Month: September 2025

Chapter 4: This chapter was very helpful in learning how to label, organize, and combine data.I did have a few struggles within this chapter. My main struggles were in 4-1 and 4-2. In 4-1, the chapter told me to paste some of the data into a different folder so that it was available in multiple places. However, I was only able to paste one of the data sets into the correct folder. The other data set didn’t give me the option to paste it. Additionally, at the end of 4-1, the instructions told me to delete the tracts file from the geodatabase. This permanently deleted the information on that file. However, in 4-2, I needed the information on the file. I think that this is a part of the chapter that I might have to go back and redo to figure out if I messed that part up. Something that I thought was interesting was the use of parentheses to order attributes when selecting them. Another thing that I thought was interesting was the ability to select for specific attributes. While this can become a little confusing if it isn’t selected perfectly, it can be super useful when trying to narrow down the data on the map. I had some more struggles in 4-5. In this section, I struggled selecting the field in the attribute table for the neighborhoods in Pittsburgh. The book told me to select fields X and Y, but neither of those fields was an option, and I was not able to create them as an option. I also had struggles with the table in 4-6. In this table, the book wanted me to insert rows to assign categories to the crime types. However, the table wouldn’t allow me to insert any rows into it.

Chapter 5: While this chapter provided me with a lot of solid information, I ran into quite a few issues. In 5-1 to 5-3, it was super interesting learning about different coordinate systems and different easy-to-display maps. I never thought about how distorted a map may appear on a flat vs a rounded surface. The last part of 5-3 was where I began running into issues. The chapter didn’t provide any information on how to create your own map and add counties to it. I also ran into a few issues with displaying the libraries in 5-4; however, I was able to figure it out using a different method than the one the chapter explained in the book. In 5-5, I thought it was very interesting how many different websites held data that you could download and place onto a map in ArcGIS. In this section, I ran into quite a few problems. My first problem was that when using the Convert Table into Geodatabase tool, the BikeWorkData did not appear in my contents page. After about 30 minutes of trial and error, I eventually gave up and was not able to do any further work with the table since it would not appear. Additionally, in this section, the Light Grey Base didn’t have any valid data. I am wondering if this is connected with the table not appearing. I was also not able to figure out how to calculate the field tools. I entered the information that the book told me, but the tool said it wasn’t successful even after multiple attempts. Because of this, I wasn’t able to do any further work with this section. The last problem that I ran into was at the end of 5-6. When I searched transportation on the website linked in the chapter, bicycle count stations were not an option. There were only options for the bike paths.

Chapter 6: This chapter was very helpful in explaining specific examples of the many ways that GIS can be used by fire stations. I luckily didn’t have many struggles in this chapter. One of my struggles was that since I wasn’t able to create one of the tables in the previous chapter, I never learned how to combine tables. In this chapter, I tried to combine the tables, but a lot of the data ended up disappearing, so I’m not sure I did it correctly. I went back to the chapter to try to go over how to combine tables, but I am still quite confused about it. Additionally, I have completely forgotten how to select features on an attribute table. It would be more helpful if the chapter reviewed how to do this; however, I will have to return to previous chapters and review it myself. Something that intrigued me was how you could examine overlapping points of data to determine which streets, neighborhoods, and people were inside each fire zone. One of the most important things that I learned from this week’s chapter is not to work on this course at night. Staring at a computer and trying to problem solve when you are tired never ends well and just leads to you going to sleep frustrated.

Chapter 4).

In this chapter we actively worked with geodatabases through which data can be stored, analyzed, and more. In specific terms we worked on storing feature classes and raster data. Data tables can be related and joined. Something important to remember is that attribute, field, variable, and column are interchangeable names for the columns of data tables, and record, row, and observation are interchangeable names for the rows in a data table. We worked to use a shapefile which is a spatial data format for a single point, line, or polygon layer. I included a screenshot of my work converting a shapefile to a feature class and the tools used. 

In 4-2 we worked on deleting, creating, and modifying attributes as a crucial part of processing and display of our data. I included a screenshot of modifying attribute tables, particularly delete unneeded columns. As you can see in the table, only the needed five attributes remain at the top. 

