GIS 3015 CARTOGRAPHIC SKILLS FINAL PROJECT

April 30, 2012

Final Project Summary: 

I have found that waiting until the last minute only lands me in trouble, sweating to beat the clock (the dreaded 11:59p.m.!) as I try to figure out the best way to finish my project.  So I choose to do this final project differently and turn it in well before the due date.  Additionally, my office is “mobing” to a local Air Force Base to start a two month project, so it is going to be a busy next two months, starting this week, so I figured it is best to turn in this project sooner than later.  The goal of this project was to present two independent sets of data on a single map.  The data?  National SAT or ACT scores for 2009 and the percentage of students that took the exam during that year.  I chose to go with the ACT scores (Link:  http://www.act.org/newsroom/data/2009/states.html), because the data provided offered a composite score and I won’t lie, this late into the semester, we are all  looking for a quick way out and this looked quicker for me rather than doing the individual scores.  My choices:  Quintiles classification method average score and proportional symbols mapping for the percentage of students that took the ACT exam.  I incorporated a required caption.  Well, that is it for this, oh, wait, still have a two page summary to write, guess I better get to that!

WEEK 13 GIS3015_GOOGLE EARTH

The goal of this week's lab was to use Google Earth to evaluate wind farm locations.  

Process Summary:

1.    The goal:  to choose a great location for a wind farm in the great lakes

2.    Produce an annotate google earth placemark of this.

3.    Pick 4 spaced out stations to get some information on local wind conditions and review for comparison in determining location of windfarm:

Station	Away from Water	Wind Speed m/s	Will WT work	Major SR
GSLM4	In water	5.1	Yes	NO
APNM4	In water	5.7	Yes	NO
PRIM4	In water	5.1	Yes	NO
SBI01	In water	6.2	Yes	NO

            Note:  WT – wind turbine

a.    Go through all the stations and start by checking the Windspeed:  Need  to find areas close to stations with wind speeds of  > 10kts ~ 5.144 m/s for the wind turbines to work.  Disregard anything with a WSPD < 10kts.

4.    Open up Google Earth and insert the coordinates of the selected meteorological station.  Using the criteria determined in your guidance table, narrow down on a preferred location.

5.    Determine just how far off shore if off the stations are.  Preferrably want a station onshore.  The goal is to develop a wind farm onshore.  Eliminate those that are too far in shore as the wind may not be the same far on shore, away from wind station.

6.    Then look at the one or two locations selected and narrow down based on: Ornithology,

a.    Open up the links provided in the laboratory summary and find the selected location on google map, on the links provided that address ornithology.

7.    Using the Ruler tool on Google Earth, measure the distance of your proposed wind farm to the nearest dwelling and record.  The idea is to determing Noise and Shadow Flicker impacts.

8.    Again use the links provided in the lab summary to find on the given map, where your proposed location would be and how far it is from any Shipping Impact as well Tourist Attractions.  NOTE:  Using the right mouse you can double click to zoom in and using the left mouse you can double click to zoom out.

9.    Summarize selection in process summary table and provide justification for selecting the proposed site.

10.  Add a Placemark and label it as shown on the map.  Be sure to get the coordinates of this for the process summary.  Identify the location of the nearest meterology station also using a placemark.

11.  Copy the Image: Edit > Copy Image and paste to a word document that has a title, north arrow, your name  and date.  For this map we left out a legend as it was unnecessary. 

12.  Have 2 maps, one of the area zoomed in and a second of the area zoomed out to allow you to see a larger view of the nearby areas.

13.  Once you save your documents (each on its own separate word document) as a word documents create a pdf of each.

14.  Log onto edesktop and paste the copied PDFs to this week’s created folder.

15.  Open up in illustrator and load the file.  It will show up rotated.

16.  Save and export the file as a Jpeg file (only way you can post to blog).

17.  Open up Jpeg file and rotate so properly orientated.

18.  Select the rectangular shape and draw around the Map to create a neatline.

19.  Save and upload to blog as well as submit to drop box.

20.  Post  to blog and drop box

WEEK 13 - GIS 4043 - LOOSE ENDS LAB

This week's lab was an informative lab meant to cover basic concepts that were not covered yet or were either glossed over in the course of the semester.  The lab is meant to also provide us with the tools to complete our final project.  Two process summaries are provided.

