Exercise 1 – Using ArcMap
1. Start ArcMap using either the icon on the
Geographic Information System
(GIS)
Training
(14th Ashar– 24th Ashar 2072)
Gentle Exercise on GIS
Raghu N. Prajapati
raghunp@nec.edu.np
4. ArcMap will open the document file and
display its contents. You’ll see the table
of contents contains one Data Frame
named Base Data. This frame contains
six layers, none of which are turned on.
Turn on the Dist_Headquarters_84,
Major_roads, Major_River, Nepa_Districts
and Chitawan_VDCs layers.
5. Notice the Tools toolbar with the basic
navigation tools that you are familiar
with? Currently that toolbar is docked to
the Table of Contents (TOC). Use the
mouse to undock the toolbar by selecting
the toolbar handle and dragging it to the
map display.
6. Close the toolbar by clicking the X in the
upper right corner.
3 4
10. Open the Data Frame’s property sheet
using the Context Menu - click the
“Base Data” data frame in the Table of
Contents, then right click and select the
Properties option.
11. See all the tabs and the features
available for a data frame? There is
much to explore here at some other
time. Select the Data Frame tab and
select a fixed scale of 500,000 and
press OK. Scroll around, zoom and
pan. What happens?
12. Open the Data Frame Properties again.
Set the Extent to be a Fixed Extent.
What happens then?
13. Reset the Data Frame Extent property
to be Automatic….
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desktop or using Start Menu | ArcGIS | ArcMap.
2. ArcMap will open, display a banner and then
present you with the opening dialog*.
Set the option to Open an existing Map,
Highlight “Browse for maps…” and click OK.
*Don’t see the startup dialog window? Once ArcMap
opens go to Tools | Options and under the General tab
check the box beside “Show startup dialog”. The next
time ArcMap opens the dialog will appear. Now go to
File | Open and continue to step 3.
3. Navigate to \GIS
Training\Day_1_Introduction\ select the
Day_1 document, then click Add.
2
7. Re-open the Tools toolbar using View |
Toolbars and check the Tools toolbar
option.
8. Use the navigation tools to move around
the display:
A. Use the Zoom tool to hone in on an
area of your choosing
B. Note the scroll bars on the exterior
right and bottom of the display?
These are alternatives to the Pan
tool. Try them…
C. Use the Full Extent tool to return to
the full extent of the state
D. Use the Pan tool to move around
E. Press the Back and Forward extent
buttons to get a feel for how those
tools work
9. Note the scale setting in the Standard
toolbar. Change the scale to 1:3,000,000.
14. Zoom to the Full Extent using the Full
Extent button.
15. Change the display to the Layout View
by clicking the Layout View button.
16. The Layout toolbar now appears. This
toolbar contains tools that let you roam
the Map Page. Dock this toolbar if you
like.
17. Use the Layout toolbar to zoom in, pan,
and roam around the page.
18. Use the Zoom to Whole Page button.
Layout Toolbar
19. Notice that the Tools toolbar is still
visible. What happens if you use the Zoom to Whole page
Zoom tool from the Tools toolbar on
the Layout?
Tools Toolbar
1
21. Return to the Data View by clicking
the Data View button.
22. Change the Table of Contents (TOC) to
the Source tab. Note that you now see
the actual sources of the layers you are
viewing.
23. Layers are organized by data source -
you can’t rearrange the order of the
layers in this tab. . .
Switch back to the Display tab and
rearrange the Layer order
24. Now press the Selection tab in the
TOC – see that all of the layers are
currently selectable?
25. Close ArcMap using File | Exit. Do not
save the ArcMap document.
You have completed exercise 1.
5. A default Data Frame called
“Layers” is created.
6. Open the data frame’s properties by
double-clicking the name “Layers”
in the TOC.
7. Make the General tab active and set
the properties as follows:
A. Name – Working Data Frame
B. Description – This frame is the
basis for much of my work
C. Map units - Meters
D. Display units – Feet
8. Make the Coordinate System Tab
active and set the coordinate system
to PREDEFINED – Projected
Coordinate Systems – UTM –
NAD83 - Zone 15N. All data
displayed will be projected to this
coordinate system.
9. Select the Frame tab and set the
Border, Background, and Drop
Shadow to your preferences.
14. Edit the property sheet by double-clicking
the Nepa_Districts layer name in the
TOC, or by right-clicking on the layer and
choosing Properties.
15. Make the General Tab active and change
the name to “Nepal Districts”. Click
Apply to make the change without closing
the property sheet.
16. Make the Selection Tab active, set the
selection Symbol to have a red outline,
and press Apply.
17. Select the Symbology Tab to create a
legend for this data.
18. Create the legend using these steps:
A. Select Categories | Unique Values
B. Set the Value Field to “DISTRICT”
C. Press the Add All Values button
D. Select the color scheme of your choice
Exercise 2 – Working with Layers
1. Start ArcMap using either the icon on the
desktop or Start Menu | ArcGIS |ArcMap.
2. At the opening dialog, set the option to “A new
empty map” and click OK. ArcMap will open
with nothing in it – a “clean slate”.
3. Open the Map Document’s property sheet using
File | Document Properties.
4. Fill out the Map Property sheet as shown to the
right:
A. Title = ArcMap Training Class Exercise 2
B. Subject = Data Frames and Layer
C. Author = put your name here
D. Category = Training
E. Keywords = ….
Click OK to close.
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10. Accept and close the dialog by
clicking OK.
11. Next, add a layer to ArcMap. There
are multiple ways to do this, but for
now, right-click on the Working
Data Frame and select Add Data.
12. The Add Data dialog will open. Use
the Connect to Folder button to set
a quick connect to \GIS
Training_NEA\GIS Training
Data\Day1_Introduction
\Data. It will now be easy to get
back to this source for data.
13. Highlight the layer
Nepa_District.SHP and then click
Add. You will have a new theme in
your data frame that has been
assigned a generic set of properties.
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19. Remove the polygon outlines:
A. Right-click on any color patch and select
“Properties for All Symbols…”
B. Change the outline color to “No Color”
20. Click OK to apply the changes and close
the dialog. Your display should look
something like the this:
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2
21. Change any of the legend colors by 23. Now, let’s create a layer file for the
single-clicking on the color patch in the Nepal_Districts. A layer file is like a
legend and choosing new options from theme in Arcview 3.3. It stores
the Symbol Selector. Play around a bit to symbolization and reference to
get a handle on changing the symbols. geographic data stored on disk.

