GIS and Spatial Planning

PLAN204
PRACTICAL EXERCISE: 1
INTRODUCTION TO ARC GIS SYSTEM
Prepared By: DR. SWAGATA GHOSH
Assistant Professor, AIGIRS

Introduction:
Esri (Environmental Systems Research Institute) is an international supplier of Geographic
Information System (GIS) software. Esris ArcGIS is a geographic information system (GIS)
for working with maps and geographic information. It is used for creating and using maps,
compiling geographic data, analyzing mapped information, sharing and discovering
geographic information, using maps and geographic information in a range of applications,
and managing geographic information in a database.
ESRI has developed an extensive range of GIS products to help manage, analysis and
visualize geospatial data.
Desktop GIS (ArcGIS Desktop):
ArcGIS Desktop is for GIS users to manage geographic data, make spatial analysis and
produce maps.
Components of ArcGIS Desktop
ArcGIS for Desktop consists of several integrated applications, it includes following
components:ArcMap - ArcMap is the application used to view, edit and query geospatial data, and create
maps. The ArcMap interface has two main sections, including a table of contents on the left
and the data frame(s) which display the map. Items in the table of contents correspond with
layers on the map.
Standard
Main Menu Toolbar

Toolbar

Tools

Table of

Toolbar

Contents

Map Display
Drawing
Toolbar

ArcCatalog - ArcCatalog is for organizing, browsing and managing geographic data. It is

used to browse datasets and files on one's computer, database, or other sources. In addition to
showing what data is available, ArcCatalog also allows users to preview the data. ArcCatalog
also provides the ability to view and manage metadata for spatial datasets.
Title bar
Location

Standard toolbar

toolbar
Metadata
toolbar

Catalog
Tree

Preview Mode

ArcToolbox - A set of tools for data processing, analysis, and conversion.

Extensions in ArcGIS Desktop

There are a number of software extensions that are added to ArcGIS Desktop that provide
added functionality, they includes
3D Analyst - Three-dimensional visualization and analysis; includes ArcGlobe and ArcScene
applications. Also includes terrain data management and geoprocessing tools.
Spatial Analyst - ArcGIS Spatial Analyst provides a range of spatial modeling and analysis
tools. Using ArcGIS Spatial Analyst, you can create, query, map, and analyze cell-based
raster data, perform integrated raster/vector analysis, derive new information from existing
data, query information across multiple data layers. fully integrate cell-based raster data with
traditional vector data sources.
Network Analyst - ArcGIS Network Analyst provides network-based spatial analysis.
Using ArcGIS Network Analyst, you can dynamically model realistic network conditions,
including one-way streets, turn and height restrictions, speed limits, and variable travel
speeds based on traffic.

Objectives of todays exercise:

The objectives of this exercise are to:
i.
Start ArcMap
ii.
Create a new map
iii.
Add data layers
iv.
Pan and zoom
v.
Change data symbology

vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.

Data Frame
Measure distances
Create map layouts
Add legends, titles, North arrows, and other elements and Export Map as Jpeg or Tiff,
etc.
Saving maps and Exiting ArcGIS

x.

Getting started adding data and creating first map:

Double left click on the ArcMap icon,

Getting Started screen.

If you do get this window then elect to open an existing map, create a new, empty
map.
Create a new, empty map by clicking OK button in the lower right corner of the
popup window.

This will open the main ArcMap window. Note there are Table of Contents and Data
View panes, mostly blank areas on the left and right of the window, and various icons
and menu bars.

Data View
Table
Contents
window
pane

of

Left click on the Add Data button to add data layers (also called themes).
An Add Data window (see right) should appear, allowing you to select a layer or
layers for the map. You select a data layer to display by double clicking on it.
If your drive does not appear, you may need to create a connection to a directory,
using the Connect to Folder button.

Panning and Zooming

ArcMap allows you to change the magnification and area that you view in your data
pane. There is a cluster of zoom buttons.

Left click on the zoom and pan icons to change cursor function. Left clicking on the
plus (+) magnifying glass changes it to a zoom in cursor, then click on the data pane
will zoom in on a point. You can also left click and hold/drag to define a zoom area.