PROCESS SUMMARY 1

Task 1: Table of Contents

(Exact same instructions as per pg. 2 to pg. 3 of lab summary – nothing new added).

Task 2: Layer Grouping

1.    To do this, you have to have more than one layer.  Shift-click to select the layers that you want to put in a group.  Then right-click one of the selected layers and select group.

2.    Rename the group, “TEST GROUP” by double clicking on it twice and renaming.

3.    To ungroup, right click on the group and select ungroup.

4.    NOTE:  Can only group layers together in the view by Order tab, but can create layers in any of the 4 ToC views.

Task 3: Graphs

(Exact same instructions as per pg. 4 to pg. 5 of lab summary – nothing new added).

Task 4: Loading a Map Template

1.      (See Instructions on pg. 6 and Pg. 7 of lab).  However, For some reason when I press the toggle Draft Mode button to make the layers, appear, they do not appear.  So I was forced to have to “Add Data”

Task 6: Spatial Reference Info

(Exact same instructions as per pg. 9 to pg. 10 of lab summary – nothing new added).

Task 7: Saving a Template

(Exact same instructions as per pg. 10 of lab summary – nothing new added).

PROCESS SUMMARY 2

TASK 5: Layer Packages

1.    Log onto eDesktop and navigate to this week’s folder.  Open up a blank template and drag the buildings layer from the loose ends folder onto the map.

2.    Under properties for the buildings layer, type in a description (must have text in the description area before saving the layer package) – Buildings on UWF Main Campus.

3.    Right click on layer > create layer package.

4.    Save package to file > select the folder for this week and save file as an .lpk file.

5.    Validate

6.    Share > window that indicates packaging comes up and eventually says succeeded.

7.    To open up the package go to ArcCatalog and navigate to the file.  Will see folder, titled Building.lpk.  Right-click and select unpack.  File is unpacked (must be done in ArcCatalog) and is ready for use.

Task 6: Map Packages

1.    With the map with buildings layer still open, go to File >Map Document Properties and enter a description – “UWF Main Campus”.

2.    Save Map “UWF_Week 13 Map.mxd”

3.    File >Create Map Package and navigate to the s:drive to this week’s folder.

4.    Validate

5.    Share > window that indicates packaging comes up and eventually says succeeded.

6.    To open up the package go to ArcCatalog and navigate to the file.  Will see folder, titled UWF_Week 13Map.mpk.  Right-click and select unpack.  File is unpacked (must be done in ArcCatalog) and is ready for use

Task 7: Reparing Data Sources

(Exact same instructions as per pg. 6 and pg. 7 of lab summary – nothing new added).

Task 8: Data Driven Pages

(Exact same instructions as per pg. 8 of lab summary – nothing new added).

Task 9: Map Page Size

(Exact same instructions as per pg. 9 of lab summary – nothing new added).

Geocoding

(Exact same instructions as per pg. 9 through pg. 11 of lab summary – nothing new added).

WEEK 11_GIS 3015 - DOT MAPPING

The Purpose of this week's lab was to utilize the different approaches for placing dots within the enumeration units.

Process Summary:

1.    Log onto eDesktop and create a folder on the s:drive for this week’s lab.

2.    Navigate to R:\Cartography\Dot and copy and paste the two files for this week to the folder created.

3.    Open Illustrator (from start menu) and then open the Floridadot.ai file.

4.    Save the document before starting, Floridadot_AK.ai

5.    Open up layers, Window>layers and keep the layers with the filters locked.

6.    Open up the Excel file, GCT_PH1.xls.  Determine column to use for the raw data (population or housing units) – selected.  Since we are only working with a select number of counties, copy the sheet 0 in the same workbook and call this sheet 1.