22. Notice how long the legend is in the table

of contents? Collapse the legend by 24. File: Save As Layer File…
clicking the plus (+) next to the
Nepal_Districts layer name. 25. Save as the default name assigned -
Nepal_Districts.lyr. Click Save. We will
use this layer in the later Exercise 4.

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26. Add a couple more layers using ArcCatalog. Click the ArcCatalog button on the 31. Make sure the Nepal_Districts
ArcMap interface. layer is on the bottom of the
TOC.
27. ArcCatalog will open. See that the “\GIS Training_NEA\GIS Training
Data\Day1_Introduction” Quick-connect link you created is listed? 31. Edit the properties of these layers
whatever you like and change the
28. Highlight the \ GIS Training_NEA\GIS Training symbology as per requirement
Data\Day1_Introduction. connect point and see the data layers in that
folder on the right side of ArcCatalog.

29. Arrange ArcCatalog and ArcMap so that you see both on the Desktop.
30. Highlight the S Dist_Headquarters_84, Major_roads, Major_River,
Nepa_Districts and S Chitawan_VDCs.shp layers and drag them into the
ArcMap TOC.

15 16

33. Time for some labels. Open the properties 36. One nice label effect is using a Halo
of the Nepal_Districts layer and click the mask. Select the Properties button from
Labels tab. Specify the following: the Symbol Selector window.
• Check Label Features in this layer 37. The Symbol Editor window will appear.
• Method: Label all the features the same Make the Mask tab active. (You could
way also edit and set the symbol of the Halo
• Set the text string to be the Label field here if you wish.)
• Open the Scale Range dialog and specify
that the labels should not be displayed 38. Set the Style to be Halo, then click OK to
when zoomed out beyond 1:15840. Click close all symbol windows.
OK to continue.

34. Click OK. If your View scale is 15,840 or

less, the labels will show. If it is
something greater, enter a number smaller
than 15,840 in the Standard Toolbar to
trigger the labels to show.

35. Now pretty up those labels: Open the

Property sheet again, this time selecting
the Symbols button from the Label tab.
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3
39. Save your project using File | Exercise 3 – Exploring Your
SaveAs. Save the file as \
GIS Training_NEA\GIS
Data
Training Data\Day1
Exercise2.mxd
1. Start ArcMap using either the icon on the
desktop or Start Menu |ArcGIS | ArcMap.
40. Close ArcMap using File |
Exit.
2. At the opening dialog, select “An
Existing map:” and select the map
41. You have completed the document you created in Exercise 2– it
exercise 2. should the be top one listed in the dialog.

