Chapter 2

Question 1

Organizaing Data Files

Answer 1

1. Don’t let computer save with default names and locations
   - desktop is terrible place for GIS data
2. Organize Files using Folders
3. Keep folder names short and use only letters, numbers, and underscore character
   - avoid spaces and other characters
4. store GIS data in top level drive folders
5. Pay attention to file extensions

Question 2

Finding Data for use

Answer 2

1. GIS (source)data must match the appropriate area of use
2. specialized, large scale data is hard to find because it is so time consuming to create
3. Data shared online can be good or absolute crap
4. data tables can be used as long as they come with X and Y coordinates

Question 3

Interchange File

Answer 3

the oldest version of ArcGIS, Arc/Info, used a proprietary zipping/conversion format to convert coverages into a single text file that could easily downloaded,
-need to use Import from E00 tool in ArcToolbox

Question 4

Metadata

Answer 4

store valuable information about the provenance, handling, and quality of a data set

Question 5

Map Documents

Answer 5

does not store the GIS Data files within it, instead the map stores the name and disk locatation of spatial data-its source

• by doing this you save immense space
• easier for multiple users

Problems:
If someone effects the file, its effected everywhere
-you cant email it cause data will be lost

Question 6

pathname

absolute pathname

relative pathname

Answer 6

map documents keep track of source files by storing the location of each file as a pathname, which lists the successive folders traversed to a data set, each separated by backslashes

when it proceeds from drive letter all the way to a specific file

is used to indicate that the search should begin in the folder containing the map document

Question 7

import vs. export

Answer 7

im: copies a data set from one location into a geodatabase, converting formats on the way if needed
ex: copying a data set from the geodatabase to another location.