7.    Delete all the Counties not needed and only keep those that you will need including all columns for now, should we decide we want to change our mind.  Save.

8.    How many dots will I need? 

a.    Take the smallest number (use the min function in excel) = 10576 and that becomes the dot value and is equivalent to 1 dot.

b.    Add a column next to the population column and call this the # dots.  Using the minimum value determine the # of dots for each county ie. divide the population of each county by the minimum population to get the # of dots for each county.

c.    Get the total number of dots for all counties (sum of all dots for the shown counties) = 664.12.  This is good as the lab calls for at least 500 dots on the map.

9.    Check that the Dots layer is highlighted.  To draw your dots, use the Ellipse Tool (inside the rectangle tool) to draw a dot with a size < 1pt.  I chose a 0.5 pt size.

10.  Zoom in on your map and using the select tool (not direct select tool – harder to work with), move the dot to the correct county.  Refer back to your excel file under the “# dots” column to see how many dots go in each county. For example Glades county has only 1 dot.

11.  Begin to work on county by county, reference the printout of the map of Florida counties with highlighted counties that you will be working with (I highlighted the counties at the beginning to make it easier to focus my attention on just the needed counties per lab instructions). 

12.  Begin by checking the pag to see where the rivers, lakes, wetlands are to know where to avoid placing your dots.  So from the look of the map, nothing should go inside the blue dotted areas = wetlands, on the thick blue lines = rivers, in the lavender/pink/purple areas = lakes or on the edges of the maps/counties as those are the county shorelines.  Every other place on the map is okay to place a dot on.  It also helps to keep these layers locked so you cannot paste dots on them.  You want to keep the Labels layer blinded out for now and also lock it.  Keep the Neatline locked too.  If unsure at any point where to place dots, simply click the eye icon to see. NOTE:  Majority of the population will be at the senter of the county away from the wetlands, etc.

13.  So zoom into a county and complete that before moving to the next. I began from the bottom of the map heading north.  I referred to my excel table to see the number of dots. 

14.  To save time, I made multiple copies of one dot within the county itself (Edit copy and paste or simply click on the dot while the eclipse tool is selected and each time the size menu comes up hit okay (as long as it maintains the same size = 0.5 pts) to accept and a new dot is created) until I had the given number for that county.  I then grouped the dots (Object>Group) and moved them as one unit to the specific county.  I then renamed the group name by the county name, and Locked it before moving to the next county (highlighting on excel as you go).   Save periodically.  NOTE:  if you use the selection tool and want to go back to copying and pasting more dots, you have to first select the eclipse tool.

15.  Also when moving to the next county, be sure to click on the dots layer so that you get out of the previous county layer, however having locked it helps so that the dots are not added to that layer.  Be careful to read the map correct when attempting to add the dots.  It may help to turn the labels layer on to allow you to now the counties by label then turn back off when stating to add the dots.

16.  Create the legend using your tool bar and mainly the pencil tool, text tool, grouping (have to highlight the layers first then Object>Group), selection tool and eventually when done with all items in the legend, group all layers.

17.  Create a Title, “South Florida Population by County” using the text tool.  NOTE:  if you notice you cannot type the title on the map, means that you have yet to create a layer.  Be sure not to put the title in the wrong layer.    Make the title, Myriad Pro, Bold, 12 pt font.  Rename the Title layer and then lock it.

18.  Include the author and source information. Myriad Pro, Regular, 8pt. Group so easy to move both, highlight both layers>Object>Group.  NOTE:  To adjust a layer or move it around you first have to unlock it. Save periodically.

19.  Once done shrink to only one layer and lock.  Do not turn labels on.  Close the layers window. Save then Export Map as a Jpeg.

20.  Save the Excel File and close.

21.  Upload both Files on the blog and submit to drop box.

WEEK 12_GIS4043_GEOREFERENCING RASTERS

This week's goal was to use Georeferencing tools and ArcScene to create and export a map of the 3D scene using ArcMap.

