Importing Tabular Data

Hey there, so this my last blog post for GIS.

With this map, Tables and XY coordinates were imported and joined to create the wonderful map below. The map tells of location contaminants along with their market value.

Georeferencing Rasters

This week's map focusses on  georeferencing tools, review of editing and creating shapefiles. This activity involved spatial referencing of two given raster files and linking common points between them and an already referenced shapefiles.  
The shapefiles, buildings and roads, were added to a new ArcMap document.  

The first raster image, uwf_n was added, and the transparency of each layer adjusted. The Georeferencing toolbar was then used to fit the raster image to be displayed. The Add Control feature was used to add ten static control points common to both layers. This was also done for uwf_s. There after the images came together creating a complete map with both images and both layers.

 With the first image using a 1st Order Polynomial Transformation with a total RMS error of 7.30332 and the second image used to perform a 2nd Order Polynomail Transformation with a total RMS error of 12.1157. 

After a new shapefile was added to insert the athletic fields, as well as a building and a road which were added to existing shape files, and the finishing map details were inserted. 

Data Search and Data Collection

B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L Orange Walk, " Suga City"

I was assigned that Orange Walk District this to do a data search and data collection map to express the different layers of Orange Walk.
To create this map a shape file of Belize was used (this was provided) and a base map was inserted. There after, the Oranger Walk District was extracted and displayed. Different layers of settlements, roads, water surface and protected areas were displayed. The data layers that were used were retrieved from the ArchGIS online search. Where Data Basin Datasets of:

• Settlements in Belize by International Travelers Map of Belize
• Roads of Belize by The Central American Commission of Environment and Development
• Protected areas by the Government Gazette Statutory Instruments 
• Belize Water Bodies

were used to have created this map.

So, this week's map was about GPS coordinates of trees, buildings and roads on the Univeristy of Belize Belmopan Campus grounds. We were all give Garmin 64 GPS devices to record the locations of three different species of trees, one building (making all for corners), and a road/walkway on the school grounds. After these locations were recorded, we then returned to the computer lab to import the features to ArcMap. The data that was imported was made into shapefiles using ArchCatalog  to create 3 individual shapefile. These shapes were opened in ArcMap were editing was done the points using the construction tool. Also, the attribute table was edited to insert names and characters of the plotted points. A base map was inserted of the University's grounds to indicate the plotted areas, and finally a may insert of the country of Belize was inserted with the finishes touches of north arrow, legend, title, author, date, scale bar and scale text. Below is the map indicating trees of Mango, Almond, and Mahogany, a road leading from the dorm rooms to Humming Bird building and a small building across from the gym. This map was a group effort, much say thank you to my group members Lisa Jones and Ronni Pech.

Projection and Coordinate Systems

The above map "Projections and Coordinates of Florida" was created using both ArcCatalog and ArcMap with the help of a cntbnd shapefile. To have received such a beautiful map, ArcToolbox was used to re-project the data-sets. After the data-sets were manipulated, both maps that were displayed and were altered to sit side b side to show their differences.  An extra field was added to the attribute table to insert a given area, where it was expressed by using the calculate geometry box, this was done for both maps. To indicate the counties of interest: Alachua, Escambia, Polk and Miami-Dade, they were displayed by running a SQL query. Their respective area value was also indicated by running another SQL query. This was done for both maps where the difference in area was seen.

GIS Cartography

The world of GIS is quite amazing. This week I learnt to make maps with cartography. To make these amazing map, ArcCatalog and ArchGIS were both used. Where the ArcCatalog helps by providing an integrated and unified view of all data files and databases, and ArcGIS documents available to ArcGIS users.

First off ArcCatalog was open to review the given datasets of eight (8) data layers. ArcMap was then open while ArcCatalog was still running in the background. This new document was saved as project /MXD and the properties title of this document was changed to Mexico, author Janel McNab.

NOW THE FUN PART BEGINS!!!

From ArcCatalog the datasets World_Countries, Mex-boundary and Americas_Admin were dragged and drop over to ArcMap. This first map will illustrate the boundaries of Mexican states. This was achieved by selecting attributes where an SQL query was run to select the country of Mexico. Thereafter a new layer was created to replace Americas_Admin. The template map was given labels to identify the different features, the color was edited, and other map features were inserted such as North arrow, scale bar, scale text, legend and title. But uniquely a dynamic text was edited and the author and date were inserted. A few more changes were done to re-naming of content and the finished product was saved and exported. Map one(1) seen below.

The second (2nd) map continues from the first map. The remaining layers mex_rails, mex_rivers, mex_roads, and mex_urban were added. Mex_rivers layer was categories to view only primary and major water systems. This was also done for the mex_roads layer to only display Federal. Advance labeling was done to themex_urban layer, where an SQL query was carried out to indicate all urban areas with more than a million people. The labels were converted to annotations so that the labels could be edited. An inset map was added to indicate the exact location being expressed. The map was rearranged and exported. The map of Mexico can be seen below, Map 2. 

The third map of this exercise is a continuation of the first and second map. This map expresses the layer of mex_elev, elevations using a stretched symbology. the color ramp was edited and displayed the entire country of Mexico to show the elevation. This map can be seen below, Map 3.

Exploring the world of GIS with the use of Cartography!!

My First World Map- Population for 2007

World Map: Countries and Cities Population for 2007

The map above was created using ArchMap 10.2.2. Where ten (10) files that make up 2 GIS layers called shapefiles were imputed to display the map. The map was modified where the popuation for 2007 was indicted and the color was change to show the different ranges of population, alos a north key, scale bar, scale text, title and key was inserted to enhance the look and understanding of the map. So my end product is the beautiful map above indicating the world's population for 2007.

Favorite Map of Belize

Belize is my home. Belize is who I am. 

This is my favorite map of Belize.

Map of Belize- Detailed
This map was taken from Island Expeditions.comClick Here

Maps tell a very delatied story of its country, and this map tells of the wonderful acivities and natural sites that Belize has to offer to its locals and foreigners alike.

This map shows fifteen (15) Archaeological sites around Belize and the districts in which they are located.

It also indiactes the different:

•  Cayes
• Districts( Belize, Cayo, Orange Walk, Corozal, Toledo and Stann Creek)
•  Diving sites
•  Capital Belmopan
• International Airport
• Air strips
• Major Towns and Villages

About Me!

Where do I start???

Well for starters my name is Janel V. McNab. Love dogs and fish with a passion.
I am the youngest of two (2) girls for my parents, Mr and Mrs McNab. I am of Scottish and Creole descent with a little bit of Spanish on the side.
Biology is my world, studied academic science at Edward P. Yorke High School, earned my Associate's degree in Marine Biology in 2014, now finishing up my Bachelor's degree in Biology and looking forward to getting my Master's degree in Fish Biology.