For 4-2, step 4, there was only one basemap showing activated in the contents pane, not two of them. I included the your turn work for 4-2 in which I worked to modify the attribute table first through working in the fields section of data design. I also modified an alias, particularly the name field and changed it to the alias of city. This is shown in my screenshot. 

I extracted substring fields and concatenating string fields, calculating attribute fields, and sorting things around via the MaricopaTracts attribute table. There is a lot that goes on here and while I got through it no problem I don’t think I’ll be able to reproduce all of the steps right away. I think it is however super cool how we can extract parts of text strings and reassemble them into a new text field and calculate a range of values through precise expression inputs. In 4-3, I practiced carrying out attribute queries. The main function here is that essentially an attribute query selects attribute data rows and spatial features based on attribute values. There are simple and compound SQL criteria. 

In 4-3, step 7 of the query a subset of crime types using OR connectors and parentheses section: All of my dots were staying that light sky blue color on the map even though I had burglaries as green and robberies symbolized correctly with a dark red. I had no problem with the subsequent your turn exercise in which I edited the query and symbolized the burglaries with a dark red. For the last my turn exercise in tutorial 4 in section 4-6, I tried to symbolize crimes by giving each crime a different symbol but it didn’t go too well I think because there was a null class that was showing. The map didn’t look visually appealing and was hard to read as the null symbol was covering everything. 

I included a screenshot of the your turn exercise for 4-4 in which I created a choropleth map using graduated colors. The reason the red dots are still present is because I was yet to turn off the crime offenses layer.

Graduated symbols for the next your turn exercise for the following tutorial 4-5 is below. I created a point layer with the output features class of BurglariesByNeighborhoodPoints and then symbolized things. 

Chapter 5).

In the chapter five tutorial we explored sources of spatial data. We took a look into ArcGIS Living Atlas and both a US federal and a local data source. We worked with map projections and coordinate systems. I was unable to participate in some of the work in this tutorial as I am a strong believer in a flat Earth. Some really cool and meaningful questions come up in this chapter.   

I was unable to do tutorial 5-2 step 3 of the section called set projected coordinate systems for the United States. I tried clicking the USA Contiguous Albers Equal Area Conic about three or four times and every time it would freeze my ArcGIS Pro and I would have to fully shutdown my computer to get anything to load again. I simply proceeded to the your turn exercise that followed. When I tried implementing the different projections to the US map the same thing occurred. Given this 5-2 tutorial was very short and I understood the main point, I just moved on. 

In 5-3, I added a new layer to set a map’s coordinate system and then I added a layer that uses geographic coordinates. I include a screenshot of this and the symbology work with the tracts and multiplies layers is also shown. 

Tutorial 5-5 was super tough to get through and there were a lot of steps that required you to memorize and apply past steps and so I had to go back and remind myself but I got through it and the end result felt nice. As you can see in the screenshots below I joined data and created a choropleth map. I explored things by turning layers on and off. 

My next photo is from 5-6 where I was downloading geospatial data and extracting raster features for Hennepin County. There were a lot of technicalities and difficulties here too but with some time and going back to certain things for assistance, I was able to pull it through. 

For the very last part of tutorial 5-6, in which I attempted to download local data from a public agency hub, there was NO option for bicycle count stations (step 2). I tried downloading the data for the Hennepin County Bike and Pedestrian System but this did not work well. I’ve included a screenshot of the results when I tried to access the data for bicycle count stations via the agency hub.

Chapter 6).

In chapter 6 we furthered our understanding of geoprocessing. We used geoprocessing in past chapters but we built on its capacity here. Something significant we did is we used intersect, union, and tabulate Intersection tools to combine features and attribute tables for geoprocessing.

I included a screenshot for the first your turn exercise where I dissolved fire companies to create battalions and divisions.

At the end in tutorial 6-7, I studied the usage of the tabulate intersection tool. I worked with some interesting maps that relate to real world matters through exploring tracts and fire company polygons. I then used the used tabulate intersection to apportion the population of persons with disabilities to fire companies. The screenshot shows a zoom to fire company 76 and the next displays the DisabledPersonsPerFireCompany table that I created after running the tool. The last thing I did in this tutorial was use the summary statistics tool to create a TotalDisabledPersonsPerFireCompany table. I like how these processes and the work we practice here can and are used in the real world for planning purposes or joined to fire companies for map creation. Overall, I am feeling a bit more comfortable with things, but there is still a decent amount of confusion and I consistently have to refer back to previous steps and chapters for support.

