate Connectivity output query.
3. Select Tools > Fix Connectivity.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
4. Select a query from the Fix connectivity errors in drop-down list of
Validate Connectivity anomaly queries.
5. Select any or all of the Connectivity errors to fix check boxes.
Note: Depending on the types of problems, fixing one type at a time
may reduce possible errors.
6. Click OK.
The message Fixing <query name> and a progress bar are displayed
as the connectivity problems are automatically fixed; then a message
is displayed with statistics on the number of problems fixed per
selected option.
Note: You can stop processing at any point by pressing ESC;
however, this does not undo any fixes that have already been made.
7. Optional: Manually fix those problems that could not be fixed
automatically.
Extending Geometry
See Extending
Geometry to
Intersections, the next
section in this chapter.
Extend lets you extend linear features the exact distance you need. You
can specify this distance dynamically by moving the cursor in the map
window or by typing the distance on the command dockable control.
Extend is similar to the Extend to Intersection command, but it does not
require that the extension occur to the point of intersection with another
feature in the map window.
You can click in any open map window to determine the extension.
Clicking selects the feature, the geometry of the feature to be extended,
and the end of the geometry to be extended. The feature being processed
extends dynamically as you move the cursor. The distance of the
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Validating and Fixing Data
extension is determined by a perpendicular projection of the current
location of the cursor to the imaginary extension of the linear segment.
The Extend dockable control dynamically shows the distance based on the
cursor location. This control also allows you to type the extension
distance. The distance units on the control are determined by the distance
units set on the Units and Formats tab of the GeoWorkspace
Coordinate System dialog box.
This command supports the extension of lines (converts to polyline),
polylines, composite polylines, and arcs. When an arc is extended, the
sweep angle of the arc is increased as the cursor is moved, up to the
maximum sweep angle. Geometry collections are also supported.
Extend honors the coincident settings, properties, and break settings on
the Placement and Editing tab of the Options dialog box. It also honors
auto pan and on-element snapping when extending, and you can undo/redo
the results of an extend operation with the Undo/Redo commands
To extend geometry:
1. Connect to a read/write warehouse.
2. Select Edit > Geometry > Extend.
3. Hover the cursor over the linear feature to be extended.
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11
4. If only one feature is within the locate tolerance, click to select the
highlighted feature on the end to be extended.
If multiple features are within the locate tolerance, click to display the
PickQuick dialog box; then choose the feature to be extended, clicking
on the end to be extended.
Continue with Step 5.
OR
Check the Lock check box on the dockable control.
The Distance field is enabled and locked at the current distance.
Go to Step 7.
5. Move the cursor on the screen.
The selected feature is dynamically extended as the cursor is moved,
and the Distance field on the dockable control is dynamically
updated.
6. Click to extend.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
11-26
The feature is extended, and a vertex is placed at the point of
extension. If the new vertex was snapped onto an existing feature
(though an on-element snap only), coincidence and/or break
processing are performed if those options are set.
Go to Step 9.
7. Type the appropriate distance.
The selected feature is dynamically extended the distance specified on
the control.
8. Click to extend.
The feature is extended the specified distance, and a vertex is placed at
the point of extension. If the new vertex was snapped onto an existing
feature (though an on-element snap only), coincidence and/or break
processing are performed if those options are set.
9. Select another feature, or press ESCAPE to exit the command.
Extending Geometry to Intersections
Extend to Intersection allows you to extend linear features, one at a time,
to the closest intersecting feature in a view. The vicinity of the cursor to
the end points determines the extend direction, that is, the closest end point
is extended.
Selecting this tool clears any select set. As you move the cursor over the
end segment of a linear feature, it appears in dynamics. This does not
occur if the cursor hovers over internal segments. If the feature is editable,
Extend to Intersection highlights and calculates the line segment that
extends to the first intersecting feature in the current map view. You can
then use a data point to accept the extension or move to another feature
without accepting the extension. If there are multiple features, you can use
PickQuick to select the feature to extend.
Extend to Intersection honors the coincident settings, delayed attribute
settings, and break settings on the Options dialog box. If the coincident
setting is on, this tool adds vertices to all features on which the new
extended end point falls. This tool modifies existing geometry, so it uses
the height values of the existing geometry. The height value for the extend
point will be a point extrapolated from the original geometry, not on the
geometry that is being extended to.
Possible Extend Cases
The following are the two possible extend cases handled by Extend to
Intersection:
Validating and Fixing Data
Candidate feature to be extended =
Case 1. Intersection: No closest feature found.
If you place the cursor on a linear feature that has no close features in both
directions, the figure does not highlight.
Case 2. Polyline feature to be extended to linear feature.
These figures show the two possible extend cases.
To extend geometry to intersecton:
1. Connect to a read/write warehouse.
2. Display the linear features in a map window.
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3. Optional: Select Tools > Options, and set the appropriate Placement
and Editing tab options.
4. Select Edit > Geometry > Extend to Intersection.
5. Move the cursor over a portion of the feature you want to extend.
The feature is highlighted with the extended line segment.
6. Click the highlighted feature to extend it to the nearest intersecting
feature.
If the coincident setting is on, vertices are added to all features on
which the new extended end point falls.
If the Break within same feature class only option is on and the
feature being extended to is the same feature class as the feature being
extended, it is broken into two features. The first feature is discarded
entirely, and you are prompted to fill in the attributes of both "new"
features (first the left side, then the right).
If the Break all feature classes option is on, all features on which
the new extended end point falls are broken into two features.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
If the Display Properties dialog for new features option is on or if
there are required attributes in the new feature(s) being created, its
dialog box opens.
The relevant map window, data window, and queries are updated, and
the cursor waits for further input of features to be extended.
7. Double click to exit Extend to Intersection.
Extending Two Lines to an Intersection
Extend Two Lines to Intersection lets you extend two linear features to
their projected intersection point. If the intersection point lies on the end
segment of one of the linear features, only one linear feature is extended,
and the feature containing the intersection point is trimmed. You cannot
use this command to trim two intersecting linear features to their
intersection point.
The figure on the left shows the case where the intersection lies within the
end segment of one of the linear features. In this case, one linear feature
will be trimmed and one linear feature will be extended as shown in the
highlighted path. The figure on the right shows the tentative path where
both linear features are extended to the intersection point.
This command supports the extension of lines (converts to polyline),
polylines, composite polylines, arcs, and geometry collections. When an
arc is extended, the tangent to the end point is extended from the end point
to the intersection, and the arc geometry becomes a composite polyline.
When an arc is trimmed, the sweep angle of the arc is simply decreased.
When you move the mouse cursor with this command active, if only one
feature is within the locate tolerance at the cursor location, that feature is
highlighted. If multiple features are within the locate tolerance at the
cursor position, none of the features are highlighted, and an ellipsis is
displayed for you to select the appropriate feature through the PickQuick
dialog box.
The location of the click selects the feature to be extended, the particular
component geometry of the feature to be extended (in the case of a
geometry collection), and the end of the geometry to be extended. When
you select two valid linear features, the extended/trimmed path is shown in
the map window, and you are prompted to click to accept.
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Validating and Fixing Data
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11
This command supports the AutoPan, coincidence, and break settings. In
order to make feature selection easier in congested areas, it also supports
PickQuick. You can also access viewing commands while the command
is active, and you can undo/redo the results of an extend operation with the
Undo/Redo commands. Pressing ESC deselects features.
To extend two lines to an intersection:
1. Select Edit > Geometry > Extend Two Lines to Intersection.
2. Hover the cursor over the two linear features.
3. If only one feature is within the locate tolerance, click to select the
highlighted feature.
The end of the selected linear feature that is closest in proximity to the
cursor location at the time of the click is the end that is
extended/trimmed to intersect with another linear feature.
OR
If multiple features are within the locate tolerance, click to display the
PickQuick dialog box, and choose the appropriate feature.
The end of the selected linear feature closest in proximity to the cursor
location at the time PickQuick displays is the end that is
extended/trimmed.
4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 to select another linear feature. However, it is
not necessary to click to select the highlighted feature; simply hover
the cursor over the other linear feature to be extended.
If a projected intersection point can be computed for the two selected
features, the tentative extensions of the selected features are
highlighted.
However, if no intersection point can be computed, you are prompted
to select another feature (repeat Steps 2 and 3).
5. Click to accept the extensions of the selected features to the projected
intersection point.
Trimming Geometry
See Trimming
Geometry to
Intersections, the next
section in this chapter.
Trim allows you to trim linear features the exact distance you need. You
can specify this distance dynamically by moving the cursor in the map
window or by typing the distance on the command dockable control. Trim
is similar to the Trim to Intersection command, but it does not require
that the trimming occur at the intersection of another feature in the map
window.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
You can click in any open map window to determine the trim. Clicking
selects the feature, the geometry of the feature to be trimmed, and the end
of the geometry to be trimmed. The feature being processed trims
dynamically as you move the cursor. Trimming is not limited to the
selected end segment of the linear feature.
The Trim dockable control dynamically shows the distance based on the
cursor location. This control also allows you to type the trim distance.
The distance is a negative value when the feature is being trimmed. If you
type a negative distance greater than the length of the feature, a message is
displayed and the trim does not occur. The distance units on the control
are determined by the distance units set on the Units and Formats tab of
the GeoWorkspace Coordinate System dialog box.
This command supports the trimming of lines, polylines, composite
polylines, and arcs. When an arc is trimmed, the sweep angle of the arc is
decreased as the cursor is moved. Geometry collections are also
supported.
Trim honors the coincident settings, properties, and break settings on the
Placement and Editing tab of the Options dialog box. It also honors
auto pan, vector snap with snap glyphs displayed, and on-element
snapping when trimming.
To trim geometry:
1. Connect to a read/write warehouse.
2. Select Edit > Geometry > Trim.
3. Hover the cursor over the linear feature to be trimmed.
4. If only one feature is within the locate tolerance, click to select the
highlighted feature on the end to be trimmed.
If multiple features are within the locate tolerance, click to display the
PickQuick dialog box; then choose the feature to be trimmed, clicking
on the end to be trimmed.
Continue with Step 5.
OR
Check the Lock check box on the dockable control.
The Distance field is enabled and locked at the current distance.
Go to Step 7.
5. Move the cursor along the feature.
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11
The selected feature is dynamically trimmed as the cursor is moved,
the Distance field on the dockable control is dynamically updated, the
vector snap option is honored, and the snap glyphs are displayed.
6. Click to trim.
The feature is trimmed, and a vertex is placed at the trim point. If the
new vertex was snapped onto an existing feature (through an on-
element snap only), coincidence and/or break processing are
performed if those options are set.
Go to Step 9.
7. Type the appropriate distance.
The selected feature is dynamically trimmed the distance specified on
the control.
8. Click to trim.
The feature is trimmed the specified distance, and a vertex is placed at
the trim point. If the new vertex was snapped onto an existing feature
(through an on-element snap only), coincidence and/or break
processing are performed if those options are set.
9. Select another feature, or press ESCAPE to exit the command.
Trimming Geometry to Intersections
Trim to Intersection allows you to trim overlapping linear features. In
this process, the tool highlights the portion of the feature to be trimmed,
trims the selected feature to the closest intersection from the end point that
is closest to the cursor, and updates the modified feature in the warehouse.
The intersecting feature can be a linear feature or an area boundary. This
tool modifies existing geometry, so it uses the height values of the existing
geometry. The height value for the trim point will be a point on the
original geometry, not on the geometry that is being trimmed. You access
Trim to Intersection from the Edit menu.
Selecting this tool clears the select set of any selected items. You then
move the cursor over a linear feature. If the feature is editable, Trim to
Intersection highlights the portion of the feature to be trimmed,
calculating this portion from the closest end point to the cursor to the first
valid intersecting feature. If there are multiple features within the locate
zone or the cursor, you can use PickQuick to select the feature to trim. If
no intersection is found within the search range, which is bounded by what
is displayed on the screen, Trim to Intersection does not process the
selected feature. This does not apply to read-only features or features with
locate turned off.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Possible Trim to Intersection Cases
The following are the possible trimming cases handled by Trim to
Intersection:
Intersecting feature =
Candidate feature to be trimmed =
Case 1. Intersection: Not found.
If you place the cursor on a linear feature that has no intersection points on
both directions, the feature is not highlighted and there is no trim action.
Case 2. Intersection: One linear feature intersecting with another
linear feature.
(Break option off) (Break option on)
If the break option is on, the intersecting feature has to break with respect
to the intersection point into two linear features. These two broken
features take the attributes that you or the software enter.
Case 3. Intersection: One linear feature intersecting with an area
boundary.
The segment to be trimmed when intersecting with an area boundary.
To trim geometry to Intersection:
1. Connect to a read/write warehouse.
2. Display the linear features in a map window.
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3. Optional: Select Tools > Options, and set the appropriate Placement
and Editing tab options.
4. Select Edit > Geometry > Trim to Intersection.
5. Move the cursor over a portion of the feature you want to trim.
6. Click the highlighted feature portion to accept the trim.
If the coincident setting is on, vertices are added to all features on
which the new end point of the modified feature falls.
If the Break same feature class only option is on and the feature
intersecting the feature being trimmed is the same feature class, it is
broken into two features. If the Break all feature classes option is
on, all features on which the new end point of the modified feature
falls are broken into two features.
If the Display Properties dialog for new features option is on, its
dialog box opens if a break occurs or if there are required attributes in
the new feature(s) being created.
The relevant map window, data window, and queries are updated, and
the cursor waits for further input of features to be trimmed.
Inserting Intersections
Insert Intersection inserts a vertex at the intersection point of two or more
crossing geometries. The geometries can be from a linear feature, a point
feature, or an area boundary. This tool is modeless, so you can process
multiple inserts without restarting it. You access Insert Intersection from
the Edit menu.
Selecting this tool clears the select set of any selected items. You then
move the cursor over a feature in the area of the intersection with another
feature. If the feature classes are editable, the tool highlights and
calculates the closest intersection point. The search for an intersection
stops at the boundary of the active map view; if there is no intersection, no
highlighting occurs. You use a data point to accept the intersection.
If one or more of the intersecting features is read-only, the tool inserts the
intersection into all features that can be written to and ignores the read-
only features. This tool modifies existing geometry, so it uses the height
values of the existing geometry. The height value for the inserted points
will be on the original geometries.
Insert Intersection honors the settings on the Placement and Editing tab
except coincidence. If coincidence is turned off, this tool still places a
vertex at the intersection. Insert Intersection overrides coincidence
because it is intended to insert vertices.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
This tool honors the Break linear features settings as follows:
Break all
feature
classes
Break same
feature class
only
Action
Yes Yes Vertex is placed on all features at the intersection
point.
No Yes All features are broken at the intersection point.
Yes No All features of the same feature class as the
highlighted feature tolerance of the intersection
point are broken. Vertex is placed on all features
of a different feature class at the intersection point.
You also have the option to type the attributes of the broken features on
the Properties dialog box or to let the software do it automatically. You
can set these provisions on the Placement and Editing tab of the Options
dialog box. This tool does not honor the coincidence setting on this tab. It
always inserts a vertex on all features at the located intersection regardless
of the coincident setting.
Possible Intersection Cases
The following are the possible intersection cases handled by Extend to
Intersection:
(The dots indicate the intersection point. The gray lines indicate the
located features.)
Solutions
For all the following cases, assume F1 to be the located feature.
Case 1. Same feature class (linear).
Break same feature class: F1 and F2 are broken at the intersection.
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11
Break all feature classes: F1 and F2 are broken at the intersection.
Break off: Vertex is inserted on F1 and F2 at the intersection.
Case 2: Different feature class (linear).
Break same feature class: F1 is broken at the intersection; F2 is not broken
but a vertex is inserted at the intersection.
Break all feature classes: F1 and F2 are broken at the intersection.
Break off: Vertex is inserted on F1 and F2 at the intersection.
Case 3: Line and area features.
Break same feature class: Neither F1 or F2 is broken, but a vertex is
inserted at the intersection on both features.
Break all feature classes: F2 is broken at the intersection; F1 is not
broken, but a vertex is inserted at the intersection.
Break off: Vertex is inserted on F1 and F2 at the intersection.
Case 4: Two area features.
Break same feature class: Neither F1 or F2 is broken, but a vertex is
inserted at the intersection on both features.
Break all feature classes: Neither F1 or F2 is broken, but a vertex is
inserted at the intersection of both features.
Break off: Vertex is inserted on F1 and F2 at the intersection.
To insert intersections:
1. Connect to a read/write warehouse.
2. Display the linear features in a map window.
3. Optional: Select Tools > Options, and set the appropriate Placement
and Editing tab options.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
4. Select Edit > Geometry > Insert Intersection.
5. Hold the cursor over the feature near the intersecting geometry.
A point is placed in dynamics at the closest intersection.
6. Click the highlighted feature to accept the intersection.
Vertices are added to all features at the intersection point regardless
of coincidence setting.
If the Break within same feature class only option is on and the
intersecting features are the same feature class, they are broken into
two features. If the Break all feature classes option is on, all
features that intersect are broken into two features at the intersection
point.
If the Display Properties dialog for new features option is on, the
Properties dialog is opened for each new feature created by a break
operation, and the new feature is highlighted in the map window. The
dialog box is displayed whether the setting is on or off if there are
required values that cannot be automatically populated for the new
feature.
The relevant map window, data window, and queries are updated, and
the cursor waits for further input for inserting intersections.
7. Double click to exit Insert Intersections.
Constructing Circular Fillets
Construct Circular Fillet lets you construct a circular fillet (arc) between
two unparallel line segments. These two segments can be on the same
feature instance or on different feature instances that could belong to the
same feature class or to different feature classes.
You can also choose to trim the excess of both segments at their point of
tangency with the fillet.
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11
Starting this command displays its dockable control, which contains a
feature selection drop-down list of the linear feature classes available for
the constructed fillet. It also contains a Radius field and a Lock check
box. If the Lock check box is unchecked, the Radius field provides a
dynamic readout of the radius of the fillet being constructed, based on the
cursor location. If the Lock check box is checked, the radius of the fillet
being constructed is restricted to the value in the Radius field and does not
change as the cursor is moved. Additionally, the Trim excess check box
let you choose to trim the excess of both selected segments at their point of
tangency with the fillet.
Note: The arc created can be a member of a new feature class or the same
feature class as the feature being edited. This is controlled by the Trim
excess check box.
Construct Circular Fillet supports the construction of a fillet between two
line segments that can be lines, polylines, composite polylines, polygons,
composite polygons, and geometry collections. In the cases of polygons or
composite polygons, if you choose to trim the excess, and the two line
segments that you select to construct the circular fillet cannot be trimmed
in the context of polygons or composite polygons (for example, the two
line segments are contained in different polygons), the fillet is inserted as a
standalone feature, and the original selected feature(s) is not trimmed.
The selected two segments can be on the same feature instance. In this
case, if you choose to trim the excess, the constructed fillet merges with
the selected trimmed segments into the same feature instance, and no new
feature instance is generated. However, if you choose to not trim the
excess, a new standalone feature instance is inserted for the constructed
fillet. You can select the feature class for the new segment.
In addition, this command supports the following functionality:
PickQuick to ease feature selection in congested areas
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Coincidence and break settings when you choose not to trim the excess
Access to viewing commands while this command is active
Properties settings
AutoPan
Undo/Redo commands
Clicking in any open map window to select a segment and to
determine and to place a fillet
BACKSPACE to revert back to the previous geometry stage
To construct circular fillets:
1. Select Edit > Geometry > Construct Circular Fillet.
2. On the dockable control, uncheck the Trim excess check box if
checked.
3. Select a feature class for the fillet being constructed from the feature
selection drop-down list.
4. Click in the map window to select the first line segment for fillet
construction.
5. Click to select the second line segment for fillet construction.
6. Move the cursor to dynamically construct the fillet between the
selected two segments; then click to place the fillet as a separate
feature instance into the feature class specified in Step 3.
7. Select another two line segments by following Steps 4 and 5.
8. Check the Lock check box.
9. Type an appropriate radius value in Radius field to dynamically
construct a fillet with the specified radius.
10. Click to place the fillet as a separate feature instance into the feature
class specified in Step 3.
11. Check the Trim excess check box; then uncheck the Lock check box.
12. Select another two line segments that belong to the same feature
instance by following Steps 4 and 5.
13. Move the cursor to dynamically construct the fillet between the
selected two segments; then click to place the fillet.
The fillet is merged with the two selected segments that are trimmed at
the point of their tangency with the fillet. No new feature instance is
generated.
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11-39
11
14. Select another two line segments that belong to the different feature
instances that could belong to the same feature class or to different
feature classes by following Steps 4 and 5.
15. Move the cursor to dynamically construct the fillet between the
selected two segments; then click to place the fillet.
The fillet is placed as a new feature instance into the feature class
specified on the control, and the two selected segments are trimmed at
the point of their tangency with the fillet.
Reversing Direction
The Reverse Direction command allows you to resolve digitizing
problems in geometry by reversing the direction of a geometry or
composite geometry of a selected feature. This command is useful, for
example, in the maintenance of sewer data, where the digitizing order
defines the flow of water.
You must have a select set containing at least one feature from a read/write
connection to use this command; geometries from read-only connections
are ignored. However, you can specify one or more features from multiple
feature classes from more than one read/write warehouse connection in a
select set as the input.
Reverse Direction only reverses the direction for each of the linear
features that exists in an input select set; it ignores other geometry types if
any are present. If no linear features exist in the select set, the command
displays an information message and terminates.
The reversal performed by this command may not, however, change the
display in the map window, depending on the style of the linear feature
class. Consequently, you can use the Geometry Information command
before and after changing the line orientation to verify that the order of the
vertices has indeed changed and for viewing the linear direction for single
edges.
An alternative to using Geometry Information is to change the line style
of the linear feature so that you can more easily view the direction. If you
change the style to include an arrow symbol, the arrows are reversed so
that you can easily verify the change in line orientation. The procedure for
changing the style is as follows:
1. Open the Style Definition dialog box from the linear feature class
legend entry.
2. Select Patterned line as the Type.
3. Click Patterning, then Browse to select the UTIL.sym symbol file.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
4. Select Arrow as the Symbol.
To reverse direction:
1. Select the appropriate linear feature(s).
2. Select Edit > Geometry > Reverse Direction.
Note: You can also access this command from the right mouse edit
menu within the Geometry Information command. However, when
accessed this way, it behaves differently, being restricted to the single
element already highlighted.
3. Optional: Select Tools > Geometry Information to verify that the
order of the vertices has been reversed if you have not changed the line
style to aid in visual verification.
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Analyzing GeoMedia Professional
Data
GeoMedia Professional provides various ways for you to analyze your
data using queries. Broadly, a query is a request for information.
Specifically, it is a request for the features that meet the conditions you
define and/or a request for certain information about the features. The
software gives you several ways to define these conditions.
To find features that meet your conditions, you query feature classes in
any open warehouse in the GeoWorkspace or query previously built
queries. Queries are stored in the GeoWorkspace so that, if a warehouse
changes, all queries are updated each time they are displayed. If a default
spatial filter is defined for the warehouse connection at the time the query
is defined, the query is limited to the geographic area defined by the
spatial filter.
Furthermore, spatial filters, feature classes, interact in three scenarios.
First, if a feature class that has never been accessed in the GeoWorkspace,
the feature class has never had a spatial filter created for it and so gets the
default spatial filter. Second, if the feature class has already been accessed
in the GeoWorkspace, it has its own spatial filter and so does not get the
default spatial filter. Third, a query always has its own spatial filter.
See Managing Spatial
Filters in the Working
with Warehouses
chapter for information
on accessing this dialog
box.
Note: One way to tell if a particular feature class has its own spatial filter
(that is, it was accessed in the GeoWorkspace) is to look at the feature
class through the Spatial Filters command (Warehouse > Spatial Filters)
in the Apply Spatial Filter dialog box. If the feature class is in the
Available features list, it has been accessed and has its own spatial filter.
The software scans the query area for the features that meet your
conditions and then displays the results geographically in a map window
or in tabular format in a data window. An entry for the query result is
added to the legend, and its display can be manipulated through the legend
properties like any other legend entry. In fact, once built, a query can be
treated just like a feature class.
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12-2
Working with Filter Queries
Filter queries are distinguished primarily by the fact that they return a
subset of the features in a single feature class or query. You can build
several types of filter queries although they have much in common:
An attribute-filter query allows you to limit the search to individual
features whose attributes contain values that meet the conditions
specified by an operator. An operator is a symbol or expression, such
as = (equals) or > (is greater than), that represents the relationship
between two values.
For example, an attribute-filter query would return all parcels with an
assessed value of $50,000 or more.
A spatial query allows you to limit the search to individual features
whose geometry has a spatial relationship to features from another
feature class or query.
For example, a spatial query would return all parcels that are within
500 feet of a railroad.
A combined attribute and spatial query requests features with certain
attribute values that meet specified spatial conditions, such as
overlapping or being contained by another feature class or query.
For example, a combined attribute and spatial query would return all
parcels with an assessed value of $50,000 or more that are within 500
feet of a railroad.
Note: Attribute filtered spatial queries cannot be run against the
results of a Spatial Intersection query unless the results are first
output to a feature class.
To retrieve information from an MGSM warehouse, you build linear
network queries. MGSM stores distributed attributes that are linearly
referenced to network linear features such as roads, rivers, or
pipelines. Linear network queries are a type of combined spatial and
attribute query.
For example, a linear network query would return all segments of a
railroad that intersect accident sites.
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12
Defining Attribute-Filter Queries
In an attribute-filter query, you identify the features you want by defining
an attribute filter. A filter consists of one or more expressions, each
consisting of an attribute, an operator, and a value for the attribute. In a
where statement, you can specify a specific value or a range of values for
one attribute or a combination of attributes.
For example, in an attribute-filter query to select all schools where
enrollment is less than 400, schools is the feature class, enrollment is the
attribute, less than (<) is the operator, and 400 is the value.
The following operators are available for all attribute queries:
= Equals >
=
Greater than or equal to
<= Less than or equal to <
>
Not equal to
> Greater than < Less than
( ) Parentheses for grouping expressions
and Logical and between two expressions
or Logical or between two expressions
Additional operators, such as the wildcard character % and the Structured
Query Language (SQL) function AVG, are also available from a drop-
down list on the Filter dialog box. Just which operators are available
depends on your warehouse connection type.
For example, the following query would find all parcels where the
accessed value is greater than the average accessed value for all parcels:
. . . where assessed_value > (select AVG
(assessed_value) from parcels);
You create compound expressions with the and or the or operator and
group expressions with parentheses ( ).
The and operator means that both statements must be true to produce a
query result.
For example, the following query would find all parcels where the owner
is J. Smith and the assessed value is over $50,000:
. . . wher e par cel _owner = J . Smi t h and
assessed_val ue > 50000;
The or operator means that either statement can be true to produce a query
result.
