Editing Basics(in ArcGIS 9.2)

By Alma Vargas

Levels of Desktop ArcGIS

• Arc View • Version that most clients will use

• The version that this session will focus on

• Arc Editor• Limited capabilities, but more than the ArcView

version

• The version that the Advanced Editing session will use

• Arc INFO • Have all editing functionality available

* All of the above versions come with Arc Catalog & Arc Toolbox

File Formats that Can be Edited Using ArcGIS

• Shapefiles (carry-over from ArcView 3.x)

• Personal Geodatabases (new format – most commonly used)

• Multi-User Geodatabases (new format) (for extremely large datasets)

COVERAGES cannot be edited in Arc GIS and Shape files have limited editing capabilities in Arc GIS!!!

Editing Map Data in ArcGIS

Important Data Layers to Edit:

• Points − Schools

− Students

• Lines− Street Networks

− Railroads

− Rivers

• Polygons − Study Areas

− Attendance Areas

− Development Tracts

− Lakes

• Open ArcMap• Add Data Layers• Customize Look of Layers• Zoom into Specific Area• Set Selectable Layers• Start Editing• Set Target• Set Task• Notice Editor Toolbar (Edit Tool & Sketch

Tool)• Set Snapping Environment

Steps to Set Up Editing in Arc GIS…

Open a newMap Document

and add theData Layers

ArcView

Steps to Set Up Editing in ArcGIS

Set the data up the way you want it to look.

Then zoom-in to a specific area.

ArcView

ArcView

Steps to Set Up Editing in ArcGIS

First you need the Editor toolbar to be available.

Or you can load the Editor toolbar by right-clicking on the top section and making sure that there is a check near “Editor.”

The Editor Toolbar “button” opens and closes the Editor toolbar.

Steps to Set Up Editing in ArcGIS

Set the Selectable Layer (the one you want to edit)

ArcView

Steps to Set Up Editing in ArcGIS

After starting an edit session, more items on the Editor

toolbar become active.

ArcView

Steps to Set Up Editing in ArcGIS

Once you start your edit session, you need to assign a TARGET

layer and select a TASK.

Steps to Set Up Editing in ArcGIS

DEPENDING ON YOUR TASK, NEW TOOLS ARE NOW AVAILABLE.

ArcView

The Sketch Tool (is used to draw lines or shapes)

The Edit Tool (is used for selecting features)

Steps to Set Up Editing in ArcGIS

Steps to Set Up Editing in ArcGIS

Next, you will need to choose what elements you would like the cursor to

“snap” to.

Setting up the “Snapping”

Environment!

First, you will need to set up your “Snapping”

environment….

ArcView

ArcView

You will also need to open the Options window and …

…and check on the SNAP TIPS

Set/check the snapping tolerance…

Setting up the “Snapping”

Environment!

Steps to Set Up Editing in ArcGIS

Exercise Editing Basics in ArcGIS

• Set Selectable Layers

• Start Editing

• Set Task (Cut Polygon Features)

• Set Target (start with Study Areas)

• Notice Editor Toolbar (Edit Tool & Sketch Tool)

• Set Snapping Environment

Setting Up the Editing Environment

Editing Data In ArcGIS

Let’s split a Study Area and see what happens…

Editing Polygons

A “sketch” is generated. This

represents the most current edit where

it appears with vertices and

endpoints and a small “x” next to the sketch. Once you complete the

sketch (double-click) then it

appears light blue (selected).

Editing Polygons (cont’d.)

Editing Data In ArcGIS

* Now we need to edit the attributes and give them new unique Study Area numbers.

Attributes button

Change Study Area number

Editing Data In ArcGISEditing Polygons (cont’d.)

The labels also automatically update.

Editing Data In ArcGISEditing Polygons (cont’d.)

Editing “Streets”Set up the edit environment.

Set up snapping.

Editing Data In ArcGIS

Adding a street.

Editing Streets (cont’d.)

A “sketch” of the new street.

Adding attributes to the street.

Editing Data In ArcGIS

Editing Points

2. Adding School Sites.

1. Setting the

environment.

Adding Adding attributes to attributes to the school.the school.

A “sketch” of the new school.

Editing Data In ArcGIS

Editing Data In ArcGIS - Editing Tables

Right-click on the layer namein the legend and

open the Attribute Table

NOTICE THAT THE HEADERS NAMES ARE WHITE AND NOT GRAY.Now we can change the information in the cells for each record.

You can change them individually or you can select multiple recordsand CALCULATE a particular field (column) all at the same time with

the same information (i.e.: changing a Study Area number for many projects).

Undoing Your Edits in ArcGIS

Undo Button

Under the Edit pull-down menu, Undo (Ctrl+Z)/Redo (Ctrl+Y)

When you stop editing, select no to “saving edits”

Upon exit, select no to “saving edits”

Delete key

Saving Your Edits in ArcGIS

During an edit session

–Save Edits

–Stop Editing/Save Edits

After you have stopped editing & want to exit

–Save Edits

–Stop Editing/Save Edits

–Save the map document / Ctrl+S (option)

–Exit ArcMap

Other Editing Options

Task pull-down menu

TOOL Buttons Menu (cursor

functions)

SketchIntersection

Arc

End Point Arc

Tangent Midpoint

Distance-Distance Direction-

Distance

Trace

The task to choose depends upon the data layer you are

editing.

Editing Basics (ArcGIS 9.2)

QUESTIONS?