3. Start investigating data by finding a

Scientific and Natural Area. To do this,
use the Find tool. There are two ways to
access the Find tool, Edit | Find or the
Find tool on the Tools toolbar.

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4. The Find dialog window will

8. Double-click a feature in the Find
appear. Set the options as follows:
dialog and it will flash on the
A. Find: Day1 Exercise2.mxd display.
B. In :
9. You can also set a bookmark. Right-
C. Search: All Fields
click on the first record and select
5. Execute the search by pressing Find. Create Bookmark. It will
automatically be named. (You could
6. ArcMap will display any record that also go to View: Bookmarks to set a
you has type as part of a text field. bookmark.)
How many features did you find?
10. Close the Find dialog.
7. Zoom to the extent of these features
11. Zoom to the full extent of the data
by holding [shift] and clicking on a
in your Data Frame.
bunch of records, then right-clicking
and choosing the Zoom to option. 12. Now zoom to the Bookmark by
going to View | Bookmarks, then
Your display will zoom to the extent
select your bookmark. (The name of
of these features.
the bookmark shown here may be
different from yours depending on
which record you have selected.)
21 22

13. Turn on all the layers. 18. Close the Overview window.

14. Open the Overview window using Window | 19. Use the Find tool to search for Place, e.g.
Overview. Gorkha . It will show in

15. An Overview window shows your zoom
location in the full extent of the data. The
Overview layer must be set. Right-click the
window’s blue banner and select Properties.
Set the Reference Layer to Nepal Districts
with Labels and press OK. The country with
District should now appear.
16. Zoom and pan around the data view - see how
the Overview window reacts?
17. Now move the rectangle in the Overview. See
how the Data View responds?
23
22. Open the Magnifier window using
Window | Magnifier.
23. The Magnifier window shows you a
default 400% enlargement of the area
under the center of the window.
24. If you grab the window and move it, a
bulls-eye will appear (this is the center of
the Magnifier window). When you
release the window, a blow-up of that
area is displayed.
25. Right-click on the Magnifier blue banner
and select Properties. In the Magnifier
Properties window, change the
magnification property
to be a fixed scale of 15,840.
24
Close the magnifier window.

4

26 Open the Magnifier window and
move it so you can see some of the
boundaries in the window.
27 Make sure that all the layers
exception of Nepal District and
Majorriver layer are turned off. Use
the Identify tool and select a stand
in the Magnifier window. The
identify from: is set to visible
layers.
28 The Identify Results window will
appear and show you the attributes
for the stand that you selected.
32. In the Selection tab, Clear any
selected features by right-clicking on a
layer, then choosing Clear Selected
Features.
33. Save your map document as
EXERCISE 3.mxd using File | Save
As and close ArcMap.
You have completed exercise 4.
4. Table fields can be quickly
analyzed for their content. Right-
click on the field Acres_tot and
choose Statistics.
Note: If records are selected,
statistics are only calculated for
those records . . .
5. Notice the frequency distribution
of the data? Lots of small fires,
very few large ones. Close the
window. (Since the data changes
often, your statistics result may be
different from the picture here.)
Close the Statistics window.
6. Now select a record from within
the table: click the grey square to
the left of a record.
7. Select several more by holding
[ctrl] and clicking the grey
squares beside them.
29. Click the Selection tab in the TOC.
All layers in this data frame appear
(the checkbox shows if the layer is
“selectable” or not). At this point, all
layers are selectable.
30. Using the Select Features tool, draw
a rectangle around some features.
Because all layers are selectable,
ArcMap will select features in all of
them. (In the Selection tab you’ll see
the number of features selected from
each.)
31. Set only one layer to be selectable
one of two ways:
A. In the Selection tab uncheck all
boxes except for one, or
B. In the Display tab right click on a
layer and choose Selection: Make
This The Only Selectable layer.
25 26
Exercise 4 – Working with Tables
Start ArcMap using either the icon on the desktop or Start
Menu | ArcGIS | ArcMap.
1. Select the map document from
Day4_Table_Operation_Map Compose , it should
the be top one listed in the dialog.
2. Turn on the Wildfires Tracked by Minnesota
DNR layer. Open the Attribute Table via Right-
click | Open Attribute Table.
3. Find the field named
“Start_Date”. Click its name to
make it active, then right-click
and choose Sort Ascending.
• Which is the earliest reported fire?
• Which is the latest reported fire?
• How many total reported wildfires
are in this layer?
27 28
8. Click the Show: Selected button.
Much easier than scrolling
through a table to find selected
records, no?
9. Return to all records by clicking
Show: All.
10. Clear the selected records
by Clicking Options and
choosing Clear Selection.
11. Try building a query to find out
how many fires were started after
10:00pm, and how many of those
were arson.
Click Options and choose Select
by Attributes.
29 30
5
12. As we want to start a new query, keep
the default query method “Create
new selection”.
13. Queries are “sentences” we build that
the computer replies to. Each query
needs a subject, an operand, and a
predicate . . .
Double-click the “Start_time” field
to drop it down into the query box.
This is our subject.
14. Click the “>” symbol to drop it down
into the query box as our operand.
15. Click Get Unique Values, then
double-click 2200 to drop the value
into the query box as our predicate.
17. Right click the field name “Start_date”
again and choose Freeze/unfreeze
column.
18. Right-click the field name “Acres_tot”
and choose Freeze/unfreeze column.
19. Now scroll the table to the right so that
you can see the other fields. See how the
two frozen fields stay on the left side of
the window?
20. Click Show: Selected. It should show
all the fire incidents that you had
queried.
21. Now we can more easily
explore our query results.
(Your result may be different from the
picture here.)