For example, the following query would find all parcels where the owner
is either J. Smith or M. Brown:
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12-4
. . . where parcel_owner = J. Smith or parcel_owner =
M. Brown;
Parentheses can be used to control the order in which an expression is
evaluated. By default, all relational comparison operators (<, >, <>, =,<=,
>=) are evaluated first, from left to right. The logical and operator has a
higher precedence than the logical or operator; so all and operations are
performed first. You can use parentheses to change the order.
For example, to find all roads with more than four lanes or divided roads
that were paved before 1994, you would create the following filter:
l ast _paved < 1994 and num_l anes > 4 or di vi ded = yes ;
Because of the precedence of the and operator, you would get all roads
that are divided or all roads where the number of lanes is greater than four
and paved before 1994. To get the correct results, you would use
parentheses as follows:
l ast _paved < 1994 and ( num_l anes > 4 or di vi ded =
yes ) ;
The software uses SQL for creating attribute-filter queries, but its point-
and-click interface allows you to build a query without knowing SQL.
Note: Different connection types require different SQL dialects. For
example, Access connections require pound sign (#) delimiters around date
and time values, whereas MGSM connections require the keyword
TIMESTAMP followed by single-quote () delimiters.
The software formats SQL statements into the appropriate dialect for each
connection type except MGE and MGDM. The SQL dialect for MGE and
MGDM connections depends on the ODBC driver. For date and time
queriesand possibly othersyou must manually edit the SQL text on
the Filter dialog box to issue a successful query.
To define an attribute-filter query:
1. Select Analysis > Attribute Query.
Analyzing GeoMedia Professional Data
2. On the Options dialog box (Tools > Options), select the Confirm
show value operations check box on the General tab to turn on or
off the display of the confirmation dialog box that appears if you click
Show Values when you define a filter; then click OK.
3. From the Select features in drop-down list, select a feature class or
query.
4. If you know SQL and the attribute you want to query, type the where
clause in the Filter box and skip to Step 10. Otherwise, click Filter to
display the Filter dialog box.
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12
5. Select an attribute from the selected feature class and click the down
arrow below the Attributes box, or double click an attribute.
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12-6
Note: MGE features use the MSLINK value as an identifier.
Features in an MGE warehouse that have graphics but no attributes do
not have an MSLINK value. When a query is performed on such
features, the MGE data server assigns them MSLINK values that are
numbered sequentially in the order that they are encounteredthat is,
sequentially within each category in map-table order. The first
MSLINK number assigned is 16777217.
When you view attributes in a data window or on the Filter dialog
box, non-attributed features will have the MSLINK identifier
assigned by the MGE data server, whereas attributed features will
have an MSLINK, a MAPID, and other attributes.
6. Select an operator. If you select an operator from the drop-down list,
you must click the down arrow to make it appear in the Filter box.
7. To see the list of values in the selected attribute, click Show Values.
If you checked Confirm show value operations on the Options
dialog box, the confirmation message appears.
8. Type a value for the attribute in the Filter box, or select one from the
list of values and click the down arrow, or double click an attribute.
You can also type a value in the Values box.
9. Verify that the SQL statement in the Filter box is correct, and click
OK.
See the ODBC
documentation for
instructions.
Note: For date and time queriesand possibly otherson MGE
and MGDM connections, you may have to manually edit the SQL
text on the Filter dialog box to issue a successful query. This is
due to the varying SQL dialects of the various available ODBC
drivers.
10. On the Attribute Query dialog box, accept or override the default query
name, and optionally type a query description.
11. Verify that the Display query in map window check box is selected,
and change in the Map window name field, if appropriate, the map
window in which to display the query results.
OR
To not display the query results in a map window, uncheck the
Display query in map window check box.
Analyzing GeoMedia Professional Data
12. Optional: Click Style, and change the default style on the Style
Definition dialog box.
13. Verify that the Display query in data window box is checked, and
change in the Data window name field, if appropriate, the data
window in which to display the query results.
OR
To not display the query results in a data window, uncheck the
Display query in data window box.
14. To display the query, click OK.
The query is displayed in accordance with the query options you set.
Defining Spatial Queries
A spatial query defines the relationship between two feature classes using
a spatial operator. The spatial operator forms the that clause of the query
statement.
For example in the following query, the word touch is the spatial operator
because it defines the relationship between the two-lane highways and
interstate highways:
Fi nd al l t wo- l ane hi ghways t hat t ouch i nt er st at e
hi ghways;
The Not qualifier, if checked on the Spatial Query dialog box, simply
returns the elements from the first/top input feature class or query that
were not found by the selected operator.
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See Working with
Spatial Filters in the
Working with
Warehouses chapter.
For best results when using Spatial Query, you should create and apply
connection filters to spatially constrain the search area. The spatial query
alone does not spatially constrain the search area of the subject feature
class.
Available Spatial Operators
The available spatial operators and example graphics of their results areas
follows:
Touch returns features that touch the defined features in any way
meeting, overlapping, containing, or being contained by.
touch with the Not qualifier
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Contain returns features that surround defined features. Contained
features can touch but not overlap the borders of the surrounding features.
Points cannot contain other features.
contain with the Not qualifier
Are contained by returns features that fall completely within the defined
features. Contained features can touch but not overlap the borders of the
surrounding features.
are contained by with the Not qualifier
Entirely contain returns features that surround defined features.
Contained features cannot touch or overlap the borders of the surrounding
features. Points cannot entirely contain other features.
entirely contain with the Not qualifier
Are entirely contained by returns features that fall completely within the
defined features. Contained features cannot touch or overlap the borders
of the surrounding features.
are entirely contained by with the Not qualifier
Overlap returns features that overlap the defined features.
overlap with the Not qualifier
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12
Meet returns features that fall next to the defined features, touching
without overlapping.
meet With the Not qualifier
Are spatially equal returns features that occupy the same space and
location. Features must be of the same type to be spatially equal.
are spatially equal with the Not qualifier
Are within distance of returns features having any part located within the
specified distance of the defined features. If either the starting or ending
point of a linear feature, for example, falls within the specified distance, it
is returned.
are within distance of with the Not qualifier
Note: The spatial operators used by Spatial Query are different from the
Oracle Spatial Cartridge specific operators used by the Native Query
command when querying an Oracle warehouse.
Spatial Queries and Tolerance
Spatial queries are now executed with a consistent millimeter-level
tolerance in processing geometry. Often, when calculating or storing
geometries using floating-point accuracy, coordinates that are supposed to
be identical may in fact vary slightly.
This tolerance is used in determining coordinate equivalence, that is,
vertices that are within 0.1 millimeter of one another on the ground are
assumed to be equal when executing spatial queries.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
To define a spatial or combined query:
1. Select Analysis > Spatial Query.
2. From the Select features in drop-down list, select a feature class or
query.
3. Optional: To create a combined query, define an attribute filter for
either or both feature classes or queries. Click Filter to display the
Filter dialog box; then define the appropriate attribute filter.
4. Accept the default spatial operator for the that clause or override it by
selecting another operator from the That drop-down list.
5. Accept or override the default not qualifier by checking or unchecking
the Not check box.
6. If you selected the are within distance of operator in Step 5, type the
zoning distance in the Distance field, and select the appropriate units
from the Units drop-down list.
7. Select the second feature class or query from the Features in drop-
down list.
8. Optional: Define an attribute filter as described in Step 4.
9. Accept or override the default query name, and optionally type a query
description.
10. Verify that the Display query in map window check box is selected,
and change in the Map window name field, if appropriate, the map
window in which to display the query results.
OR
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12-11
12
To not display the query results in a map window, uncheck the
Display query in map window check box.
11. Optional: Click Style, and change the default style on the Style
Definition dialog box.
12. Verify that the Display query in data window box is checked, and
change in the Data window name field, if appropriate, the data
window in which to display the query results.
OR
To not display the query results in a data window, uncheck the
Display query in data window box.
13. To display the query, click OK.
The query is displayed in accordance with the query options you set.
Defining Spatial Intersections
See Defining Spatial
Queries in this chapter
for a description of the
spatial operators.
Spatial Intersection allows you to perform a spatial overlay on two
feature classes or queries to find the intersecting areas, or areas of
coincidence. The spatial operators available for this command are touch,
contain, are contained by, entirely contain, are entirely contained by,
overlap, meet, and are spatially equal. After you choose the two sets of
input features to intersect and the type of spatial operation to perform, this
command outputs the results as a new query.
The results include the geometry for the points, lines, and areas of spatial
coincidence as well as the attributes for each pair of spatially intersecting
features, that is, a spatial join. The features can be point, line, area, or
combinations of these feature types. You can output the resultant new
spatial intersection to a map window and/or data window.
In addition, you can set the style for the map window for optimum display
results. One can think of this command as producing results that are the
opposite of those produced by Spatial Difference as shown in the
following two figures from the delivered Madison County, Alabama
sample data set.
Note: Attribute filtered spatial queries cannot be run against the results of
a Spatial Intersection query unless the results are first output to a feature
class.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Map features before using Spatial Intersection:
Spatial Intersection results with the touch operator showing the
intersection of the Major Water Polygons features and the Parks features:
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Analyzing GeoMedia Professional Data
To use spatial intersection:
1. Select Analysis > Spatial Intersection.
2. Select the first feature class from the top Features in drop-down list.
See Defining Attribute-
Filter Queries in this
chapter.
3. Optional: Click Filter to define an attribute filter for the selected
feature class on the attribute filter dialog box.
4. Optional: Change the default spatial operator in the That drop-down
list; then verify the operator in the illustration below the operator field.
5. Select the second feature class from the bottom Features in drop-
down list.
6. Optional: Click Filter to define an attribute filter for the selected
feature class on the attribute filter dialog box.
7. Optional: Change the default value in the Query name field.
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8. Optional: Type a query description in the Description field.
9. Verify that the Display intersection in map window check box is
selected, and change in the Map window name field, if appropriate,
the default active map window in which to display the new spatial
intersection.
OR
To not display the new spatial intersection in a map window, uncheck
the Display intersection in map window check box.
10. Optional: Click Style, and change the default style on the Style
Definition dialog box.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
12-14
11. Verify that the Display intersection in data window box is checked,
and change in the Data window name field, if appropriate, the default
new data window in which to display the new spatial intersection.
OR
To not display the nongraphic attributes of the new spatial intersection
in a data window, uncheck the Display intersection in data window
check box.
12. Click OK to generate and to display the new spatial intersection in the
specified map window and/or data window.
Note: You may need to adjust the style for better viewing.
Defining Spatial Differences
See Defining Spatial
Queries in this chapter.
Spatial Difference allows you to perform spatial masking, that is, to
perform a difference operation on two sets of areas to produce resultant
geometries. You can output the resultant new spatial difference to a map
window and/or data window. In addition, you can set the style for the map
window for optimum display results.
This command takes as input two area feature classes or queries, the
features to be masked or cropped (the from-feature), and the features to be
used as a mask (the subtract-feature). After processing using the touch
spatial operator, this command outputs the results as a new query. This
resultant geometry is calculated by removing all portions of each from-
feature that are overlaid by any subtract-feature. Thus, the output consists
of any portion of each from-feature not overlapped by the geometry of the
subtract-feature. If a from-feature is completely overlaid by the subtract-
feature, the from-feature does not appear in the output query.
The following cases are valid:
From-feature Subtract-feature Result
area area area or nothing
line area line or nothing
line line line or nothing
point area point or nothing
point line point or nothing
point point point or nothing
Analyzing GeoMedia Professional Data
The following cases are not allowed as input:
From-feature Subtract-feature
area line
area point
line point
One can think of this command as producing results that are the opposite
of those produced by Spatial Intersection. Or, one can think of a cookie-
cutter process, with the results being the sheet of dough from which the
cookies have been cut out, as shown in the following example from the
delivered Madison County, Alabama, sample dataset:
Map features before using Spatial Difference:
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Spatial Difference results showing the difference of Major Water
Polygons features and the Parks features. The difference is shaded gray.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
To use spatial difference:
1. Select Analysis > Spatial Difference.
2. Select the feature class to be masked from the From features in drop-
down list.
See Defining Attribute-
Filter Queries in this
chapter.
3. Optional: Click Filter to define an attribute filter for the selected
feature class on the attribute filter dialog box.
4. Select the feature class to be used as a mask from the Subtract
features in drop-down list.
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12
5. Optional: Click Filter to define an attribute filter for the selected
feature class on the attribute filter dialog box.
6. Optional: Change the default value in the Query name field.
7. Optional: Type a query description in the Description field.
8. Verify that the Display difference in map window check box is
selected, and change in the Map window name field, if appropriate,
the default active map window in which to display the new spatial
difference.
OR
To not display the new spatial difference in a map window, uncheck
the Display difference in map window check box.
9. Optional: Click Style, and change the default style on the Style
Definition dialog box.
10. Verify that the Display difference in data window box is checked,
and change in the Data window name field, if appropriate, the default
new data window in which to display the new spatial difference.
OR
To not display the nongraphic attributes of the new spatial difference in
a data window, uncheck the Display difference in data window check
box.
11. Click OK to generate and to display the new spatial difference in the
specified map window and/or data window.
Note: You may need to adjust the style for better viewing.
Working with Native Queries
Native Query provides server-based native querying by performing a
spatial query on an Oracle data server and by performing a query on an
MGSM data server to generate an offset display. This allows you to take
advantage of the particular capabilities of each data server.
Native Query takes as input a connection to a warehouse that supports
native-query capability and an additional set of inputs specific to that type
of connection. The command then appends the query to the query folder
and optionally outputs the resultant query to a map window and/or data
window. You can adjust the display style for optimum viewing in the map
window.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Defining Native Queries against an Oracle Warehouse
When working with a connection to an Oracle database (with Spatial
Cartridge), this command allows you to select the feature classes to query
and an Oracle Spatial Cartridge spatial operator. The query is executed on
the Oracle database, taking full advantage of the Spatial Cartridge engine
and the speed of the hardware containing the database. The performance
of this command depends on how well you tune the Oracle database and
the Spatial Cartridge. Performance also depends on the nature of your
query, for example, if your query retrieves a small number of feature
instances out of a large data set.
A spatial query defines the relationship between two feature classes using
a spatial operator. The spatial operator forms the that clause of the query
statement.
The following spatial operators are available:
TouchThe boundaries intersect but the
interiors do not.
Disjoint The boundaries and interiors do
not intersect.
Overlap Boundary DisjointThe interior of
one object intersects the boundary and interior
of the other object, but the two do not
intersect. This relation occurs, for example,
when a line originates outside a polygon and
ends inside that polygon.
Overlap Boundary IntersectThe
boundaries and interiors of the two objects
intersect.
EqualThe two objects have the same
boundary and interior.
ContainsThe interior and boundary of one
object are completely contained in the interior
of the other.
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Analyzing GeoMedia Professional Data
InsideThe opposite of Contains. A Inside
B implies B Contains A.
CoversThe interior of one object is
completely contained in the interior of the
other, and their boundaries intersect.
Covered ByThe opposite of Covers. A
Covered By B implies B Covers A.
Any InteractThe objects are non-disjoint.
This is the default operator unless there is a
valid session preference.
Note: The spatial operators used by Native Query when querying an
Oracle warehouse are specific to Oracle Spatial Cartridge and are different
from those used by the Spatial Query command.
To define an Oracle native query:
1. Select Analysis > Native Query.
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Working with GeoMedia Professional
2. From the Connection drop-down list, select an Oracle connection.
3. From the Select features in drop-down list, select the feature class on
which to query.
4. Optional: Click Filter to define an attribute filter for the selected
feature class on the attribute filter dialog box.
5. From the That drop-down list, select the appropriate spatial
operator(s).
6. From the Features in drop-down list, select the appropriate
constraining feature class.
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12
7. Optional: Click Filter to define an attribute filter for the selected
constraining feature class on the attribute filter dialog box.
8. Accept the default query name, or type an appropriate name in the
Query name field.
9. Optional: Type an appropriate query description in the Description
field.
10. Verify that the Display query in map window check box is selected,
and change in the Map window name field, if appropriate, the default
active map window in which to display the query results.
OR
To not display the query results in a map window, select the Display
query in map window check box to remove the checkmark.
11. Optional: Click Style, and change the default style on the Style
Definition dialog box.
12. Verify that the Display query in data window box is checked, and
change in the Data window name field, if appropriate, the default
new data window in which to display the query results.
OR
To not display the nongraphic attributes of the query results in a data
window, click the Display query in data window box to remove the
checkmark.
13. Click OK to generate and to display the native query results in the
specified map window and/or data window.
Note: If you do not select either a map window or a data window, the
query is only appended to the query folder.
Defining Native Queries against an MGSM Warehouse
When working with a connection to an MGSM dataset, Native Query
allows you to perform a query against an MGSM warehouse and have the
results of the query displayed offset from the original centerline. These
queries can be from a single distributed attribute table or from an overlay
of multiple distributed attribute tables using the intersect and difference
overlay operators. The offset display can be a fixed offset, a scaled offset,
or a combination.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
12-22
It is important to note that the offset display definition does not persist,
that is, it is not maintained beyond the initial definition of the query. If
you save a GeoWorkspace with an offset query, the next time you open the
GeoWorkspace, the offset defined for the query is lost, and the display
reverts to the centerline of the control network as defined in the coordinate
file. Although the offset definition is not maintained, the offset geometry
in the query is maintained as long as the MGSM connection is open in the
current session.
See Editing Queries
and Defining Attribute-
Filter Queries in this
chapter.
The software also allows you to edit a query to redefine the offset. When
you bring up the query in the Edit Query dialog box (even if the query is
currently displayed with an offset), the query has no offset defined for it
because the offset display definition is not maintained. If you define a
native query with an offset and then edit the query through the New Query
command, the offset is not known to the query. When you edit an MGSM
native query, the offset definition reverts to zero, and you have to redefine
the offset.
Offset Display Concepts
Offsets let you display distributed attributes to the left or right of the
Network Linear Feature centerline. Offsets can be defined as fixed,
scaled, or a combination of fixed and scaled. A fixed offset is used to
display the distributed attributes at a constant offset distance from the
centerline for all segments. A scaled offset is a ratio of a stored database
value that is used to display the distributed attributes at a scaled offset
distance from the centerline. The fixed offset value and the size of the
scaled offset value are defined in paper working units.
For example, you could define a fixed offset of 50 feet and a scaled offset
of 25 feet multiplied by the value stored in the LaneNumber field in the
distributed attribute table. If the LaneNumber was equal to two for a a
particular segment, the display of that segment would be offset 100 feet
(50 + 25 * 2).
Offsetting to the Right or Left
Offsets can be positioned to the right or left of the centerline by typing a
positive number or a negative number, respectively, in the Offset field. If
you use a fixed offset that is a positive number, the offset is to the right of
the centerline when you are looking in the positive direction of a highway
(the direction of increasing distance). If you use a fixed offset that is a
negative number, the offset is to the left of the centerline when you are
looking in the positive direction of a highway (the direction of increasing
distance).
Analyzing GeoMedia Professional Data
Scaled offsets are different because the offset display is depends on the
value used in the database offset column (Scale attribute). If you use a
scaled offset size that is positive and the offset value in the database is also
positive, the offset is displayed on the right of the centerline. If your
database offset value is negative, the offset is displayed to the left of the
centerline. However, if you use a scaled offset size that is negative and the
database offset value is positive, then the offset is displayed to the left of
the centerline. If your database offset value is negative, the offset is
displayed to the right of the centerline.
The command retrieves the scale attribute value from the database and
multiplies it by the scale factor to obtain the offset distance in the specified
unit of measure. The scale factor is the server the command applies to the
value of the scale attribute of the segment.
To define an MGSM native query:
1. Select Analysis > Native Query.
2. From the Connection drop-down list of the Native Query dialog box,
select the MGSM connection that supports native queries.
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3. From the Select features in drop-down list, select the feature class on
which to query.
4. Optional: Click Filter to define an attribute filter and/or an overlay
filter for the selected feature class on the Filter dialog box.
5. Select the appropriate offset type(s), Fixed offset and/or Scaled
offset.
6. Enter the appropriate corresponding offset parameters.
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7. Accept the default query name, or type an appropriate name in the
Query name field.
8. Optional: Type an appropriate query description in the Description
field.
9. Verify that the Display query in map window check box is selected,
and change in the Map window name field, if appropriate, the default
active map window in which to display the query results.
OR
To not display the query results in a map window, select the Display
query in map window check box to remove the checkmark.
10. Optional: Click Style, and change the default style on the Style
Definition dialog box.
11. Verify that the Display query in data window box is checked, and
change in the Data window name field, if appropriate, the default new
data window in which to display the query results.
OR
To not display the nongraphic attributes of the query results in a data
window, click the Display query in data window box to remove the
checkmark.
12. Click OK to generate and to display the native query results in the
specified map window and/or data window.
Note: If you do not select either a map window or a data window, the
query is only appended to the query folder.
Defining Linear Network Queries
If you are using an MGSM warehouse, you can define the search
conditions for a linear network query by combining sets of segments in
distributed attribute tables with overlay operators. The distributed
attribute values that the query returns are displayed as point or linear
segments along their respective network linear features. These new
segments are created dynamically when you display the query.
The following overlay operators are available:
The intersect operator searches for segments that overlap.
For example, a query for accidents that intersect construction returns
only segments containing accidents where there is also construction.
Analyzing GeoMedia Professional Data
The difference operator searches for segments that differ.
For example, a query for accidents that differ from construction
returns only segments containing accidents where there is no
construction.
You can also apply attribute filters and spatial queries to linear network
queries. For example, you can build a query to find roads that intersect
construction and touch wetlands where geese have nests.
The linear network query finds roads that intersect construction.
The spatial query limits the search for roads that intersect construction
to those that touch wetlands.
The attribute filter limits the search for roads that intersect
construction to those where geese have nests.
The procedures for creating a linear network query are the same as for any
other query, except that you can include intersect and difference overlay
operators.
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To define a linear network query:
1. Select Analysis > Native Query.
3. From the Select features in drop-down list, select a feature class or
query.
4. Click Filter.
5. Select an attribute, and click the down arrow below the Attributes
box.
6. Select an operator and, if necessary, click the down arrow in the
Operators box.
7. To see the list of values in the selected attribute, click Show Values.
8. Type or select a value, and click the down arrow below the Values
box.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
9. Click Add Overlay.
Note: The Add Overlay and Remove Overlay buttons only appear
on the Filter dialog box if you are querying a feature class from an
MGSM warehouse.
10. Select an overlay operator from the drop-down list.
11. Select a distributed attribute table.
12. Click OK.
13. On the overlay tab, select an attribute, and click the down arrow below
the Attributes box.
14. Select an operator and, if necessary, click the down arrow in the
Operators box.
15. To see the list of values, click Show Values.
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Analyzing GeoMedia Professional Data
16. Type or select a value, and click the down arrow below the Values
box.
17. To add an additional overlay, click Add Overlay, and repeat Steps 9 -
15.
Note: Clicking Remove Overlay removes the overlay displayed on
the active tab, thereby removing that portion of the query statement.
18. Click OK.
19. On the Native Query dialog box, type a name and optional description
for the query.
20. To display the query, click OK.
Manipulating Queries
The software provides various commands that allow you to manipulate
queries in order to obtain the exact results you need for each specific
condition of your workflow.
Displaying Queries
In general, a query is displayed automatically when you build it. If you
build a query without displaying itto use in another query or for creating
a thematic display, for examplethere are many ways to display it later.
To display a query:
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Add the query to the legend. This displays queries in the active
map window and ignores query option settings.
When a data window is active, select Data > Change Contents,
and select the query.
Open a new data window, selecting the query as the data you want
to display.
Or, use the Analysis > Queries command to display a query. This
command also lets you edit, delete, and unload queries. The icon beside
each query name on the Queries dialog box indicates information about
the query, including its status and geometry type (if available), as follows:
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Closed query
AnySpatial
Areas
Image
Line
Nongraphic
Point
Graphics Text
Unknown, graphic type cannot be determined
Invalid, query cannot be opened
Or, use the following procedure:
1. Select Analysis > Queries.
Note: This dialog box is resizable for better viewing of long query
names. Furthermore, you can use standard Microsoft procedures for
multiple selections using CTRL and SHIFT.
2. From the Queries dialog box, select the query you want to display,
and click Display.
3. On the Display Query dialog box, select a window in which to display
the query.
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Analyzing GeoMedia Professional Data
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4. To display the query in a new window, type a name in the appropriate
window name field. To display the query in an open window, select it
by name from the drop-down list.
5. To change the style of a query display in a map window, click Style,
define the style, and click OK on the Style dialog box. The style of
the query depends on the feature class type returned by the query.
6. Click OK.
Editing Queries
Once a query has been defined, you can change everything except the
feature class or query on which it is built. If you change a query name, the
new name is not changed in any existing legend-entry titles, data-view
captions, or dependent query names. Editing a query that is used as input
to other queries may affect the other queries.
If a feature class or query that is used in a query changes, the dependent
query is also affected:
Changes to the definition of a feature class or query can invalidate a
dependent query. If the dependent query is an attribute-filter query, its
display will be removed from the map window. Data windows
associated with the feature class will not contain any data if the
dependent query is rendered invalid by the change.
If you close the connection to a warehouse containing a feature class
on which a query is dependent, the data will be removed from the
display, but you will have to edit the legend to remove the entry.
To edit a query:
1. Select Analysis > Queries.
2. On the Queries dialog box, select the query you want to edit and click
Properties.
The type of query selected determines what is displayed on the Query
Properties dialog box.
For example, if you selected a query that is a label, the Query
Properties dialog box appears with the options that were available on
the Join or the Label dialog box.
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12-30
Note: The Query Properties dialog box has a different appearance
with queries generated from the following commands: Analyze
Geometry, Attribute Filter, Geocode Addresses, Geocode
Coordinates, Join, Label, Native Query, Spatial Difference, Spatial
Intersection, and Spatial Query. This dialog box also varies if the
query was created with Spatial Query in GeoMedia Professional
version 4.0 and earlier or in GeoMedia Professional version 4.0
Service Pack 1. See GeoMedia Professional Help for more
information.
3. Edit the items available for the specific selected query.
For example you can edit the query name or description, or click Filter
to edit the attribute filter for an attribute-filter query.
All existing displays of the edited query and any other query built upon
that query will be updated.
4. Click OK to accept the changes.
5. To create a new display for the query, click Display to bring up the
Display Query dialog box.
Deleting Queries
When you delete a query, you are deleting the query definition but not the
data associated with the query. Similarly, if you delete a legend entry for a
query, you are removing the display of the query in the map window but
not deleting the query itself. Deleting a query from the queries collection
does not remove it or its name from legends, the data window, use from
other queries, or even the treeview on the Queries dialog box. You can
delete single or multiple queries.
To delete a query:
1. Select Analysis > Queries.
2. On the Queries dialog box, select the query or queries you want to
delete and click Delete.
Unloading Queries
Unload lets you unload the data associated with one or more queries and
thus free up memory by closing the selected queries.
