Adding points to a jpeg

[MargaretMcGuire]

Hello, I'm completely new to Arc GIS. I have a trial version of Arc GIS 10.1 and I am trying to add data to a jpeg image of a wetlands. The problem is, I don't have any of the data in a separate file to just plop onto the image. I am collecting data in the form of gps points and saving them in Excel. Can I set a reference point on the jpeg and load the rest of my GPS points onto the map? How can this be done, or is there a better piece of software I can use to accomplish this task? Is there some way to just make a new layer and add points to it by hand? Any help is appreciated.

[PetronilaMandeno]

Hi Margaret,

It sounds like you are truly new to GIS, and though you asked this question some time ago, I'll give it shot.

Is your image geo-referenced? Meaning, do the numbers at the bottom of the screen that change when you move the cursor around on the image seem like they are in the right coordinate system? (i.e. UTM, State Plane, or lat/long)

If not, then you will have to georeference the image. You can use your GPS points to do that if they represent easily identifible places on your image. But first, you'll have to create a point layer from the lat/longs in your Excel sheet (you can do that from ArcCatalog by double clicking on the excel file, then right clicking on the sheet with the coordinates, then choosing the Create Feature Class -> From XY Table and then enter in the appropriate columns (fields) into the next diablog box).

You can then load in your newly created points first (to set the coordinate system of your data frame), and then add in the image. Next, turn on the Georeferencing toolbar, then follow these directions:
http://webhelp.esri.com/arcgisdesktop/9.2/index.cfm?TopicName=Georeferencing_a_raster_dataset
(or which ever help is appropriate for your version of software)

I hope that helps.