 

Start work week 5 for final assignment:

Steps 1 and 2:

Zip code Data Layer:

In 2003, the zipcodes for Delaware County were reworked. When evaluating zip codes, there is collaboration between the Census Bureau, the United States Postal Service, and the U.S. Treasurer’s office. It says this data set is updated as needed but does not give specifics. It says it is published monthly, I guess indicating that any changes will only be seen on a monthly basis. 

Street Centerline Data Layer:

Ran by the The State of Ohio Location Based Response System. This is something I’ve never heard of before. Focuses on the center of pavement of both public and private roads. Some main functions are to assist emergency response teams, manage disasters, and even geocoding which we learned about this week. All fields are updated daily but 3-D fields are updated once a year. 

Recorded Document Data Layer. 

Involves record documents like annexations, vacations, or miscellaneous documents within the county. It says the data points show record documents within the county recorder’s plat books, cabinet/slides and instruments records. Not too familiar with these terms but above all, I have no idea what a plat book is. Can be helpful for locating lost or miscellaneous county documents. 

Survey Data Layer:

Point coverage that shows surveys of the land within the county. The recorder’s office and map department manage survey points. Up to May 2004, GIS staff scanned the surveys but after 2004 the map department took over. Important for providing legal and authorized info about land features and boundaries. 

GPS Data Layer:

GPS monuments in the ground or survey benchmark devices from 1991 and 1997. Why does it just include those established during these two years? I’m guessing this can be used for location data and important planning, management, and emergency services. Geographic patterns through GIS makes GIS even more powerful. I remember mentioning this in my post during week one I think it was.  

Parcel Data Layer:

Includes polygons of the official boundary lines that define a specific plot of land within a public record. Public record geometries are managed by the DelCo auditor’s GIS office. Any changes made are managed by the county recorder’s office. Important for providing detailed information on land use, land ownership, and I read land value as well. 

Subdivision Data Layer:

Managed by the county recorder’s office. Subdivisions mean that a large plot of land was divided into smaller parcels. The summary mentions condos as for example, a condo project can be a type of subdivision. Critical for urban planning, real estate, and governance at large. 

School District Data Layer:

Shows all school districts within the county. Important for data-centered decision making to improve education and schooling circumstances, thus bettering students. I think this data layer is important for resource allocation and makes that distribution more equitable. Facilities of schools can also be managed effectively with this data. 

Tax District Data Layer:

Shows all tax districts managed by the county auditor real estate office. Mentions that data is dissolved on the tax district code I guess meaning that data for a certain geographic area is done with or being merged due to an issue with whoever originally created the code. Important for municipal finance like billing and collection as well as property tax assessment. Can also be used for community planning and helping locals maybe understand what services they can get and whatnot. 

Township Data Layer:

This layer shows the 19 townships within DelCo. It shows very clear legal boundaries. Important for tracking and defining property rights especially if there is a large land tract or agricultural tracts. Also important for understanding how the township plays into the administrative duties of local, state and federal levels of governance. Looking at township data can be super useful for infrastructure projects and development.

Annexation Data Layer:

Data all the way back from 1853 to the current day that shows the county’s annexations and conforming boundaries. Important for showing how boundaries change and helps with many government functions. Super significant for census and demographic data and the Census Bureau relies heavily on this data layer.  

Address Point Data Layer:

Shows all certified addresses within the county and shows the location of the building’s centroid. Very helpful for reporting accidents or emergency situations. Has the capacity to reverse geocode a set of coordinates to provide the closest address which is highly useful for emergency response teams. I never really thought about this reverse geocoding but it is something that definitely occurs and is vital for say the police to find a suspect of the location of a crime. 

PLSS Data Layer:

Includes the public land survey system polygons for the US Military and the Virginia Military Survey Districts of the county. I’m not familiar with these US Military the Virginia Military Survey Districts but I can assume the PLSS layer is crucial for government records and legal descriptions for like when property is bought or sold per say. I read that in some cases historical land division and ownership regulations of guidelines still impact modern day property lines and so forth. 