Process Summary:

1.    Open eDesktopGIS and create a folder for the week on s:drive\Intro2GIS\Week 11_Georeferencing.

2.    Move this week’s folder (Georeferencing.zip) from r:drive to the s:drive and unzip.

3.    Open ArcMap and open a blank template and minimize window.

4.    Open ArcCatalog and minimize window.  Navigate to the unzipped folder.

5.    Drag into ArcMap the buildings and roads shapefiles.  Save File as Week12_Map_AK.mxd.

6.    Next add in uwf_n.jpg.  Error message appears, click OK

7.    Maximize ArcMap and open up the Georeferencing toolbar:  Customize – Toolbars – Georeferencing.

8.    Set uwf_n.jpg as the layer and from the Georeferencing dropdown menu select “Fit To Display”.  Save.

9.    Add control points by using the add control points button.  Identify the common points on the known (buildings and roads layers) and the unknown raster (photo of UWF).  To start click on the unknown (a street corner, building corner or other static feature), then click on the referenced (known) point to link the two points together.  This moves the unreferenced raster layer to align the control point.

10.  Repeat until you have at as many accurate control points as possible with a less than 15 Total RMS.  To be able to view this, open up the Links Table using the View Links Table button on the Georeferencing  toolbar. 

11.  Delete the points that are way off in the residual and try to keep the residuals as low as possible.  Add more points if it helps, so that you can have a low RMS error and delete those that are off.  The more points you have the better as you are better able to delete hi points and get closer to a < 15 RMS without needing to add more.  Keep Link Table open as you work through map to be able to tell if your error is dropping.  For my map I ended up with 10 control points and a Total RMS Error of 3.26380.

12.  Click the update Georeferencing command on the Georeferencing toolbar.  Save.

13.  Minimize ArcMap and then go to the minimized ArcCatalog window.  Drag the uwf_s1.jpg photo and add it to the map. Error message appears, click OK

14.  Maximize ArcMap and set uwf_s1.jpg as the layer and from the Georeferencing dropdown menu select “Fit To Display”.  Save

15.  Zoom out to be able to view then repeat georeferencing.   NOTE:  At times it may help to start a little off the corner for the unknown so that it aligns properly.  Also if you get an error message click okay and just go back and delete the control point that caused the alignment to be off.  To know which, click on the points in the link table and where it lights up yellow is the point that you have selected, this way you now which to delete. Also at time it may help to alternate georeferencing if getting too many errors, switch to align roads, or buildings and vice versa if getting too many error messages.  On the 2^nd jpg, look for common points and just try to link the known with the unknown as best as you can, eventually it will pull all points together and make the map zoomed in so not a small window to view through.  Play with Zoom to get to where you can see the control points/links better.  At times even when you get an error message, continue through it and do not necessarily delete that point just yet, just be sure to do a better job at aligning on the next one and it will most often correct itself. The goal is to try to get the known layer to line up directly above the unknown.  Use different parts of the map to pull everything in and be able to reduce those residuals and overall the Total RMS Error.  To figure out what to pull, look at the areas of the map that may be misaligned (buildings/roads) and pull those.  When you come to deleting, things will begin to realign.As with before, create as many points as possible to try to align everything.  You can always go back in and delete those with high residuals. Save often.

16.  For my map I ended up with 10 points and an RMS Error of   13.96055 in the 1^st order polynomial.  Changing to a 2^nd order polynomial, reduced the error to 8.63512.  For this map, I could not use a 3^rd order polynomial despite having 10 points, the figure was further distorted and did not look right, so I settled for the 2^nd order polynomial.  NOTE:  You may notice that as you continue to add more control points, the error may increase but the map looks more aligned.  In this case, it the added points and you will go in there and delete the high residuals.  Could be that some of the earlier points were off, so it is not always that the newer points are the cause of the error.  My final RMS Error was 2.39215 with 10 points at a 2^nd order polynomial.  Save and close the Link table.

17.  As before, click the update Georeferencing command on the Georeferencing toolbar.  Save.

18.  To remove the black edges of the uwf_s1, go to it’s properties and check the box next to Display background Value: (R,G,B) while leaving the values next to it as 0,0,0.  Then to remove the jagged line of black pixels along the edges of uwf_s1, move uwf_n above uwf_s1 in the TOC.  Unfortunately while it took the big black line out, there still is a think white line across my map, L!

