UNIT 4: USING ArcGIS

Instructor:Emmanuel K. Appiah-Adjei (PhD)

Department of Geological EngineeringKNUST, Kumasi

Getting to Know ArcGIS• ArcGIS is an integrated collection of GIS software products

• ArcGIS enables users to deploy GIS functionality wherever it isneeded on the desktop or in a server; in custom applications;over the web; or in the field

• There are four products in the ArcGIS Desktop collection,namely: ArcReader, ArcView, ArcEditor and ArcInfo. Eachversion includes progressively more functionality

• Each version includes three components, namely:ArcMap for viewing data; ArcCatalog for working withdata sources; and ArcToolbox for executing functions

Source:www.esri.com44

ArcView “ArcView is a full-featured GIS software for visualizing, managing,

creating, and analyzing geographic data”

It allows users to:

– Observe relationships and identify patterns in new ways

– View and analyze spatial data in new ways

– Build new geographic data sets quickly and easily

– Create publication-quality maps

– Manage all their files, database, and internet data resourcesfrom a single application

– Customize the user interface around tasks that need to beaccomplished

Source: www.esri.com 45

• It is a complete GIS desktop system for editing and managinggeographic data

• It is a GIS data automation and compilation product designedfor construction and maintenance of geodatabase featuresand shapefiles

• It has the functionality of ArcView + comprehensive GISediting tools

• ArcEditor includes tools that support metadata creation andmanagement and geographic data exploration, analysis, andmapping

• It also include applications that make up the ArcGIS Desktop,i.e. ArcMap, ArcCatalog and ArcToolbox

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ArcEditor

ArcInfo is the most complete and extensible available GIS tool

It includes all the functionality of ArcView and ArcEditor and addsadvanced geoprocessing and data conversion capabilities

Professional GIS users use ArcInfo for all aspects of data building,modeling, analysis, and map display for screen and output

With ArcInfo, you can:• Build powerful geoprocessing models for discovering relationships,

analyzing data, and integrating data

• Perform vector overlay, proximity, and statistical analysis

• Convert data to and from many formats

• Build complex data and analysis models to automate GIS processes

• Publish cartographic maps using extensive display, design, printing,and data management techniques

(Courtesy: ESRI) 47

ArcInfo

ArcInfo - cont.

• There are two versions ofArcInfo in ArcGIS package:– ArcInfo Desktop– ArcInfo Workstation

• ArcInfo Desktop also includethe ArcMap, ArcCatalog andArcToolbox applications thatmake up the ArcGIS Desktop

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ArcCatalog It organizes and manages all GIS information such as maps, globes,

data sets, models, metadata, and services.

It includes tools to:• Browse and find geographic information

• Record, view, and manage metadata

• Define, export, and import geodatabase schemas and designs

• Search and browse GIS data on local networks and the Web

• Administer an ArcGIS Server

Users employ ArcCatalog to organize, find, and use GIS data as wellas document data holdings using standards-based metadata

GIS database administrator uses ArcCatalog to define and buildgeodatabases 49

View data(like Windows Explorer)

Graphical previews

Metadata

Tables

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ArcToolbox• ArcToolbox contains a comprehensive collection of

geoprocessing tools for:– Data management

– Data conversion

– Coverage processing

– Vector analysis

– Geocoding

– Statistical analysis

• ArcToolbox is embedded in ArcCatalog and ArcMap andis available in ArcView, ArcEditor, and ArcInfo

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ArcToolbox – cont.

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ArcMap• It is the central application in ArcGIS Desktop for all map-based tasks

including cartography, map analysis, and editing

• It is a comprehensive map authoring application for ArcGIS Desktop

• It offers two types of map views, such as:1) Geographic data view — an environment where geographic layers are

symbolized, analyzed, and compiled into GIS data sets

- A table of contents interface organizes and controls the drawingproperties of the GIS data layers in the data frame

2) Page layout view — an environment where map pages containgeographic data views as well as other map elements such as scale bars,legends, north arrows, and reference maps

- The page layout view is used to compose maps on pages for printingand publishing

• Geospatial data is displayed, viewed, queried and edited in ArcMap 53

ArcMap – cont.

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(TOC)

ArcGIS Extensions• Extensions provide you with additional GIS functionality

• Most extensions are optional products that are registered orlicensed individually, examples include:

www.esri.com

1. Analysis– ArcGIS Spatial Analyst– ArcGIS 3D Analyst– ArcGIS Geostatistical Analyst– ArcGIS Network Analyst– ArcGIS Schematics– ArcGIS Survey Analyst– ArcGIS Tracking Analyst

2. Productivity– ArcGIS Data Interoperability– ArcGIS Publisher– ArcGIS StreetMap– ArcPress for ArcGIS– ArcScan for ArcGIS– Maplex for ArcGIS

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ArcGIS Extensions• Extensions provide you with additional GIS functionality

• Most extensions are optional products that are registered orlicensed individually, examples include:

www.esri.com

3. Solution-based– ArcGIS Business Analyst– ArcGIS Military Analyst– Job Tracking for ArcGIS (JTX)

(ArcEditor, ArcInfo)– Production Line Tool Set (PLTS)

for ArcGIS (ArcEditor, ArcInfo)

4. Web Services– ArcWeb Services

5. No Cost Add-On– Tablet PC Support for ArcGIS

(included with ArcGIS 9)– ArcMap GPS Support (included

with ArcGIS 9)– Districting for ArcGIS (free

download)

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