CFR 250/590 Introduction to GIS, Autumn 1999 Data & Project Management © Phil Hurvitz, 1999-2000 proj_mgmt.ppt 1 Overview Managing non-ARC/INFO data sets

© Phil Hurvitz, 1999-2000

CFR 250/590 Introduction to GIS, Autumn 1999

proj_mgmt.ppt 1

Data & Project Management

• Overview

• Managing non-ARC/INFO data sets

• Managing ARC/INFO data sets

• Copying and ArcView projects_



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• Managing non-ARC/INFO data sets

• General system file management

• Setting the working directory

• Renaming

• Copying

• Archiving_



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• Managing non-ARC/INFO data sets: General system file management

• GIS is more file-intensive than most other computer applications

• Knowledge of OS file system operation is critical

• Disk, directory, and file management skills

• Disk space

• Directory nomenclature

• File nomenclature, file sizes, multiple-file data sets

• Where (file system-wise) is every file in the current project?_



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• Managing non-ARC/INFO data sets: Setting the working directory

• Set the working directory early

• Avoid major headache later

• Have no doubt about where new files will be placed

• TIP:

• Create a new directory for each project

• Set working directory to the new directory

• Always use the Startup Project

• New data sets can be easily archived

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• Managing non-ARC/INFO data sets: Renaming & copying

• Be careful about renaming & copying files

• Every file of a multiple-file data source must be renamed/copied

• Files that are renamed/copied will not be “found” in projects

• Files to be copied/renamed cannot be in use in current project

• Data sources are frequently composed of multiple individual files

• Shapefiles are composed of at least 3 separate files

• Image data sources are composed of at least 1 file, at most 4.

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• ArcView Manage Data Sources functionality only applies to shapefiles

• Other files can only be renamed using OS file management

• images

• text files

• dBase files (that are not theme tables)

• CAD files

• Supported data sources can be converted to & managed as shapefiles_



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• Use OS find files functionality to identify all files in multiple-file data sources



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• Managing non-ARC/INFO data sets: Renaming

• Use ArcView Manage Data Sources functionality to rename shapefiles



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• Managing non-ARC/INFO data sets: Renaming

• Use ArcView Manage Data Sources functionality to rename shapefiles



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• Managing non-ARC/INFO data sets: Copying

• Use ArcView Manage Data Sources functionality to copy shapefiles



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• Managing non-ARC/INFO data sets: Copying

• Use ArcView Manage Data Sources functionality to copy shapefiles



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• Managing non-ARC/INFO data sets: Archiving

• Create new “backup” directories, copy files

• Write to stable media (tape, MO, CD, Zip or Jaz disk)

• Use archiving tool, e.g. PKZip, WinZip, tar

• create archive files

• copy to “safe” directories

• write to stable media_



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• Managing ARC/INFO data sets

• Limited support for coverage, grid, and TIN data sources

• Copying & Renaming

• Archiving

• Dealing with ARC/INFO coverages_



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• Managing ARC/INFO data sets: Copying & Renaming

• ArcView will rename & copy

• grid data sources

• TIN data sources

• Possible to convert to and manage as shapefile

• Loss of informational content

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• Managing ARC/INFO data sets: Archiving

• Standard rename & copy

• Archive files as you would any other files

• create archive files

• copy to “safe” directories

• write to stable media_

Grid & TIN themes



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• Managing ARC/INFO data sets: Dealing with ARC/INFO coverages

• Problematic data sets in ArcView

• ArcView cannot “manage” ARC/INFO coverages

• Coverages cannot be copied, moved, or renamed

• Convert to & manage as shapefile

• Loss of informational content if polymorphic data set

• Import to new directory; copy & archive entire directory

• Never use OS file management to manipulate coverage, grid, or TIN directories

• Do not alter info directories; you will corrupt data_



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• Copying and moving projects

• ArcView project files only contain pointers to data location

• File locations are “hard coded” into project files

• Copying & moving projects does not copy or move data sets

• Data sets must be moved, copied, or specified

• Data structures must be completely recreated, or

• Projects that are copied or moved must be altered for new file locations

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• Copying and moving projects

• Searching for data sets in projects

• Altering project files

• Direct editing of project files

• Avenue script to change pathnames_



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• Copying and moving projects: Searching for data sets in projects

• Use standard text searching tools• DOS/Windows find• UN*X grep

each data set has a Path:

statement in the project



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• Copying and moving projects: Altering project files

• Direct editing of project files

• Copy project file (keep a safe backup)

• Open project file in text editor

• Use search-and-replace functionality



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• Copying and moving projects: Altering project files

• Create new or alter sample Avenue script to search and replace strings

Documents

CFR 250/590 Introduction to GIS, Autumn 1999 Data & Project Management © Phil Hurvitz, 1999-2000 proj_mgmt.ppt 1 Overview Managing non-ARC/INFO data sets