GEO520 Lab 1: Introduction to TransCAD

Lab1 of Geo520, Spring 2005

TA : Julie Hwang

Lab 1. Introduction to TransCAD

Creating a Thematic Map

Objectives

This lab introduces you to TransCAD. After this lab, you should get familiar with the general design of TransCAD GUI (graphic user interface), and be able to create a variety of maps.

TransCAD

TransCAD is a special GIS which is designed to facilitate modeling and analyses of transportation data.

TransCAD is a GIS: TransCAD provides all the tools available in GIS such as creating maps, editing geographic data, and performing spatial analyses.

** We will work on this on the first three labs. Remainders deal with its functionalities specific to transportation applications.

TransCAD is a special GIS for transportation applications:

[1] Extended data model

TransCAD provides some special data models required to represent the static/dynamic phenomenon specific to transportation applications such as matrices (Origin-Destination data), route system (eg. bus route), linear referencing system (eg. location of accident along highway), special topological network (eg. one-way street system, overpass/underpass), turning restriction (eg. necessary for finding the best route), and so on.

[2] Special operations for transportation applications

With TransCAD, you can input (eg. reading GPS data, address matching), process (eg. editing network topology), manipulate (eg. conflation), and analyze transportation data, Besides, TransCAD provides a complete application suite for transportation planning, vehicle routing, and distribution logistics (available in Standard Version only).

User interface of TransCAD

Open TransCAD (click Cancel button in Quick Start window), and browse for its interfaces – Menu, Toolbar, and Toolbox. Toolbox will not be shown. Toolbox pops up depending on what types of windows (eg. Maps, Layouts) are open.

Maps, Dataviews, and Layouts

TransCAD displays information on your computer screen in different types of windows: maps, dataviews, and layouts. Each one is displayed in a separate window on your screen, and each one can be saved for future use in files stored on your computer’s hard disk.

Maps show geographic features and their characteristics in an electric version of a paper map. (similar to views in ArcView)

Dataviews display information from geographic files, databases, or spreadsheets in tabular format. (similar to tables in ArcView)

Layouts bring together any number of maps, dataviews, and charts in a single presentation. (similar to layout in ArcView)

Workspace, Layers, and Geographic files

All your open windows (Maps, Dataviews, and Layouts) can be saved into a single file using a workspace. Workspaces are similar to projects in ArcView

Maps are composed of many different layers of information. For example, the sample road map for the Boston area contains state and county boundaries, highways, cities, and airports.

Geographic files are own geographic file formats of TransCAD like Shapefiles in ArcView. Geographic files are displayed as layers in a map.

Practice #1: Create a thematic map

TransCAD provides utilities for five types of thematic mapping. The five types of thematic maps are choropleth map, pattern map, dot-density map, chart map, and scaled-symbol map. You can access these utilities from the corresponding menu items under “Map” menu.

______ Open FL_ZONE.CDF, a Geographic File from the Tutorial directory (C:\program files\TransCAD\Tutorial). You should choose Geographic File from the Files of type drop-down list.

______Map-Layers… (a small window should pop up) on the small window

______Click on Add Layer button. You can add any number of layers to a map. You can also label the layer by clicking Label button.

______ Select FL_ST.CDF from the tutorial directory.

______ Save your work in your home directory. File-Save

______ Display the data associated with the layers by clicking on the “New Dataview” button

______ You can switch between layers or different types of windows through the Layer drop-down List (located next to New Dataview button). The layer whose name appears in the drop-down list window is the current working layer. Make sure that the Flintbury Zones is current in the layer drop-down list.

______ Map-Color Theme… (to create a choropleth thematic map) Another window should pop up. In the new small window:

______ Choose TRANSIT_SHARE from Field drop-down list.

______ Set the number of classes.

______ Click on the Styles Tab, another window will come out.

______ Select appropriate styles.

______ Click Ok until only the main window is left open.

______ You can print the map by choosing File-Print… (you will get an error message if you click OK, ignore it; instead you can use Layout in Practice #2)

A. Choropleth mapping for area data (Map-Color Theme… or Map-Pattern Theme…)

____ Open an area geographical file from the tutorial DIR. (FL_ZONE)

____ Have a look at the attribute table.

____ Make a meaningful thematic map (e.g. average income). A choropleth map is a good way to represent standardized attributes such as percentage of age group under 12, or population density. Pay attention to the various options available for manipulating maps: legend, scale, colors…)

B. Dot density mapping (Map-Dot-density Theme…)

____ Open an area geographical file from the tutorial DIR (FL_ZONE)

____ Take a look at the attribute table

____ Create a dot density map based on an attribute of your choice. Dot density map is good to represent raw numeric data such as population.

C. Symbol mapping (Map-Scaled-symbol Theme…)

____ Open the FL_ZONE and add FL_ST to the view.

____ Create a symbol map based on a field of FL_ST (eg. length, etc.)

____ Create another symbol map based on a field of FL_ZONE. (# of HHs in the lower income category). Scaled-symbol map is used to represent numeric attributes.

Practice #2 Using Layout

You can put different types of documents such as maps, dataviews, and chart (we will get into this in the future lab) in one presentation-friendly format, which is called Layout in TransCAD.

______ Choose File-New… (or ). Then choose Layout in the New File window. When the blank sheet is shown, choose in the toolbox. Drag a mouse in the location you want to locate the document you have worked on in the layout. You can add as many documents (maps, dataviews, and charts) as much as you want.

______ Use pointer tool to move, resize, and delete the graphic elements. You can add text using Text tool , add image file using , and so on. You can change the orientation of layout by choosing File-Properties….

______ You can print the map by choosing File-Print… To set up (or change) a printer, choose File-Properties…

Assignments (due at the beginning of next lab):

Use RI_CNTY.CDF, RI_HWY.CDF, RI_PLC.CDF from the tutorial directory. Make two thematic maps – One has to show the population of county, and the other has to show the followings together (i.e. three layers in one map): (a) per capita income of each county, (b) lane of each highway, and (c) population of each place. Hand in hardcopies of maps.