16. Click Apply to run the query.

31 32

22. Let’s do another query. How many of
these selected fire incidents are due to
arson? Click on Options | Select by
Attributes.
23. Change the query method as “Select
from current selection”.
24. Double-click the “Cause” field, click
the “=” symbol, click Get Unique
Values, then double-click
“Incendiary/Arson”.
27. Should you have built that entire query
at once, it would have looked something
like this:
You can save complex queries by
clicking Save (you could then load that
query for use in a different project or a
different time by clicking Load).
28. Show the results of your query in a
graph. Click Options | Create Graph.

25. Click Apply to run the query. 29. Select the Graph type to
make and the Value field
26. How many of the fires were caused by
to Start_time.
arson? (Hint: look at the number in the
lower part of the attribute table window).
Ack! Large data sets can
create very messy graphs –
notice how all records are
graphed and selected records
are shown in their selected
color? (This can be changed by
33 34
clicking Next).

30. What happens if you change the 33. Summarize the Cause field
Value field to Cause? Why isn’t it by Acres_tot, then sum,
listed? Character fields can’t be
graphed – only numerical fields.
save the new summary table as
\training\ArcMap\Intro\Sum_
31. This table will not produce the output.dbf,
graph results we want. So how do
we get statistics and/or graph a text
field? We need to summarize . . . then click OK.

Let’s say we want to summarize the

data by how many total acres were
burned due to each cause of 34. Click Yes to add the
ignition. resulting table to the map
document.
First, because summarize works
only on selected records if there are
35. Now right-click the new table name
any, first click Options | Clear
selected. under the Source TOC tab (it won’t be
listed under the Display or Selection
tabs) and choose Open.
32. Now right-click the Cause field
name and choose Summarize.
35 36

6
 36. Click Options | Create 39. The window that appears can now be
Graph. included in your ArcMap project or
copied and pasted elsewhere.
37. Select the following:
A. Graph type: Pie 40. Save your map document as
B. Table: Sum_output EXERCISE5.mxd using File |
C. Value field: Sum_Acres_tot SaveAs.
D. Sort field: Cause
E. Label field: Cause
41. Now onto the most asked-about task
F. Color: Palette
of attribute tables: calculating length
and click Next.
and area.

38. Change the graph title to

We’ll work with the Scientific and
“Total Acres of Wildfires by
Natural Areas layer. As data from
Cause”, then click Finish.
network DRS is read-only and we
need to append the attribute table with
area calculations, we first must save
the data locally.

Switch to Display tab, Right-click the

layer in the TOC and choose Data |
37 Export data. 38

42. Choose to export all features and save 47. Now right-click on the new field
the data as name and choose Calculate
\DNR_training\SNAs.shp. Click OK. Geometry.

43. Click Yes to add the data to the TOC 48. Click Yes to perform the calculation
as a layer. outside of an edit session.

44. Right-click the new layer and choose 49. Choose to calculate Area, Take the
Open Attribute Table. default – Use coordinate system of
the data source: PCS: NAD 1983
UTM Zone 15N. Select Acres US
45. In the table click Options | Add Field. (AC). Click OK.

