GIS Basic Training June 7, 2007 – ICIT Midyear Conference

What is GIS? A collection of computer hardware, software and geographic data for capturing, storing, updating, manipulating, analyzing, and displaying all forms of geographically referenced information. From Dictionary of GIS Terminology ESRI Press © 2001

GIS Components Hardware – Computers, Servers, and Network equipment Software – The programs used to access the data Information – visualization of analysis of data System – linking software, hardware, and data Personnel – people with knowledge of how to use the hardware, software, and data

Data, Data, Data Location Data How Many – What Kind - Where Scale of Data Local to Global Data Presentation Charts, Graphs, Tables, or Maps

What is NOT GIS? GPS – Global Positioning System A static map – paper or digital Maps are often a product of a GIS A way to visualize the data or analysis A software package

Real World vs. GIS A method to visualize, manipulate, analyze, and display spatial data “Smart Maps” linking a database to the map or the ability to ask the map questions and get back answers

Database Not easy to interpret

Visualization Easily worth a thousand words

Types of Data Raster – Grid Vector – Linear Real World “pixels” a location and value Satellite images and aerial photos are examples Vector – Linear Points, lines, & polygons Features with attributes Size, type, area, length Real World

Common Raster Data Formats TiFF High Quality No Compression Slower MrSiD Good Quality Some Compression Faster Geodatabase Compression up to the Administrator Fastest More disk space

Vector Data Type - Points

Examples of Points Wells Addresses Stream gauges School Locations Cemeteries

Vector Data Type - Line

Examples of Lines Roads Rivers Contours Parcel Lines Railroads

Vector Data Type - Polygon

Examples of Polygons States Countries Counties Lakes Precincts

Data Type vs. Scale Large scale, small area Small scale, large area Cities as polygons Roads as polygons Rivers & Streams as polygons Small scale, large area Cities as points Roads as lines Rivers & Streams as lines

Data for GIS Applications Digitized and Scanned Maps Purchased or Free from Internet Created by users Databases Tables of data GPS – Global Positioning System Provides accurate locations Remote Sensing & Aerial Photography

Five Data Layers Rivers Cities Roads States Lakes

Asking a Question - Interaction

Databases can be Linked and Related

Accessing GIS Data Local User GIS Server Worldwide Users Local User Mobile User

Ways GIS is Used Emergency Services Environmental Business Government Fire, Police, Dispatch Environmental Monitoring & Modeling Business Site Location & Transportation Government Local, State, Federal

Map Templates

Training Opportunities ESRI http://training.esri.com/gateway/index.cfm?fa=catalog.gateway ICIT http://www.icit.state.ia.us/Committees/edu/Events/2007ESRITraining/ GeoTree - UNI http://www.geotree.uni.edu/

Free GIS Data Iowa Geological Survey U.S. Census Bureau http://www.igsb.uiowa.edu/nrgislibx/ U.S. Census Bureau http://factfinder.census.gov/jsp/saff/SAFFInfo.jsp?_pageId=gn7_maps University of Northern Iowa http://www.storm.uni.edu/rs/ Iowa Geospatial Data Clearinghouse http://maps.gis.iastate.edu/clearinghouse/explorer.jsp

Live Demo

Questions?

Jeff Miller, GIS Coordinator gis@dbqco.org (563) 589-7896 Contact Information Jeff Miller, GIS Coordinator gis@dbqco.org (563) 589-7896

ArcCatalog

ArcMap

Select by Attributes Select by any Layer in your Map Select the Field you wish to query Then the value you wish to find

Select by Location Choose which layers you wish to select Choose method of selection Choose which layer you are selecting by

Geocode an Address Type the Address and Zone (Zip Code) The software compares the address typed against the reference layer (roads) to find a match