To unload a query:
1. Select Analysis > Queries.
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2. On the Queries dialog box, select the query or queries you want to
unload; then click Unload.
The bitmaps of the selected queries are updated to reflect the new
unloaded status.
Querying Graphics-Only Features in MGE and
MGSM
The MGE and MGSM data servers expect valid map ID values in attribute
tables, which means that the feature geometries actually exist in the design
file identified by the map ID. This allows the data servers to limit queries
for geometry to the identified design file.
See the Creating Data
Server .INI Files
appendix for setting the
MAPID IS RELIABLE
keyword in the mge.ini
file.
If a query on an MGE or MGSM warehouse includes graphics-only
features (features that have no associated attribute table) or if map IDs
are not valid, the query could take a very long time, depending on the
number of design files that must be searched. This is because the
server has to search all design files allowed by the spatial filter.
If a category contains design files for multiple feature types, then the MGE
or MGSM server will have to search design files that have no elements
relevant to the query. So, if you have multiple graphics-only features in a
single category, a query will take longer than if the features were separated
into different categories. Furthermore, the MGDM server uses additional
memory when it must search for graphics-only features.
One way to improve the performance of queries on graphics-only features
is to limit the size of the categories. The best way, of course, is to clean up
your MGE and MGSM data.
Working with Joins
To create a join containing the appropriate features from each feature
class, you select the attribute in each feature class that contains the
matching value. Attribute pairs need not have the same name, but they
must be the same data type. Only the values in each attribute need to
match.
Note: For values to match, they must be a perfect match. For example,
Kansas is not a perfect match for Kansas<space>.
A join query combines data from two feature classes or queries that have
common attribute values.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
For example, a join would return all attributes for parcels from the parcel
feature class along with parcel ownership information from another feature
class, based on a common parcel ID, even if the latter feature class is in
another warehouse.
Defining Joins
You can create the following types of joins:
Inner join
Records are added to the join only if the
value from the left field matches the
corresponding value in the right field.
Records from either feature class that do not
match are not included in the join.
Left
outer join
All records from the left feature class are
included in the join, but only matching
records from the right feature class are
included. Records from the right feature
class that do match are not included.
Right
outer join
All records from the right feature class are
included in the join, but only matching
records from the left feature class are
included. Records from the left feature class
that do match are not included.
Full
outer join
All records from both feature classes are
included in the join.
In any of the outer joins, fields in records with unmatched values have null
values. Accordingly, join attributes with null values cannot be matched to
any record in the other feature class. If a record in one feature class
contains a value that has a match in more than one record in the other
feature class, the query will return multiple copies of the first record.
To display the join in a map window, the software uses the geometry from
the left feature class or query. So, when you create a join from two feature
classes or queries that contain geometries, select the feature class or query
whose geometry you want from the left side of the Join dialog box.
To create a join:
1. Select Analysis > Join.
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Analyzing GeoMedia Professional Data
2. From the Left side of join drop-down list, select the left feature class
or query.
3. From the Right side of join drop-down list, select the right feature
class or query.
4. From the lists of available attributes, select the attributes on which to
create a join.
5. Click the down arrow to add the attribute pair to the Selected
attribute pairs list.
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6. If the records have to match in more than one attribute, repeat Steps 2 -
5 to add additional attribute pairs to the join.
Note: To remove an attribute pair, select it from the Selected
attribute pairs list and click Remove.
7. Select the type of join to perform.
8. In the Query name field, type a name for the join or accept the default
name.
9. Optional: Type a description for the join.
10. Select a window in which to display the join. If you select a map
window, you can also change the style of the join.
11. Click OK.
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12-34
Analyzing Geometry
Analyze Geometry calculates geometric statistics for each feature instance
of a selected feature class or query and displays the output as a query,
which can be displayed in a map window and/or data window.
The statistics available are as follows:
Area featuresarea, perimeter, area/perimeter
2
Linear featureslength, azimuth, bearing
Point featuresgeographic coordinate, projection coordinate, height
Compound featuresarea, length, perimeter, area/perimeter
2
, length,
azimuth, bearing, geographic coordinate, projection coordinate, height
Graphics text featuresgeographic coordinate, projection coordinate,
height
Coverage featuresnone
In addition, you can use this tool as an analytical tool to find certain
specified conditions. For example, you could use it to locate all the parcel
areas of a certain size or to prepare a thematic map. You access Analyze
Geometry from the Analysis menu.
See GeoMedia
Professional Help for
information on the
Units and Formats
tab.
This tool takes a feature class or query as input and outputs the results as a
new query containing all the fields from the input feature class, plus
additional fields for each appropriate geometry statistic selected on the
dialog box. You can display this resultant query in a map window and/or a
data window. In addition, you can set the style for the map window for
optimum display results. A query or data window sort can be performed to
find small areas or short lines, which allows greater flexibility in the use of
the tool. For example, you may want to find all features with large area or
those with areas within a specific range. The default unit values are
populated from the Units and Formats tab of the Coordinate System
Properties dialog box, but you can change them. The distance and area
units, however, are not displayed in the output query.
The query is dynamically linked back to the input feature class or query
and is automatically updated when any changes are made. This means that
you can select features in the output query and delete them, and they will
be deleted from the original feature class. In this way, for example, you
could find all areas less than a certain minimum size or lines less than a
minimum length and eliminate them.
Analyze Geometry performs calculations based on the options selected on
the Units and Formats tab of the Coordinate System Properties dialog
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box. You can change these options by selecting different unit values on
the tab.
For azimuth, bearing, geographic coordinate, projection coordinate, and
height, the units and format are taken directly from the settings on the
dialog box. You cannot override these settings through the Analyze
Geometry dialog box. This means that once you generate the query, you
cannot change the units and format of the azimuth, bearing, geographic
coordinate, projection coordinate, and height. To change the settings, you
must generate a new query.
You also have the option of using a spheroidal or planar reference space
when computing the statistics. The default value is taken from the Units
and Formats tab of the Coordinate System Properties dialog box. All
computations take place in the GeoWorkspace coordinate system.
Note: Existing queries produced by this command in GeoMedia
Professional 3.0 continue to be computed in the warehouse coordinate
system. Only new (GeoMedia Professional 4.0 and higher) queries are
computed in the GeoWorkspace coordinate system.
After running Analyze Geometry, you can perform maintenance on the
detected conditions. Any changes you make to the geometries of the
features for which the statistics were calculated update the statistics
automatically in any open map window and/or data window displaying the
affected features.
For example, if you wanted to delete small areas found by Analyze
Geometry, you would do as follows:
1. Run Analyze Geometry to find the small areas.
2. Open a data window on the new query.
3. Sort the area column.
4. Select all rows with less than the appropriate area.
5. Delete the selected rows.
The data window and map windows are updated for the deletion.
Analysis Options
You can choose from among the following analysis options for the
statistics you need:
AreaCalculates the area of each feature with an area geometry and
stores the value in a new field called Area. The area is calculated only
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12-36
for those features with an area geometry; any other geometries are
ignored. If the input feature class or query is a linear geometry, this
option is ignored.
PerimeterCalculates the perimeter of discontiguous geometries, and
holes are accounted for in the area calculation each feature with an
area geometry and stores the value in a new field called Perimeter.
The perimeter is calculated only for those features with an area
geometry; any other geometries are ignored. If the input feature class
or query is a linear geometry, this option is ignored.
Area/perimeter
2
Calculates the area/perimeter
2
of discontiguous
geometries, and holes are accounted for in the area calculation each
feature with an area geometry and stores the value in a new field called
AreaPerimeterRatio. The statistics are calculated only for those
features with an area geometry; any other geometries are ignored. If
the input feature class or query is a linear geometry, this option is
ignored.
LengthCalculates the length of discontiguous geometries, and holes
are accounted for in the area calculation each feature with a linear
geometry and stores the value in a new field called Length. The length
is calculated only for those features with a linear geometry; any other
geometries are ignored. If the input feature class or query is an area
geometry, this option is ignored. Discontiguous geometries are
accounted for in the length calculation.
AzimuthCalculates the azimuth for each feature with a linear
geometry and stores the value in a new field called Azimuth. The
azimuth is calculated only for compound and linear features.
BearingCalculates the bearing for each feature with a linear
geometry and stores the value in a new field called Bearing. The
bearing is calculated only for compound and linear features.
Geographic CoordinateOutputs the geographic coordinate for each
feature with a point or text geometry and stores the values in two new
fields called GeographicFirstCoord and GeographicSecondCoord.
The geographic coordinate is output only for compound, point, and
text features.
Projection CoordinateOutputs the projection coordinate for each
feature with a point or text geometry and stores the values in two new
fields called ProjectionFirstCoord and ProjectionSecondCord. The
projection coordinate is output only for compound, point, and text
features.
Analyzing GeoMedia Professional Data
HeightCalculates the height for each feature with a point geometry
and stores the values in a new field called Height. The height is
calculated only for compound, point, and text features.
The output feature class or query contains a new field for each selected
analysis option that applies to the geometry type of the input feature class
or query. The default headings of the new fields are those previously
listed. If a column exists with one of these names, the new name is the
same but with a ## symbol appended to the end of the name, where ##
begins at 01 and is incremented until a unique name is found.
To analyze geometry:
1. Open a read/write warehouse.
2. Select Analysis > Analyze Geometry.
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3. Select a feature class or query from the Features to analyze drop-
down list.
4. Select the appropriate analysis statistics option(s) from the list in the
Analysis options selection area.
Note: The Analysis options list is populated based on geometry of
selected feature class or query. All available analysis options are off
when a feature class or query is first selected. When the feature class
or query is changed, all available analysis options are again turned off.
However, if the geometry type of the new feature class or query
matches that of the old feature class or query, the user-selected options
are retained.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
5. Type an appropriate name in the Query name field.
6. Optional: Type an appropriate query description in the Description
field.
7. Optional: Click Units and Formats, and change the values
appropriately on the Units and Formats tab of the Coordinate
System Properties dialog box.
8. Verify that the Display results in map window check box is selected
in the Map window name field, and change, if appropriate, the map
window in which to display the results.
OR
To not display the results in a map window, uncheck the Display
results in map window check box.
9. Optional: Click Style, and change the default style on the Style
Definition dialog box.
10. Verify that the Display results in data window box is selected in the
Data window name field, and change, if appropriate, the data window
in which to display the results.
OR
To not display the results in a data window, uncheck the Display
results in data window check box.
11. Click OK to analyze the geometries.
Analysis processing is performed in the selected feature class or
query, and an output query is produced using the query name from the
dialog box.
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If the map window display check box was selected, the map window
with the geometries is displayed. If the data window display check box
was selected, the data window with the geometries is displayed.
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Placing Buffer Zones Around Features
A buffer zone is a region around or within one or more features, generally
used for spatial analysis or as input to spatial queries. When you use the
Analysis > Buffer Zone command to place buffer zones, you are creating
a query that is associated with an existing feature class. These buffer
zones are inserted as area features. You can define and place buffer zones
around point, linear, area, and compound feature classes (not graphics text,
coverage, or nongraphic features) or around the results of a query. Buffer
zones work best when the coordinate systems of the GeoWorkspace and
warehouse are matched and set to an equal area projection. This command
outputs the buffer zones to a map window and/or data window. Buffer
Zone is enabled when a map window is active and there is at least one
open warehouse connection.
You can specify the buffer zone distance (or the name of an attribute
containing buffer zone distances) on a per-feature basis. Many variations
of input distance values are supported, including stacks, rings, and buffer
zones in the interior of areas. The buffer zone distance can be of two
kinds, constant or variable.
When using a constant distance, you set the distance value and unit. You
must type the distances as follows:
Working with GeoMedia Professional
SingleA simple number, for example: 10
StackedNumbers separated by semicolons (;), for example:
10;20;30
RingedNumbers separated by colons (:) and semicolons (;), for
example: (start/end) 10:20;30:40
The default value for unit is from the Unit setting on the Units and
Formats tab of the Define Coordinate System File dialog box.
See Working with
Functional Attributes in
this chapter.
When using a variable distance, you select an attribute that contains
distance values that may vary on a per-feature basis. Only attributes of
type text, byte, integer, long, single, double, and currency are available for
selection. These values must be in the ground units of the coordinates
system of the data you are buffer zoning. If this is not the case, you can
construct an expression using the Functional Attributes command, which
performs any required unit conversion and formatting.
You have the option of setting the type of end caps to place around the
ends of linear or compound features, either rounded (default) or squared.
You can also set the output of the touching buffer zones as merged or
unmerged (default). Unmerged output contains one output buffer zone
placed around or within each feature for each input feature-distance
combination. Overlapping buffer zones are not merged. Diagram A
below shows six unmerged buffer zone features. Merged output contains
the originally resulting output buffer zones merged in such a manner that
overlapping sets of buffer zone features are merged, but discontiguous
buffer zones from a single input feature retain their grouping. Diagram B
below shows four buffer zone features, one of which consists of three
previously unmerged buffer zone features.
A B
In the case of merged output, the resulting query consists of a single output
geometry field. In the case of unmerged output, there is additionally a text
attribute containing the distance value at which the buffer zone was
created.
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The following diagrams show example buffer zones around different
geometries and how they vary with both positive and negative distance:
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Working with Functional Attributes
The Functional Attributes command lets you create query results
containing calculated information based on a feature classs original
attribute data. This command supports the calculation of on-the-fly,
dynamic attributes based on geometry measurement and/or attribute values
for one database table at a time. The command returns all of the original
attributes plus any new attributes defined on the Functional Attributes
dialog box. Calculated output attributes can also be used as input for
Working with GeoMedia Professional
further analysis within a given session. To use this command, you must
have an active map window or data window and at least one open
connection.
After generating the functional attributes, the command stores the query in
the GeoWorkspace and displays the results in the map and/or data window.
You can view and manage queries by using the Analysis > Queries and
Legend > Add Query commands.
The workflow for using this command is to first select the feature or query
for which you want to add functional attributes on the Functional
Attributes dialog box. You then open the Functional Attribute dialog
box to construct the analysis expression. This second dialog box functions
as a calculator that you can use to provide calculated information for
queries. This calculator provides a simple Excel-like interface with
standard operators and context-sensitive syntax information.
See the GeoMedia
Professional Help for
information on this
dialog box.
See Aggregating Data
and Merging Feature
Classes and Queries in
this chapter and
Updating Feature
Attributes in the
Editing Features and
Geometries chapter.
You can also access the Functional Attribute dialog box to create, edit
and/or review, and delete functional attributes through the Aggregation
and Analytical Merge commands on the Analysis menu and the Update
Attributes command on the Edit menu. The first three commands are
basically types of queries for forming additional data; the forth command
is different in that it is a database update tool for changing the original
data. When displayed through the Update Attributes command, the title
of this dialog box is Expression for <attribute name>, and it does not
have the Functional attribute name or Output type fields.
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Note: To avoid possible confusion, remember that there is a Functional
Attribute (singular) command that, when selected, opens the Functional
Attribute (singular) dialog box. However, from this dialog box, and from
the other commands just discussed, you can access the Functional
Attributes (plural) dialog box. There is no Functional Attributes (plural)
command.
Functional Attribute Expressions
See the Functional
Attribute Information
appendix for detailed
information on the
expression
components.
Functional Attribute expressions are similar to the expressions used in
Excel. They consist of operands and operators that are evaluated in order
to get a resulting value. An expression can be just one operand or a
combination of operands with one or more operators. You can use
expressions in many ways, for example, as part of the data to retrieve in a
query or as a search condition to look for data meeting a set of criteria.
You can create or edit an expression by typing values and using operator
buttons that automatically insert the corresponding operator into the
Expression field on the Functional Attribute dialog box. You can also
paste selected functions or columns instead of typing them. This operation
does not involve the clipboard, and you should not confuse it with the
traditional Windows paste operation.
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In constructing an expression, you can use text functions for text like
trimming trailing spaces. The dialog box provides all registered function
categories, functions belonging to a selected function category, and
columns that can be used by input parameters for functions. To help in the
creating and editing, the dialog box also displays the syntax definition for
the selected function and a tooltip that provides a brief description of the
functionality of the selected function. Once you insert text, the expression
is validated. If there is a problem, the position of the cursor in the
expression indicates the error, and an error message is displayed.
Note: You can select the syntax statement, displayed at bottom of the
dialog box when you select a function, and paste it elsewhere.
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You can share expressions with others by emailing the GeoWorkspace,
creating a GeoWorkspace template file, creating a GeoMedia WebMap
web site, and cutting and pasting expression strings.
Output Data Types
For evaluating expressions, Functional Attribute uses the following
standard data types:
Area Geometry Compound Geometry
Image Geometry Line Geometry
Point Geometry Text Geometry
The data type of the functional attribute is displayed in the Output type
read-only field only when the expression is currently valid, thus providing
a valuable expression check.
Format
You can review and/or edit the format of the output functional attributes in
the Format field when the output type is Boolean, Byte, Integer, Long
Integer, Single, Double, Currency, Date, Text, or Memo. The default
value depends on the output data type.
Precision
You can review and/or edit the display precision of the output functional
attributes when the format is Fixed, Standard, or Currency and the output
type is Single, Double, or Currency. The default value depends on the
output type. For Single default will be 4, for Double default will be 6 and
for Currency default will be 2.
Operands
Operands are manipulated by the operators in an expression. The operands
can be the following:
IdentifiersReferences to fields in which values vary for each record.
ConstantsFixed values that are constant for each record.
FunctionsOperations that take inputs and return values.
You can build an expression from combinations of these operands joined
with operators. For example, an expression can be a calculation, such as:
(price * 1.5) or (price + sales_tax).
In an expression, you enclose character data values in single quotation
marks ('). In the following expression, the character literal B% is used as
the pattern for the LIKE clause: LastName LIKE B%.
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In the following expression, the date value is enclosed in single quotation
marks: OrderDate = 'Sep 28 2001'.
Operators
Operators are symbols specifying an action performed on one or more
operands, that is, how the operands are manipulated. The operator
categories are the following:
Arithmetic Bitwise
Comparison Logical
String Unary
An expression can be built from several smaller expressions combined by
operators. In these complex expressions, the operators are evaluated based
on operator precedence. Operators with higher precedence are performed
before operators with lower precedence. Operators with the same
precedence are performed from left to right.
The following are example expressions:
AssessedVal = Area* Value
TotalPop = sum(Pop)
If MeanIncome > 30,000 then sum(Pop)
Functions
The Functional Attributes command provides the following types of
functions to perform special operations on your data:
Scalar functions operate on a single value and then return a single
value. Scalar functions can be used wherever an expression is valid.
Aggregation functions operate on a collection of values but return a
single, summarizing value.
Expansion functions operate on a single value (usually a geometry
value) and then return multiple values.
Cluster functions operate on multiple values and then return multiple
values.
Each function can be distinguished from another by using its name and
group name. The group name is optional unless the function name is
ambiguous.
All functions delivered with GeoMedia Professional have unique names.
All functions delivered with GeoMedia Professional have the group name
GeoMedia.
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An example of the use of the scope operator for two different
implementations of the MAX function is as follows:
GeoMedia.max(Salary)
Business.max(Salary)
Functions are divided into the following categories:
Date and
Time
Geometry Logical
Math & Trig Miscellaneous Statistical
Text
The Functional Attribute dialog box displays all registered categories of
functions. Categories simply organize the functions by subject. There are
at least the following selections: All Functions, Most Commonly Used
Functions, Operators, and Constants. If you select All Functions from
the Categories list, all available functions from all installed function
packages are displayed for selection in the Functions list. If you select
Most Commonly Used Functions, the Functions list contains only those
functions that you have most recently and most frequently used. The
default content consists of fourteen pre-selected functions; as you use this
command, the list adjusts to include your own commonly used functions.
Operators and Constants display a list of operators and constants,
respectively. Attributes that can be used as input parameters for the
functions are displayed in the Attributes list.
Common Geometry Functions
Some of the most commonly used functions are the Geographic functions
AREA, COMPRESS, CREATEPOLYLINE ,MERGE, PERIMETER, and
REVERSE.
would be my choice of most commonly used. Instead of providing the
same information from appendix,, cant we ask them to refer the appendix
so that we can list more commonly used functions here?
And, why only geometry functions?
Why not most commany used functions in
TEXT(LEFT,CONCATENATE,FIND etc),
Statistical(COUNT,MAX,MIN,SUM,AVG,LOOKUP,),
Math&Trig(ROUND, MOD), Misc(FIRST,LAST), Logical(IF())
Their specifications are as follows:
AREAReturns the area of the specified geometry.
Format: AREA(Geometry, RefSpace, UnitOfMeasure)
Geometry: The geometry for which you want to measure the area.
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RefSpace: The active reference space used for performing measurements.
This parameter is optional. If missing, gmcssGeographic is used. Possible
values are:
Value Constant Meaning
0 gmcssGeographic Measurements are computed on the
surface of the ellipsoid (taking the earth's
curvature into account). Distances are
also referred to as geodesic distances.
1 gmcssProjection Measurements are computed on the
projection plane. These measurements
are affected by projection distortions.
UnitOfMeasure: The areal unit in which the geometry is to be measured.
This parameter is optional. If missing, the geometry is measured in square
meters.
Remarks: The return value depends on the geometry type.
If the geometry is not defined (NULL value), the NULL value is returned.
Return Type: gdbDouble
COMPRESSReturns a compressed form of the given geometry.
Format: COMPRESS(Geometry)
Geometry: The geometry that you want to compress.
Remarks: The return value depends on the geometry type.
It is not applicable to PointGeometry, OrientedPointGeometry,
LineGeometry, PolylineGeometry, ArcGeometry, PolygonGeometry,
RectangleGeometry, RasterGeometry, or TextPointGeometry. In all such
cases, the input geometry is returned unchanged.
It is applicable only to CompositePolylineGeometry,
CompositePolygonGeometry, BoundaryGeometry, and
GeometryCollection, that is, those that may contain nested geometries
and/or sequences of linear geometries. In all such cases, the input
geometry is returned in a compressed form (see the following).
If the geometry is not defined (NULL value), the NULL value is returned.
The act of compression involves three different activities:
1. Nested composites/collections are flattened. This eliminates geometry
headers, eliminates recursive processing, and (for composites) sets the
stage for further optimization in the next step.
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2. Consecutive endpoint-matched lines/polylines within
composites/collections are stitched together into a single polyline.
This eliminates geometry headers and eliminates redundant vertices.
In the case of composites, it is expected that consecutive geometries
match endpoint-to-startpoint, in which case such geometries (if
line/polyline) are stitched together with the redundant vertex
eliminated. In the event that they do not match endpoint-to-startpoint,
it is considered an invalid geometry. In this case there is no redundant
vertex, and no compression occurs between the two geometries.
In the case of collections, there is no expectation that consecutive
linear geometries match endpoint-to-startpoint, but we know from
experience that such circumstances do occur, and that when they
occur, they are often meant to be treated as a single continuous linear
geometry. For this reason, the same processing will occur in this step
for collections as occurs for composites, as stated above.
Note: Highly segmented linear data are the most commonly seen
cases requiring compression. For the 5.0 release, Step 2 will address
only the compression (merging) of linear geometries. However, this
same activity is also applicable to points and areas (at least), in that
duplicates points within a collection could be eliminated, interior
boundaries of overlapping/bounding areas could be dissolved, and so
forth. This will be left to a future exercise.
3. Single-member composites/collections are flattened and replaced with
the single member primitive. This eliminates the parent geometry and
simplifies processing.
Return Type: gdbSpatial
MERGEReturns the merged geometry.
Format: MERGE(Geometry)
Geometry: The geometry for which you want to create merged geometry.
Return Type: gdbSpatial
PERIMETERReturns the distance around the perimeter of the
specified geometry.
Format: PERIMETER(Geometry, RefSpace, UnitOfMeasure)
Geometry: The geometry for which you want to measure the perimeter.
RefSpace: The active reference space used for performing measurements.
Analyzing GeoMedia Professional Data
This parameter is optional. If missing, gmcssGeographic is used. For
possible values see the AREA function.
UnitOfMeasure: The linear unit in which the geometry is to be measured.
This parameter is optional. If missing, the geometry is measured in
meters.
Remarks: The return value depends on the geometry type. For more
details about returned values, see the MeasurementService.Perimeter
object Help.
If the geometry is not defined (NULL value), the NULL value is returned.
Return Type: gdbDouble
Constants
A constant, also known as a literal or a scalar value, is a symbol that
represents a specific data value that does not change during the calculation
of an expression. The format of a constant depends on the data type of the
value it represents.
Constants are divided into the following categories:
Character String GUID
Decimal Integer Numeric
To create and to display functional attributes:
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1. Select Analysis > Functional Attributes.
2. Select a feature class or query as input from the Add functional
attributes for drop-down list.
3. Click New to open the Functional Attribute dialog box to define at least
one functional attribute.
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4. Type an appropriate value in the Functional attribute name field.
Note: The Output type field is read-only, and a Length field is
enabled only for the Text output type. Also, when you create a valid
expression, the Output type field is automatically assigned.
5. Create the corresponding expression to be calculated for the functional
attribute in the field by typing and/or pasting values, by using the
operator buttons, and by selecting values from the Categories,
Functions/Constants, and Attributes lists.
Note: Undo provides standard undo functionality.
6. When you have completed entering the expression, click Add to create
the functional attribute and to return to the Functional Attributes
dialog box.
7. Accept the default query name, or type an appropriate name in the
Query name field.
8. Optional: Type a query description in the Description field.
9. Verify that the Display functional attributes in map window check
box is checked, and change in the Map window name field, if
appropriate, the map window in which to display the query results.
OR
To not display the query results in a map window, uncheck the
Display functional attributes in map window check box.
10. Optional: Click Style, and change the default style on the Style
Definition dialog box.
11. Verify that the Display functional attributes in data window check box
is checked, and change in the Data window name field, if appropriate,
the data window in which to display the query results.
OR
To not display the nongraphic attributes of the query results in a data
window, uncheck the Display functional attributes in data window
check box.
12. Click OK.
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To edit functional attributes:
1. Select Analysis > Functional Attributes.
2. Select the appropriate feature class or query from the Add functional
attributes for drop-down list.
3. Select the appropriate functional attribute from the Output functional
attributes list.
4. Click Properties.
5. Edit the expression for the functional attribute in the Expression field
of the Functional Attribute dialog box by typing and/or pasting
values, by using the operator buttons, and by selecting values from the
Categories, Functions/Constants, and Attributes lists.
6. When you have completed editing, click OK to return to the
Functional Attributes dialog box.
To delete functional attributes:
1. Select Analysis > Functional Attributes.
2. Select the appropriate feature class or query from the Add functional
attributes for drop-down list.
3. Select the appropriate functional attribute from the Output functional
attributes list; then click Delete.
