2. Introduction to ArcView
Project =
{View | Table | Chart | Layout | Script}
2.2 What it
does?
2.2.1 Core Program (generic capabilities)
2.2.2 Extensions (additional capabilities)
2.3 Data
2.3.1 Spatial Data
2.3.1.1 Feature
(vector)
2.3.1.2 Image
(raster)
2.3.2 Tabular data
2. Introduction to
ArcView
When
you start the program, you will get to a Project window named “Untitled”
by default. One project contains five types of components (called documents):
Views, Tables, Charts, Layouts, and Scripts as shown in the project window. You
can work with a theme in Views, manage a table in Tables, and
create charts from a theme or a table in Charts. In Layout, you can also create
a high-quality map by putting together graphic elements which have been worked
in Views, Tables, and Charts. They are dynamically linked, thus the change in
one document is reflected in others. With Scripts, you can customize almost
every aspect of ArcView. Each document displays data
differently; each has its own related menus, buttons, and tools organized in a
unique interface. It makes sense because different document types
require different capabilities. Clicking the title bar (on the top of each
window) makes the document active. Please note the change in the interface when
you switch the active document.
# Projects
Suppose you want to find out demographic characteristics in a certain area. What you need to do is getting geographic data, say a census tract with demographic attributes. Exploring the information may require you to create a thematic map such as white population ratio in each census tract. Reading through the values in the table (dBase file or excel file) as well as creating charts such as the pie chart showing race composition may help you achieve what you want to do. In other words, information can be organized and explored in different types of documents. After this task has been completed, you may want to keep these different documents altogether. A project file (extension is “.apr”) allows all the works (creating maps, joining tables, making charts) to be saved in one file. What a project file actually contains is the reference to the data (where the actual data are; do not contain the actual data), and descriptive information (how each theme is displayed, in which manners the table was open or joined, and so on). Therefore you can access all the works you have done previously with one file. When you finish the program, you will be asked whether or not to save the project file as long as a new work has been added. Later on, you can simply click this project file to get to the previous work in ArcView.
# Views 
You work with geographic data in interactive maps called Views. When the Views icon in the Project window is selected, clicking New button (or alternatively double-click will do the same) will open the new view. The view is named “View1” by default as shown in the view title bar. You can simply delete or rename the view document from the project menu in the project window. Every view features 'Table of Contents' in the left and the view area in the right. If themes are added to the view, Table of Contents shows the file name with feature types (point, line, polygon) while the view area displays themes.
# Tables
You work with a table in Tables. You can add existing tables such as dBase files, INFO files, and delimited texts by clicking Add button. Clicking new button allows you to create the new table from the start.
# Charts
ArcView's charts offer a powerful business graphics and data visualization capability that is fully integrated into ArcView's geographic environment. You can simply click on features on a view to add them to the chart. ArcView lets you work simultaneously with geographic, tabular and chart representations of your data.
# Layouts
ArcView's layouts let you create high quality, full color maps by first arranging the various graphic elements on-screen the way you want them. You'll get great looking results on a wide range of printers and plotters. Layouts are smart because they have a live link to the data they represent. When you print a layout, any changes to the data are automatically included, so you know everything on your map will be up-to-date.
# Scripts
ArcView
scripts are macros written in Avenue, ArcView's programming language and
development environment. With Avenue you can customize almost every aspect of
ArcView, from adding a new button to run a script you write, to creating an
entire custom application that you can distribute.
You can work on maps, tables, and charts
representation of the same data.