Building Outline 2023 Data Layer:

Updated in 2023, this layer includes all the building outlines for all structures in the county. I think that this accurate representation of every structure is significant in general but I can see this layer being used a lot for urban planning considering the rise of urbanization as well as maybe things like smart cities or eco friendly cities. 

Condo Data Layer:

All of the condominium polygons for the county. As mentioned earlier in the subdivision data layer section, a condominium project is an example of a subdivision so this is kind of redundant unless condos are something incredible and it gives insight into this. I understand if this is used to focus strictly on condos but I don’t see why it can’t serve the same purpose in the subdivisions layer unless I am missing something here.

Farm Lot Data Layer:

Again there is this involvement of the US Military and the Virginia Military Survey Districts of the county for this layer that shows all the farms. Critical for modern agriculture and land management, helpful for maybe the efficiency of operations. Can help farmers and can help improve land and resource management that helps the economy and everyone. 

Precincts Data Layer:

Shows all of the precincts in the county. Helped run by the county board of elections. Helps to show and analyze voting patterns. This is important overall for supporting informed decision making in all election fields especially in the election and voting climate we live in today. Displays voting behavior and demographics. 

Delaware County E911 Data Layer:

This is a major one used to contribute to the pursuit of accurate and efficient emergency responses. Provides emergency dispatchers with emergency location and gives these first responders significant geographic data. The summary of the layers describes that it gives a spatially accurate representation of all certified addresses so these 911 events are handled smoothly. 

Original Township Data Layer:

Not much summary for this one but I guess it is used as like a legally-binding record for land ownership and administration and things like that. The layer description mentions that original boundaries of the county townships are shown. There is an indication that this layer is significant because these boundaries came before tax district changes modified their shapes and so forth. 

Dedicated ROW Data Layer:

This layer shows all lines classified as right – of – way in the county. This layer maps and helps to manage areas of land use like transportation and utilities. This is important because while a probity wonder may own a part of the land, the public has the right to use the land for a certain purpose like I mentioned before. I can see how this can create conflict with landowners or homeowners and such. 

Building Outline 2021 Data Layer:

Updated in 2021, this layer shows the outlines for all structures in the county. I already read about the building outline 2023 layer and so I’m confused on why this earlier layer would be used. Especially for infrastructure and buildings, the most recent and updated outlines are utilized. I can see if this is used to track changes, or comparing historical data maybe when managing a complex project or something. 

Map Sheet Data Layer:

When I first heard map sheets I thought of a single standalone printed map. What I understand is that it can be a single map in a larger series that way a data can separate different types of data like roads and rivers. I guys if you have different management sheets you can better see things rather than having everything thrown into one image or whatever. 

Hydrology Data Layer:

Shows all major waterways within DelCo. Enhanced in the past with LIDAR based data. This must be incredibly useful for spatially representing all water related features. This can then be used to manage and protect both man made water systems and natural bodies of water as the more common of the two here in DelCo and probably everywhere. 

ROW Data Layer:

Again, this consists of all lines that are designated as right – of – way in the county. Why is this different from the one I already read about called the designated ROW data layer. Does one of them involve future planning and considerations of ROW. Does one of them involve the actual and current ROW classifications or regulations? I’ve never heard of ROW and so I’m a bit confused. 

Address Points DXF Data Layer:

Shows the accurate positions of addresses within a given parcel within the county. The state of Ohio and DelCo worked collectively to formulate this layer. Again, this is another layer as to why this is different from the original address points data layer I read about. I looked into the DXF in the name which stands for Drawing Exchange Format. It says this is the file format used to distribute GIS data to people like surveyors and just the general public. 

2024 Aerial Imagery Data Layer:

This layer includes the 2024 3in Aerial Imagery. This imagery was recorded in 2024 as it says drones or whatnot were flown then in the spring time. This is so very useful for enhancing the visual content that GIS works with and as a result that those who work with GIS work with. This data can allow for better mapping and visualization of the Earth’s surface for a range of applications. 

2022 Leaf – On Imagery SID File Data Layer:

This layer shows imagery with a 12in resolution from the year 2022. There isn’t much summary but I can infer this is aerial or satellite images taken during like a growing season where trees and things have leaves. I guess the timing of this is super important for certain functions and analysis to be done. 