A pan button, a hand, does not change the magnification, but allows you to
click/drag position the data. There is also a globe zoom button that zooms to the full
extent of your data. Below this are arrows in and arrows out buttons to zoom by
fixed amounts, and buttons that zooms back and forth among previous zoom levels.
You may also specify a scale by typing into the scale window, usually along the top of
the main menu bar.

Changing data symbology:

We can customize a layers appearance.

Left double-click on a symbol icon, the colored patch below the name of the lakes
data layer in the table of contents.
The Symbol Selector window will appear
You can select a symbol type from the examples on the left of the window, and
change the properties with the controls on the right of this window.

Data Frames
When you first started ArcGIS, it automatically created a working area, called a Data
Frame. It named this first working area Layers, as shown by the yellow stack in the table
of contents.

Setting Data Frame Properties

To control DATA FRAME options, use the table of contents pane

Left click twice on Layers with the yellow stack icon near the top of the table of
contents display

This will display a Data Frame Properties window. Various tabs control various
properties for a data frame, such as the name (with the General tab), the size of the
frame (Size and Position), plotting grids (Grids tab), the coordinate system, draw a
bounding frame (Frame tab).
To leave the data frame properties window, left click on the OK.

Multiple Data Frames in One Document

Use File
New, select Blank Map.
In the new Map document, Use Insert
Data Frame.
You should now see two icons in the table of contents (TOC) that are yellow layer
stacks, one named Layers, and a second named New Data Frame.

 Right click on the New Data Frame and click on Activate in the dropdown menu.

Measuring Distances

Left click on the Measure Distance icon to activate the measure tool (it is usually with
the pan/zoom tools).

Use the measure tool to estimate the distance between two points (left click, hold,
drag, and release).
You can change the measurements units displayed by:
-left clicking on the triangle near the upper middle of the Measure window
-left clicking on Distance
-selecting the desired units

Map Layout
Use View
Layout to view the areal extent on desktop in map format.
The Layout View is used to prepare maps for output. It allows you to add a north
arrow, scalebar, and other elements we usually expect to find on a printed or other
published map.

Note that second set of zoom tools that appear when we activate the Layout View (see
at right). These allow you to control the zoom and pan within the layout view, without
changing the zoom in the data view.

Adding a Legend, North Arrow and Scale and exporting map.

Select Insert
Left click to select Title from the drop down menu. A text box for typing a title
appears on the layout view page.
Edit the title text box and give the title which you want to give to your map.
Select Insert
North Arrow
A window containing different designs of north arrow will appear, select sutaible
north arrow and double click on that.

Similarly select Insert

Scale
Select suitable scale from scale window by double clicking on it. It will appear on
map then you can replace the scale on map in corner by clicking in it and dragging
over map.
Add other map elements like Legend in same way and export your map in format
which you want
Use File
Export to export map as .jpeg or .tiff.

About saving maps and exiting ArcMap

After you finish working on a map, you can save it and exit ArcMap. You save a map as a
document and store it on your hard disk. If you haven't saved the map before, you'll need to
name it, preferably with a name that adequately describes its contents. ArcMap automatically
appends a file extension (.mxd) to your map document name.
It's always a good idea to save your map periodically while editing it.

Saving Map Document

What is map document?
Map document is a file representing a map workspace created in ArcMap. This is a
sort of a bookmark file, which tells the program about the layers which are being used
for the particular map and how they're being symbolized. All the files referred to that
are required to be accessible to this document. This file has .mxd filename extension

You can save your map document in .mxd file format by File
Save.
MXD (.mxd) is file format in which saves the map document. The maps and other
work created in Arc Map can be stored using this.
MXD only stores maps, symbology, layout, etc. at the time of saving the map
document. Whenever the MXD is opened the symbology, layout, order of layer
always remains same.
The important point to be noted here is that the data displayed on a map is not saved
with it. Map layers reference the data sources in your GIS database. So only copying
the MXD file in other system cannot take data files with it.
EXERCISE 2: LAB ASSSIGNMENT TASK
Q1. Prepare a map with all map elements showing some points, lines and polygon
features in the toposheet. Export map in .jpeg file format.
Note: (At-least 10 features in each category should be digitized)