Assignment 7B procedure Log for zearcaro NR531 Fall 2006

 

Finding suitable sites for locating antennae along highway corridors in the Lee County area.

 

 

Data:

towers.shp (Points) locations of all the towers in the county

streets.shp (Lines) streets in the county

sanford.shp (Polygons) the city limits

leeco.shp. (Polygons) the county limits

This data is in NAD 83 StatePlane FIPS 3200 feet.

 

Data Source:

Ostensible Data Source: The City of Sanford GIS department

Actual Data Source: NR531 website http://courses.ncsu.edu/nr531/lec/001/Assignments_F06/assignment_07/assign_7_B.exe

 

Procedure Log:

 

Using ArcCatalog define the spatial reference for each shapefile

Target layers: towers.shp, streets.shp, sanford.shp, and leeco.shp.

For each layer double click to open shapefile properties.

Click the Shape row

In Field Properties select correct coordinate system:

NAD 83 StatePlane FIPS 3200 feet

Result: Layers now in correct projection

 

Open files to an ArcMap diplay, save as mxd file

 

Erase towers layer based on city layer

Target Layers: sanford.shp, towers.shp

            Analysis Tools > Overlay > Erase

Result: New layer created (towers_erase) that contains only the towers inside Sanford City

 

Select roads that towers must be near

Target Layers: streets.shp

Select by Attributes >"NAME" = 'BOONE TRAIL' OR "NAME" = 'JEFFERSON DAVIS' OR "NAME" = 'HORNER' OR "NAME" = 'US 421' OR "NAME" = 'HIGHWAY 87 SOUTH'

Result: only required roads selected

 

Create new layer containing only needed roads

            Target Layers: streets.shp

            Right click layer > Data > Export  Data 

Result: new layer created (main_roads)

 

Create buffer around required roads

Target Layers: Export_Output

Analysis Tools > Proximity > Buffer

            Buffer 100 feet, Dissolve: All

Result: new layer created (main_roads_buffer)

 

Clip towers layer based on main_roads_buffer layer

Target Layers: main_roads_buffer, towers_erase

Analysis Tools > Extract > Clip

Result: new layer created (towers_erase_clip) that contains only the towers within the main roads buffer layer

 

Use Definition Query to remove towers less than 150 feet

Target Layers: towers_erase_clip

            Double click towers_erase_clip layer in table of contents

            In Layer Properties choose Definition Query tab

            Use Definition Query of "HEIGHT" >150

Result: only the towers that are above 150 feet now remain in layer

 

Answer Questions

 

How many towers meet all of the specified criteria?

Target Layers: towers_erase_clip

Count towers on map

Result: 5

 

Considering all of the towers, not just those that meet the criteria:  How many of the towers that are located outside the City of Sanford are more than 150 feet tall?

 

Erase County layer based on city layer

Target Layers: leeco.shp, sanford.shp

Analysis Tools > Overlay > Erase

Result: new layer created (leeco_erase) that includes the area of the county outside the city limits

 

Clip towers layer based on leeco_erase layer

Target Layers: leeco_erase, towers.shp

Analysis Tools > Extract > Clip

Result: new layer created (towers_clip) that contains only towers outside of Sanford

 

Use Definition Query to remove towers less than 150 feet

Target Layers: towers_clip

            Double click towers_clip layer in table of contents

            In Layer Properties choose Definition Query tab

            Use Definition Query of "HEIGHT" >150

Result: only the towers that are above 150 feet now remain in layer

 

Go to Attribute table to find answer

Target Layers: towers_clip

Result:10 towers are in table

 

Considering all of the towers, not just those that meet the criteria:  What is the value in the FID field for the tower that is the furthest distance away from the street named Jefferson Davis? What is the distance (round to the nearest whole number)?

           

Select Jefferson Davis road

Target Layers: streets.shp

Select by Attributes > "NAME" = 'JEFFERSON DAVIS'

Result: only Jefferson Davis road selected

 

Create new layer containing only needed road

            Target Layers: streets.shp

            Right click layer > Data > Export  Data 

Result: new layer created (Jefferson­_Davis)

 

Perform Spatial Join connecting towers layer and Jefferson_Davis

            Target Layers: Jefferson_Davis, towers

Right click towers > Join…

            Join data from another layer based on spatial location

Each point will be given all the attributes of the point in the layer being joined that is closest to it….

Result: new layer created (join_output)

 

Go to Attribute table to find answers

            Target Layers: join_output

            Open Attribute Table > got to distance column > sort descending

            Read FID number and Distance

Result: FID=10, distance = 28494

 

Create Layout to display map

 

Layout view editing

            Rename layers and add them to legend

            towers_erase_clip > Suitable Towers

            main_roads > Main Roads

            sanford.shp > Sanford City

leeco.shp.> Lee County

 

Add scale bar

            Activate map

            Click Insert > Scale Bar

            Ensure units are in miles

            Choose appropriate bar

            Make sure bar display has nice numbers (ie 2000, not 1950)

            Result: scale bar now present

 

Add North Arrow

            Activate map

            Insert > North Arrow

            Choose appropriate arrow

            Result: North arrow now present

 

Add Title

            Click new text button

            Enter appropriate information

            Format to large size by changing symbol to font size 22

            Result: Title now present

 

Add name and date

            Click new text button

            Enter appropriate information

            Result: name and date now present

 

Add Neatline

            Click Insert > Neatline

            Select Place inside margins

            Result: neatline now present

 

Add legend

            Click Insert > Legend

            Set border line at 1.0 point

            Set background color to white

            Result: legend now present

 

Format legend

            Double click legend to get legend properties dialog open

            Click Frame tab

            Set both X and Y gap for both border and background to 5 points

            Click Legend tab

            Result: legend now more visually appealing

 

Resize all items to reduce clutter and improve readability

            Select items individually, place and resize appropriately

            Result: layout now more visually appealing