46. Give the field the name “Acres” and
choose double, make it a Float type
with Precision of 8 and Scale of 4
(remember that precision is the length
of the field, and scale is the number of
places to the right of the decimal . . .)
then click OK.
39
50. Repeat steps 45-49, this time
choosing to calculate Perimeter.
50. Save your map document as
EXERCISE5.mxd using File |
SaveAs and close ArcMap.
You have now completed exercise 5.
40

Exercise 6 – Labels and 5. Check the “Label Features in this

Annotation
1. Start ArcMap using either the icon
on the desktop or Start Menu |
ArcGIS | ArcMap.
2. At the opening dialog, set the
option to “An Existing map:” and
select the map document you used
in Exercise 5 – it should the be top
one listed in the dialog.
3. Highlight the Layer Wildfires
Tracked by Minnesota DNR and
right-click to open the layer’s
Properties.
4. Press the Labels tab. We are going
to label the features with the
starting date of the fire.
layer” and set the Label Field to
“Start_Date”, then press OK to
close the Layer Properties window.
Right-click the Wildfires Tracked
by Minnesota DNR on the TOC,
select Label Features.
5. Zoom and pan around the screen,
noting how the labels are displayed
differently as scale dictates.
6. We don’t want the labels to show
up at small scales (large areas) so
access the layer’s properties
AGAIN and set the Scale Range so
the labels only show up at a scale
less than 200,000.

41 42

7
 12. Press OK until all of the windows are closed and
8. Now add the Acres text to the label the labels appear as we want them to.
so
it looks like this: 5/30/2005 13. A nice feature of ArcMap is the ability to specify
40 Acres “Masks” around text labels, making them easy to
read even when placed on similar colors.
9. To do this, specify a label
“Expression” of several fields. 14. Open the property sheet for the Wildfires layer,
Click Expression on the Label tab access the Labels tab and then follow these steps:
of the Properties sheet.
A. Press the Symbol button
10. The expression we want to use is: B. Press Properties on the Symbol Selector
[START_DATE] & vbNewLine &
[ACRES_TOT] & " Acres“
C. Make the Mask tab active
D. Set the Mask Style to HALO
A. Double-click [START_DATE] E. Press OK to close all the windows
B. Type in & vbNewLine &
C. Double-click [ACRES_TOT]
D. Type in & “Acres”

11. Verify that the expression you

entered is correct using Verify
button.

43 44

15. Now set the labeling properties for the Scientific and Natural Areas and State
Parks layers – you can choose the symbols you want the for the labels but make
sure that the two are different:
A. For State Parks, use the “Long_Name” field for labels
B. For Scientific and Natural Areas use the “Unit_Name” field for labels
19. The lecture discussed converting labels to annotation. You convert because we
cannot move/edit labels individually, but can move and edit annotations
individually. Right-click on State Park Statutory Boundaries layer, Convert
Labels to Annotation.

16. Zoom and Pan around and see what you’ve ended up with … Then, zoom to
Itasca State Park. Do you remember how to use FIND tool, then Zoon to the
Selected?

20. First choose to Convert Labels to

17. Try to move some of the labels using
Annotation. Store Annotation In the map,
the select element tool.
Leave Convert unplaced labels to unplaced
Can you select them? Why not?
annotation checked,

18. Save the project as

then click Convert.
EXERCISE6.MXD.

45 46

21. The labels are converted. You may get an 24. With some annotation selected, right-click
overflow annotation window - this lists all the and choose Properties. This is where you
annotation not placed on the map due to various can modify font, size, rotation, spacing, et
reasons (leave this window up for now). cetera for selected annotation. Make some
changes and click OK when finished.
22. Select one of the State Park’s annotation using
the Select Element tool.

25. Do you want to place some of the unplaced

23. Once selected (highlighted in blue), you annotation? Right-click on one of the
can move it, resize it, or right-click and annotation elements in the Overflow
get a context menu of other tasks. Annotation window and choose Add
Annotation.
Try moving and resizing annotation.

47 48

8
26. Maybe you changed your mind about Exercise 7 – Layout Basics
the group of annotation you just
created? Delete annotation by right- 1. Start ArcMap using either the icon on
clicking on the data frame and the desktop or Start Menu | ArcGIS |
choosing Properties. ArcMap.

27. Click the Annotation Groups tab. 2. At the opening dialog set the option to
“An Existing map:” and select the
document – EXERCISE6.MXD you
28. Select State Park Statutory created in Exercise 6.
Boundary and click Remove Group.
Click OK to close the Data Frame 3. Construct a 11 x 17 map of Itasca State
Properties window. Park. Set the page layout using File |
Page and Print Setup.
29. Go to File | Save As to save your
project again. 4. Uncheck the “Use Printer Paper
Settings” and instead set the Page size
to Tabloid and set the Orientation to
Landscape.
5. Check the “Scale Map Elements
proportionally to changes in Page
You have now completed Exercise 6. If Size” option and click OK. The sample
you have time, continue onto the next page in the lower right corner of the
page to try the Challenge section . . . 49 dialog changes to match your settings. 50

6. Don’t worry about the printer (we’ll change

that later). Press OK to save the settings. 10. Make sure that the Select Elements tool is
active on the Tools toolbar. Arrange the
Data Frame so that it occupies the left two
7. Switch to the Layout view using View | thirds of the page.
Layout View or by using the Layout View
button on the bottom of the page. 11. Set the map scale to 1:50,000 .