Merging Feature Classes and Queries
The Analytical Merge command lets you dynamically merge features in a
specified feature class or query, as well as to aggregate the attributes for
those features into a single output feature. This output merge is a query
that combines information from one specific feature class. The output
query is stored in the GeoWorkspace, and you can display it in the map
and/or data window. For example, you may have a series of individual
line segments making up an interstate highway alignment, and you would
like this to be merged into one continuous line, while also calculating the
length of the merged segment and the average speed limit along the entire
length.
In the merge process, you specify the merge criteria and the output
functional attribute(s) to be computed from the input features. You can
merge all feature classes except graphics text or coverage. To use this
command, you must have an active map window or a data window and
have at least one warehouse connection open.
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There are three possible queries, based on the merge criteria: attribute
based, spatially based, or both. You specify the criteria through the
following options on the Analytical Merge dialog box:
AllMerges all input features.
TouchingMerges features that touch.
By attributeMerges features that share one or more selected
equivalent attribute values.
By attribute and touchingMerges features that share one or more
selected equivalent attribute values and that touch.
Attribute-based merging requires that the values of all attributes match,
that is, there is no logical and between comparisons of the various attribute
values. If you select attribute-based merging but do not select an attribute,
it is as if attribute-based merging were not selected. Thus, the command
behaves as if the All or Touching option (as appropriate) were selected.
See Working with
Functional Attributes in
this chapter for
information on
functional attributes.
You must define at least one output functional attribute through the
Functional Attributes dialog box. For all input features except
nongraphic, the default attribute name is Geometry with the expression
MERGE(<Geometry>), where <Geometry> is the name of the primary
geometry field of the input feature class or query. If the input features are
nongraphic, no attribute name is displayed. You can also define additional
output functional attributes and review and/or edit their properties through
the Functional Attributes dialog box, and you can delete functional
attributes through the Analytical Merge dialog box.
You can use Analytical Merge to operate on both input and output
attributes. The attribute fields from the input are prefixed by Input in the
Functional Attributes dialog box. When you create a functional
attribute, the new attribute is prefixed by Output. This allows you to
perform analytical operations on previously defined functional attributes
with the same operation. For example, you can specify the following
expressions in one run of the command:
MergeGeometry = MERGE(Input.Geometry)
AreaOfMergedGeometry = AREA(Output.MergeGeometry)
SumOfAreas = SUM(AREA(Input.Geometry)
The last two lines give you the same results if the geometries are only
touching (not overlapping). If you have overlapped areas, you get
different results, and, in this case, the SumOfAreas will be greater than
AreaOfMergedGeometry.
Analyzing GeoMedia Professional Data
Using the Right Mouse Menu
In defining a functional attribute, you can use the buttons to the right of
the Output functional attributes field, or you can use its right mouse
menu. The menu contains shortcuts for creating common functional
attribute definitions, as in the following example:
NewOpens a submenu with the following items:
CustomOpens the Functional Attribute dialog box for creating
new functional attributes, as does the New button.
Count(*)Adds a new functional attribute with a default name of
CountOf<Feature>, where <Feature> is the name of the feature class
or query input to the command. The expression for the functional
attribute is COUNT(*).
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[Function] > [Attribute]Adds a new functional attribute with a
default name of <Function>Of<Attribute>, where <Function> is the
name of the function (AVERAGE, COUNT, FIRST, MAX, MEDIAN,
MIN, SUM), and <Attribute> is the name of the attribute chosen. For
example, to obtain the sum of the Population attribute, the default
functional attribute name would be SumOfPopulation. The
expression for the functional attribute is <Function>(<Attribute>),
for example, SUM(Population).
[Function] > Multiple AttributesOpens the Multiple Attributes
dialog box for creating multiple new functional attributes as in the
previous bulleted item, one per chosen attribute from the list of all
attributes from the input feature class or query that is of a data type
valid for the selected function. After checking appropriate attributes,
clicking OK dismisses the dialog box and returns one new output
functional attribute for each attribute chosen.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
PropertiesOpens the Functional Attribute dialog box for reviewing or
editing functional attributes, as does the Properties button.
DeleteDeletes selected functional attributes, as does the Delete button.
To perform analytical merge:
1. Select Analysis > Analytical Merge.
2. Select the feature class or query to merge from the Merge features in
drop-down list.
3. Select the appropriate Merge criteria option.
4. If you select By attribute or By attribute and touching, select the
appropriate Attributes check box(es).
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See the GeoMedia
Professional Help for
information on this
dialog box.
5. Optional: Click New to define additional functional attributes on the
Functional Attribute dialog box.
6. Optional: Change the default query name, and/or type a description in
the Output merge as query fields.
7. Verify that the Display merge in map window check box is checked,
and change in the Map window name field, if appropriate, the map
window in which to display the merge.
OR
To not display the merge in a map window, uncheck the Display
merge in map window check box.
8. Optional: Click Style, and change the default style on the Style
Definition dialog box.
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9. Verify that the Display merge in data window check box is checked,
and change in the Data window name field, if appropriate, the data
window in which to display the merge.
OR
To not display the nongraphic attributes of the merge in a data
window, uncheck the Display query in data window check box.
10. Click OK to generate the merged features.
Workflow for Dashed and Patterned Linear Features
Applying a dashed line style or a patterned line style to linear features can
often produce undesirable results if the linear network is segmented, as in
the following example.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
In the preceding example, the railroad pattern is uneven because of the
segmented network; the pattern origin is redefined every time a new
segment is encountered. This is easily overcome using the Analytical
Merge command, as in the following example.
In the preceding example, the pattern spacing is consistent, as opposed to
the first example, thereby producing the appropriate symbology, as
specified on the Style Definition dialog box. This is because the
Analytical Merge command has merged the linear network, thus
eliminating the problems associated with segmented displays. This
workflow is also very useful for multiple-line displays used to show cased
road (parallel line) symbology, especially at intersections.
Aggregating Data
The Aggregation command lets you copy attributes from features in one
feature class (the summary feature class) to related features in another
feature class (the detail feature class) in the form of a dynamic query. This
query is based on the spatial relation between two features and/or related
table columns (similar to a join) between two features. The detail feature
class attributes are aggregated into the summary feature class. Both
summary and detail feature classes can be point, linear, area, compound,
and nongraphic, but not graphics text or coverage. The output aggregation
is a query, which is stored in the GeoWorkspace and which you can
display in the map and/or data window. All summary attributes will be
included in the resultant query, while only the calculated attributes from
the detail feature class are included.
An example of using aggregation would be to combine calculated
information from a detail TAX_ASSESSMENT feature class with a
summary PARCEL feature class. In another example, you could have a
TAZ (Transportation Analysis Zone) feature class and an ACCIDENTS
feature class, and then you could sum the total number of accidents
occurring in each TAZ and copy it to the TAZ features. Or, given SOILS
and VEGETATION feature classes, you could copy the total number of
each type of tree falling in each soil type and, at the same time, calculate
the average age and size of trees in each soil type.
Other examples for using this command would be providing answers to the
following:
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What is the total length of each class of road for each transit zone?
What is the average income for customers in three-mile market areas
for several proposed business locations?
What is the total assessed value of parcels affected by a proposed
road-widening project?
There are three possible types of aggregation based on the merge criteria:
attribute based, spatially based, or both. You specify the criteria through
the tabs on the Aggregation dialog box. On these tabs, you also specify
the resolution operator and the definition of output functional attributes to
be computed from the summary features and the detail features.
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Attribute Aggregation
This type of aggregation uses matching attribute values to determine how
the information in the detail table is aggregated into the summary table.
For example, you could aggregate two tables, one with parcel geometry
(PARCEL) and one with nongraphic information (PARCEL_INFO) that is
related to the parcel features that have one common (identical)
PARCEL_ID column. Using attribute aggregation would allow you to
combine specific calculated information from the detail table
(PARCEL_INFO) to the summary table (PARCEL), where appropriate,
based on the comparison of the common attribute. To this join, you could
use functional attribution to add calculated information between the two
sources.
From the Attribute Aggregation tab, you can select one or more summary
and detail attribute pairs from a list of all displayable attributes, to be used
for determining if features should be aggregated based on the equivalence
of attribute values. Values of all attributes must match, that is, there is a
logical and between the comparisons of the various attribute values. When
you have selected a summary feature class or query, you must select at
least one attribute.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Spatial Aggregation
When both summary and detail feature classes do not have a common
(identical) database column and they are spatial feature classes, you can
still perform aggregation through spatial criteria. For example, you could
use spatial aggregation to find a site for a new restaurant based on traffic
volume, population income, and distance from a particular intersection.
For spatial aggregation, you need to check the Aggregate where
summary features check box and to select an appropriate spatial operator
on the Spatial Aggregation tab because this type of aggregation is based
on spatial proximity. If you select the are within distance of operator,
you also need to define the distance and distance unit.
Attribute/Spatial Aggregation
You can also perform a combination attribute and spatial aggregation
when there is at least one common (identical) database column between
the summary and detail features and when the geometries touch. You
perform this aggregation by using input from both the Attribute
Aggregation and Spatial Aggregation tabs.
Output
From the Output tab, you can select the output definition, which consists
of an optional resolution operator and at least one functional attribute.
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Resolution operators indicate how to resolve the ambiguous cases in which
a detail feature can be aggregated to more than one summary feature. If
both selected summary and detail feature classes or queries are spatial, and
the spatial aggregation check box is checked on the Spatial Aggregation
tab, the available operators are All, None, First, Largest, Largest
Overlap, and Nearest. If the spatial aggregation check box is unchecked,
or if at least one of the selected feature classes or queries is nongraphic,
the available operators are All, None, and First.
See the Defining
Spatial Queries earlier
in this chapter.
Note: Do not confuse resolution operators with spatial operators. They
are two different kinds of operators. A spatial query defines the
relationship between two feature classes using a spatial operator. The
spatial operator forms the that clause of the query statement.
See Working with
Functional Attributes in
this chapter for more
information on
functional attributes.
On the Output tab, you also have the option to create functional attributes
and to review and/or edit their properties through the Functional Attribute
dialog box or to delete a functional attribute. The functional attribute adds
the calculated information to this join.
You can use Aggregation to operate on both input and output attributes.
This allows you to perform analytical operations on previously defined
functional attributes with the same operation. The summary features
appear in the Attributes field of this dialog box as Input.<attribute
name> and the detail features appear as Detail.<attribute name>.
Aggregation Examples
The following are examples of using Aggregation with the USA and
Madison County sample data sets that were delivered with this product.
The example problems listed here are hypothetical, and there may be other
valid workflow solutions to solve the problem.
Problem 1: Need to transfer the state abbreviation from the state to the
counties that are contained by the state.
Solution:
Summary Feature: Counties
Detail Feature: States
Aggregation defined as Spatial
Aggregate where summary features are contained by detail features
Output Resolution Operator: All
Output Expression: FIRST(Detail.STAABBRV)
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Problem 2: Need the number of cities each state contains as an attribute
of the state.
Solution:
Summary Feature: States
Detail Feature: Cities
Aggregation defined as Spatial
Aggregate where summary features touch detail features
Output Resolution Operator: All
Output Expression: COUNT(*)
Problem 3: Need to calculate the number of people in each state who do
not live in a city.
Solution:
Summary Feature: States
Detail Feature: Cities
Aggregation defined as Spatial
Aggregate where summary features touch detail features
Output Resolution Operator: All
Output Expression: Input.POP-(SUM(Detail.POP))
Note: The output expression can be thought of as State.Pop-
(SUM(City.Pop)).
Problem 4: Need to calculate the total number of miles of interstate in
each county.
Solution:
Must perform analysis on spatial intersection (Analysis > Spatial
Intersection) of Counties with Interstates, that is, Interstates overlap
Counties.
Summary Feature: Counties
Detail Feature: Spatial Intersection of Interstates and Counties
Aggregation defined as Spatial
Aggregate where summary features oerlap detail features
Output Resolution Operator: All
Output Expression:
SUM(LENGTH(Detail.IntersectionGeometry,TrueMeas,Mile))
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Note: The value of miles will be expressed using double precision, but the
results could have been rounded using the expression. The following
rounds the values to two significant digits:
ROUND(SUM(LENGTH(Detail.IntersectionGeometry, TrueMeas,
Mile)),2)
Using the Right Mouse Menu
In defining a functional attribute, you can use the buttons to the right of
the Output functional attributes field, or you can use its right mouse
menu. The menu contains shortcuts for creating common functional
attribute definitions as in the following example:
NewOpens a submenu with the following items:
CustomOpens the Functional Attribute dialog box for creating
new functional attributes, as does the New button.
Count(*)Adds a new functional attribute with a default name of
CountOf<Feature>, where <Feature> is the name of the feature class
or query input to the command. The expression for the functional
attribute is COUNT(*).
[Function] > [Attribute]Adds a new functional attribute with a
default name of <Function>Of<Attribute>, where <Function> is the
name of the function (AVERAGE, COUNT, FIRST, MAX, MEDIAN,
MIN, SUM), and <Attribute> is the name of the attribute chosen. For
example, to obtain the sum of the Population attribute, the default
functional attribute name would be SumOfPopulation. The
expression for the functional attribute is <Function>(<Attribute>),
for example, SUM(Population).
[Function] > Multiple AttributesOpens the Multiple Attributes
dialog box for creating multiple new functional attributes as in the
previous bulleted item, one per chosen attribute from the list of all
attributes from the input feature class or query that is of a data type
valid for the selected function. After checking appropriate attributes,
clicking OK dismisses the dialog box and returns one new output
functional attribute for each attribute chosen.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
PropertiesOpens the Functional Attribute dialog box for reviewing or
editing functional attributes, as does the Properties button.
DeleteDeletes selected functional attributes, as does the Delete button.
To define aggregation:
1. Select Analysis > Aggregation.
2. Select a summary feature class or query from the Aggregate to
summary features in drop-down list.
3. Select a detail feature class or query from the From detail features in
drop-down list.
4. Optional: On the Spatial Aggregation tab for spatial aggregation,
check the Aggregate where summary features check box; then
select the appropriate spatial operator from the drop-down list.
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5. Optional: On the Attribute Aggregation tab, select the attribute
pair(s) from the Summary attributes and Detail attributes lists; then
click the down arrow to add the attribute pair(s) to the Selected
attribute pairs list.
6. Optional: On the Output tab, select an operator from the Resolution
operator drop-down list.
See the GeoMedia
Professional Help for
information on this
dialog box.
7. On the Output tab, click New and define at least one output functional
attribute on the Functional Attribute dialog box.
8. Optional: Change the default query name and/or type a description in
the Output aggregation as query field.
9. Verify that the Display aggregation in map window check box is
checked, and change in the Map window name field, if appropriate,
the map window in which to display the aggregation.
OR
To not display the aggregation in a map window, uncheck the Display
query in map window check box.
10. Optional: Click Style, and change the default style on the Style
Definition dialog box.
11. Verify that the Display aggregation in data window check box is
checked, and change in the Data window name field, if appropriate,
the data window in which to display the aggregation.
OR
To not display the nongraphic attributes of the aggregation in a data
window, uncheck the Display aggregation in data window check
box.
12. Click OK to generate the aggregation.
Aggregation versus Analytical Merge
This section highlights the similarities and differences between
Aggregation and Analytical Merge.
Similarities of Aggregation and Analytical Merge
With both of these commands the following are true:
The output is a query.
You assign our own functional attribute name.
Updates (notification) are dynamic.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Queries update when the record set is created, when the connection is
opened, and when notification occurs.
Differences between Aggregation and Analytical Merge
The following are true for the Aggregation command:
Two feature classes are used per query record sets, summary feature
and detail feature
No summary record is left out of the resultant query.
The following are true for the Analytical Merge command:
One feature class is used per query record.
The output attributes are limited to Geometry, ID, and user-defined
functions.
Each function takes multiple input, and outputs a single resultant
value.
Generating Base Geometry
Generate Base Geometry generates topological base geometry (edges,
faces, and nodes) for point, linear, area, and compound feature classes; it
decomposes these features into topological pieces. The following table
shows the topological types enabled for selection, and the default
selection, given the input feature type:
Input feature type Topological types selectable Default selection
Point Nodes Nodes
Line Edges, Nodes Edges
Area Edges, Nodes, Faces Edges
Compound Edges, Nodes, Faces Edges
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You can also select multiple output types when they are enabled.
This command takes a feature class or query as input and outputs a read-
only query that is appended to the query folder. The resultant query has a
compound geometry type and contains the following two attribute fields:
OutputType (integer) Indicates the output topological type; 1-Edge,
2-Face, 4-Node.
FeatureCount (integer) Indicates the number of features that
contribute to the given base geometry.
Once you select a feature, a default query name, which you can override, is
generated automatically. You also have the option to display the query in
a map window and/or a data window.
To generate base geometry:
1. Select Tools > Generate Base Geometry.
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2. Select the feature class from the Generate base geometry from drop-
down list.
3. Check the appropriate Output types check box(es).
4. Accept or override the default query name (Base Geometry of
<featurename>) in the Query name field, and type an optional
Description.
5. To display the base geometry in a map window, verify that the
Display in map window check box is checked.
6. Accept the default, select, or type a Map window name, and
optionally the Style.
7. To display the base geometry in a data window, verify that the
Display in data window check box is checked.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
8. Accept the default, select, or type a Data window name.
9. Click OK to generate and to display the base geometry in the specified
map and/or data window.
Workflow for Dashed and Patterned Area Boundaries
Applying a dashed line style or a patterned line style to area boundaries
can often produce undesirable results when the area boundaries are
coincident, as in the following example.
In the preceding example, adjacent area boundaries have the boundary line
dashed twice where the coincidence is occurring. The end result is that the
coincident boundary lines rarely appear as defined by their style definition.
This can happen within a feature class, or across feature classes.
This problem can be rectified using the Generate Base Geometry
command, as seen in the following example
.
In the preceding example, it is obvious that the coincident area boundaries
are only being dashed once, as opposed to the first example. This is
because the Generate Base Geometry command produces a query
composed of compound geometries based on topological edges; there are
no linear duplicates in the output query. Instead of placing duplicate
geometries, a single geometry is placed and attributed with a feature count
that identifies the number of base features encountered.
The following example illustrates the result of running the Generate Base
Geometry command on the States feature class in the sample data set.
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In the preceding example, because there are no duplicate geometries, any
dashed or patterned line styles applied will produce the appropriate
symbology, as specified on the Style Definition dialog box. However,
you may want to separate the linear instances based on their feature count,
as seen in the following example.
In the preceding example, an Attribute Query was performed on the Base
Geometry of States query (produced by the Generate Base Geometry
command). All interior lines were coincident boundaries, thus their
feature count was greater than one. None of the exterior lines were
coincident, thus their feature count was equal to one. Once the geometry
has been separated, it can be turned on or off as necessary to achieve the
appropriate result. This can be useful if you only want to portray a
segment of the area boundary. An example application of this would be to
turn off state boundaries along coast lines. The Generate Base Geometry
command only supports a single feature class or query as input. When
trying to separate coincident boundaries across feature classes, you can run
the Generate Base Geometry command on the two feature classes, and
then you can use the Spatial Difference command to subtract one
boundary from another.
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13
Working with Labels
See the Inserting Text
Features into a Feature
Class section in the
Working with Features
chapter.
There are two different types of annotation in GeoMedia Professional, text
and labels. Text may be the result of data displayed from a warehouse, or
text may be created and interactively placed with the Insert Text
command. Labels may be the result of the batch labeling command Insert
Label, which lets you create and insert labels as dynamic label queries or
static text feature classes. The difference between the labeling tools and
the Insert Text tool is that the labeling tools automatically place text using
feature attribute values. Insert Text requires you to type in the text to be
placed.
See Resolving Text
Conflicts and Inserting
Leader Lines sections
later in this chapter.
GeoMedia also provides two other label-related commands. The Resolve
Text Conflicts command lets you detect and resolve text overprints that
occur in feature classes or queries. The Insert Leader Line command lets
you place leader lines/leader terminators for label queries in the second
part of a two-step workflow. In the first step, you use the Insert Label
command to create labels as a query and select the Enable leader lines
option to set up the leader line feature class and leader terminator query
and to establish the underlying relationships between these feature
classes/queries. In the second step, you use Insert Leader Line. Upon
placement, the orientation of the leader terminator and the label alignment
setting are calculated automatically. Additionally, this command lets you
move labels and place multiple labels per feature if the Enable leader
lines is selected. The Insert Interactive Label command allows you to
select individual features and label them one at a time.
Inserting Labels
With the Insert Label command, you can create labels as a query or as a
feature class, depending on how you want the labels to behave and what
you want to do with them in the map window. In both cases, the attributes
of the original feature (the additional columns) are copied to the label
feature. However, in a query label the attributes are dynamically linked so
that a change made in the original feature attributes is reflected in the
linked label feature as well. In a feature class label, the attributes are static
and not linked so that a change in the original feature attributes is not
reflected in the feature class label. Each label creation method has its
advantages.
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13-2
Labels as QueryYou can create labels as a query in the GeoWorkspace
if you want each label linked to the feature with which it is associated. As
a query, the labels will be updated each time you edit the labeled features
or open the GeoWorkspace. When, for example, a feature is deleted from
the feature class, its label is deleted as well. Similarly, when a new feature
is inserted into the feature class, the new feature is appropriately labeled.
As a query, a label outputs as graphics text the values of the attributes you
select from a feature class or query, along with any constant text that you
specify. For example, a label query could return as text the names of each
stop along a railroad route.
The content of a label output as a query is composed of text that you type
and one or more attribute values derived from attribute values stored in the
warehouse. When an attribute value changes, the text in the label
associated with the feature whose attribute value has changed will also
change.
If you plan to place leader lines/leader terminators for the labels, you must
create labels as a query with the Enable leader lines option selected. If
you do not, and subsequently want to place leader lines/leader terminators
for the labels, you will not be able to. In this case, you would need to
delete the labels and then insert them again as a query with the Enable
leader lines selected.
See Inserting Text
Features into a Feature
Class in the Working
with Features chapter.
Labels as Feature ClassLabels created as a feature class do not
have an active link to attribute values or geometry. You can edit the
text in the labels, and you can insert the labels as features into a feature
class in a read/write warehouse. In addition, like any other feature you
can move, rotate, and delete labels that are output as a feature class.
When you create labels as a feature class, you will not be able to place
leader lines/leader terminators for the labels. You can only place
leader lines/leader terminators for labels created as a query with the
leader line option selected.
See the Changing the
Style of Map Objects
and Defining Map
Window Display
Properties in the
Working with Map
Windows chapter.
Whether you output labels as a query or as a feature class, you can
define their content, style, and layout for display in the map window.
Among other things, you can display a frame around the text in a
label, give it a solid or transparent background, and define it so its
Size changes as the display scale changes (true at nominal map
scale) (display scale dependent). By default, the text style is defined
such that its Size remains constant as the display scale changes
(display-scale independent).
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Label Placement
This command lets you set the label placement orientation, and alignment,
offset, and whether to place single or duplicate labels.
The available label placement orientation modes are as follows:
Place at anglePlaces the label at the angle specified in the degrees
field. This mode is the default orientation mode, at 0 degrees. The valid
range is 360 to 360 degrees. The angle unit and precision settings are
based on the default settings defined on the Units and Formats tab of the
GeoWorkspace Coordinate System dialog box.
Orient to geometryPlaces the label rotated in the direction of the
geometry being labeled.
The command displays the label with the rotation angle obtained from the
geometry being labeled, using the style taken from the legend entry. If
there is more than one legend entry, the style of the topmost entry is used.
The following rules for label placement apply:
Point dataOrientation is based on the point rotation angle.
Linear dataOrientation is based on the angle of the line from begin
point to end point.
Area dataOrientation is based on the angle of the longest edge of the
area boundary.
Labels are placed right side up and read as follows:
0, 180, 360 degreesText reads horizontal, left to right.
90, 270 degreesText reads vertical, bottom to top.
> 0 degrees, < 90 degreesText reads southwest to northeast.
> 90 degrees, < 180 degreesText reads northwest to southeast.
> 180 degrees, < 270 degreesText reads southwest to northeast.
> 270 degrees, < 0, < 360 degreesText reads northwest to
southeast.
Map window rotation at the time of placement is honored. If the
orientation of the geometry is 30 degrees and the map window is rotated
by 40 degrees, the labels is placed at 70 degrees from the horizontal.
The available label alignments are as follows:
Top left Top center Top right
Center left Center center Center right
Bottom left Bottom center Bottom right
Working with GeoMedia Professional
You can specify the horizontal and vertical offsets to define the distance
each label is placed from its origin. For vertical offsets, positive values
offset upward while negative values offset downward. Similarly, for
horizontal offsets, positive values offset to the right while negative values
offset to the left. The units are measured in ground units.
Finally, you can specify that duplicate labels should not be placed. This
temporarily merges contiguous multiple feature parts in a linear geometry
collection to find the center point in order to place a single label.
To create a label:
1. Select Insert > Label.
2. From the Label features in drop-down list, select the feature class or
query for which you want to place labels.
3. To place an attribute variable in the Layout box, select it from the
Attributes list.
Note: You can place as many attribute variables as you want. Values
for each attribute are extracted from the warehouse when the labels are
created.
4. Place the insertion point in the Layout box where you want constant
text to appear on the label relative to the field, and type the text. For
example:
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13
The text Snow = is typed before the ANNULSNOW field, and is
added after the field.
In the map window, each feature with an ANNULSNOW value will
display the constant text Snow = xx, with the variable xx displaying
the value for the ANNULSNOW attribute.
5. Select the appropriate label Orientation option, Orient to geometry
or Place angle. If you select the latter, type the appropriate label
rotation angle in the deg field.
6. Select the appropriate label alignment from the Alignment drop-down
list.
7. Optional: To define the distance each label is placed from its origin,
specify the horizontal and vertical offsets.
8. Optional: To specify that duplicate labels should not be placed, check
the Place single label along contiguous linear features check box.
9. To output labels to a query, select the Query option. Continue with
Step 10.
OR
To output labels to a feature class, select the Feature class option.
Go to Step 12.
10. Accept or override the default query name in the Query name field;
then type an optional description in the Description field.
11. Optional: To enable leader lines, check the Enable leader lines check
box.
12. Select the read/write connection to output the leader line feature class to
from the Connection drop-down list and select the leader line feature
class name from the Feature class drop-down list, or type in a new
feature class name; then type an optional description in the Description
field.
13. Specify the map window in which to display the new labels by
selecting a map window name from the Map window name drop-down
list.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
14. Optional: Click Style to change the default text style.
15. Click OK to generate and to display the labels.
Inserting Leader Lines
See Inserting Labels
earlier in this chapter.
The Insert Leader Line command lets you place leader lines/leader
terminators for label queries in the second part of a two-step workflow. In
the first step, you use the Insert Label command and select the Enable
leader lines option to set up the leader line feature class and leader
terminator query and to establish the underlying relationships between
these feature classes/queries. In the second step, you use Insert Leader
Line. Upon placement, the orientation of the leader terminator and the
label alignment setting are calculated automatically. The Insert Leader
Line command honors vector snaps, autopan, Undo, and precision key-ins.
