Key Pages
Earthlab GIS and Remote Sensing Lab |Changes [Oct 02, 2008]
Sara PapamarcosLogin with your name and the forum password "earth"
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:
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:
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.