8. Notice the display changes to resemble a 12. Use Insert | Title to add a title element.
piece of paper and that the Layout toolbar is
13. Change the text to read “Itasca State Park
now displayed?
Trail System”.

9. On this map we want the following data: 14. Arrange the title on the
A. State Park Boundaries
page as it is shown to the right.
B. State Park Trails
Double-click the title text
C. FSA Imagery and edit the text so it is two
You’ve already added the FSA imagery and lines (“Trail System” on the
state park boundaries in earlier exercises. second line).
Now access QuickLayers and add the State
Park Trails: State Park Hiking Trails layer
in the Facilities Thematic Category.
51 52

15. Add a north arrow using Insert | North Arrow. 15. Add a legend using Insert | Legend.

16. Select any north arrow you wish and arrange and size it on the map.
17. Add a scalebar using Insert | Scalebar.
18. Select a scalebar representation and arrange and size it on the map
(double-click to edit its properties to show map units in miles).
16. By default, all layers are added to the
legend. Highlight any layers you do not
want to include and move them back to the
left side of the dialog, then click Next.
17. Name the legend, select font options, and
select default symbology shapes for the
layers, then click Next.

18. Select a border, background, drop shadow,

and edge/gap options, then click Next.

53 54

9
19. Customize individual legend
items by highlighting an item,
then selecting patch options.
Click Next.
20. Select spacing options, then click
Finish.
21. Like what you see? If not,
double-click the legend to edit it.
22. Change the default patch options
and legend title under the Legend
tab (don’t click OK just yet).
27. What about adding a DNR Logo?
Since the DNR Logo is a shapefile
rather than an image, we need to
add another Data Frame in the Data
View to put it in, and then add the
Data View to our layout.
28. Switch back to the Data View using
View | Data View or clicking the
Data View button.
29. Add a new Data Frame using Insert
| Data Frame.
30. Double-click the new data frame
and change the name to “DNR
Logo” in the General tab.
31. Add a layer by accessing the Add
Data option from the Data Frame
Context Menu.
37. Export this map to a PDF file. Use File |
Export Map.
38. Change the Save As Type option to PDF
(*.pdf), change the Resolution to 300
and the Output Image Quality to Normal,
then save the output in the
\DNR_Training\ArcMap\Intro
folder using the default name.
The machine will process the file.
39. Open Windows Explorer, navigate to the
folder you stored the PDF file and then
open it. How does it look?
40. Save your Document as
EXERCISE7.MXD and close ArcMap.
You have completed exercise 7.
23. Change specific items under the Items
tab. To change more than one item at a
time, hold [shft] while highlighting
various legend items, then click Symbol
and select new symbol options.
24. Get fancy with legend items by
highlighting a layer and clicking Style,
then choosing Properties (this works
especially well on Group Layer items).
Hint: If you want to change a layer’s
name or symbology, do so in the TOC.
The legend will automatically reflect
the changes . . .
25. Highlight a legend item, then check
“Place in new column” to create a new
column immediately after that item.
26. Click OK to accept the changes and
close the window.
55 56
32. Navigate to
\DNR_Training\ArcMap\Intro
\Data connection. See the file
DNR Logo.lyr? This is a layer
with predefined symbology. Add it
to your new Data Frame.
33. Voila! You now have a new View
Frame with a logo in it for use in
your Layout.
34. Switch back to the Layout View.
See that the new Data Frame has
been automatically added to the
layout?
35. Arrange and resize the DNR Logo
Data Frame as needed.
36. Now you can print the map or
export it to a PDF or numerous
other file formats.
57 58
Exercise 8 – Basic Shape
Editing
1. Start ArcMap using either the icon on
the desktop or Start Menu | ArcGIS |
ArcMap.
2. At the opening dialog, set the option to
“An Existing map” and select the map
document you worked on in exercise 7.
3. Switch to the Data View using View |
Data View or the Data View button.
4. The last item you worked on (the DNR
Logo Data Frame) is active. AS we
want to edit using layers in the other
Data Frame, right-click on Working
Data Frame and press Activate.
59 60
10
5. With the Working Data Frame active 9.
(and in Data View, not Map View) you
can edit shapes. Start by creating a
new shapefile. It won’t have any 10.
attributes, but we’re solely interested
in editing shapes . . .
In the new folder, right-click and select
New | Shapefile.
Name the file <yourinitials>_edits, set
the Feature type to Polygon, then press
Edit.