The following illustration shows the placement of leader lines:
A leader line is composed of a minimum of two vertices, a start point and
an end point. The start point coincides with the coordinates used to define
the placement of the leader terminator. It is the first point you digitize and
is the point nearest the original label feature. The end point coincides with
the coordinates of the last vertex digitized, and this point is used to define
the placement of the new position of the label at the end of the leader line.
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Working with Labels
The following illustrates the workflow for placing leader lines:
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13
1. Select the label to start the leader
line.
2. Place the first vertex to place the
leader terminator, and the dynamic
label appears.
3. Place the end of leader line at the
new location of label.
4. Double click to remove the original
label and to set the new label where
specified.
Insert Leader Line performs the following tasks in placing a leader line:
1. Ensuring that the leader line feature class and leader terminator query
associated with the label selected are displayed in the legend of the
active map window. It is assumed that the label is already displayed
because it must be selected.
The leader terminator query is displayed in the active map
window. The position in the legend is right below the label
selected.
The leader line feature class is displayed in the active map
window. The position in the legend is right below its associated
leader terminator query.
2. Digitizing the leader line geometry.
The leader line can have multiple interior vertices.
The start coordinates of the leader line are not fixed at the position
of the originating label; they can be moved by using Edit >
Geometry on the leader line.
The start point does not automatically move if the feature moves,
except through coincidence.
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13-8
3. Calculating the orientation of the leader terminator point geometry at
the leader line start point.
Leader terminators are placed as oriented point geometries. The
orientation is automatically calculated based on the angle of the
leader line, from the second vertex to the start point. This
accommodates the use of arrowhead terminators to ensure that the
arrowheads align with the digitized leader lines. You should
create arrowheads with the tip of the arrow at zero degrees and the
origin at the center of the base of the arrowhead. A leader
terminator symbol file (terminator.fsm) is delivered with the
software.
Leader terminators are automatically displayed once the leader
line geometry has been digitized; otherwise, they do not exist.
4. Moving the original label from the originating start point to the newly
digitized end point.
The new position of the label is determined by the leader line end
point, that is, to move the label once it has been placed, you must
edit the leader line.
The alignment of the newly positioned label is determined on a
per-instance basis to minimize the overlap between the label and
the leader line. This is determined by the angle calculated
between the next-to-last vertex before the end point and the end
point as follows:
Degrees Alignment Degrees Alignment
>337.5 to 22.5 Center left >157.5 to 202.5 Center right
>22.5 to 67.5 Bottom left >202.5 to 247.5 Top right
>67.5 to 112.5 Bottom center >247.5 to 292.5 Top center
>112.5 to 145.5 Bottom right >292.5 to 337.5 Top left
The originating label maintains its position and alignment until a
leader line geometry has been digitized.
The rotation of the newly positioned label is automatically set to
zero degrees regardless of the current rotation angle of the original
label (This varies based on the orientation method used during the
original placement.).
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To insert leader lines:
1. In a map window with the leader line feature class and leader
terminator query set up through the Insert Label command, select the
appropriate query label.
2. Select Insert > Leader Line.
3. Place the point nearest the labeled feature to begin digitizing the leader
line.
As you move from the start point, a dynamic line segment is displayed,
and the leader terminator is dynamically displayed, taking into
account the calculated orientation. The label position remains fixed
until the second point is digitized.
4. Place any additional leader line vertices.
After the second point has been placed, the leader terminator is placed
in dynamics using the calculated orientation. The label is displayed in
dynamics at the cursor, using the alignment calculated on the segment.
Note: Pressing BACKSPACE removes the previously placed vertex,
including the first point placed. Pressing ESCAPE before completing
the leader line digitizing opens a dialog box to stating Do you want
to discard the current feature?. Click Yes to return to the start
point (Step 3). Click No to returns the previous digitizing state
5. Double click to end the leader line.
OR
Open the right mouse menu with the following options:
End featureEnds the leader line.
Cancel featureSame effect as pressing ESCAPE as described in
the note in Step 4.
Dynamics are turned off, and the leader line is displayed from start
point to end point. The dynamic label is turned off, and the label is
moved from the start point to the end point using the appropriate
calculated alignment setting. The rotation of the leader terminator is
calculated, and the newly rotated leader terminator is displayed.
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13-10
Moving Labels
The Insert Leader Line command also lets you move labels you have
already placed with the Insert Label command. The procedure is similar
to that for placing a leader line except that before starting the command
you turn off the leader lines and leader terminators in the legend. You
then proceed as if you were placing leader lines and move the selected
label to an appropriate new location in the map window.
To move existing labels:
1. In a map window, turn off the leader line feature class and leader
terminator query in the legend.
2. Select the appropriate query label.
3. Select Insert > Leader Line.
4. Place a start point; then place as many vertices as necessary until the
label is in the correct new location.
After the second point has been placed, the label is displayed in
dynamics at the cursor, using the alignment calculated on the segment.
5. Double click to set the label in its new location.
The dynamic label is turned off, and the label is moved from the start
point to the end point using the appropriate calculated alignment
setting.
Inserting Interactive Labels
The Interactive Label command allows you to place labels for
individually selected features on a selected, predefined feature class. The
label text is taken from the selected database value(s) for the selected
feature. You use the Interactive Label dialog box to control content,
layout, position, and text style. Available options include: feature class or
query to be labeled, output feature class for the label, attribute(s) and
layout to use, orientation, and alignment. In addition, you can override the
current legend style definition for each label placed.
After completing the setup, you can place multiple consecutive labels by
selecting the feature to label and clicking the label location. At any time,
you can return to the dialog box to change content, placement, style
override options, or feature class to be labeled, by using a right mouse
click in the map window. To use this command, there must be an active
map window and at least one read/write connection.
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Orientation
The available label placement orientation modes are as follows:
Place along arcPlaces a curved label where the curvature of the text
string is defined by a user-defined three-point arc. You can optionally
modify the character spacing to expand or retract the text string. The
default character spacing should produce adequate results for all text
alignments and font sizes that follow convex and concave arcs.
If you need to control spacing, you can use the mouse wheel and the + and
- keys to increase or to decrease the character spacing. Multi-line labels
are not supported with this orientation mode.
Place at anglePlaces the label at the angle specified in the degrees
field. This mode is the default orientation mode, at 0 degrees. The valid
range is 360 to 360 degrees. The angle unit and precision settings are
based on the current settings defined for the Angle type in the default units
and precision settings on the Units and Formats tab of the
GeoWorkspace Coordinate System dialog box.
Orient to geometrySnapping to a geometry places the label rotated to
the direction of the geometry snapped to. If no geometry is snapped to,
placement is at 0 degrees rotation.
The command displays the label WYSIWIG with the correct text, where
the rotation angle is obtained from the selected snap point, using the style
taken from the legend entry. If there is more than one legend entry, the
style of the topmost entry is used. If you select the Override style option,
the label is displayed with the override options selected.
The following rules for label placement apply:
Point dataOrientation is based on the point rotation angle.
Linear dataOrientation is based on the angle of the line from begin
point to end point.
Area dataOrientation is based on the angle of the longest edge of
the area boundary.
Labels are placed right side up and read as follows:
0, 180, 360 degreesText reads horizontal, left to right.
90, 270 degreesText reads vertical, bottom to top.
> 0 degrees, < 90 degreesText reads southwest to northeast.
> 90 degrees, < 180 degreesText reads northwest to southeast.
> 180 degrees, < 270 degreesText reads southwest to northeast.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
> 270 degrees, < 0, < 360 degreesText reads northwest to
southeast.
Map window rotation at the time of placement is honored. If the
orientation of the geometry is 30 degrees and the map window is rotated
by 40 degrees, the labels is placed at 70 degrees from the horizontal.
Rotate dynamicallyPlaces the label, allowing you to specify rotation
angle dynamically for each label instance. This mode labels by two clicks.
The first click places the label; the second determines the label rotation.
Rotation is dynamically displayed until the second click.
Alignment
The available label alignments are as follows:
Top left Top center Top right
Center left Center center Center right
Bottom left Bottom center Bottom right
To create an interactive label
1. Select Insert > Interactive Label.
2. Select the feature class or query to be labeled from the Label features
in drop-down list. If this is the first time the command has been run in
this session, the default alignment changes based on the feature type
selected.
3. From the Output labels to drop-down list, select the feature class in
which you want to place labels.
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Working with Labels
13-13
13
4. To place an attribute variable in the Layout box, select it from the
Attributes list. You can place as many attribute variables as you
want. Values for each attribute are extracted from the warehouse
when the labels are created.
5. Place the cursor in the Layout box where you want common text to
appear on the label relative to the field, and type the text.
6. To define the position of each label relative to its origin, select the
alignment from the Alignment drop-down list.
7. Select the label Orientation from the drop-down list.
8. Optional: If you selected Place at angle in Step 7, type the rotation
angle in the degrees field.
9. Optional: Select the Override style check box; then define the
appropriate text style settings.
10. Click OK.
The layout definition is displayed WYSIWYG dynamically on the
cursor for any feature highlighted.
11. Click to identify the feature to be labeled.
12. To place the label at a user-defined rotation angle, click to place the
label.
OR
To place the label to rotate dynamically, click for the location for the
label origin; then click for rotation and placement.
OR
To place the label to orient to geometry, click to identify the feature to
be labeled at the location where the orientation should be calculated;
then click to place the label.
OR
To place the label along an arc, digitize three points to define the
curvature of the arc, in the order 1-2-3. Optionally, modify the inter-
character spacing using the mouse wheel or up/down arrow keys.
Upon defining the third data point, the label will be floating and
oriented along the curvature of arc defined. Finally, click a fourth
point to place the label.
13. Repeat Steps 2 - 12 for any other features to be labeled interactively.
14. If you want to make changes, click the right mouse button while in the
map window to return to the Interactive Labels dialog box.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
13-14
Note: Labeling is restricted to features of the feature class selected
on the Interactive Labels dialog box. To label features from another
feature class, you must enter the new information on the dialog box.
15. To exit Interactive Label, click the Select Tool, press the ESC key, or
click Cancel.
Resolving Text Conflicts
The Resolve Text Conflicts command lets you detect and resolve text
overprints that occur in feature classes or queries. The origin of the
conflicts primarily come from the Insert Label command. However, any
of the commands that generate text geometries into feature classes or
queries, such as the Insert Text command, are candidates for input. This
command is especially useful for resolving the text conflicts that occur
when features originate in read-only warehouses. You must have an active
map window and at least one read-only warehouse connection to use this
command.
The purpose of Resolve Text Conflicts is to separate text geometries that
do not overlap from text geometries that do overlap. The overlap
condition is determined by the original location of the text geometry, the
processing scale, and the font parameters.
This command supports the output of a non-conflicting text query and a
conflicting text query. You can select one of these outputs or both
simultaneously. The resulting queries automatically display in the active
map window.
You have the option of using the results of the non-conflicting text output
query to display the text feature class, or of using the conflicting text
output query to assist you in identifying the text geometries that need to be
moved or deleted from the input feature class.
Legend entry definitions for the output text queries are as follows:
Non-conflicting text output queryUses all of the style parameters
defined using the Font button. The Size remains constant as
display scale changes check box is unchecked on the Display
Properties dialog box.
Conflicting text output queryUses all of the style parameters
defined using the Font button, except color, which will be red. The
Size remains constant as display scale changes check box is
unchecked on the Display Properties dialog box.
Working with Labels
13-15
13
Note: The exception to the previous two statements occurs if style
override has been used. If it has, the text will be displayed in the override
style in both queries.
The following examples show results from using this command:
Results from inserting labels:
Results from resolving text conflicts:
Results with conflicting queries turned off:
You could then use leader lines to move the conflicting queries.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
13-16
Workflow Options
There are two different workflow options, depending on the input. The
output capabilities of this command are two queries, but the input dictates
the level of interactive editing and dynamic behavior of the modified input
text:
1. Input is a query or read-only feature classThe command
identifies non-conflicting text and conflicting text. The input query
items cannot be moved or deleted, but the text string updates
dynamically when changes are made to the originating features label
attributes in the database. For example, if the input is a query,
changing the State_Name attribute from al to AL in the original feature
would cause the query to change, which in turn would cause the output
conflict queries to change. If the input is a read-only feature class, you
cannot edit the feature class, so the output conflicts query will not
change. You will likely use this command to filter the overprints,
displaying only the output non-conflicting query in the map window
instead of the input query or read-only feature class.
2. Input is a read-write feature classThe command identifies non-
conflicting text and conflicting text. The input feature class items can
be moved or deleted, but the text string will not update dynamically
when changes are made to the originating features label attributes in
the database. For example, in the case where the State_Name_Labels
text feature class was based on the States feature class, and the
Resolve Text Conflicts command was run on the State_Name_Labels
feature class, changing the attribute al to AL in States will have no
affect on State_Name_Labels and thus no affect on the conflicts query.
But a change to the State_Name_Labels feature class (using Edit Text)
would affect the output conflicts query.
You will likely use this command to identify the overprints (through
the conflicting text query), to move or delete them from the input
feature class, and to display the modified input feature class in the map
window. Because the input labels are static, you will have to rerun
this command whenever changes are made to the originating label
attributes in the database.
Note: The Resolve Text Conflicts command determines conflicts based
on the processing scale and font size settings. To accurately display the
result, set the Nominal Map Scale (Display Properties) equal to the
Processing Scale, and make sure the Size remains constant as display
scale changes check box is unchecked on the Style Definition dialog box
for both output queries.
Working with Labels
To resolve text conflicts:
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13
1. Select Tools > Resolve Text Conflicts.
2. Select the feature class or query from the Resolve text conflicts in
drop-down list.
3. Select the appropriate Scaling method option.
Note: If you select User-defined, type a value in the Processing
scale field to change the default value display or Nominal map scale
(from the previous scale setting selection).
4. Click Font; then select the font style parameters.
5. In the Resolution criteria area, select the Attribute-based option to
identify the conflicting text attributes. Continue with Step 6.
Note: This option is only enabled when there are numeric attributes
available for the feature class/query selected.
OR
Select the Automatic option to identify the conflicts by order of
placement. Go to Step 8.
6. Select the attribute to use to filter the text conflict from the Attribute
drop-down list.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
13-18
7. Select the appropriate Retain text with option.
8. Optional: Select the Output non-conflicting text as query check
box to output non-conflicting text as a query.
9. Optional: Override the default query name, and/or type a description.
10. Optional: Select the Output conflicting text as query check box to
output conflicting text as a query.
11. Optional: Override the default query name, and/or type a description.
12. Click OK to generate and to optionally display the non-conflicting and
conflicting text queries.
14-1
14
Working with Data Capture and
Presentation
The software provides three commands to work with capturing and
presenting certain specific data: Find Address and Geocode Addresses
for addresses and intersections and Geocode Coordinates for a feature
class or query based on coordinate values.
Finding and Geocoding Addresses
Find Address is a view navigational tool that finds the location of an
input address or intersection and displays it as a point in a map window.
Geocode Addresses provides basic functionality for address geocoding
by creating point geometries for a feature class or a query based on the
input addresses or intersections. You can then display the results in a map
window and/or data window.
Address Coding Guide
Both Find Address and Geocode Addresses use a Geographic Data
Technology, Inc. (GDT) Address Coding Guide (ACG). An ACG consists
of a set of files that provides the needed street, city, state, and ZIP Code
data to locate addresses. The currently available GeoMedia Professional-
compatible ACGs contain address data for the 50 United States and Puerto
Rico in several versions, which provide you with the level of detail and
accuracy required for your specific address-matching solution.
Note: Find Address and Geocode Addresses return a result for an
intersection or address only if there is a single match found. If more than
one intersection or address matches with equal reliability, an ambiguous
match notice will be displayed.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
14-2
Address-Match Strategies
Both Find Address and Geocode Addresses allow you to tailor the
tolerance of your address search by using one of the three address-match
strategies: Aggressive, Normal (the default), or Conservative. The
following table lists the conditions of each of these address-match
strategies:
Address-Match Strategy Conditions
A
g
g
r
e
s
s
i
v
e
N
o
r
m
a
l
C
o
n
s
e
r
v
a
t
i
v
e
ZIP Code is used to match the address if the address fails to match with the city
name and state.
4
4
4
Spell correction is more lenient (such as the first character can be corrected). 4
Spell correction is moderate. 4
Spell correction is strict. 4
Input address will match only to segments whose first letter matches the input street
name within the locality.
4
Input address will match within 200 address numbers to a segment's address range. 4
Input address will match within 100 address numbers to a segment's address range. 4
Input address will match to the other side of a street segment. For example, if the
input house number is odd and there is no odd address range, it will match to the
even side of the segment.
4 4
Input address will match even though it has pre- and/or post-directionals and the
street segment does not, and vice-versa.
4 4
Input address will match to a street segment with different pre- and/or post-
directionals.
4
Input address will match when the pre- and post-directionals are transposed. For
example, the input address of N 18th St West will match to W 18th St North.
4 4
Input address will match to a street segment with a different ZIP Code. 4 4
Input house number must be within a street segment address range. 4
If the input house number is odd, then the associated street segment must have an
odd address range, and vice versa.
4
Pre- and post-directionals must match. 4
ZIP Code must match. 4
Note: Spell correction generally fixes errors such as one-letter
differences, extra spaces, missing spaces, and transposed characters.
Working with Data Capture and Presentation
14-3
14
Examples
In the first example, you want to find the house address of 420 James St.,
but the street database only contains segments for James St. with the
ranges of 2-98, 100-198, and 200-298 (for the given locality). The
software would not match this address with the Conservative or Normal
address-matching strategies. With Aggressive, it would match to the 200-
298 segment because the house address number 400 is within 200 of the
house address range on that segment. The software would place the
geocoded point on the high end of the segment at the same point where the
address 298 James St. would be placed.
In a second example, you want to find the house address of 320 James St.
As in the previous example, the Conservative or Normal address-
matching strategies would match to the 200-298 segment because that is
within 100 of the range on that segment. This would also match with
Aggressive.
Finding Addresses
Find Address allows you to locate an address or intersection in a map
window based on the address information (street address or intersection,
city name, state name, and ZIP Code) and the Address Coding Guide
(ACG) being used. Once you specify an ACG, this command provides a
dockable control that allows you to perform view-manipulation commands
while finding addresses. The list of previously located ACG paths and the
current selection are stored as a user preference that is remembered
between sessions. It is also shared between the two commands, so if you
located an ACG for one command, the other need not redefine it. In
addition, you can use this command as a navigational tool to orient
yourself on a map window.
You have the option to change the default offset distance and unit, match
strategies, and style. Without any offset values, this command constructs
the point, given an address match at the actual location. It applies offset
distance and units by taking into account the parity of the data, if
appropriate (odd addresses on one side of the street, even addresses on the
other). The offset is not applied when locating an intersection. The three
match strategies (conservative, normal, and aggressive) allow you to tailor
the specificity of your search. Setting the style allows you to choose the
point style for optimum display results.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
To find addresses:
1. Select View > Find Address.
2. In the ACG location field, type the complete path of the appropriate
ACG, or use Browse to locate it; then click OK.
3. On the Find Address dockable control, type the street address,
specifying a street name and number, or an intersection of two streets,
separating street names by And, At, &, or @ (based on your workflow if
you need to locate an intersection).
4. Type the city name.
5. Type the state-name abbreviation, or select it from the drop-down list.
6. Type the ZIP Code.
7. Optional: Click the Options button on the dockable control to open
the Find Address Options dialog box to change the ACG offset
distance and unit, match strategy, and/or style.
8. Click the Find Address button on the dockable control to generate
and display the geocoded point for the address in the active map
window and to center the window around this point.
14-4
Working with Data Capture and Presentation
14
Note: You may need to adjust the offset and style for better viewing.
You may also need to adjust the match strategy to obtain the
appropriate results based on the matrix provided earlier in this
section. Click the Options button on the dockable control to reopen
the Find Address Options dialog box.
Geocoding Addresses
Geocode Addresses provides basic functionality for address geocoding
by creating point geometries for a feature class or a query based on the
input addresses or intersection. This command takes a feature class or
query and the Address Coding Guide (ACG) as input. The ACG allows
the command to output a query containing the longitude and latitude
corresponding to the input address and to display the geocoded address
points. You specify the following attributes: street address or intersection,
city, state, and ZIP Code. You also have the option to change the
advanced default parameters of offset distance and unit, match strategy,
and additional output fields, which are dependent on the selected ACG.
The list of previously located ACG paths and the current selection are
stored as a user preferences that remembered between sessions. They are
also shared between the two commands, so if you located for one
command, the other need not redefine them.
14-5
Working with GeoMedia Professional
14-6
Geocode Addresses outputs the results as a new query set. You can
display the resultant geocoded points in a map window and/or the
nongraphic attributes of the geocoded points in a data window. In
addition, you can set the style for the map window for optimum display
results.
Geocode Addresses Columns
In addition to the street address, city, state, and ZIP Code columns, the
data window results contain the longitude and latitude of the matched
address and the following Geocode Addresses-specific columns:
CoordGeocodeStatusThis column contains a null value for
successfully geocoded coordinates. It contains an error description for
coordinates that are not successfully geocoded.
MatchCostFor each item in an address that needs to be changed to
resolve the address, the software assigns a cost value to the change or to
achieving the match. The value in this column is the sum of each address-
match cost. The range is 0-999, with 0 (zero) representing a perfect match
and 999 representing a match with many changes made to resolve it. If the
address cannot be matched, the value is NULL. The value of this column
is a good indicator of how accurate the addresses are and can be used for
comparison between results.
ParsedAddressThis column contains the standardized address that the
command returns. This is a concatenation of the whole address and is
separated by blanks and commas. If the address could not be resolved, the
column contains the parsed street name.
StatusThis column contains output status information concerning the
match strategy and how this relates to the location output by the process.
This field is limited to 255 characters. As you correct the listed problems,
this field is updated. This column has the following three states:
If the match is successful, the column contains a status message and a
match rationale. The match rationale states why the match cost was
not 0 (zero).
If the match fails and there was not an error, the column contains a
match status message and a statement about what is missing or
incorrect.
If there is an error, the column contains an error status and an error
message describing the problem.
Working with Data Capture and Presentation
StreetSideThis column contains the side of the street on which the
address is located. This can be one of three values for a valid match:
0 (zero) when the address has neither a left or right side of the street.
This is the case when the input address given is an intersection of two
streets.
1 when the address is on the left side of the street.
14-7
14
2 when the address is on the right side of the street.
If the address cannot be matched, the value is NULL.
To geocode addresses:
1. Select Analysis > Geocode Addresses.
2. In the Geocode addresses in field, select the appropriate feature
class or query with the attributes to be geocoded.
3. In the ACG location field, select the folder with the ACG, or use the
browse button to locate it.
4. In the Address attributes frame, select the appropriate attributes
containing the Street address, City, State, and ZIP Code data,
specifying a street name and number.
OR
Select an intersection of two streets, separating street names by And,
At, &, or @ (based on your workflow if you need to locate an
intersection).
Working with GeoMedia Professional
5. Optional: Click Advanced to change the default advanced input and
output parameters; then after making changes, click OK.
6. Accept or change the default name in the Query name field.
7. Optional: Type a query description in the Description field.
8. Verify that the Display points in map window check box is selected,
and change, if appropriate in the Map window name field, the default
active map window in which to display the geocoded points.
OR
To not display the geocoded points in a map window, select the
Display points in map window check box to remove the checkmark.
9. Optional: Click Style, and change the style on the Style Definition
dialog box.
10. Verify that the Display points in data window box is checked, and
change, if appropriate in the Data window name field, the default
14-8
Working with Data Capture and Presentation
14-9
14
new data window in which to display the nongraphic attributes of the
geocoded points.
OR
To not display the nongraphic attributes of the geocoded points in a
data window, click the Display points in data window box to remove
the checkmark.
11. Click OK to generate and to display the points in the specified map
window and/or data window.
Note: You may need to adjust the match strategy, offset, and style
for better viewing. Click the Options button on the dockable control
to reopen the Find Address Options dialog box.
Geocoding Coordinates
See the Working with
Coordinate Systems
chapter.
Geocode Coordinates creates point geometries for a feature class or
query based on coordinate values stored in fields of that feature class or
query. This command outputs the results as a new query. You can display
the resultant geocoded points in a map window and/or the attributes of the
geocoded points in a data window. In addition, you can set the style for
the map window for optimum display results.
Geocode Coordinates supports:
2-D and 3-D coordinate attributes.
Geographic or projected coordinates in any GeoMedia Professional
coordinate system.
Field types: text, integer, long, single, and double.
Coordinate units (for example: degrees, radians) and formats (for
example: decimal degrees, d:m:s) of all types supported by GeoMedia
Professional coordinate systems.
Definition of the coordinate system through the Coordinate System
Properties dialog box.
Output of a status indicator for troubleshooting bad coordinate data.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
To geocode coordinates:
1. Select Analysis > Geocode Coordinates.
2. In the Geocode attributes in field, select the feature class or query
containing attributes to be geocoded.
See the GeoMedia
Professional Help for
information on this
dialog box.
3. Optional: Click Coordinate System to review and/or to change the
default coordinate-system definition, to browse for and save
coordinate system files, and to set and modify the units and formats on
the Coordinate System Properties dialog box.
4. In the Coordinate attributes area, select the attribute to be used for the
first coordinate from the drop-down list.
Note: The names of the first and second coordinate fields vary
dynamically with the selected coordinate system, units, and format.
5. Select the attribute to be used for the second coordinate from the drop-
down list.
6. Optional: Select the attribute to be used for the height value from the
drop-down list.
7. Optional: Change the default value in the Query name field.
8. Optional: Type a query description in the Description field.
9. Verify that the Display points in map window check box is selected,
and change in the Map window name field, if appropriate, the default
active map window in which to display the geocoded points.
14-10
Working with Data Capture and Presentation
14-11
14
OR
To not display the geocoded points in a map window, select the
Display points in map window check box to remove the checkmark.
10. Optional: Click Style, and change the default style on the Style
Definition dialog box.
11. Verify that the Display points in data window box is checked, and
change in the Data window name field, if appropriate, the default new
data window in which to display the nongraphic attributes of the
geocoded points.
OR
To not display the nongraphic attributes of the geocoded points in a
data window, click the Display points in data window box to remove
the checkmark.
12. Click OK to generate and to display the points in the specified map
window and/or data window.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
14-12
15-1
15
Inserting Traverses
Insert Traverse provides coordinate geometry key-in and digitizing tools
for input and maintenance of linear and area feature data sources in the
GeoMedia Professional environment. Examples of such data sources are
registered survey/plat maps, parcel deeds, and title documents.
An area feature generally consists of one primary feature class (for
example, parcel) and various component feature classes (for example, the
individual boundaries as separate feature classes). In addition to area
features, you can precisely insert and maintain linear features. When you
select a compound geometry feature class as the primary feature class, this
command creates an area geometry for the primary feature. When you
select a compound geometry feature class as the component feature class,
this command creates a linear geometry for each component feature. In
addition, this command dynamically displays the feature geometry in the
map window as you define the geometry.
