Cartography and GIS Knowledge

[pramodnath]

Hello Everyone,

I am Pramod Nath, one of the MOOC Cartography Students. I am really enjoying this course. I want to increase my GIS and Cartography knowledge. I know how to use downloaded GIS data or how to download GIS data from websites such as https://egis3.lacounty.gov/dataportal/ . My question is after extracting these files, how can I open these files; shp., shx., dbf., sbn. Do I need ArcGIS software? Can I open these files through ArcGIS Pro? How do I create my own data?

This course is very interesting. Where can I buy ArcGIS Pro DVDs and can I have unlimited access to the software after authorizing it? 

I have a question for the instructors: My Symbology Tab stopped working

For example, under Highways_MA; when I click the symbol for Interstate Highways, nothing happens. When I am about to download the ArcGIS Pro 2.1 Patch 1 (2.1.1) and ArcGIS Pro 2.1 Patch 2 (2.1.2), there is a warning:

The screenshot of the warning is: 

Also another  warning message comes; here is a screenshot:

Is this a risk to my computer? Can I open this file? Should I download the patches?Please guide me.

Question for Instructors: What are your favorite things about cartography?

Pramod V Nath

[AdrianWelsh]

Hi Pramod,

If you want, you can direct your question to the AMA thread going on here:

May 15, 2018: Cartography. MOOC Ask Me Anything (AMA) 

To answer some of your questions:

The files .shp, .shx, .dbf, etc. are all part of a shapefile. They have to be in the same folder and you can open them in a program that reads shapefiles (which includes any GIS software, most CAD software programs, etc.). You do not open them individually.

Creating your own data is a large question and would need to be clarified more in order to get a more streamlined answer. What kind of data do you want to create? Where will this data be viewed? And many more questions. Here is one link to help with one aspect of that:

Create Feature Class—Data Management toolbox | ArcGIS Desktop 

To purchase Esri ArcGIS software, you can start here:

Buy Now - ArcGIS Pro | Esri 

and go through the steps.

You will have to provide more details on the symbology tab issue. What are you expecting to see? Have you tried right-clicking on the layer and clicking on Symbology from there?

As for the installation, I think that warning is common for most installs and you can simply ignore it. If you do not trust Esri software, then do not install it.

Thanks,

Adrian

[pramodnath]

Hi Adrian,

Thank you for your help. On the Symbology Tab, nothing happens. I right-clicked the layer and clicked on Symbology. It goes nowhere. The Appearance, Labeling, and Data under Feature Layer becomes lighted. Here is a screenshot:

I am expecting to see the Format Line Symbol under the Symbology Dialog Box. Here is a screenshot:

Please guide me. 

Thank You

Pramod Nath 

[AdrianWelsh]

Pramod,

Try this. Click on your layer, the name of it (not the symbol underneath) and in the Feature Layer ribbon above, click on Appearance, and then click on Symbology.

This should bring up the symbology pane on the right side:

If that doesn't work, try this. 

On the View ribbon bar, click on Catalog Pane. This should open up your Catalog pane which should contain your Symbology tab:

At the bottom of the Catalog pane on the right side, there should be a Symbology tab you can click on.

I hope this works and let me know if you need more assistance.