Lab 1: Introduction to ArcGIS

Introduction

This lab will introduce the ArcGIS software including the ArcMap and ArcCatalog modules.  You will learn the following skills in ArcView:

Instructions

Read Chapters 1 and 2 of Getting to Know ArcGIS Desktop.  Then do the tutorial exercises in Chapters 3 and 4.  You will need to load the data from the Getting to Know ArcGIS desktop book onto the hard drive of the computer on which you are working.  The default directory for the tutorial data is C:\GTKArcGIS.  Don't put it there.  Put it on a drive that you have access to.  Make sure you keep the CD since if you lose or corrupt your data then you will need to reload it.

Deliverables

Answer the following questions and produce the following outputs.  Hand them in to the instructor at the beginning of the next lab section.  Labs should be typed, well organized and stapled together. Please include your name and lab number. I suggest using a word processor or text editor interactively while doing the exercises.

Chapter 1

  1. What is a map layer?
  2. What is a feature?
  3. What is a surface?
  4. What are the three types of geographic objects in the vector system?
  5. What is a raster?
  6. What is an attribute table?
  7. What makes it possible to ask questions about information in an attribute table and bring the answer up on the map?
Chapter 2
  1. What is the difference between ArcView, ArcEditor, and ArcInfo?
  2. For what can ArcMap, ArcCatalog, and ArcToolbox be used?
  3. For what can ArcGIS Spatial Analyst be used?
  4. What is ArcIMS?
Chapter 3
  1. What three letter extension does an ArcMap document have?
  2. What does the ArcMap table of contents list?
  3. At the end of Exercise 3a you use the information tool to access the attribute information from the point object representing Natal, Brazil.  Do the same for Paramaribo, Brazil.  How much annual precipitation is there in Paramaribo?
  4. What does a grayed-out check box mean in the ArcMap table of contents?
  5. What is the purpose of a view bookmark?
  6. At the end of Exercise 3b you measured the distance from Howland Island to Nikumaroro Island.  Use the measurement and zoom tools to calculate the distance from Lae, Papua New Guinea to Nikumaroro Island.  How many kilometers is it?
  7. What are fields, records, and cells in an attribute database?
  8. Sort the flight path attribute table in ascending or descending order.  What was the shortest leg of the trip and how far was it?
  9. Using the flight path statistics box, what was the sum of the total trip?
Chapter 4
  1. What are some of the different types of data sets that can be viewed in ArcCatalog?
  2. What three letter file extension does a geodatabase have?
  3. You have two choices within the preview tab within ArcCatalog including Geography and Table.  What kinds of information can you get from each?
  4. Metadata means data about data.  What types of information is accessed through the Description, Spatial, and Attribute tabs within the the metadata section of ArcCatalog?
  5. What type of data is seafloor.lyr, raster or vector? How did you know?
  6. What is a layer file?
  7. How do you add data from ArcCatalog into ArcMap?


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