You have the option to add the traverse to the primary feature class or not
through the Primary feature class check box on the Insert Traverse
dialog box. When checked, it lists all writeable compound, area, and
linear features, and lets you select the primary feature class for the traverse
to be placed. When unchecked, the primary feature class is set to None,
and the component feature class is populated by selecting a linear feature
class. As a result, you can continue adding the line segments to the
component feature class(es) and can optionally select the Primary feature
class when required.
Once defined, you can save the geometry definition data to a .trv file
and/or insert the geometry into a read/write warehouse. The .trv files have
many uses. You can save coordinate geometry input from many different
input/editing sessions into a .trv file until the geometry for an entire region
or area is captured. You can then Load and Apply this data to a read/write
warehouse. This provides both an audit trail of the data and an ASCII
archive. Also, you can use .trv files as templates in which the data are
loaded and edited for the creation of subsequent geometry features.
Note: Double clicking on a .trv file opens Notepad.
The primary area and component feature-class definition capability
provides a dual analysis capability. In a parcel data capture workflow,
there is a need for both area-based (that is, parcel polygon area
computations, spatial analysis, thematic mapping, and so forth) and
Working with GeoMedia Professional
15-2
component-based (that is, frontage boundary length, interior parcel
boundary parameter, spatial referencing, and so forth) segregation and
analysis. To do this, the software stores the parcel as an area feature and
stores the component parts separately. Using the unique coincidence
capability of this product, you can edit the component features separately
(automatically editing the underlying area feature), while still allowing for
area analysis. For example, when defining a rectangle parcel feature, you
could define the eastern boundary to be a street, the northern boundary to
be a country line, the western boundary to be a street, and the southern
boundary to be a highway.
The type of information entered depends on the feature being created and
on the traverse type (Start_Point, Point, Line, Jump_Line, Arc, or End).
In general, you can enter traverse information by one of three methods:
Typing the traverse data directly into the grid or dimension frame of
the Insert Traverse dialog box.
Specifying points and line features from a map window.
Loading an ASCII file containing the coordinate geometry definition.
You can also use a combination of these input methods for coordinate
geometry input.
Defining a Traverse
Depending on your particular workflow, you may switch between these
three methods while defining a traverse.
Typing Data
This method involves direct typing of point coordinate, distance, bearing,
azimuth, deflection, and/or arc parameter values into the dialog box fields.
The dimension frame for data entry on the Insert Traverse dialog box
switches according to the type of traverse you are placing. You can enter
the data for both linear and point coordinates.
Inserting Traverses
15-3
15
Linear Dimensions
For linear (Line or Jump_Line) input, you enter the parameters for one of
the three line-placement methods, distance/bearing, distance/azimuth, or
distance/deflection. The default is distance/bearing. The name of the
direction field changes with each method.
Deflection Angle Computation
Selecting the distance/deflection method supports deflection angles by
setting the next traverse leg to be relative to the orientation of the previous
leg. This allows placement of a traverse leg by angle and distance where
the angle is relative to the previous traverse leg rather than the compass
direction.
When you select the distance/deflection method and specify a distance (d)
and an angle value ( ), this command creates a new traverse segment (d)
in the direction resulting from the angular deviation ( ) relative to the
previous traverse segment, as shown in the following figure:
Positive ( )
values indicate a clockwise, or right-turn, deflection angle
relative to the direction of the previous segment (as in the previous figure).
Negative ( ) values indicate a counterclockwise, or left-turn, deflection
angle.
If the previous traverse segment is an arc, the deflection angle is computed
relative to the chord of the arc, as shown in the following figure:
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Point Dimensions
For a point, you enter the point coordinates for one of the two point-
placement methods, geographic or projected. The default method is based
on the coordinate readout control setting.
Note: Precision key-ins from outside the dialog box are not supported.
To use point input, set the traverse type to Point and use the
Longitude/Latitude or East/North fields to enter the point position.
Arc Dimensions
To define an arc, you must select one of the four arc-placement methods
(arc, chord, delta, or end point) and enter the required (enabled)
parameters.
The following table shows the four arc placement methods and their
required input:
15-4
Inserting Traverses
Arc
Length
Chord
Directio
n
Chord
Length
Delta Directio
n
Path Radius
Tangent
Direction
Arc 4
4
4 4
Chord 4 4
4 4 4
Delta
4 4
4 4
End Point
4 4 4
15-5
15
Selecting Data
In selecting points/features from a map window (Use Map), the Insert
Traverse dialog box closes, and you provide input by clicking on a
geometry displayed in a map window. Insert Traverse computes the
values (that is, coordinates, direction, distances, and so forth) needed and
automatically populates the dimension information frame on the dialog
box.
Your input and the type of coordinate information gathered depends on the
particular traverse geometry type being defined. This method is useful
when you want to use an existing geometry that forms a common
boundary with the features you are creating or when you want to use the
coordinates of a displayed control point rather than typing them into the
dialog box.
For Start_Point, Point, and End coordinates, simply click on an existing
point or vertex in the map window to retrieve the coordinates.
For Arcs, click two points on an existing arc geometry in the map window
to add coordinate information. Insert Traverse retrieves the arc definition
parameters and inserts these into the arc input fields of the dialog box.
The two points are not used as start and end points; only the arc definition
parameters are retrieved from the selected geometry. The start point of the
arc being defined is the last point entered on the dialog box, as shown in
the following figure of arc placement:
Disconnected arc Resulating arc
identified placement
Working with GeoMedia Professional
In selecting data in the map window, you can also copy existing geometry
information into a geometry type, as when designating a common
geometry. In this case, you do not select the geometry itself, but
SmartSnap is active so that you can snap to two points on the geometry to
copy the definition values to the dialog box. However, the command
draws a straight line between the two points and does not follow along any
geometry when determining the distance and direction, as shown in the
following figure of line placement:
The following figure shows the resulting placement if a disconnected line
is defined by two clicks:
Disconnected Resulating
line Identified line placement
Importing Data
In importing (Load) data from an ASCII text file, you select the
appropriate file from the common file-selection dialog box to populate the
Insert Traverse dialog box with the traverse definition. You can import a
.trv format file. When you save a traverse definition, the command saves
it as a .trv file. This file contains all point, line, and arc definition
information, from the start point through feature creation.
You can also modify a saved traverse definition and save it as a new
traverse file. When you load a traverse from a .trv file, the unit values are
taken from the file rather than from the Options dialog box (Tools >
Options).
15-6
Inserting Traverses
15-7
15
Additional Command Features
Insert Traverse allows you to close (Close Feature) the current area
feature by inserting a Line from the current position to the point of
beginning of the feature, not to the Start_Point. The point of beginning is
the first point of the first Line, Point, or Arc traverse type. This allows
you to have the software enter the closing boundary of the area feature
being defined.
This command also allows you to adjust (Adjust) the closure of the feature
using a Compass or Bowditch rule adjustment to distribute the small error
that accumulates through precision input of direction, distance around the
area feature. Through this adjustment, the error is distributed to each
traverse leg based on its length in comparison to the total perimeter of the
area feature.
The perimeter value is the sum of all Line and Arc distances that make up
the area feature; it does not contain any traverse-line distances leading up
to the start of the Line/Arc components. You can only adjust the closure if
the primary feature class of the feature to be adjusted is an area feature
class. Any rows in the grid that are set to Lock will not be adjusted.
You enter the Line or Arc definition information for each boundary from
point of beginning, then from boundary to boundary, and back to the point
of beginning. Consequently, the closure error should be very small.
The total tolerance of the area feature is calculated on the absolute
tolerance you type in the Tolerance field. You enter the tolerance value
as a check on the incorrect closure of a feature. If the closing error
exceeds the tolerance specified, the feature is not adjusted.
It is important to note that the Adjust and Tolerance capabilities of Insert
Traverse are built in to solely help prevent operator input errors, for
example, inputting a bearing using the wrong direction notation or
transposing the digits for a distance value, which would then be result in
large Adjust error values.
During an adjust operation, you can exclude (Lock) individual traverse
legs/points from being altered. Any traverse in the edit grid populated by
clicking in the map view is automatically locked, so any adjustment does
not break coincidence conditions. Additionally, each traverse leg can have
a linear feature placed for it. You can toggle between locked and unlocked
while defining a traverse. (To lock or unlock a traverse, you must click
the Lock check box twice.)
The Display label option allows you to automatically display labels for
the bearing distance in the start, end, or center position of each traverse
Working with GeoMedia Professional
15-8
leg, as the traverse is being defined. The labels are not written to the
database. They are only used to allow a quick reference between the map
view and the grid to determine which row in the grid goes with which leg
of the traverse in the map view.
When you have completed traverse definition, clicking Apply places the
primary/component feature(s) into the map window. The coordinates of
the traverse are calculated based on the Start_Point coordinates. Linear
features are created in the respective component feature classes.
Area/Linear features are created corresponding to the primary feature class
selected for that feature.
During Apply, the Properties dialog box opens to allow input of attribute
values if there are required values or if the Display Properties dialog for
new features option on the Placement and Editing tab of the Options
dialog box (Tools > Options) is turned on.
When the Properties dialog box opens, the Insert Traverse dialog box
closes until you have input all the attribute values, at which time the Insert
Traverse dialog box again opens.
Insert Traverse honors the Measurement interpretation setting on the
Units and Formats tab of the Define Coordinate Systems dialog box. If
set to True (spheroidal), the distances for all subsequent traverse
segments are computed with the curvature of the earth taken into account.
If set to Projected (planar), the distances for all subsequent traverse
segments are computed as planar distances.
Insert Traverse Workflows
Primary Workflow
The primary workflow for Insert Traverse is the collection, closing, and
adjustment of individual area features. The recommended method of
storing this area information is to store the area as one feature (the primary
feature, for example, parcel) and the individual boundaries as separate
features (which is automatically performed if the component feature class
is defined). This command allows you to select a feature class to place
and to select the component feature class for each traverse leg. When you
are placing an area feature as the primary feature, Close Feature and
Adjust are enabled once you have defined enough legs to make them
useful. At least two legs must be defined before Close Feature is
enabled, and at least three legs must be defined before Adjust is enabled.
Inserting Traverses
Secondary Workflow
A secondary workflow is the collection of area features without
components for each traverse leg. This command also allows the
collection of linear features; however, Close Feature and Adjust are not
enabled for such features.
To insert a traverse by typing plat data:
1. Create a read/write connection.
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15
2. With an active map window, select Insert > Traverse.
3. Select the Start_Point traverse type from the Traverse type drop-
down list.
Note: You must always start a new traverse with Start_Point.
4. Type the coordinates for the start point directly into the grid for the
first traverse leg.
OR
Type the coordinates for the start point into the Point dimensions
frame fields; then click Add to Grid.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
15-10
Note: Point dimension method defaults to the coordinate readout
control setting, that is Lat/Long or Projected coordinates.
A new row is added to the grid with the traverse type of line, and the
dimension frame switches to show line dimensions.
5. Type the appropriate traverse coordinates.
6. Check the Primary feature class check box.
7. Select the primary feature class (area, linear, or compound) of the
feature being digitized from the Primary feature class drop-down
list.
8. Select the traverse type.
The Component feature class field is enabled for selection of the
component feature class (linear or compound feature only) for the
selected traverse.
For Point, enter the coordinates as in the previous steps.
For Line, enter the legal distance and bearing or distance and azimuth
values in the line dimensions frame.
For Arc, use one of the four placement methods for entering the arc
dimensions.
The dynamics of the feature are shown upon clicking Add to Grid
unless the traverse type is Jump_Line.
9. Repeat these steps for all traverses forming the feature.
10. Click Close Feature to join the end and start points of the feature
being digitized with a new line when the points are close together.
A line is shown joining the end point of the previous linear feature and
the start point of the feature. Two new rows are added to the feature
detail grid with traverse type as Line, the distance and bearing values
are populated, and the second has the traverse type set to End. Select
the feature class of the line that closes the feature from the
Component feature class drop-down list.
OR
Click Adjust to adjust the closing error if the primary feature is an
area feature class and the feature is not closed, and verify that the
closure error is within your specified tolerance limit.
Inserting Traverses
15-11
15
The Calculated traverse columns in the feature detail grid are
populated with the corrected values of bearing and distances or
coordinates of the Line/Point or Arc length features.
11. When finished, click Apply to insert the traverse geometry and to hide
the dialog box during feature placement.
If Display Properties dialog for new features is on, or if input is
required for the selected feature class, specify the feature attributes on
the Properties dialog box; then click OK to exit and to again open the
Insert Traverse dialog box.
12. Click Save to save the traverse definition as a .trv file.
To insert a traverse using the map window:
1. Create a read/write connection.
2. With an active map window, select Insert > Traverse.
3. Click Use Map.
The dialog box is dismissed. The prompt displayed and the required
input vary with the traverse type.
4. If the traverse type is Point, select a single point in the map window
by clicking a point in space or snapping to a vertex.
The dialog box opens with the coordinates of the point in the
dimension frame.
OR
If the traverse type is Line, select two points in the map window by
clicking two points in space, snapping to a vertex, or a combination of
the two.
The dialog box opens with the distance and direction information for
the line in the line frame.
OR
If the traverse type is Arc, select two points in the map window by
clicking two points on an existing arc geometry, snapping to a vertex,
or a combination of the two.
The dialog box opens with the distance and direction information for
the line in the arc frame.
5. Click Add to Grid to populate the grid.
A new line is added to the grid with the same traverse type and
component feature class as the previous line.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
15-12
6. End the feature as in the previous workflow.
To insert a traverse using an imported file:
1. Create a read/write connection.
2. With an active map window, select Insert > Traverse.
3. Click Load.
4. Select the appropriate .trv file to populate the grid in the Insert
Traverse dialog box.
Only the first two fields of the grid are populated.
5. Optional: Edit the appropriate values.
6. Complete the feature as in the first workflow.
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16
Working with Layout Windows
Layout Window Overview
The layout window always exists, with a minimum of one layout sheet.
Unlike the map window and data window, the layout window only
supports a single instance; it is either open or closed. However, multiple
layout sheets can exist in the layout window, exposed as pages or sheets in
the same manner as in the Excel or SmartSketch products. A default sheet
setup and a few GeoMedia Professional layout templates provide examples
and a starting point for the layout and plotting environment.
Accessing the Layout Window
You access the layout and plotting environment from a map window or a
data window by selecting Window > Layout Window from the GeoMedia
Professional pull-down menu bar or the Standard toolbar. Similarly, you
can dismiss the layout window by selecting Window > Hide Layout
Window. The command button on the Standard toolbar toggles back and
forth depending on the active window. When the active window is a map
or a data window, the command is Show Data Window. When the active
window is the layout window, the command is Hide Layout Window.
When the layout window is hidden, the last used window is made active.
When the layout window is active, you can append new layout sheets to it
in two ways. First, you can create a new layout sheet by selecting Sheets
> Insert Sheet from the layout window pull-down menu or by selecting
Insert from the right mouse menu of the sheet tab. New sheets are added
after the active sheet.
Second, you can import external files as new layout sheets by selecting
Sheets > Import Layout from the layout window pull-down menu or by
selecting Import Layout from the layout toolbar. File types supported by
Import Layout include GeoMedia layout sheets or templates, Imagineer or
SmartSketch drawing files or templates, and MicroStation layout
templates.
Setting Layout Window Options
The Layout tab on the Options dialog box (Tools > Options) lets you set
various controls for the appearance of the layout window and the behavior
of some of the graphics commands.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Layout Tab
The Layout tab lets you set controls for the layout window graphics
commands relating to the layout grid and length readout. This tab is
displayed on top when the Options dialog box is opened in the layout
window.
The Units selection area lets you set up the units for defining Distance
and Style values in the layout sheet. The Style setting is used for defining
line widths for the drawing commands (Line, Circle, and so forth), and for
north arrow and scale bar style properties. The Distance setting supports
up to seven-decimal precision and is used for precision key-in control in
the drawing commands (Line, Circle, and so forth), the Measure Distance
command, the Legend Properties command, and the grid subinterval
spacing. The precision readout sets the number of significant figures to
display the accuracy of the unit readout value. The precision setting does
not alter the numbers that you type into the fields, only the display of the
numbers in the field. Values ending in five are rounded up. For example,
if the precision readout is 0.123 and you draw a line that is 2.1056 inches
long, the line value length is rounded. The length value appears as 2.106
inches long. If you are using millimeters as your drawing sheet units, you
can have the values display in the fields as 3.5 mm or 3.50 mm.
Note: When you set options on the Layout tab for the units in a
document, the settings do not affect the dimensional values or sheet size
for the document.
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Working with Layout Windows
16-3
16
The Grid and Nudge selection area lets you set options for using the Grid
Display and Grid Snap capabilities as follows:
Grid displayDisplays a grid for precision element placement. The
grid lines themselves are not considered part of the document and do
not print.
Grid snapAligns elements with the grid, which is an invisible set of
lines in the document that helps you align elements. When you select
this option, elements always align with the grid lines or the nearest
intersection of the grid lines.
Subinterval spacingSets the spacing of the grid lines.
Subintervals per intervalDetermines the number of index grid
lines. The read-only unit is set by the layout window Page Setup
command. The size of each grid cell is determined by the Subinterval
spacing. The Subintervals per interval determines the number of
minor grid lines to display between the major grid lines. If the grid
spacing is set to 0.25 inches and the grid index is set to four inches,
then the minor grid lines display as dashed gray lines at 0.25 inch
intervals, and the major grid lines display as solid gray lines at 1.0
inch intervals, per the following formula:
major grid line interval = grid spacing X grid index
Page Setup
The page setup parameters for layout sheets created using the Insert Sheet
command are based on the current settings of the active sheet when the
command is started. The page setup parameters of the active sheet are
copied to the new sheet. If the page setup parameters have been defined as
the default, the page setup parameters are based on the saved default
settings. The page setup parameters for imported files or templates are
based on the parameters defined for the imported sheet.
See Defining the
Layout Window Page
Setup in the Printing in
GeoMedia Professional
chapter for more
information.
When you open the layout window for the first time in a new
GeoWorkspace, the page setup parameters are obtained from the delivered
GeoMedia Professional template file normal.glt. You can bring this file
into the layout window with Import Layout and then modify it to reflect
your default layout parameters.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Plotting
See Printing Layout
Sheets from the Layout
Window in the Printing
in GeoMedia
Professional chapter
for more information.
Upon completion of your map design, you can submit the plot to a plotter
or an offline file, such as PDF, through the standard Windows printing
interface. The layout window and all of its associated layout sheets are
automatically saved in the GeoWorkspace when you save the
GeoWorkspace. If you do not want to save the plot session, you can
manually delete the plot upon completion.
Starting the Layout Window
Select Window > Show Layout Window from the GeoMedia Professional
pull-down menu to display the layout window. When you display the
layout window, it becomes active, and the menus and toolbars change to
enable the layout commands. If you select Hide Layout Window when
the layout window is already displayed, the layout window becomes
hidden, and the menus and toolbars revert to their former states.
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Working with Layout Windows
16-5
16
Inserting Layout Sheets
Insert Sheet inserts (adds) a new layout sheet using the page setup
parameters of the active sheet. You can change the parameters with the
Layout Window Page Setup command. When a new sheet is inserted, it
is placed after the sheet that was active when the command was started.
To insert layout sheets:
1. Make the appropriate layout sheet active.
2. Select Sheets > Insert Sheet.
OR
Place the cursor over the layout sheet tab, right click, and then select
Insert from the right mouse menu.
Note: The page setup for the first sheet in the layout window is based on
parameters defined for the layout sheet in normal.glt. However, this is not
automatically so for subsequent sheets. The page setup parameters for
each new sheet are based on the active sheet when this command is started.
Thus, if the first sheet is a C Size Sheet and is the active sheet when the
command is started, then the new sheet inserted will also be a C Size
Sheet. But if you then create a D Size Sheet, and it is active when you
start the command, then the new sheet inserter will be a D Size Sheet, not
the initial default C Size Sheet.
Importing Layout Sheets and Layout Templates
Import Layout lets you add external files to the layout window in the
GeoWorkspace as new layout sheets, supporting the following file types:
GeoMedia Layout Sheets (.gls)
GeoMedia Layout Templates (.glt), the default for first-time use
Imagineer or SmartSketch Drawing Files (.igr)
Imagineer or SmartSketch Templates (.igt)
MicroStation Layout Templates (.dgn)
GeoMedia Layout Sheets
GeoMedia layout sheets are fully composed plot layout sheets stored as an
external disk file outside the originating GeoWorkspace. They contain the
Working with GeoMedia Professional
layout graphics and map graphics. The status of the map graphics in the
sheet, static mode or dynamic mode, is maintained during the export and
import process. GeoMedia layout sheets are limited to a single layout,
supporting background and working sheets. The layout sheets should be
imported into the originating GeoWorkspace, where they can then be
updated, and plotted, which provides a useful mechanism for maintaining
dynamic plot files outside the GeoWorkspace.
A distinction is made between layout graphics and map graphics. Map
graphics are those graphics that originated in the map window, and they
include a map, legend, scale bar, and north arrow. Layout graphics are
those graphics that originated in the layout window (Version 4.0 and
above) or in SmartSketch, and they include SmartFrames, borders, titles,
logos, and so forth.
See the next section,
Exporting Layout
Sheets and Templates,
for information on this
command.
To support importing .gls files, both interactively and in batch plotting, the
Export Layout command assigns custom attributes to the GeoMedia
layout sheet file that defines particular characteristics of the sheet being
exported. When importing .gls files, all effort is made to reproduce the
originating map window of each map SmartFrame found in the .gls file. If
the originating map window is not found, the software looks for a named
legend whose name is the same as the originating map window, and uses
that named legend to create an originating map window.
Note: Problems may arise when trying to import pre-GeoMedia 5.2 .gls
files, or if named legends no longer exist. In such cases, error messages
are displayed to provide the needed information.
Layout templates and drawing files are also external files that you can
import into the layout window. The location of the templates is defined as
\Templates on the File Locations tab of the Options dialog box (Tools >
Options). The default location is <drive:>\Program Files\GeoMedia
Professional\Templates\Layouts.
GeoMedia Layout Templates
If you require a predefined layout template, you have two options. You
can import an Imagineer or SmartSketch template file (.igt) created from
legacy workflows in GeoMedia Professional 2.0 or 3.0, or you can import
a GeoMedia layout template file (.glt) created in GeoMedia Professional
4.0 or above.
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Working with Layout Windows
16-7
16
When you import a GeoMedia layout template file (.glt), you copy the
layout graphics from an external file stored on disk to a new layout sheet
stored in the layout window. This template is limited to a single layout
sheet, supporting background and working sheets.
A GeoMedia layout template is intended to store standard title block type
graphics used across an enterprise. It only contains layout graphics,
including frames, generated with the Insert Layout Frames command. A
layout frames function as containers that identify the type of content and
the physical extent of the map graphics being placed into the layout sheet.
Layout frames are intelligent, that is, they know what type of map graphic
they contain. A GeoMedia layout template does not contain
GeoWorkspace connections.
Imagineer or SmartSketch Template and Drawing Files
Similarly to importing a GeoMedia layout sheet or a GeoMedia layout
template, you can copy the graphics from an external Imagineer or
SmartSketch template file (.igt) or drawing file (.igr) and place them as a
new layout sheet in the layout window. This option supports legacy
workflows in case you have invested a lot of time building Imagineer or
SmartSketch plot layout drawings and templates. Unlike the import of a
GeoMedia layout sheet or a GeoMedia layout template, the import of a .igt
template file or a .igr drawing file brings all the sheets contained in the
drawing or template, including multiple working sheets and background
sheets.
Note: Some SmartSketch components are not supported within the
GeoMedia environment. The .igt and .igr files containing components
such as Connectors and Smartlabel controls should not be used when
importing into GeoMedia.
GeoMedia Professional layout templates created with GeoMedia
Professional 4.0 (or above) using the Export Layout command contain
only layout graphics. Imagineer or SmartSketch files or templates created
using GeoMedia Professional 2.0 or GeoMedia Professional 3.0 plotting
workflows may contain a combination of map graphics and layout
graphics. When importing these Imagineer or SmartSketch file types, only
the layout graphics are imported. Map graphics are ignored, but the layout
frames used to contain the map graphics are imported to provide a point of
reference in the layout design. Because the GeoMedia Professional 2.0
and 3.0 style of layout frames is not associated as a group, they will need
to be redrawn using the Insert Layout Frames command.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
MicroStation Layout Templates
MicroStation layout templates (.dgn) are limited to a single design plane,
so when this file type is imported, a single sheet is created. The graphics
located in the specified .dgn file are imported as layout graphics into the
current GeoWorkspace as a new sheet, and that sheet is made active. The
sheet background color is always white. Only MicroStation Version 7 or
older design files are supported; if you attempt to import a Version 8
design file, you receive an error message.
You do not have to reset the global origin of the design file in
MicroStation; instead, the command scans the graphics in the design file,
determines the MinX and MinY, and uses these values as the offsets to the
origin of the paper space. Thus, the point you want as the lower-left
corner in the paper layout is located at the MinX, MinY coordinate in the
design plane. This command also scales the graphics in the design plane
to the layout sheet paper space. The scaling is based on the size of the
currently active layout sheet; therefore, you need to set the active layout
sheet size properly according to the map scale of the MicroStation layout
template to be imported before running the command to get the expected
layout result. MicroStation elements being imported from different levels
are generated on layers with the layer name matching the level. The index
0 color in the color table is always set to black (RGB(0,0,0)). All other
colors are imported using their absolute RGB definition. Furthermore,
cells always come across as groups.
Hint: To ensure proper scaling of the design file elements into the layout
sheet, it is advisable to place a rectangle in the design file that produces a
particular sheet size when plotted at a given scale. For example, a Bsize
sheet (11 inches x 17 inches) portraying 1:50,000 scale graphics can
accommodate an area on the ground of 550,000 inches x 850,000 inches.
Therefore, a rectangle of this size should be placed in the design file before
the import, where the desired graphics are contained within the rectangle.
If there are any graphics in the design file that extend beyond the
rectangle, they should be deleted.
To import a layout sheet or template:
1. Select Window > Layout Window.
2. Select Sheets > Import Layout.
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Working with Layout Windows
16-9
16
3. Select GeoMedia Layout Sheets (*.gls) from the Files of type drop-
down list; then select the appropriate .gls layout sheet file.
OR
Select GeoMedia Layout Templates (*.glt) from the Files of type
drop-down list; then select the appropriate .glt template file.
OR
Select SmartSketch Template Files (*.igt) from the Files of type
drop-down list; then select the appropriate .igt template file.
OR
Select SmartSketch Files (*.igr) from the Files of type drop-down
list; then select the appropriate .igr drawing file.
