Post your question about how to accomplish a specific task in ArcGIS. Chances are, someone else will want to know the answer too!
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Question: Where is all the RIGIS data?
Answer: Map a network drive to //xipe/gisdata. A folder called "rigisdata" contains directories with spatial data files for RI. http://www.brown.edu/Research/Earthlab/data_and_metadata.htm has explanations and metadata links.
Question: Where can I find spatial data files for places outside of RI?
Answer: Map a network drive to //xipe/gisdata. A folder called "othergisdata" contains directories with spatial data files for other parts of the country. In addition, the lab manager (Lynn_Carlson@brown.edu) has other data on DVDs, and she can direct you to other campus resources and web sites.
Question: Some of the tools in ArcToolBox are missing or "grayed out". How come?
Answer: The ArcGIS Desktop product is provided in three separate licensing levels, each with an increasing level of functionality provided in ArcToolBox. The ArcView licensing level has the fewest tools; the ArcEditor level has more; and the ArcInfo level has the entire suite of tools. If some of your tools are missing or "grayed out", it may be because you do not have the required license level. To determine which level you are running and/or have access to, go to Start -> All Programs -> ArcGIS -> Desktop Administrator. In the pop up window, click on Availability. On the right, look under "Software Product".
If you are running ArcInfo (the highest level) and still do not have access to the entire suite of tools, it could be because ArcInfo Workstation (a separate product) has not been installed. ArcInfo Workstation must be installed as a "complimentary" software package to enable the most advanced ArcToolBox tools within ArcCatalog and ArcMap.
A list of tools inside ArcToolBox that are provided with each license level is provided here:
toolbox_tools.pdf
Question: How can I generate a shapefile that represents the centroids of polygons?
Answer: There is a tool inside ArcToolBox that will perform this operation for you. See the attached .pdf file for the necessary steps:
how_to_create_centroids.pdf
Question: My .mxd was made with version 9.2 of the software and now I have to go back to version 9.1, but my document will no longer open. What can I do?
Answer: It is true that version 9.2 documents are not backward compatible, but all is not lost.
In version 9.2, the "File -> Save A Copy As" pulldown menu allows you to select the older software version.
Simply choose "ArcMap 9.0/9.1 Document (*.mxd)" from the "Save As Type" selection options.
Remember to give this copy of your .mxd a different file name to indicate that this is your older version.
Continue your work on this copy in ArcMap 9.1.
Posted at Jul 03/2007 12:37AM:
Ginny: My GIS experience is limited but I have ArcGIS 9. I'm trying to figure out how to analyze some spinner dolphin data, looking at whether individuals within dolphin groups are closer together over different seafloor substrates. I have digitized x, y locations (not GPS) and substrate info (for each dolphin in 32 different dolphin groups) in MS Excel columns. I thought nearest neighbor analysis might work for me to determine:
1. If groups are closer together depending on substrate.
If that works out, then...
2. If that varies with whether a calf is present in the group (and maybe # of calves within a group).
3. If that varies with total group size or number of non-mother adults.
If anyone out there knows if this is something that I can do or has other ideas on how to get those results, and how to get started, I'd be a happy woman! Many thanks!