EDITING AND 3D VIEWING

19.  Highlight the Buildings layer then, Under Editor Toolbar, click Start Editing.  Then go to the end of the toolbar and click “Create Features” button.  Window opens up and double click on Buildings to specify it as the layer you will be adding to.

20.  Keep the default settings in the template properties window that opens and press OK.  Then go to the construction Tools and select polygon and click at each corner of the building until you draw a polygon around the Building 072.  

21.  Since the layer did not show up, click the organize template button in the create features window to bring up the Organize Template Feature window.  Select New Template.  When the Create New Templates Wizard Window opens up make sure the boxes next to the Buildings and Roads are checked, then click Finish.  The Athletic Fields Layer is added to the Create Features window. 

22.  With the building selected, click on the attributes button on the editor toolbar.  Change the height of the building – 13 meters and the building number to 072. Save Edits.

23.  Next digitize the road the shown to the Roads Layer.  Start by double clicking on the roads layer to open up the template properties window.  As with the building, keep the default settings and click Ok.  Begin to draw a road.  Then using the Snapping toolbar, move the vertices and align the road to the center line on the map.  Manipulate which snapping feature you use and mainly go with the point snapping unless at the end, then go for the end or vertex snapping.  With the road still highlighted click on the attributes button and add the name – Campus Lane.  Save edits, stop editing and save your map.

24.  Update the roads symbol change color to red and width of 2.

CREATING 3D SCENES

25.   Open ArcScene (Start Menu>All Programs>ArcGIS>ArcScene10).

26.  With ArcCatalog window minimized, refresh the catalog tree then drag the layers, roads, buildings, uwf_s1.jpg, uwf_n.jpg and uwf_dem.

27.  Click on Roads layer, open properties window, Base Heights Tab and under elevation from surfaces, select “floating on a custom surface”, then select UWF_DEM in the dropdown menu if it has not already been selected for you.

28.  Repeat Step 27 for each of the remaining layers with the exception of the uwf-dem layer.

29.  Next click on Buildings layer, open properties, Extrusion tab, check the “Extrude features in layer” In the Extrusion value or expression:” type [Height].  Under “Apply extrusion by” select “adding it to each feature’s maximum height”.  OK.  From main dropdown menu, select view, scene properties and in the general tab, change the vertical exaggeration to 5.  To check that the digitalized features can be seen, change the roads to solar yellow with a width of two and the buildings to fire red, outline width of 1 and an outline color of Gray 70%.  Save Map as Week12_Map_AK-c.sxd.

MAPPING 3D SCENES

30.  Be able to see the Campus Ln road feature and the Building 072 feature.

31.  Then from main menu bar, click File>Export Scene>2D.  Save image to the folder on your s:drive and save it as a jpeg file.

32.  Add the new image to your arcmap, using the add data button and then add the jpg.  It make take some turning off layers and back on to be able to see it.  Be sure you have the new 2D jpeg ontop of all the other layers for you to be able to see it.  Save.

33.  Zoom to the new layer and switch to layout view.  Change to landscape (be sure to check, landscape, use printer paper settings, show printer marginos on layout, scale map elements proportionally to changes in paper size),  Insert Neatline (border = 2.0 point, background = light blue, drop shadow = Grey 60%, Gap = 10.0 point and rounding = 0%).  Insert Legend (border = 0.5 point, background = light blue, drop shadow = Grey 60%, Gap = 10.0 point and rounding = 0%)

34.  Be sure to have completed the previous aerial in arcmap by adding neatline as above.  No need for Legend.  Save as a jpeg file.

35.  Insert Data Frame to your map with the 2D view and position both views to where the map appears balanced.  Insert title, source and name and text about Raster Transformation and RMS Error.  Save Map (Week12_Map_AK-b.mxd).  Export as a Jpeg file and upload to blog and submit to drop box.