OR
Select MicroStation Layout Templates (*.dgn) from the Files of
type drop-down list; then select the appropriate .dgn template file.
Note: Before selecting a MicroStation layout template (.dgn) for
import, you must first determine the necessary sheet size for the file
and set it on the active layout sheet (either existing or newly inserted)
accordingly.
4. Click Open.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
The sheet(s) located in the selected file is appended (copied) into the
current GeoWorkspace as a new layout sheet and is made active.
When multiple sheets are imported, the last sheet added is made
active.
Note: If the sheet you are importing has the same name as an existing
sheet, you have the option to overwrite the existing sheet or to import
the sheet with a different name.
Exporting Layout Sheets and Templates
Export Layout lets you export the active layout sheet in the layout
window to any of the following external file types:
GeoMedia Layout Sheet (.gls)
GeoMedia Layout Template (.glt), the default for-first time use
Bitmap (.bmp)
JPEG File Interchange Format (.jpg)
TIFF Tagged Image File Format (.tif)
You can insert GeoMedia layout sheets and templates back into the layout
window using the Import Layout command. Thus, you can create a layout
sheet to reproduce the design of an existing plot.
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Working with Layout Windows
16-11
16
With GeoMedia layout sheets, Export Layout exports the populated map
graphic layout frames, with the map graphics maintaining their current
mode, either static or dynamic. Map graphics maintain the information
about themselves, so they can be re-imported back into the originating
GeoWorkspace using Import Layout and can be updated using Update
Map Graphics. This workflow provides a useful mechanism for
maintaining dynamic plot files outside of the GeoWorkspace.
To support importing .gls files, both interactively and in batch plotting, the
Export Layout command assigns custom attributes to the GeoMedia
layout sheet file that define particular characteristics of the sheet being
exported. You can access these attributes by selecting a GeoMedia layout
sheet in Windows Explorer, clicking the right mouse button, and then
selecting the properties of the file. On the Custom tab, the attributes are
listed as follows:
Name of the originating GeoWorkspace (drive:\folder\name)
When shared network drives are referenced, the attribute value reflects
the Universal Naming Convention (UNC). This is required primarily
for batch plotting workflows, but it is also necessary for interactive
workflows to verify that the selected .gls file is being imported into the
GeoWorkspace from which it was originally exported.
o Attribute:
o Name: GeoWorkspace
o Type: Text
o Value: C:\GeoWorkspaces\USSampleData.gws (for example)
SheetName of the exported file
o Attribute:
o Name: SheetName
o Type: Text
o Value: Illinois (for example)
When importing .gls files, all effort is made to reproduce the originating
map window of each map layout frame found in the .gls file. The Batch
Plotting utility workflows require a named legend for the composition, so
a named legend should exist in the GeoWorkspace for any exported .gls
files, enabling the import to reproduce the originating map window with
the appropriate content.
Interactive .gls file export workflows may not contain map frames that
were populated using a named legend (whose name matches the map
window name), making it difficult to reproduce the originating map
window of the map SmartFrame during the import. For each map
SmartFrame in the imported .gls file, the command checks to see if there is
Working with GeoMedia Professional
a map window in the GeoWorkspace that matches the name of the map
window defined in the map layout frame moniker. If the map window
exists, no further map window actions are required. If the map window
does not exist, import attempts to create a new map window based on the
map frame moniker, as previously noted.
With GeoMedia layout templates, Export Layout only exports layout
graphics (titles, borders, logos, and so forth) and layout frames placed with
Insert Layout Frames; it does not export map graphics (map, legend,
north arrow, and scale bar) contained in the layout frames. This command
only exports one sheet at a time, and it includes a background sheet if one
is referenced by the layout being exported.
Export Layout also exports the layout sheet to several raster file formats
(.bmp, .jpg, and .tif). These files are typically fully composed layouts that
can be stored as external disk files, providing a useful mechanism for
maintaining static plot files outside of the GeoWorkspace. These are
standard industry file formats that can be opened and manipulated in third-
party applications, such as word processing or desktop publishing. File
resolutions supported include 72, 100, 200, 300, and 600 dpi.
To export a layout sheet or template:
1. Verify that you have the appropriate information in the active layout
sheet or template.
2. Select Sheets > Export Layout.
3. For .gls and .glt files, select the appropriate folder and file type, and
type the name of the file to export in the File name field; then click
Save to write the active layout sheet to the specified name and to exit
the command.
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Working with Layout Windows
OR
For .bmp, tiff, and .jpg, . files, select the appropriate folder and file
type, and type the name of the file to export in the File name field;
then click Save.
4. For .bmp and tiff files, select the appropriate File resolution on the
<file type> Export Options dialog box; then click OK to write the
active layout sheet to the specified name and to exit the command.
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16
For .jpg files, select the appropriate File resolution and JPEG Quality
Factor on the JPEG Export Options dialog box; then click OK to
write the active layout sheet to the specified name and to exit the
command.
Selecting and Manipulating Layout Sheets
To display or to manipulate a layout sheet, you select a layout sheet tab
from those displayed at the bottom of the layout window. There is a tab
available for each layout sheet.
To select a layout sheet:
To select a layout sheet, select its tab from the bottom of the layout
window. You can select both working sheets and background sheets.
The layout sheet is displayed as the active sheet with its name on the tab.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Renaming Layout Sheets
Rename Sheet renames the active layout sheet. You can rename both
working sheets and background sheets.
To rename a layout sheet:
1. Make the appropriate layout sheet active.
2. Select Sheets > Rename Sheet.
OR
Place the cursor over the layout sheet tab, right click, and select
Rename from the right mouse menu.
3. Type the new name; then click OK.
Deleting Layout Sheets
Delete Sheet deletes the active layout sheet. You can delete both working
sheets and background sheets. You cannot, however, delete all sheets
because a minimum of one layout sheet must be visible at all times. If
there is only one sheet and you want to delete that one, you must first
insert another sheet.
To delete layout sheets:
1. Make the appropriate layout sheet(s) active.
2. Select Sheets > Delete Sheet.
OR
Place the cursor over the layout sheet tab, right click, and select Delete
from the right mouse menu.
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Working with Layout Windows
16-15
16
Viewing Background and Working Sheets
The working sheet and a background sheet are components of each layout
sheet. Background sheets are optional and can be attached to multiple
working sheets through the Page Setup. Typically, the working
(foreground) sheet is where you place the map graphics and the additional
layout graphics that are unique to each map layout. The background sheet
is typically used for graphics that you want to display on more than one
layout, such as a border, title block, company logo, or raster background
picture (watermark). The background sheet is displayed behind the layout
sheet, and its features cannot be selected unless the background sheet is the
active sheet. A background sheet can be displayed and printed along with
any layout sheet to which it is attached.
Selecting View > Background Sheets switches the view from the active
working sheet to the background sheet. When you select this command,
all of the background sheets in the document are displayed as tabs at the
bottom of the window, and all the working sheet tabs are hidden. You can
display background sheet graphics on any or all working sheets with the
Layout Window Page Setup command.
Selecting View > Working Sheets displays all working (foreground)
sheets in a document. If a background sheet is attached to the working
sheet, the graphics on the background sheet are displayed on the working
sheet. When you attach a background sheet to a working sheet, the
software automatically adjusts the size and the margin of the working
sheet to match the size and the margin of the background sheet.
Viewing Layout Window Properties
Layout Windows Properties lets you manage the display of multiple
layout sheets by changing the display status of a sheet in the layout
window to either hide the layout sheet or to make it visible. Because all
layout sheets can potentially be saved in the GeoWorkspace, a large
number of sheets might become a management problem. To minimize the
problem of having to sort through all the saved layout sheets stored in the
layout window when it is opened, the Visible property lets you reduce the
number of exposed layout sheets. Only those sheets flagged as visible
(Yes) appear in the layout window when it is opened. You can turn saved
layout sheets on and off one at a time. Sheets must have their visible
status set to Yes for you to be able to modify and/or to plot them.
This command provides a list of all of the layout sheets currently stored in
the layout window, sequentially listing the visible sheets followed by the
Working with GeoMedia Professional
invisible sheets. The information available for each layout sheet includes
the name, logical number, description, and visible status, most of which
are defined on the General tab of the Layout Window Page Setup dialog
box. The logical number is automatically assigned as new layout sheets
are added to the layout window. You can use the logical number to define
print ranges in the Print Layout Window dialog box. You can only
change the visible status with Layout Windows Properties. However,
double clicking on a listed layout-sheet row opens the Layout Window
Page Setup dialog box, which lets you change the sheet name and/or
description for the layout sheet identified in the active row.
To view layout window properties:
1. With an active layout window displayed, select Window > Layout
Window Properties.
2. Review the information for the listed layout sheets.
3. Change the Visible settings as appropriate by toggling the value to
Yes (visible) or No (hidden).
Note: A minimum of one layout sheet must be visible at all times.
4. Optional: Double click on a row to open the Layout Window Page
Setup dialog box, and then change the page setup on the Layout
Window Page Setup dialog box.
Manipulating Layers
The Layers command (Layout > Layer) displays the Layer toolbar, which
lets you view and set the active layer, display or hide layers on the active
layout sheet, and change the layer of an element.
16-16
Working with Layout Windows
16-17
16
The Layer field displays the active layer on the layout sheet. You can
change the active layer by selecting an existing layer from a list of all the
layers on the active sheet or by typing a new layer name to create a new
layer. You can create as many layers on a layout sheet as you need, but
you cannot give the same name to two layers on the same layout sheet.
The layer definitions and display status can be defined independently for
the working sheet and its attached background sheet.
Change Layer lets you change the layer for all of the elements you select.
Although you can assign an element to only one layer, you can change the
layer to which an element is assigned. The dialog box of this command
displays the current (source) layer for all the selected elements, and you
can then select the (target) layer to which you want to change them from a
list of all the layers for the active sheet.
Layer Status lets you set the display criteria for the layers in the current
layout sheet, displaying or hiding layers in a list of all available layers
on the active layout sheet through the Layer Display dialog box. This
dialog box also lets you set the display of layer groups.
To create a layer:
1. Select Layout > Layer.
2. Type the name of the new layer in the Layer field; then press TAB.
Note: You can also create a layer using the Layer Groups command.
To change the layer of an element:
1. Select the appropriate element(s).
2. Select Layout > Layer.
3. Click Change Layer on the Layer toolbar.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
4. Select the target layer from the Change all to list; then click OK.
To display or hide layers:
1. Select Layout > Layer.
2. Click Layer Status on the Layer toolbar.
Note: The layer name displayed in black text shows that the layer is
displayed on the layout sheet. The layer names displayed in gray are
hidden or turned off, and the layer name displayed in red preceded by
an asterisk is the active layer.
3. Optional: Check the Active layer only check box to hide all layers
except the active layer.
4. Optional: Check the Occupied only check box to display only names
of layers containing elements in the Layers list. Empty layers do not
appear on the list.
5. Select a layer name in the Layers list to display or hide the layer on
the layout sheet.
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Working with Layout Windows
16-19
16
Note: Double clicking on a layer name makes it the active layer (red).
A single click on a layer toggles the display status from on (black) to
off (gray), or vice versa.
6. Click Apply to make the selected layer the active layer.
The active layer is changed, the new active layer is displayed, and all
the other layers (including the previous active layer) are hidden.
Manipulating Layer Groups
While layers provide a way to control the display of elements on a layout
sheet, layer groups let you combine layers into common themes, giving
you another way to control the display of elements on layout sheets by
turning on and off the appropriate themes. This is especially useful when
there are a large number of layers defined in a layout sheet. The Layer
Groups command lets you create, modify, and delete layers and layer
groups.
The Layer Groups dialog box consists of two areas, Layers and Groups.
The Layers area displays a table of all the layers on the current layout
sheet. In the Layers table you can create a new layer or delete an existing
layer. To create a new layer, type the name of a layer in the Layers field
and press ENTER or TAB. To delete a layer, select that row, and press
DELETE. You can only work with layers on the current layout sheet.
You cannot delete the active layer or a layer that has elements placed on it.
The Grouped column of the Layers table indicates the status of the layers,
once a group has been selected in the Groups table. If the check box is
checked, it indicates that the layer is a member of the group that you
selected in the Groups table. If the check box is cleared, the layer is not a
member of the selected group. It is important to note that a row in the
Groups table must be selected to let you change the value of the Grouped
column in the Layers table. If no group is selected in the Groups table,
the Grouped check boxes for the layers listed in the Layers table all
appear unchecked.
The Groups area displays all layer groups for the current layout sheet.
You can create a new group by typing a name in the Groups field and
then by adding layers to the group from the Layers table. You can select a
group from the Groups table to display the layers in the group in the
Layers table. To select a group, you must click the button on the left side
of the row for a group. You can use the Description column to add a
description to the layer group. Typing a name of an existing layer group
Working with GeoMedia Professional
makes that group active. You can then add or remove layers in a group as
described above.
Note: You can also create a layer using the Layer Groups command. On
the Layer Groups dialog box, type the name of a new layer in the Layers
field and press ENTER. The name of the new layer is displayed at the
bottom of the Layers table.
To create a layer group:
1. Select Layout > Layer Groups.
2. In the Groups field on the Layer Groups dialog box, type the name of
the new group, and then press ENTER.
3. In the Layers table, in the Grouped column, click each check box to
include the layers in the group.
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Working with Layout Windows
16-21
16
Note: In the Grouped column, if the check box beside the layer
name already has a check, the layer is a member of the current layer
group. You cannot give the same name to two layers on the same
layout sheet.
4. Optional: Type a description in the Description field.
To change layers in a layer group:
1. Select Layout > Layer Groups.
2. In the Groups area of the Layer Groups dialog box, select the group
you want to change by clicking the button on the left side of the row.
In the Layers table, if the check box by the layer name is set, the layer
is in the layer group.
3. In the Layers table, set or clear the check box of each layer to add or
remove it from the layer group.
To delete a layer group:
1. Select Layout > Layer Groups.
2. In the Groups table of the Layer Groups dialog box, select the layer
group you want to delete; then press DELETE.
To delete a layer:
1. Select Layout > Layer Groups.
2. In the Layers table of the Layer Groups dialog box, select the layer
you want to delete; then press DELETE.
To display or hide the Layer Groups list and layers on the layout sheet:
1. Select Layout > Layer.
2. Click Layer Status on the Layer toolbar.
3. Click Groups.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
4. Select a group from the Layer Groups list.
5. Click On to display the layers in the selected layer group.
6. Click Off to hide the layers in the selected group.
7. Click Apply to apply the current display settings to the active sheet in
the layout window and to leave the dialog box displayed.
OR
Click Close to apply the current display settings to the active sheet in
the layout window and to dismiss the dialog box.
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17-1
17
Designing Map Layouts for Printing
in the Layout Window
Designing Map Layouts Overview
See Page Setup in the
Working with Layout
Windows chapter.
After defining the page setup, you can begin placing graphics in the layout
sheet. You can place two kinds of graphics, layout graphics and map
graphics. Layout graphics are graphics such as borders, titles, company
logos, and so forth. Map graphics consist of an extracted subset of the
map window (a map) and supporting marginalia (legend, north arrow, and
scale bar).
The order of placement is up to you; there are no requirements to place
map graphics before layout graphics, or vice versa. All marginalia placed
in the layout are associated with the originating map. This means that the
legend automatically reflects the graphic symbology used to define the
map in the layout sheet. The north arrow automatically reflects the
projection parameters and view rotation of the map in the layout sheet, and
the scale bar automatically reflects the plot scale in the layout sheet.
Placing marginalia is possible only if a map exists in the layout sheet. In
addition, you can place multiple maps in a layout sheet when appropriate.
To place layout graphics, you use the drawing commands available in the
layout window.
In terms of map graphics placement, there are two basic workflows:
placing map graphics using layout frames, and placing map graphics
without using layout frames. Each workflow is accomplished using
different commands. Once the map graphics have been placed, there are
several tools and commands available for modifying the size and position
of the map graphics items and for placing a cartographic grid or reference
grid on the map.
Map Window Considerations When Printing from
the Layout Window
The plotting workflow assumes that you perform all map design work with
regard to symbology settings in the map window before transferring the
data to the layout window. With this workflow in mind, the software
provides some additional tools to help you visualize what the map data
looks like (in the map window) when plotted at a given map scale.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Defining Map Specifications in the Map Window
See Defining Map
Window Display
Properties in the
Working with Map
Windows chapter for
more information on this
command.
The Display Properties command lets you define the following properties
that affect the way in which the map graphics are displayed: display scale,
nominal map scale, rotation angle, angular units, and legend entry display.
You access this command in an active map window by selecting View >
Display Properties.
Requirements for data display and presentation for analysis are generally
quite different from those for output. In analysis, the display scale is
constantly changing as you zoom in and out. Feature symbology settings
are generally defined so they produce legible results at multiple display
scales. In some cases, the data may be viewed in its raw geometric form as
non-symbolized point, line, and area data. In output, the data presentation
is typically defined to support a particular plot scale. The symbology
settings are defined so they produce the optimal results when they are
applied at a fixed scale. The data are usually fully symbolized for
cartographic display.
See Changing the
Style of Map Objects in
the Working with Map
Windows chapter and
the Style Definition
Dialog Box topic in
GeoMedia Professional
Help for more
information.
Support for these two scenarios can be seen in several areas of the
interface, beginning with the Style Definition dialog box, which provides
the ability to specify how the feature is displayed. The Size remains
constant as display scale changes setting specifies that the symbology
remains fixed, regardless of the display scale a suitable option for
analysis. When this setting is turned off, it specifies that the symbology is
rendered at a specific scale. As you zoom in and out, the symbology of the
feature increases or decreases relative to the change in the display scale a
suitable option for output.
The feature symbology settings on the Style Definition dialog box may
contain a mixture of display settings. The Size remains constant as
display scale changes setting may be turned on for some features, and
turned off for others. This scenario may provide a suitable working
environment for analysis as display scales constantly change when you
zoom in and out. However, this approach may produce undesirable results
17-2
Designing Map Layouts for Printing in the Layout Window
because the symbology may not be appropriate for the output plot scale, as
seen in the following figures. It may be beneficial to create a map window
that is devoted entirely to plotting, where unique legend settings can be
applied independently of the settings used for analysis.
Size changes as display scale changes (true at nominal map scale)
Size remains constant as display scale changes
17-3
17
When defining the symbology settings for output, the size of point, text,
and patterned area fill features and the weight for the line and area
boundary features should all be defined with the output plot scale in mind.
Scale ranges are enforced as the data are transferred from the map window
to the layout window, so it may be advisable to disable any scale range
settings and only display the features that you want on the plotted map.
This minimizes any surprises in the final output. Once this is done,
achieving a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get ) display can
easily be accomplished using the Display Properties command.
For WYSIWYG displays, you set the Display scale and Nominal map
scale to the intended plot scale. When these two settings are the same,
there is consistency between the symbology rendering, regardless of what
the individual settings are on the Style Definition dialog box for the Size
remains constant as display scale changes option.
Note: In general, the nominal map scale should not exceed the plot scale
because, if it does, it affects the accuracy and reliability of the data plotted.
Once this is done, you would select the Size changes as display scale
changes (true at nominal map scale) option on the Display Properties
dialog box. This ensures that all feature symbology definitions are
rendered at the specified nominal map scale (which should, in this
example, be the same as your plot scale). You then click Apply and close
the Display Properties dialog box. If you are not satisfied with the
display characteristics of a particular feature class, you can go back to the
Style Definition dialog box to modify the symbology settings.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
17-4
Once you are satisfied with the results, you can use the Pan command to
move about the map window to preview what the map will look like.
When you are satisfied, you can then zoom out to the scale necessary for
you to define the Geographic Extent used by the Insert Map and Insert
Graphics into Layout Frames commands.
Note: The rendering of map graphics takes into account the Size remains
constant as display scale changes setting on the Style Definition
dialog box for each legend entry. When the Size remains constant as
display scale changes setting is unchecked, the graphics are rendered at
the nominal map scale, increasing or decreasing in size as the display scale
or plot scale fluctuates away from the nominal map scale. As the data are
transferred from the map window to the layout window, the sizes of the text,
the symbols, and the line widths are set at the nominal map scale and are then
scaled accordingly based on the variation between the nominal map scale
and the plot scale. When the Size remains constant as display scale
changes setting is checked, the graphics are rendered at the display scale,
remaining consistent as the display scale changes. As the data are
transferred from the map window to the layout window, the sizes of the text,
the symbols, and the line widths are set at the plot scale. In this manner,
regardless of the discrepancy between the display scale and the plot scale,
the size will remain contant.
See Merging Feature
Classes and Queries
and Generating Base
Geometry in the
Analyzing GeoMedia
Professional Data
chapter for more
information.
Applying a dashed line style or pattern line style to a linear feature can
often produce undesirable results if the linear network is segmented.
Similarly, applying a dashed line style or patterned line style to area
boundaries can often produce undesirable results when the area boundaries
are coincident. Fortunately, there are tools available in the map window to
help you manipulate the geometry so it is suitable for applying dashed or
patterned styles.
Previewing the Map in the Map Window
See Defining Map
Window Display
Properties in the
Working with Map
Windows chapter for
more information.
Once you have defined the display properties (as defined in the Display
Properties dialog box), you can easily obtain a WYSIWYG preview of
your map data in the map window by using the View > Zoom > to
Nominal Map Scale command. This command adjusts the map view by
zooming in or out to the defined nominal map scale, maintaining the view
center of the window. The legend, north arrow, and scale bar are also
adjusted if they are displayed. The nominal map scale is set on the
Display Properties dialog box (View > Display Properties).
Designing Map Layouts for Printing in the Layout Window
17-5
17
To zoom to nominal map scale:
1. Select the appropriate map window.
2. Select View > Display Properties; then set the map scale for the
GeoWorkspace.
3. Click Apply; then click Close.
4. Optional: Set the appropriate view-dependent style sizes for each
legend entry in the Style Definition dialog box.
5. Select View > Zoom > to Nominal Map Scale.
Defining Marginalia Specifications in the Map Window
Marginalia items in the layout window consist of the legend, north arrow,
and scale bar. The symbology for the marginalia being transferred from
the map window to the layout window is based on the current settings for
each of the marginalia items. Whatever the active parameters are for these
marginalia items in the map window, the same parameters are used to
render these items in the layout window. In the case of the north arrow
and scale bar, each corresponding Properties dialog box in the map
window contains a Save as Default option. If this option is selected, the
default settings, not the active settings, are used when placing the north
arrow and scale bar into the layout window. This ensures consistency
across layout sheets. If necessary, you can further customize the
marginalia in the layout window itself through various layout window
commands, as explained later in this chapter.
See Customizing the
Legend in the Working
with Map Windows
chapter.
LegendThe symbology for each of the legend components is based
on the settings defined on the Style Definition dialog for each of the
legend items. Legend definitions in the map window have an impact
on what legend entries will be rendered in the layout window. If you
do not want a particular legend item to appear in the layout window
legend, you should use Hide Legend Entry (right mouse menu) in the
map window legend.
Legends are placed in the layout window with all default settings,
regardless of the changes made to the map window legend properties
(such as changes to the background color or the fonts of the title,
subtitle, or heading).
See Displaying the
North Arrow in the
Working with Map
Windows chapter.
North ArrowTo display the north arrow in the map window, you
select View > North Arrow. On the shortcut menu (right mouse click)
of the north arrow, you next select Properties. You can then define
the size of the arrow by selecting a point size from the drop-down list
or by typing the appropriate size. The drop-down list only goes to 96
Working with GeoMedia Professional
17-6
points, but you can type larger values, such as 288 points (4 inches).
The maximum size allowed is 32,767 points. You can also define the
background color, position, symbol used, and azimuth of the north
arrow .
There is a large assortment of predefined north arrows and compass
roses available for use in the map window. By default, they are
delivered in the ..\Program Files\GeoMedia Professional\Program
folder. You can refer to the file NorthArrows.pdf in this folder for a
graphic portrayal of the arrows and compass roses. As with the rest
of the marginalia, the north arrow placed in the layout window is
based on settings defined in the map window. The size of the north
arrow typically found in the map window is generally too small for a
plotted map. It is likely that you will need to increase the size of the
north arrow for plotting.
See Displaying the
Scale Bar in the
Working with Map
Windows chapter.
Scale BarTo display the scale bar in the map window, you select
View > Scale Bar. On the shortcut menu (right mouse click) of the
scale bar, you then select Properties and make the appropriate
changes. Use Define intervals on the Intervals and Units tab to
define a fixed size scale bar. When this option is not selected, the size
of the scale bar will be 20% of the width of the map window.
Basic Map Layout Workflows
The flexibility of the Layout Window commands lets you tailor the actual
workflow you use to your exact requirements. The following workflows
illustrate the typical uses of these commands.
Placing Map Graphics in Layout Sheets Using Layout
Frames
This workflow is commonly used for producing a quick plot of data
displayed in a map window, where the map scale can vary and the size of
the marginalia items do not have to conform to pre-defined specifications.
This workflow basically fits the map graphics into pre-defined layout
frames.
1. Set up your map window with the specific data you want displayed at
the appropriate zoom level, and define the appropriate marginalia
settings.
2. Open the layout window, and using the Sheets > Insert Sheet
command, insert a blank layout sheet.
Designing Map Layouts for Printing in the Layout Window
17-7
17
See the Layout Graphics
Components section in
this chapter and
GeoMedia Professional
Help for more information
on the drawing
commands.
3. Optional: Use the assortment of drawing commands available in the
layout window for placing title blocks, additional text, company logos,
and so forth, to embellish the map.
4. Using the Insert > Layout Frames command, select the marginalia
items to place, and identify the location for each of the layout frames
in the layout sheet.
5. Select the previously placed layout frame group, and select Insert >
Graphics into Layout Frames. Identify the appropriate map
window, geographic extent, plot scale, and mode.
6. Modify the size and position of the map graphics as necessary.
7. Optional: Place a cartographic grid using the Insert > Cartographic
Grid command.
8. Optional: Place a reference grid and reference index using the Insert
> Reference Grid and the Insert > Reference Index commands.
9. Select View > Zoom > to Actual Size to preview the map layout.
10. Select File > Print to plot the layout sheet.
OR
Using the Sheets > Export Layout command, export the layout sheet
to one of the available export formats.
Placing Map Graphics in Layout Sheets Without Using
Layout Frames
This workflow is commonly used for producing a plot of data displayed in
a map window, where the map and its associated marginalia must conform
to pre-defined specifications.
1. Set up your map window with the specific data you want displayed at
the appropriate zoom level, and define the appropriate marginalia
settings.
2. Open the layout window, and using the Sheets > Import Layout
command, import a layout template.
See the Layout Graphics
Components section in
this chapter and
GeoMedia Professional
Help for more information
on the drawing
commands.
3. Optional: Use the assortment of drawing commands available in the
layout window for placing title blocks, additional text, company logos,
and so forth, to embellish the map.