ArcCatalog has tools for creating 11. Press Select.

shapefiles, so open ArcCatalog.
12. Choose a Projected coordinate
6. Navigate to system, UTM NAD 1983, Zone 15N,
\DNR_Training\ArcMap\Intro. and press Add.
7. Create a new folder by clicking the
right mouse button, select New and
then Folder.

8. Change the name of the folder to

<your initials> and press [enter].

61 62

16. Turn on the Edit Toolbar using

13. You should see the defined coordinate
system. Press OK to create the new
shapefile.
14. Add the shapefile to your Map
document by dragging it from
ArcCatalog to ArcMap.
15. Symbolize the shapefile as you like,
preferably a bold outline color and a fill
pattern that allows you to see beneath to
layers below.
either:
A. View | Toolbars | Editor or
B. The Editor Toolbar button on
the Standard Toolbar
17. Start the edit session by pressing
the Editor button on the Edit
Toolbar and selecting the “Start
Editing” option.
18. A dialog will appear asking
which folder you want to edit in.
Select the folder you created for
you work, then press OK.

19. Now the Edit toolbar is active

and you are ready to proceed.

20. Zoom into an area of Itasca State

Park that has open water.

63 64

21. Digitize some lakes. Set the 25. Next try reshaping some of
Task to Create New the polygons. Set the Task to
Feature and make Reshape Feature.
sure that the target is
<yourinitials>_edits. 26. Press the Edit tool on the Edit
toolbar, then click a feature to
22. Select the Sketch tool, then move select it for reshaping.
the tool over the Data View. Begin a
polygon by left-clicking. 27. Now press the Sketch tool.

23. Drag your mouse and click each 28. “Carve” into a polygon by
time you’d like to add a vertex to drawing a sketch that starts and
the shape. Finish the sketch using ends outside the feature.
one of the following methods: Remember to double-click to end
the sketch.
A. Double-click the mouse
B. Right-click and select Finish 29. Next append a polygon by
Sketch drawing a sketch that starts and
C. Press [F2] ends inside the feature.
24. Quickly add a few more stand-alone 30. Undo any mistakes using Edit |
sketches around lakes that don’t Undo.
share boundaries. 65 66

11
31. Next practice moving existing
vertices. Press the Edit tool, then
double-click a feature to display its
vertices.
32. Hold your mouse over a vertex
(the crosshairs will turn to a
square) and drag the vertex to a
new location.
33. Move several vertices to get the
hang of it. Click anywhere off of
the feature border to update its
shape.
34. Next try adding a new polygon that
shares an edge with one you just
created. Because you’ll be creating
a feature that shares a boundary
with another feature, set the Task
to Topology Tasks |
Auto Complete Polygon.
67
38. Streaming not producing as many
vertices as you like? Change the
streaming settings under Editor |
Options.
Hint: Streaming is based on Map
Display units, so you might need to
change map units to something other
than miles . . . right-click the Data
Frame and set Display units under the
General tab.)
• Toggle the Streaming digitizing off
(see step 36).
69
44. Click the Sketch tool and reshape
the shared edge.
45. Click anywhere outside the
feature to update its shape.
46. Next try editing the individual
vertices of a shared boundary.
Click the Topology Edit tool
again, then double-click a shared
boundary to turn it purple and
show its green vertices.
47. Hold your mouse over a vertex
until your cursor changes from
crosshairs to a square, then drag
the vertex to a new location.
48. Click anywhere outside the
feature to update its shape.
71
35. Use the Sketch tool to add a new
boundary that starts and ends inside
the adjacent polygon.
Hint: If you are unable to add the
auto-complete polygon, zoom out
further and try again . . .
36. Try streaming mode to digitize
several more auto-completed
polygons. Click the Sketch tool,
then right-click a feature (or press
[F8]) and choose Streaming.
Hint: streaming is only available
when the sketch tool is active.
37. Click inside a polygon, then simply
drag your mouse to trace the new
shape. Double-click inside the
polygon to end the shape.
68
40. Next try editing a shared edge
between adjacent polygons that
you’ve just created. Edits of
shared boundaries or vertices
should be performed using the
Topology toolbar and Topology
tasks in the Editor toolbar.
Open the Topology Toolbar using
Editor | More Editing Tools |
Topology (or View | Toolbars |
Topology), then press the Map
Topology Button.
• Check the file to participate in
topology, then press OK.
• Now that topology has been
established, click the Topology
Edit tool on the Topology toolbar,
then select a shared boundary (it
will turn purple).
• The Editor Task set to: Task |
70
Reshape Edge under Topology!
49. Next practice copying a feature
from an existing shapefile into your
editable shapefile . . .
Using QuickLayers, open the
Hydrography folder and add the
DNR 100k Lakes and Rivers layer
to the Data View.
50. Turn the layer on and zoom out a
bit to see some lakes you haven’t
digitized yet.
51. Right click the layer and choose
Selection | Make this the only
selectable layer.
52. Hold [shft] and use the Edit tool to
select one or more lake polygons
from the DNR 100k layer that are
not yet digitized in your shapefile.
53. Press use the Copy button.
72
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54. Press the Paste button. 59. Set the task to Create New
Feature.
55. Clear the selected features of the
DNR 100k Lakes and Rivers 60. Zoom into a lake polygon
layer by right-clickin on it. you have yet to digitize.
Choose Selection: Clear Selected
Features 61. Click the Sketch tool, then
56. Now, before you forget, right- right-click on the polygon
click your shapefile layer and and choose Streaming.
choose Selection | Make this the 62. Now trace the lake shape –
only selectable layer. the Sketch should
57. Next try digitizing using the automatically snap to the
100K Lakes layer as a snapping exact shape of the polygon.
guide. Go to Editor | Snapping. 63. Double-click (or right-
58. Check the boxes beside click) to end the Sketch.
elements you want to snap: Hint: Snapping not working
as well as you think it
should? Go to Editor |
Options and change the
Streaming options under
73 74
the General tab.

