Project map

Well, here it is. I've added all the layers I need and clipped to the watershed. I even color-coded the land use and labeled them in my context menu. I still haven't done any calculations, nor have I started the report. This weekend is the wildflower pilgramage, so I don't know how much time I'll have to work on it then. Plus, I'm working Wednesday for Debbie because of her surgery, so I won't have time then. But I think I did Ok on the test tonight, so if I can't get the final project as finally projected as possible, I'll be Ok grade-wise. I can't believe we only have one more class left. I've learned a lot, but still feel there's so much more to learn! Hopefully I can take the next class in the series, even if it's offered during the day. And hopefully Pete will get hired full time and teach the next class. Good luck on your interview tomorrow, Pete.

Watch out for grenades launched from M-16's.

Final Project, phase one

Didn't have much patience tonight for some reason. I still feel so clumsy navigating my way around. I get caught up and then forget simple things and my brain turns to mush. So I've added necessary data layers and Edward helped me unzip the street file. Here's what I have so far.

Well, that's just indicative of how the night has gone. There was an error uploading my image. I don't know what's going on with me, but I just can't seem to remember how to perform the simplest functions. And now I've learned that we have a test next week and we also have to write a report on the whole project thing. Which adds to the frustration of not being able to work on any of this at home. I'm so freaking slow and I hate feeling so stupid. I don't know when I'm going to find time to do anything. Arrrgh.

Did better than I thought on the exam, and I got my queries quiz back. I also practiced some spiffy editing, as seen in the uploaded image. Except, I guess all I exported from the map was this little corner of the street grid I made. Maybe I should open the file back up and export the entire projection. Stand by.

Ok. There's the mildly interesting roads I drew with the

tiny little green parcels and such.

I was exhausted in class tonight, running on empty since my bowl of granola and a banana at noon. Pete to the rescue with some Domino's delivered to the classroom! Thanks for the Pizza, Pete. Whatta guy.

I still really wish I had Arc software to practice with. It's frustrating only using some of these tools and applications just a few times. It would be so much easier if I could use it more and become more comfortable and familiar with everything. Anyway. I'm determined not to be the last one left clumsily plucking away at the keyboard tonight, so I got started early. Tune in next week for the next updated GIS experience.

So here's my new shape file of downtown Canton. The bright green line is the boundary I drew that delineates "downtown" Canton. Never knew there WAS one, didja? The blue is railroads and the red are parcel boundaries. I tried to follow roads and existing boundaries as best I could, but the information we had to go on was a pencil line on a xerox copy of the aerial photo that some lady in the planning department drew for Pete. "Welcome to the real world," he says.

Feel like I did OK on the exam tonight, considering how much of a slacker I've been. It could have been a lot worse--seems I lucked out on some guesses I made, but I should keep my mouth shut until he grades them. I don't want to jinx myself!

Poor Edward lost all the arduous tracing he did for his outline. I was right next to him and witnessed the moment of panic when digital technology determined his destiny. He pulled through it pretty well, and I plan to check blogs more diligently in the next week.

We also talked about the next GIS course being offered at AB Tech this summer--on weekday mornings of all times. Hopefully by then I'll be working for Equinox, but a morning class would still be hard for me to pull off.

Catching up

Felt a little remiss for missing class last week, but I think I'll be Ok. Won't have the same kind of time free to study for this test like I did the last one, but I've learned all I can about editing in one night. Had a little chat with Edward about my beltsander blog and discussed some LP business with Pete. Oh yeah, I made this little Rapid City map thing, too, which as Edward pointed out, was decievingly quite arduous to complete. Found out there's some happenin laundro-mats in that SD town. Never know what kind of information you'll come out of a GIS class with!

Man! The computers tonight were S...L...O...W..... or, at least mine was. It was so slow, I had to drive the unit in the front of the class while Pete directed us through the steps, or else I'd have another nifty watershed map, too. And Edward gave me some kind of computer crasher complex and it turned out his flash was full. My oh my, whatta night. But here's my buncombe county land use map after it was appended, clipped, dissolved and buffered. All these tools from the toolbox and I'm feeling pretty handy. Speaking of tools, I felt girlscout-prepared when Pete inquired, "Does anybody have a screwdriver?" and I whipped out the mini-leatherman like it came out of ARC toolbox. Never thought I'd need a screwdriver for GIS class. Now I'm anxious to rummage around in that little red box and do a little experimenting--maybe a little modeling one of these days. I'm having visions of community mapping and habitat suitability and restoration design. Now THAT will be exciting. Not as exciting as the belt-sander I got for Valentine's Day, but that's a topic for another blog.

Feb. 28

Took the queries test tonight. Feel like I did OK, since we had a good review beforehand, but we'll see.

Pete seemed a little distracted tonight for some reason--a little more scattered and disheveled than usual? (I'm not the only one who noticed). Been up a while Pete?

Enjoyed a beautiful pink sunset behind Pisgah out the classroom window, though. Not to say I was looking out the window and not paying attention, but there was a little down time while everyone completed exercises and practiced queries.

Just checked out my blog and I have 8 posts. It's hard to believe we've had 8 weeks of class and it's already the end of February. Weird how time flies.

So the whole joins and relates concept with tables seems pretty straight-forward except for the few caveats that will probably solve themselves with time and familiarity. Only question I think I'll have once I get more into it is knowing which table to relate to which--as in, which direction to join or relate. And I'm sure that will be determined by how the data is being used, but I know the direction probably won't always be interchangeable. Like I said--caveats that will be resolved with experience.

By the way, Edward is a very sneaky photo pirate with his tiny camera.