4. Select the Insert > Map command. Identify the appropriate map
window, geographic extent, plot scale, and mode.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
17-8
5. Select the previously placed map, and then select the Insert > Legend
command, and identify the location for the placement of the legend in
the layout sheet.
6. Select the previously placed map, and then select the Insert > North
Arrow command, and identify the location for the placement of the
north arrow in the layout sheet.
7. Select the previously placed map, and then select the Insert > Scale
Bar command, and identify the location for the placement of the scale
bar in the layout sheet.
8. Modify the size and position of the map graphics as necessary.
9. Optional: Place a cartographic grid using the Insert > Cartographic
Grid command.
10. Optional: Place a reference grid and reference index using the Insert >
Reference Grid and the Insert > Reference Index commands.
11. Select View > Zoom > to Actual Size to preview the map layout.
12. Plot the layout.
OR
Using the Sheets > Export Layout command, export the layout sheet
to one of the available export formats.
Components of the Map Layout
As discussed earlier, there are two kinds of graphic components in the map
layout, map graphics and layout graphics. Map graphics consist of an
extracted subset of the map window (a map) and supporting marginalia
(legend, north arrow, and scale bar). Layout graphics are graphics such as
borders, titles, and company logos. This section discusses both kinds of
components.
Map Graphics Components
You can insert maps or maps and their associated marginalia into layout
sheets with the Insert Map and the Insert Graphics into Layout Frames
commands, respectively. These commands let you insert maps and
selected marginalia into the location you want on a layout sheet in the
layout window. You can review the status of the placed map graphics
using the Map Properties command.
Designing Map Layouts for Printing in the Layout Window
17-9
17
Insert Map inserts a single map into an empty layout sheet, without
predefined layout frames. You can then place marginalia for the map with
the individual commands for their respective placements: Insert Legend,
Insert North Arrow, and Insert Scale Bar. The graphic size of the
marginalia is determined by the current map window settings for each
marginalia item. Insert Graphics into Layout Frames inserts a map and
its associated marginalia in a single step into existing layout frames, which
were previously placed in the layout sheet with the Insert Layout Frames
command. This command places marginalia to fit into all drawn layout
frames.
Map Specifications
Map specifications for the Insert Map and Insert Graphics into Layout
Frames commands are defined in terms of a map window, a geographic
extent, a plot scale, and a static/dynamic mode setting.
Map Window
The map window definition identifies the content of the map to be
portrayed in the layout window by using the legend settings of the map
window to define feature symbology and to display priority. The default
map window is the last one used with either of these two commands, or it
is the first map window in the alphabetical drop-down list if it is the first
time either command is used or if the last used map window no longer
exits.
Geographic Extent
The geographic extent defines the geographic footprint, or coverage, of the
map to be portrayed in the layout window. In many cases, the geographic
extent you want is a subset of the map window, which can be defined in a
variety of ways. You can select the method for defining the geographic
extent for the map from the following methods, and you can provide any
additional necessary parameters:
Existing ShapeUses an existing, user-defined area geometry type
or compound geometry type (containing an area definition) in the map
window to identify the geographic extent. When a compound feature
is selected that contains multiple polygons, the largest polygon is used
to define the existing shape. The area between the outside of the area
feature and the layout frame limits is cropped.
Geographic FrameRequires a user-defined entry of the upper-left
and lower-right corners of the quadrangle, defined using geographic
coordinates (for example, d:m:s) to identify the geographic extent.
This option is valid for projected or geographic coordinate systems
Working with GeoMedia Professional
17-10
defined in the GeoWorkspace coordinate system settings. The area
between the outside of the quadrangle and the layout frame limits is
cropped.
Map Window (the default method)Uses the area currently displayed
in the selected map window to identify the geographic extent.
The map window display area is defined by the window extent when
the map window is in the Restored state. This is because only one
window can be maximized at a time, and when the active window is
maximized, all other non-minimized windows revert to their Restored
state. This behavior may give the perception that this selection is
producing the wrong result.
To illustrate this behavior, open a single map window (with data) and
the layout window. Make the map window active, and maximize the
window. Fit the map data to the window by selecting View > Fit All.
Next, select Window > Tile Horizontally. The map window and
layout window are now both currently being displayed in their
Restored states. However, the displayed data extent in the Restored
map window is half of the displayed data extent of the maximized map
window. If the windows are in their maximized state, and the layout
window is active, the map window will appear Restored in the
background. If the map window active, it will appear maximized, and
the layout window will be Restored in the background. Only one
window can be maximized at a time, so to get around this behavior,
minimize all windows except the map window you want, and select
Window > Tile Horizontally. The map window will be made as large
as possible within the application, displaying the Restored state.
Paper SizeRequires a user-specified paper size. The units for the
Height and Width values are based on the Distance unit defined on
the Layout tab of the Options dialog box. The unit type (inches,
centimeters, and so forth.) is displayed to the right of the fields. By
default, the height and width are equivalent to the sheet size. The
geographic extent varies based on the plot scale selected.
PolygonRequires a user-defined digitizing of a polygon to define
the geographic extent. The area between the outside of the polygon
and the layout frame limits is cropped.
Projected FrameRequires a user-defined diagonal entry of the
upper-left and lower-right corners of the frame or rectangle, defined
using projected coordinates to identify the geographic extent. This
option is valid for projected coordinate or geographic systems defined
in the GeoWorkspace coordinate system settings.
Designing Map Layouts for Printing in the Layout Window
17-11
17
RectangleRequires a user-defined, two-point rectangle definition in
the map window to define the geographic extent.
Spatial FilterRequires an existing, user-selected spatial filter to
define the geographic extent. The area between the outside of the
spatial filter and the layout frame limits is cropped.
Plot Scale
The plot scale of the map defines the relationship between ground units
and the paper units used when portraying the geographic extent on the
paper. You can select the method for defining the plot scale using one of
the following methods:
See Defining Map
Window Display
Properties in the
Working with Map
Windows chapter for
more information.
When you start either command, the default plot scale is equal to the
display scale defined in the map window on the Display Properties dialog
box.
User-defined This option is available with the Insert Graphics into
Layout Frames and Insert Map commands. The size of the resulting
map is predetermined based on the combination of the geographic
coverage selected and the plot scale defined. This is true for all
geographic extent methods using the Insert Map command and for
most geographic extent methods using the Insert Graphics into
Layout Frames command. The one exception is the Map Window
geographic extent method in the Insert Graphics into Layout Frames
command. When this geographic extent method is used, the size of
the resulting map will be based on the original layout frame, where the
map will be placed in the layout frame at the specified scale, and then
cropped to fit the original frame.
Note: If the size of the map placed exceeds the size of the paper
(defined on the Layout Window Page Setup dialog box), you must
do one of two things. You can either increase the size of the paper on
the Layout Window Page Setup dialog box, or you can crop the map
placed so that it fits the paper.
Fit to frameThis option is only available with the Insert Graphics
into Layout Frames command. The plot scale is automatically
calculated to perform a best-fit of the geographic extent into the
existing layout frame. This option ensures that the map fits within the
limits of the current layout design.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
17-12
Static and Dynamic Modes
The mode of the map graphics determines the relationship and behavior
between the map graphics portrayed in the layout window and their
originating map window. You can select from the following modes:
Static mode captures a snapshot in time, that is, what the data looked
like when it was placed into the layout sheet. Any changes made in
the originating map window are not automatically reflected in the
layout window. With this mode, you must use the Update Map
Graphics command to update the map. When Static mode is
selected, the originating map window of the map graphics can be
deleted without affecting the map layout.
Dynamic (the default) mode permits automatic updates, that is, certain
types of modifications made in the map window are automatically
reflected in the layout window, such as symbology changes or the
addition or removal of feature classes. When Dynamic mode is
selected, the originating map window of the map graphics is required
to maintain the link with the map layout.
See the Modifying
Maps section in this
chapter for information.
You can switch from dynamic mode to static mode using the Map
Properties command, but you cannot switch from static mode to dynamic
mode.
Note: Plotting performance and quality may be affected by the Static or
Dynamic mode selection. When map graphics are placed in the layout
window using Static mode, they are rendered at the screen resolution,
which is usually less than the plotting device resolution. In general, Static
mode graphics plot faster than Dynamic mode graphics, but Static mode
graphics produce a reduced overall quality (when compared to Dynamic
mode graphics). The degree of improved performance or quality
degradation using Static over Dynamic mode is based on the density of
the data being plotted relative to the resolution of the plotter device
selected. This is especially evident when plotting high-resolution raster
images in the layout window.
Marginalia Specifications
Marginalia items placed in the layout sheet are always associated with a
map. The marginalia specifications for the Insert Graphics into Layout
Frames, Insert Legend, Insert North Arrow, and Insert Scale Bar
commands are defined in terms of a legend, north arrow, and scale bar.
The display parameters used for rendering the marginalia in the layout
sheet are based on the command used to place them and their respective
properties defined in the map window.
Designing Map Layouts for Printing in the Layout Window
17-13
17
Legend
When placed using the Insert Legend command, the legend is placed in
the layout sheet using a fixed size based on a combination of the number
of columns, the size of the legend keys, and the size of the feature text.
When placed into an existing layout frame using the Insert Graphics into
Layout Frames command, the single column legend is scaled to fit in the
vertical direction. In the event that scaling in the vertical direction causes
the horizontal direction dimension to exceed twice (2X) the size of the
original layout frame, the scaling will be based on the horizontal direction.
Placement of the legend into a legend layout frame will use the lower-left
corner of the layout frame as the point of origin. Legends can be edited,
moved, and scaled after placement. Legends associated with dynamic
maps are also dynamic, meaning that as symbology modifications are
made to the map, the legend is automatically updated to reflect any
changes in the map. Legends can be modified to change the number of
columns, the key styles, and so forth, and they still maintain their dynamic
association with the map. However, if the legend is converted to graphics
using the Convert to Graphics command on the right mouse menu, the
dynamic link is lost and all components are converted to standard layout
graphics, the same as if they were placed using the drawing commands.
North Arrow
When placed using the Insert North Arrow command, the north arrow is
placed in the layout sheet using the size parameters defined in the North
Arrow Properties dialog box of the originating map window. When
placed into an existing layout frame using the Insert Graphics into
Layout Frames command, the north arrow is scaled to fit the smaller of
the two X or Y layout frame directions.
Placement of the north arrow into north arrow layout frames will be such
that the center of the north arrow will be coincident with the center of the
original layout frame, adjusting the layout frame to match the newly
calculated size of the north arrow. North arrows can be edited, moved, and
scaled after placement, but they cannot be rotated.
Scale Bar
When placed using the Insert Scale Bar command, the scale bar is placed
in the layout sheet using the parameters defined in the Scale Bar
Properties dialog box of the originating map window. When placed into
an existing layout frame using the Insert Graphics into Layout Frames
command, the size of the scale bar varies based on the settings defined in
the Scale Bar Properties dialog box of the originating map window.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
If the properties are defined as automatic (the Define intervals check box
is unchecked on the Intervals and Units tab), the scale bar will be scaled
so it fits within the extent of the layout frames X direction, (plus/minus
one interval to allow for round off). If the properties are defined as fixed
(the Define intervals check box is checked), the scale bar will be sized
according to the pre-defined interval setting.
Placement of the scale bar into scale bar layout frames will be such that the
center of the scale bar will be coincident with the center of the original
layout frame, adjusting the layout frame to match the newly calculated size
of the scale bar. Scale bars can be edited, moved, and scaled after
placement, but they cannot be rotated.
See the Modifying Map
Graphics in Layout
Sheets section in this
chapter for information.
There are assorted tools and commands available that can be used to adjust
the graphic display of the marginalia items after they have been placed in
the layout sheet.
Layout Graphics Components
See the Layout
Window Graphics
Commands appendix
for a complete list of
these commands.
You can place and edit layout graphics components with the Layout
Window Graphics commands, or drawing commands, that are enabled
when you select Window > Show Layout Window to display the layout
window. You access these commands from the various layout window
toolbars and menus. This section discusses these commands and provides
an example workflow that illustrates the use of various commands.
Complete, detailed documentation of all these commands is available in
the context-sensitive online GeoMedia Professional Help.
Looking at the Drawing Toolbox
Most of the layout window graphics commands are found on or accessed
through the Drawing toolbox, which is displayed by default at the bottom
of the layout window. These commands let you place, edit, and symbolize
layout graphics. In addition, this toolbox lets you define the active linear
and fill styles and lets you apply those styles to elements in a select set.
You can turn this toolbox on or off through View > Drawing Toolbox.
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Designing Map Layouts for Printing in the Layout Window
For various placement and editing commands, additional fields are
displayed on the right side of an expanded Drawing toolbox. For
example, when you select the Circle command, a Radius field is added.
DrawDisplays an assortment of menus of commands that operate on
graphic elements in a select set, and provides additional commands to
create symbols and to define the active symbol for placement.
Select ToolSelects elements in the active layout sheet, and
terminates any other active commands. This is the default active4
command in the layout window.
Placement and Editing toolsAvailable from corresponding drop-
down menus. These commands are also available on their
corresponding toolbars.
TextPlaces one or more text boxes into which you can place text.
DeleteDeletes the objects in a select set.
Linear ControlsDefine an active linear style by defining the color,
width, pattern, and terminators and apply the style.
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17
Fill ControlsApply a solid color fill to rectangles, circles, ellipses,
and polygons.
Draw Menu Commands
Clicking Draw displays menus of the following commands for fine tuning
layout window graphics (some commands are also available on their
corresponding toolbars):
Group
Ungroup
See the corresponding
topics in GeoMedia
Professional Help for
information on using
these commands.
Order > Bring to Front
Send to Back
Bring Forward
Send Backward
Nudge > Up Up Arrow
Down Down Arrow
Left Left Arrow
Right Right Arrow
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Align > Left
Center
Right
Top
Middle
Bottom
Distribute > Horizontally
Vertically
Spin or Flip > Spin
Spin Left
Spin Right
Flip Horizontally
Flip Vertically
See Creating Symbols
later in this section.
Create Symbol
Set Active Symbol
Placement and Editing Commands
The Drawing toolbox always displays the icon for the active placement
command and the active editing command. You can either click on the
button to start the corresponding placement or editing command or click
on the drop-down button to select another command from a palette of
commands. These commands are also available on layout window menus.
See the corresponding
topics in GeoMedia
Professional Help for
information on using
these commands.
Placement Menu Editing Menu
Additional Placing and Editing Toolbars
See the corresponding
topics in GeoMedia
Professional Help for
information on using
these commands.
The following additional toolbars provide easy access to commands for
placing and editing layout window graphics. These command are also
available on layout window menus.
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Designing Map Layouts for Printing in the Layout Window
See the GeoMedia
Professional Help for
information on the
Select Tool.
The Ribbon toolbar contains the options for the layout window Select
Tool when you first open the layout window because it is the default active
command. This toolbar appears by default in the upper-left corner below
the menu bar. When a command is active that does not use this toolbar, it
is collapsed as in the figure to the right above. When a command is active
that does use the toolbar, it contains the options for that command, for
example the Text command, as seen in the following figure.
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17
The Layout Toolbar
The Layout toolbar appears by default at the left side of the layout
window. This toolbar contains commands for working with both map
graphics and layout graphics, as described in this chapter. The Select Tool
is the default active command in the layout window.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Changing Graphic Element Properties
Once graphic elements are placed in the layout window, you can easily
display and change their properties by selecting an element and then by
starting its corresponding Properties command from the right mouse
menu.
Graphic elements can be divided into four categories:
Linear (line, arc, curve, and polyline) Symbol
Area (circle, ellipse, rectangle, and polygon) Group
The properties for each element can in turn be divided into general
properties and geometry properties, which are set on the corresponding
two tabs of the various Properties dialog boxes. For group elements,
however, this dialog box does not have tabs. The General tab is the same
within each category, but the Geometry tabs are different for each element
type. When you select this command, all the fields on this dialog box are
initially populated with the properties of the currently selected element.
For example, the following Line Properties dialog box is displayed for
line elements:
See the corresponding
topics in GeoMedia
Professional Help for
information on the
various Properties
dialog boxes.
The general properties typically include layer, line color, line width, and
line style. For linear elements, they also include begin and end
terminators. For area elements, they also include fill properties, that is, if
it has solid fill and fill color. For symbols, they only include layer and
symbol file. You can edit all the properties except the symbol file, which
is read-only. All of the properties of a group are general in nature; no
geometry properties are shown for a group.
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Designing Map Layouts for Printing in the Layout Window
17-19
17
The geometry properties vary according to the different elements and can
include coordinates, height, width, and rotation angle. For ease of editing,
the command supports both move and edit modes. In move mode, you can
only change the position of the element, not its shape. In edit mode, you
can change both the shape and the position of the element. You can use
either mode, or you can switch between them.
The following table lists the elements and their geometry properties:
Element Geometry Properties
Arcs Center, start, and end coordinates; radius; start and sweep
angle
Curves All the nodes
Ellipses Center point, primary and secondary axes, and rotation
angle
Lines Start and end coordinates, length, and angle
Polygons All the vertices
Polylines All the vertices
Rectangles Four coordinates representing the four corners, height,
width, and angle
Symbols Origin coordinates, scale factor, and angle
The Properties command also lets you delete vertices or nodes of
polyline, polygon, and curve elements.
Groups are a special element type in that they are collections of elements
from the other element types and group properties. Thus they are
different from other graphic element properties.
After changing the appropriate properties and clicking OK, the selected
element is displayed on the specified layer with the specified sheet
position, size, and angle. For linear types, the selected element is also
displayed with the specified line color, style, width, and terminators. For
area types, the selected element is also displayed with the specified line
color, style, width, and fill color. If a group, the map frame name is
updated appropriately.
Changing Group Properties
Only groups constructed using the Insert Layout Frames command are
eligible for editing, specifically the map frame name used by the Batch
Plotting utility. You can change the properties of a group through the
Group Properties dialog box. You start this command by selecting the
layout frame group and then Properties from the right mouse menu. The
read-only properties listed are the following: number of items in the
Working with GeoMedia Professional
group, if the group is nested within another group, and if the group
contains nested groups. The Batch Plotting-related map frame name is
only enabled on valid layout frame groups.
See GeoMedia
Professional Help for
complete information on
this dialog box.
Placing Text
Clicking the Text button on the Drawing toolbox lets you place text
elements by either of two methods, single point placement or rectangle
placement. In the single point placement method, you click on the layout
window, and a text box is placed with an initial size of a single character.
As you type, the text box expands horizontally to accommodate the
characters typed. Once the text box has been placed, the size of the box
cannot be modified except by changing the font size. In the rectangle
placement method, you use a mouse down, mouse drag, mouse up
sequence to define the dimensions of the text box. Then as you type, the
text box never expands horizontally, but may expand vertically to fit the
text. With this placement method, you can later modify the size of the
box.
You can move text by selecting anywhere in the text box or on the outline
of the text box, provided you are not selecting a solid-filled handle. You
can also change the size of the text box containing the text, provided you
select and drag a solid-filled handle. While placing or editing the text, you
can change the characteristics of the text (font, size, color, bold, italic,
underline, and justification) by using the Ribbon toolbar that is
automatically displayed.
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Designing Map Layouts for Printing in the Layout Window
Changing Text Properties
See GeoMedia
Professional Help for
information on using
this dialog box.
After placing the text, you can later change its properties by selecting the
text and then by selecting Properties from the right mouse menu to
display the Text Properties dialog box, which has three tabs.
The Text tab lets you change the font, text direction, text alignment,
margins, and line spacing.
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17
The General tab lets you change information for layer and textbox style,
such as border, fill, and shadow. The Geometry tab lets you change the
position and size of the text box, such as lower-left coordinates, width,
height, and angle.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Working with Linear Styles
Various controls on the Drawing toolbox let you review, define, and apply
an active linear style. This active style includes the color, width, pattern,
and terminator settings. When you open the layout window, the controls
on the Drawing toolbox are initialized to reflect the properties of the
active linear style, which is displayed on the Apply Active Linear Style
button in the middle of the toolbox.
To change the active linear style, you select the arrow button on the
appropriate controls to display the corresponding list or dialog box. The
preview on the Apply Active Linear Style button changes as you define
the style to meet your requirements. In addition, you can apply the active
style to the objects in a select set by clicking on this button.
Defining the Line Color
See the GeoMedia
Professional Help
Topics for complete
information on using
these dialog boxes.
To define the color, click the Line Color arrow button to open the Select
Color dialog box, on which a thick black border around a color indicates
the active color. You can select the color from this palette; however, if
you require more colors, you can select More Colors to open the Color
DefaultColorPalette.xml dialog box, the standard GeoMedia color dialog
box used to define and select a custom color. The active line color is
displayed in the area below the paint brush on the button. In addition,
clicking the paint-brush button applies the active linear color to the objects
in a select set.
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Designing Map Layouts for Printing in the Layout Window
Defining the Line Width
To define the width, click the Line Width arrow button to open the list of
available line widths from which to choose. In addition, clicking the width
button applies the active width to the objects in a select set.
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17
Defining the Line Pattern
To define the pattern, click the Line Pattern arrow button to open the list
of line patterns from which to select the appropriate value. In addition,
clicking the pattern button applies the active pattern to the objects in a
select set.
Defining the Line Terminators
To define the active set of terminators, click the Line Terminators arrow
button to open the Terminator Styles dialog box. Choose the Begin
Style drop-down list to select the terminator begin style, and choose the
End Style drop-down list to select the terminator end style. Terminator
styles cannot be applied to graphic elements like a rectangle, circle, ellipse,
or polygon. In addition, clicking the terminator button applies the active
terminator set style to the objects in a select set.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Color Filling Objects
See the GeoMedia
Professional Help
Topics for complete
information on using
these dialog boxes.
The Color Fill button lets you apply a solid color fill to rectangles, circles,
ellipses, and polygons. To define the color, click the Fill arrow button to
open the Select Color dialog box, on which a thick black border around a
color indicates the active color. You can select the color from this palette;
however, if you require more colors, you can select More Colors to open
the Color DefaultColorPalette.xml dialog box, the standard GeoMedia
color dialog box used to define and select a custom color. The active fill
color is displayed in the area below the paint can on the button. In
addition, clicking the paint-can button applies the solid fill style to the
objects in a select set. If you do not want a fill color, you can select No
Fill.
Looking at the Standard Toolbar
There are two commands on the Standard toolbar to note for special use
in the layout window.
TIP: If you right click
with the cursor on this
toolbar, a menu of the
layout toolbars is
available for selection
and display.
Zoom to Actual SizeDisplays the active layout sheet at a 1:1 paper
scale.
Hide Layout WindowHides the layout window and shows the
previously active window, either the map window or the data window.
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Designing Map Layouts for Printing in the Layout Window
17-25
17
Creating Symbols
Symbols used in the layout window are stored as symbol files, which are
documents with an .sym extension. You can insert these symbols into
layout sheets for various map compositions. Create Symbol lets you
create a layout window symbol by saving selected graphics as a symbol
file. You can create a symbol by first selecting any geometry and then by
clicking the Create Symbol command button on the Drawing pull-down
menu. You next define the origin by clicking the point that you want in
the select set and then save the select set as a symbol.
Symbols that you create display the following default behaviors:
90-degree rotation angles
Automatic alignment with a target element or object when the symbol
is placed in a document
See the Define Symbol
File Help for more
information.
Note: You can add a layout window symbol file (.sym) to the GeoMedia
symbol file (.fsm) with the Define Symbol File utility.
To place these symbols in the layout window, you must first set an active
symbol with the Set Active Symbol command on the Drawing pull-down
menu, unless you want to use the default symbol. Then, you place the
symbol with the Symbol command on the Placement menu. These two
symbol commands are discussed in the following sections.
To create a symbol:
TIP: When creating a
symbol using different
elements, press CTRL
while choosing
elements with the
Select Tool.
1. Select a set of elements on the layout sheet.
2. From the Drawing toolbox, select Draw > Create Symbol.
3. Click a point on the layout sheet to define the origin of the symbol.
4. On the Save As dialog box, select the directory, and then type an
appropriate name.
Setting an Active Symbol
The Set Active Symbol command, accessed from the Draw menu on the
Drawing toolbox, lets you specify a symbol and an appropriate scale
factor to be placed one or more times in a layout window readily and
interactively. This command works with the Symbol command to place
the symbol.
To set an active symbol, you select a symbol filename, which provides a
preview of the specified symbol, and an appropriate scale factor. The
Working with GeoMedia Professional
scale factor is a double value greater than zero, with a default value of 1.
Modifying the scale factor does not affect the look of the symbol displayed
in the preview box. If you start the Symbol command before setting an
active symbol, the default symbol Point.sym (delivered in the GeoMedia
Professional\Symbols\Geometry folder) is placed.
To set an active symbol:
1. Open a layout window and make it active.
2. Select Draw > Set Active Symbol from the Drawing toolbox or from
the Symbol toolbar.
3. Click Browse.
4. Select an appropriate symbol file; then click Open.
5. Type a value greater than 0 in the Scale factor field of the Set Active
Symbol dialog box; then click OK.
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Designing Map Layouts for Printing in the Layout Window
17-27
17
Placing a Symbol
TIP: You can also drag
and drop symbols
(.sym) into the layout
sheet from Windows
Explorer.
The Symbol command lets you place the active symbol interactively with
a mouse click. The active symbol can be one you have defined with the
Set Active Symbol command or the default symbol, Point.sym. The
origin of the symbol being placed is attached to the cursor when you move
the cursor, and the symbol is placed at the cursor location upon clicking.
You can place multiple symbols until you exit the command.
To place a symbol:
1. Open a layout window and make it active.
2. Select an active symbol using the Symbol command from the
Drawing, Placing, or Symbol toolbar.
OR
Use the default symbol, Point.sym.
3. Select the Symbol command from the Drawing, Placing, or Symbol
toolbar.
The symbol is displayed in dynamics and attached to the cursor as the
cursor moves.
4. Click to place the symbol.
The symbol is placed, and another symbol is displayed in dynamics
and attached to the cursor.
5. Click to place the symbol again, and continue doing so as appropriate.
OR
Press ESC or select Exit from the right mouse menu to exit.
Changing Symbol Properties
See GeoMedia
Professional Help for
information on using
this dialog box.
After placing a symbol, you can later change its properties by selecting the
symbol and then by selecting Properties from the right mouse menu to
display the Symbol Properties dialog box, which has two tabs. The
General tab lets you define the layer and review the source file of the
selected symbol. The Geometry tab lets you move the symbol by
changing the origin values, lets you change the symbol size by changing
the scale factor, and lets you rotate the symbol by changing the angle.
You can also set the mode to move, rather than edit by checking the check
box. In the move mode, you can only change the position of the element,
not its shape. In edit mode, you can change both.
Working with GeoMedia Professional
Zooming to Actual Size
Zoom to Actual Size lets you preview the plotted area at the paper size on
the screen. This command lets you rescale the view in the active layout
sheet to the actual size as if it were printed on paper, thus functioning
similarly to the Print Preview command in Word