Geography 243 Exercise 1

Familiarization of ArcGIS

OBJECTIVES:
1. To be familiar with the different interphases/view of ArcMap
2. To learn how to launch and add data in each of the different interphases

PRACTICE :
A. ArcGIS suite of applications
1) Open the ArcMap from ArcGIS suite of applications from the start button
enumerate all the apps shown in the box below.
Arc Catalog 10.2.2
ArcGIS Administrator
ArcGIS Document Defragmenter
ArcGIS for Desktop Resource Center
ArcGlobe 10.2.2
ArcMap 10.2.2
ArcScene 10.2.2
IDLE (Python GUI)
Module Docs
MXD Doctor
Python (command line)
Python Manual
2) Open any of the three applications and infer from what you see what these apps
are
for.
ArcGlobe 10.2.2:
When I opened the ArcGlobe icon what I saw is a window with the usual toolbar, table of
contents on the right side of the window and a globe on the left side. I think the ArcGlobe
is for 3D visualization of data.
ArcScene 10.2.2:
With ArcScene with I am not very sure what it is for since when I open the open the
window it is just a blank space with the usual tool bar and table of contents. Based from
what I research this ArcScene can be used for 3D visualization too just like the ArcGlobe.
From what I understand these 2 applications have difference in terms of functionality. The
ArcGlobe projects all data based on the shape of the earth while the ArcScene projects
data according to layers being added.
IDLE (Python GUI):
The IDLE (Python GUI) on the other hand has a very different interface. It's features is
very similar with programming software where you have to insert certain programming
languages to be commanded.

TGIsorena Jan2016

Geography 243 Exercise 1

Familiarization of ArcGIS

B. Opening ArcMap
1) Default of ArcMap is the welcome page which provides what choices?
It is a window that let us choose what
documents we will open. On the right side there
is an option where we can locate our existing
projects. Another option that we can choose is to
create a New Map.

Note if the box below (Do not show this dialog in the
future) was checked then the dialog box will not
appear anymore)

2) Choose the one the allows you to have a blank project

C. Table of Contents (TOC)
Segregated box on the left (usually) of the screen, but can be place elsewhere in your
screen.
1) Click on the x icon at upper-right corner of the TOC to take it out.
2) To bring it back, go to the Windows Bar and then click on the Table of Contents
D. Toolbars
Toolbars may be turned on and off as preferred. Usual tools may then be turned on if
needed.
1) Adding toolbars Go to Customize Bar and then check the geoprocessing, layout
and snapping. Locate the toolbars that has come-up, what are the tools that are
listed as available in the snapping toolbar
There are 5 buttons in the snapping tool bar that we can use. The first one is labelled
as Snapping it contains other tools such as intersection, midpoint and tangent
snapping. While the other four buttons beside Snapping are point, end, vertex and
edge snapping.
2) Adding specific tools Go to the Customize Bar again
and go to the bottom of the toolbar list, click on
customize. The customize dialog box will appear. Click on
the Commands tab, Look for selection from the
categories box, then click it. This will change the
commands that are shown on the commands box on the
right.
Find the Zoom to selected features icon, click and drag it
to Editor toolbar, then release. This will embed the tool
on your Editor toolbar.
You are doing this because you need it often and you would want it to be easily
accessible
TGIsorena Jan2016

Geography 243 Exercise 1

Familiarization of ArcGIS
E. Data View
Data view is the default when you open ArcMap. This is where you will add the data that
you will be working with and the TOC will show you what has been added.
1) Add data Double click on the ad icon
it will bring up a new dialog box.
Locate the data reg7_muni_utm shapefile from the \g243\exer1.
F. Open Table - Display tabular data of attributes that are linked to views containing
features they describe. The tools available for the table will be changed.
1) Right click on the reg7 shapefile then select open. What are the tool icons shown
on the table interphase? List them down (clue- hover your mouse on the tool it will
show you the name of the tool).
Table Options
Related Tables
Select by Attributes
Switch Selection
Clear Selection
Zoom to Selected
Delete Selected
2) Opening existing table (other than a shape file csv, dbf, xlsx). Click on the
add data button again locate Population07.dbf from the exercise file. Do you
notice any changes in your TOC? What has changed?
Another layer was added in the TOC. It is labelled as Population07
G. Layout Interphase is where you present your data by lay outing your map in full
color, with tools allowing you to add elements such as north arrow, legend, scale and
allows you to add tables, charts, and images on your map.
1) Click on the View bar and select Layout. This will change the view to layout
which will show you a paper with an outline of its extents. The map of region 7 will
also be shown.
2) Click on the insert button and a list of the different elements of your map will
appear.
3) Create a layout adding map elements Title, north Arrow, scale bar
and a legend in your map.
4) Export your layout as jpeg Go to File/Export then specify the name
and choose jpeg as export format.
5) Paste the jpeg file to this Exer1 document.

TGIsorena Jan2016

Geography 243 Exercise 1

Familiarization of ArcGIS

TGIsorena Jan2016

Geography 243 Exercise 1

Familiarization of ArcGIS
F. Saving the Map Document (MXD)
Now we are finished with map . You will now save your map document by clicking on the
DISK icon in the upper left corner of your screen. Browse to your g243\exer1 folder and
name your project EXERCISE1. Close ArcMap.
Go to windows explorer and then list down what are the files that are in your exer1 folder.
PRJ File
SHP File
SHX File
JPG File

G. Data repair
1)

Go to windows explorer and rename exer1 as exer. Open again the Exercise1.mxd
in Arcmap. Were you able to open it properly? What do you think is happening.
Lets discuss.
No. I think the file is now corrupted. I can see a red exclamation mark in the TOC.

TGIsorena Jan2016