Importing, Accessing and Handling Data Charles E. Noon, Ph.D. The University of Tennessee
Jan 06, 2016
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.