64. Repeat steps 59-63 several more times for 69. Accept the defaults of Buffer distance
practice. 0.00 and Discard the area that
intersects, then click OK.
65. Now let’s say you want to digitize an island
within a lake. Zoom to one of the new polygons 70. Press [delete] on your keyboard. The
you just created with snapping. island polygon will be deleted.

66. Set the task to Create New Feature. Use the 71. Next try buffering the feature. Go to
Sketch tool to draw a new polygon on top of the Editor | Buffer.
selected one. 72. Enter a buffer distance of 50 and press Buffer
[enter]. What happens? The buffer that is
67. If only the inner (smaller) polygon is not becomes an entire polygon behind the
selected, draw box around both features, hold created
donut lake feature . . .
[shft], then click on outer polygon boundary to
deselect it. 73. Lesson learned? Buffer before you clip.
Undo your steps until you’re back to your
68. Go to Editor | Clip. The Editor Clip command original polygon from step 66. Repeat
can do two things: steps 67-70.
A. Preserve the area where multiple features
overlap, clipping the other pieces, or
B. Preserve all the individual pieces while
removing the area of overlap. 75 76

78. What does the buffer distance option do in

74. Now repeat steps 61-64. Better, right?
But try selecting the outer (buffer)
polygon. What do you notice?
The buffer and the original lake
polygon still overlap – and that overlap
will be double-counted in area
calculations.
75. To remedy this, use the Edit tool to
again select only the inner polygon
(see step 67).
76. Go back to Editor: Clip.
77. Choose a buffer of 0.00 and to Discard
the area that intersects, then click
OK.
See how the two polygons no longer
overlap when you select them?
Editor | Clip? It offers options for
buffering interior polygons.
See for yourself: Create two new
Buffer polygon Lake polygon polygons, one inside of the other.
79. With the interior polygon selected, go to
Editor | Clip. Select a buffer distance of
50.0 and to Preserve the area that
intersects, then click OK.
The interior polygon is buffered and only
the place where those features intersect the
larger outer polygon are kept.
80. Undo the clip, then try clipping again, this
time choosing to Discard the area that
intersects.
The interior polygon is buffered and only
the place where those features intersect the
Buffer polygon Lake polygon
larger outer polygon are deleted.
77 78

13
81. There are a multitude of other editing
functions and options that we will not
review here. If you have a few extra
minutes, explore the following:

A. Tool drop-down menus

B. Tool Context Menus (right click
once Tool is chosen)
C. View | Toolbars
D. Editor | More Editing tools
E. Editor | Options

82. Save your edits using Editor | Stop

Editing.

83. You will be asked if you want to save

your edits? Press Yes.

84. Save your Document and close

ArcMap.

You have completed exercise 8 and the

Moving from Arcview 3.x to ArcGIS course. 79

14