2.2 What it does?
2.2.1 Core Program (generic capabilities)
#Views
displaying spatial data 
manipulating the map
scale (zoom in, zoom out, pan) 
identifying features
attributes by pinpointing 
selecting features by
pinpointing 
selecting features by
query on attributes 
thematic mapping 
(e.g.,
choropleth map, dot density map, chart map)
measuring distance 
analyzing spatial
relationships [Select By Theme… from the Theme menu]
geocoding [Geocode
Addresses…& Add Event Theme… from the View menu]
creating spatial data
[New Theme… from the View menu]
# Tables
displaying
tables
selecting
records by pinpointing 
selecting
records by queries 
summarizing
attributes of selected features 
editing
tables [Add Field…& Delete Field… & Add Record from the Edit menu]
joining
tables 
# Charts
chart types 
chart
elements 
identifying
features/records by pinpointing chart 
# Layouts
adding
graphic elements into layout 
moving/resizing
graphic elements added 
adding text 
drawing basic
shapes 
# Scripts
compiling/running
scripts 
debugging
scripts 
2.2.2
Extensions (additional capabilities)
Extension is
a program loaded inside ArcView to add new capabilities. Some extensions are
provided with ArcView and others can be purchased from ESRI or third-party
vendors. Extensions include Spatial Analyst, Network Analyst, 3D Analyst, JPEG
image support, MrSID image support, CAD Reader, Digitizer, Geoprocessing and so
on. Since extensions are loaded only when needed, it would save memory as well
as saving space for workspace in the interface. Just click Extensions… from the
File menu in any document, and then check the extension needed.
Geographic
data stores the geometric location of particular features, along with attribute
information describing what these features represent. Geographic data can be
seen as the combination of spatial data and descriptive data. Spatial data
falls into two formats: one is a vector format and the other is a raster
format. Descriptive data comes in tables, delimited text or data from database
servers. But the distinction may be blurred because descriptive data itself can
contain locational information such that they can be geocoded as a spatial
data.
There are
four main differences between feature or image data sources and data such as
vector graphics, and non-georeferenced images such as scanned paper documents
like reports, deeds, photographs, etc.
In spatial data there is an explicit
relationship between the geometric and attribute information, so that both are
always available when you work with the data. For example, if you select
particular features displayed on a view. ArcView will automatically highlight
the records containing the attributes of these features when the attribute
table is displayed.
Spatial data is georeferenced to known
locations on the Earth's surface. To ensure that location is accurately
recorded, spatial data always employs a specific coordinate system, unit of
measurement and map projection. When spatial data is displayed it has a
particular scale just like any paper map.
Spatial data is primarily feature based.
It is designed to enable specific geographic features and phenomena to be
managed, manipulated and analyzed easily and flexibly to meet a wide range of
needs. Other types of graphic data may be oriented solely towards presentation
and display, and may store features such that they can only be accessed in a
limited number of ways. Geo-referenced images are usually associated with
features.
Spatial data is organized thematically
into different layers, or themes. There is one theme for each set of geographic
features or phenomena for which information will be recorded. For example,
streams, landuse, elevation, and buildings will each be stored as a separate
spatial data sources, rather than trying to store them all together in one.
This makes it easier to manage and manipulate the data, especially as much of
the power of working geographically comes from being able to analyze the
spatial relationships between different geographic themes.
In GIS, data in vector format
representing geographic objects as points, lines, or polygons. Vector format is
a coordinate-based representation of map features. A point is stored as a
single x, y coordinate, a line as a pair of x, y coordinates, and a polygon as
a set of x, y coordinates, each of which makes a vertex of the polygon.
Supported formats in ArcView include ArcView shapefiles, Arc/Info coverages,
SDE layers, VPF, and so on. Feature data is good to represent discrete
entities. (e.g., school, event location, lake)
In GIS, data in raster format,
typically produced by an optical or electronic device. Satellite images, air photographs and
other remotely sensed or scanned data are common forms of image data. Raster
format is a cell-based representation of map features. Each cell in the structure
has a value. Supported format in ArcView includes TIFF, JPEG, MrSID, Arc/Info
GRID, BMP, BIL and so on. Image data is good to represent continuous entities.
(e.g., temperature, elevation, toxic level)
It may be
noted that feature data and image data are interchangeable. Choosing between
two formats depends on the characteristics of the phenomenon of your interest,
the level of granularity you wish to work on, and so on.
In GIS,
locational or attribute information about geographic objects stored in a table.
ArcView supports these formats:
Data from database servers such as Oracle, Ingres, Sybase, Informix,
etc, dBASE files, Arc/Info INFO tables, text files with fields separated by
tabs or commas.
R2.Objectives
a. Make yourself familiar with the
interfaces of ArcView: Views, Tables, Charts, Layouts
b. Know how to open different types of
documents
c. Understand active documents and the
changing interfaces accordingly
d. Browse the elements of interfaces in
each document: menu, button, tool