Street Centerlines DXF Data Layer:

The  Drawing Exchange Format showing the center of pavement of public and private roads in the county. It says that address range data which is like a span collection of addresses represented by a value pertaining to one side of the road versus the other. It says this data was collected by field observation of address locations that do exhaust and by adding or maybe even changing addresses through building permit info. 

Building Outlines DXF Data Layer:

The Drawing Exchange Format for all outlines of structures in the county. A summary was not loading and I was having trouble opening things. 

Delaware County Contours Data Layer:

This is a data layer from 2018 of two foot contours. These two foot contours connect points of equal elevation with a distance up and down of two feet between the lines. I wonder if LIDAR was or is used. This allows for visualization of things like elevation and terrain features. Terrain features with a specific political or whatever boundary can be visualized through this layer.

2021 Imagery SID File Data Layer:

2021 image data. I’m not sure if this pertains to general aerial imagery or leaf on imagery. I was confused on this SID acronym but I looked into it and it said that SID is a Multi-resolution Seamless Image Database.

Sidenote: I was unable to access some of the data layers whatsoever. I tried multiple times to reload things but the system would not work. I had only a couple left to read and review, not sure why these final layers malfunctioned. I read the summary from the main page and got what I could out of them without clicking on them. This occurred for only two or three layers. 

Steps 4, 5, and 6:

I downloaded these three data sets: Parcel, Street Centerline, and Hydrology. I then created a map that shows all three but I have no idea if I did it right. I was having trouble extracting the files and getting them to show up as I opened a new project. I bypassed that by opening a map on the ArcGIS pro home screen and then working through things. Here is a screenshot. 

Chapter 1

In Chapter 1, I learned several basic but useful skills, such as how to zoom in and move the map to focus on specific areas. I also discovered how to access and disable pop-up windows. Additionally, I learned how to create bookmarks for easy navigation.I explored how to turn different map features on and off to customize the view to my needs, as well as how to access the data tables associated with those features. One of the more useful things I learned was how to view the map in 3D.

Chapter 2

In Chapter 2, I learned how to customize map symbols by resizing, reshaping, and changing their colors. I also learned how to create histograms to represent data visually. Additionally, I gained an understanding of how to color and define borders clearly, making sure they’re easy for the viewer to interpret. I also learned how to set label visibility limits so that labels only appear when zoomed in, keeping the map clean and uncluttered at wider views.

Chapter 3

In Chapter 3, I learned how to insert maps into a document, label them properly, and create clear, informative legends. This chapter also covered how to share maps online. Additionally, I learned how to format pages and add guidelines to ensure the layout is symmetrical and visually appealing. The maps shown below are the ones I created while working through this chapter.

Chapter 4: 

This chapter taught me how to convert data points into the maps within GIS while using SQLs to search certain types of statistics. Learning how to create spatial joints was very helpful in understanding the data I was looking at within the map

Chapter 5: 

This chapter taught me how to change maps into a much broader, worldwide view of the map . I was looking at it. Learning how to understand spatial phenomena was really interesting and it helped me to get a better appreciation of GIS and its applications.

Chapter 6;

This chapter taught me how to break apart maps into smaller districts and neighborhoods. This helped me to understand the data I was looking at better. Overall, this chapter was the most challenging for me, but finally figuring everything out was very satisfying. 

Chapter 4

In chapter 4 I learned about modifying attribute tables, carrying out attribute queries, aggregating data with spatial joins, using central point features for polygons, and creating a new table for a one-to-many join. I started this chapter off with no problems and it was pretty easy to follow along. I had troubles with 4-2 when trying to delete rows from the attribute table. An error message would pop up when I tried to save it and I even went to the website which gave me suggestions to fix it and I still couldn’t figure it out. I skipped the chapter but the next day I went back to it and somehow got it to work and finished the chapter. The rest of the chapter was interesting and took some time but I got it all figured out.

