Computing Workshop
SPATIAL DATABASES I

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REVIEW from Week 2
    Local and Remote again

    Photoshop essentials for the web
    1. scanning (Acquire/Import)
    2. image size
    3. anti-aliased text
    4. RGB (24 bit) to Index (8 bit) and vice versa
    5. Save As... (JPG, GIF)

    Less essential but still useful
    1. Canvas Size
    2. Crop
    3. Rotate
    4. Fill

    Small images
    • 72 dpi
    • least number of colors
    • CUT and CROP drawings - use pieces of drawings rather than entire drawings


QUESTIONS from Week 2


What is a GIS? What are its components?

Layers of Geographic Information
    Layers, Themes, Coverages and Shapefiles


Geographic vs. Cartographic Information
    Real World
    Geographic features
    Cartographic (abstract representation)


VECTOR and RASTER re-visited
VECTOR data RASTER data
  • Data is stored as points, lines and polygons.
  • Stores real world x,y corrdinates for all features
  • Resolution depends on the compilation method and the scale of source data
  • Each feature (point, line or polygon) has a unique identifier linking it to descriptive attributes held in tables.
  • Usually more compact that raster storage (small file sizes)
  • Many types of analysis are difficult to implement, requiring large amounts of processing.
  • Very good for features with discrete boundaries (building footprints, surveyed property lines, political boundaries, telephone poles and lines)
  • Data is stored as rows and columns of grid cells having a uniform size
  • Stores real world x,y coordinates of the origin (often the upper left) and calculates the rest when needed.
  • Resoltuion of the data depends on the cell size
  • Attributes are usually limited to a single value linked to a cell's row and column location on the grid. This 'Z' value might be an elevation value on a grid of topography or a soil type on a grid of soils.
  • Usually require much more space to store the maps.
  • Overlay and other types of analysis is often easier to implement and quite efficient.
  • Very good for capturing continuous features (elevation, soil type, temperature, wind speed, travel time to the nearest hospital)


What is a Spatial Database?
Spatial Data - points, lines, polygons, grids
Attribute Data - descriptions of features


MICROSTATION
    West Philadelphia Digital Database
    The User Manual - On Reserve and in GSFA Computing Center
    Attaching the menuing system - am=page1.sbm,sb1
    Parts of Microstation
    • Command Window
    • Main Palette
    • View Control Palette
    • Measuring Palette
    • Fence Palette
    Printing and Plotting
    • Print Setup - orientation, paper size, etc.
    • Print - scale
Screen Captures - Vector ----> Raster instantly
  1. Alt/PrintScrn - takes snapshot of screen and copies to the clipboard
  2. Open Windows Paint
  3. Paste (Ctrl V) from the Clipboard
  4. Save as *.bmp in Session/YourFolder/
  5. Start Photoshop
  6. Open the the *.bmp you saved from Paint
  7. Crop, adjust image resolution and size, annotate, etc.
  8. Save As another format if necessary


ASSIGNMENT - this week's assignment should be turned in on paper. You should note the URL for the web page on the sheet of paper. They are due at the beginning of class next week. You may do this assignment in pairs if you wish. If you work on the assignment with someone else, please note both of your names on all of the sheets.
  1. Using Microstation, Print three maps from the West Philadelphia Digital Database on 8 1/2" x 11" paper in Landscape format. Each map should have at least 3 layers of information in addition to the base street map. Each maps should be different. Each map should be at a different scale (see below). Remember to set the Scale, Orientation (Landscape or Portrait) and Paper Size are set in the Print Setup under the File menu.
    • Map 1 - 1 in. = ## ft. (##mm/ft)
    • Map 2 - 1 in. = ## ft. (##mm/ft)
    • Map 3 - 1 in. = ## ft. (##mm/ft)
  2. Print the same maps in Portrait format on 8 1/2" x 11" paper.
  3. Print one of the above maps in either Landscape or Portrait format on 11" x 17" (Tabloid) size paper.
  4. While working on any one of the above maps, use Alt/PrintScrn to take a 'photograph' of the screen. Paste the screen capture into the Windows Paint program. Save as a *.bmp file. Open the *.bmp file in Photoshop and adjust the image size and resolution using Image Size in Photoshop. Crop the image if necessary. Save a copy as either a JPG or a GIF file. Publish this image as a web page. On the web page, please note the file format (GIF or JPG), the resolution, the image size in pixels, and the image size in inches. Also note which layers you you used from the WPDD.
READING for further reference
West Philadelphia Landscape Plan, Volume 6, The West Philadelphia Digital Database.


RELATED WEBSITES
Bentley Microsystems
ESRI's What is GIS page
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last update: 16 Sept. 1997