importing, accessing and handling data

Importing, Accessing and Handling Data

Charles E. Noon, Ph.D.The University of Tennessee

Session Overview

Types of information to assemble within a GIS Methods for importing data A walk-through example of importing, geo-locating, and editing data A reinforcing exercise Descriptive Analysis

Types of Information to Assemble within a GIS

Internal Information

External Foreground Information

External Background Information

Types of Information to Assemble within a GIS

1. External Background Information: the part of the system you don’t own and can’t influence.

2. Internal Information: the part of the system you own or directly work with.

3. External Foreground Information: the part of the system you don’t own or directly work with, yet is very relevant to your organization .

OperationalApplication

StrategicPlanning

Application

External Background Information

Geo-political boundaries, landmarks, common-use transportation systems.

Such data can be found on data disks that accompany GIS software packages.

Importing it is usually easy. In ArcView use View-Add Theme.

Internal Information

Any data found within your MIS, LIS, financial system, WMS, purchasing system, ERP, or any transaction-based IS.

Ease of obtaining such data is organization-specific and depends on: – IS infrastructure– IS culture (sometimes require AOG)

External Foreground Information

Examples: – potential customers– current and potential competitors– potential partners

Wide range in difficulty to obtain such data: – Some public via “phone books”– Some can be purchased as demographic or

business databases– Some may be provided by potential partners

RITE AID Mileage Histogram

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CVS Recommended StrategyMileage Histogram

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Getting Data into a GIS Principle:

– there might be a lot of data associated with an entity (for example, a DC), but that entity has just one location. Make sure each entity has a data element that will allow it to be geographically located.

5-digit zipcode city/state street address latitude/longitude other codes

Example: Information for 2 plantsPlant Name PROVO ROMELocation UTAH GEORGIAZipcode 84602 30164Plant ID 4962470 1366681997 units produced 272,424 278,111Unit Cost $46.72 $54.65Capacity (units) 345,000 282,000Value of Inventory $2,545,529.86 $3,039,753.23

Getting Data into a GIS Principle:

– there might be a lot of data associated with an entity (for example, a DC), but that entity has just one location. Make sure each entity has a data element that will allow it to be geographically located.

5-digit zipcode city/state street address latitude/longitude other codes

Data can be pulled or pushed into a GIS

Ways to Pull Data into a GIS

SQL (Sequential Query Language) ODBC R/3 interface SDE (Spatial Database Engine) RPC (Remote Process Call) Informix Datablade

Various Paths to Push Data into a GIS

GPS

Spread Sheet

DBMS

DBF file

Other formats

GIS

Data Table

Various Paths to Push Data into a GIS

GPS

Spread Sheet

DBMS

DBF file

Other formats

GIS

Data Table

Each row corresponds to an entity location

Various Paths to Push Data into a GIS

GPS

Spread Sheet

DBMS

DBF file

Other formats

GIS

Data Table

With the Tables icon selected, hit Add button.

Various Paths to Push Data into a GIS

GPS

Spread Sheet

DBMS

DBF file

Other formats

GIS

Data Table

The selected theme will be the reference theme.

How to Edit Data in a Table

Manually editing of existing data.

Adding a new data field.

Adding a field whose value is a function of other data fields.

It will add the formula into whatever field is selected.

In-Class Exercise

1. Import the DC’s information (in the file DCs.dbf) into an ArcView project.

2. Geo-Locate the DC’s based on 5-digit zip.

3. For the data table corresponding to the new theme, add a new field which calculates total annual handling cost for each DC.

4. Add some external background information.