Chapter 5

Chapter 5 was about working with map projections,  coordinate systems, vector data formats, US Census maps and data tables, and finally how to download geospatial data. I enjoyed exploring the different map projections and coordinate systems to see how it affected the map. Working with the US Census maps and data tables gave me a little trouble and I ended up messing up the final product. When working with the bicyclist data between male and females I made a mistake. The data files were already supposed to be in percentage form but they were not so I must have made a mistake at some point. I did go back but I am not sure where I made a mistake. I still finished the tutorial but it wasn’t correct and I wasn’t able to see a pattern between the Male and Female bicyclists. I had a few other problems but with some quick google searches I got them figured out. I realized during this chapter that I was becoming much more familiar with where things are and the tutorials weren’t taking as long. 

Chapter 6

Chapter 6 included dissolving features, extracting and clipping features for a study area, merging features, intersecting features, using union on neighborhoods and land-use features, and Using the tabulate intersection tool. I was able to get through this chapter pretty quickly. My only problem was in tutorial 2, where I was extracting and clipping features for a study area. After I selected groups by area, I was supposed to select the remaining block groups with the selection tool but every time I tried It would deselect the other groups. I had to redo the whole process multiple times and I still couldn’t figure it out so I had to move on. By the end of this week I feel more comfortable with the interface but there is still a lot that confuses me.

Chapter 4:

In this chapter I learned how to input data into arcgis.

 I also had a hard time understanding about qry part in tutorial 3. 

I learned how to be able to aggregate data with spatial joints.

 

Chapter 5:

In this chapter I learned how to look at the longitude and latitude on a map. 

I learned how to set projected coordinate systems. 

I also learned how to import a shapefile into a file geodatabase and then add it to a map.

 

Chapter 6:

In this chapter I learned how select by attributes to create a study area on a map/

I learned how to be able to calculate acreage using a calculate geometry attribute tool.

I learned how to use select by location to be able to create study area block groups.

Chapter 4:

Chapter 4 went over how to convert data into geodatabases, along with modifying attribute tables and fields and using SQL query criteria to search and narrow in on certain types of crimes. There was also one section that taught how to make a centroid have a central point which you could in turn relate it to a specific value and specific size based on that value to visually show what area has a certain higher rate of the value.

Chapter 5:

Chapter 5 went over creating a world map projection, setting up a coordinated system and downloading data and creating a spatial map of it. A lot of this chapter dealt with the coordinate systems from properties tab and tools.

Chapter 6:

Chapter 6 went over dissolving block types of polygons to create neighborhoods, extracting neighborhoods using attributes to study an area, merging features, and intersecting streets and fire companies to look at various data for fire companies.

Delaware Data Inventory & Final Exam:

Looking at some of the data layers, it looks like there are ones for zip code, streets, GPS monuments and many more. These layers are sorted into 6 Data categories; Land data (physical features as data layers), DXF Files (Addresses, streets, etc..), Transportation (Layer concerning transportation like railroads), All Files (Everything available), Election Data (Precincts), Imagery (Satellite imagery of Delaware county)

(Really blurry for some reason, but contains Parcels, Hydrology, and Street Center Lines of Delaware)

Chapter 1-

This chapter taught me basically how to navigate the software, like how to access different tabs and what they’re used for, and creating or using bookmarks .

 

Chapter 2-

I had some issues figuring out how to apply the labels at first, but eventually I got there once I realized I have to wait until after the settings are done to click the label button. Overall didn’t have too much trouble with anything else, and was able to go through the tutorials smoothly.

Chapter 3-

This chapter had me working with layout, charts, and how to create these maps to be easily readable for people who don’t regularly work with maps or aren’t familiar with the topic or area you’re mapping. It also taught me how to share maps to ArcGIS Online. I had some issues sharing it, because none of my files would show up in the files explorer, it would just tell me that my “container is empty”. Consequently, I couldn’t find the tags or summary box fields to complete. I ignored that and still shared both maps. I had no trouble navigating the ArcGIS Online portion of this chapter.

 

Week 5:

Chapter 4: In this chapter, I learned how to input data. One thing that did trip me up was that attribute, field, variable, and column are interchangeable names for the columns of data tables, and record, row, and observation are interchangeable names for the rows in a data table.

Chapter 5: In this chapter, I worked with coordinate planes, vector data, and US census data. I did not run into any issues through this chapter; it just took me a second to find all the buttons. 

Chapter 6: In this chapter, I worked on merging features. I thought it was going to be harder than it actually was. The rest of this chapter went smoothly as well.