Lab 10: Supervised Classification

For this lab we were to take an image of Germantown, MD and classify a variety of land use types from given coordinates and then recode them into 8 classes.

I used a combination of tools including created polygons and adding them to the signature editor, as well as using the grow tool and adding those results to the editor. After recoding the image, I imported the final product into ArcMap and changed the symbology for each class to a more appropriate color.

This was my final map, which includes the distance image as well as the main, recoded supervised classification:

GIS4035 Lab 8: Thermal & Multispectral Analysis

For this weeks lab, we first created multispectral images by combining several layers into one image. This was done in both ArcMap and ERDAS. Then, we were to take one of the new images, identify a feature on it, and create a map showing that feature using the best band combination to make it stand out.

This was the map I made. I chose to identify the two bridges that crossed the river at both forks. I used a Red-3, Green-5, and Blue-6 band combination to make them stand out the best, being that the river had low temperature and low near-infrared, while the bridges had higher temperatures and low near-infrared.

Lab 7: Multispectral Analysis

For this week's lab, we were to first get familiar with using image histograms and the inquire cursor to interpret image data and identify features on an image. From there, we were given pixel information about three different features on an image and had to find the features and change the band combinations to make said features stand out.

For the first one I used a combination that made the water stand out against the land features:

For the second one, I used a combination that make the snow contrast well with the vegetation:

And for the final one, I used a combination that again made the water stand out. Only this water had a much brighter pixel value than all of the other bodies of water in the image.

GIS 4035 Lab 5a

For this week's lab, we were introduced to ERDAS IMAGINE and worked through the basics of the program. While we only touched on minor parts of the program, it seems like there's a lot to learn about it, and I rather enjoyed working with it.

For the last exercise, we were to import a raster dataset into ERDAS, and from there add a new field to its attribute table and, by using the inquire box, select a section of the data to export into ArcMap to create a new map.

This was my final product. I tried to select a portion that included a good variety of the features contained in the data, to better see how everything transferred over from ERDAS to ArcMap.

Remote Sensing Lab 4

For this lab, we were to take our map from last week and check the accuracy of our classifications. To do this, I created a new shapefile that consisted of 30 random points on the map. From there, I used Google Maps to get a better view of the location of each point and check whether it really was what I classified it as. It was a fairly straightforward assignment and all went pretty smoothly, for the most part. This was the finished product:

Module 11: Sharing Tools

For our final assignment in GIS Programming, we were to take a toolbox, tool, and script and share it for others to use, after password protecting it. Even though this one was brief and simple, it was still interesting to learn how to do it. I've learned a lot of useful skills in this class that I'll hopefully be using a lot in the near future. Overall, this class wasn't nearly as painful and stressful as I expected it to be. 

This is what was created when the tool was ran in ArcMap:

Participation Assignment 2

This article is about the use of GIS to select harvesting sites for stormwater runoff in urban areas. With increased urbanization throughout the world, groundwater resources are being hit harder and harder. Harvesting stormwater runoff helps relieve some of the pressure on groundwater resources, and helps relieve some of the environmental impact of stormwater runoff. 

This particular study took place in Melbourne, Australia and involved four primary steps. The first one was to acquire data and identify criteria for suitable harvesting of stormwater. In this step, maps were generated with data such as local rainfall and water demand. The second step was to estimate the environmental flows of the urban waterways. The third step created screening parameters for potential harvesting sites. This took into account things such as demand and distance from collection sites to the aforementioned demand. The fourth step created a ranking system for all of the harvesting options. After these steps were completed, maps were created with layers featuring data for amount of runoff, demand, areas were stormwater could be caught, and drainage networks. 

This was a pretty interesting article. It was refreshing to see GIS being used for what seems to be a very sustainable water resource. I would imagine that in the future tools like this will become more and more common as water resources become increasingly scarce. 

http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.lib.uwf.edu/science/article/pii/S0301479713003514

GIS Programming Module 10: Creating Custom Tools

For this week's assignment, we were to take a stand-alone script and create a new custom tool with it. After completing the exercise and rereading several parts of Chapter 13, this was a relatively easy assignment. The only frustrating problem I encountered was editing the code, specifically the order of each of the GetParameters. Once I figured that out it all ran smoothly. Here are the screenshots from the results of running the tool:

GIS Programming Module 9: Debugging

For this week's assignment, we were given three scripts and had to debug and handle the errors in each of them. For the first two, we just had to locate the errors and modify the script so it ran correctly. This was a bit tedious, working through each line, but wasn't too horrible. 

For the third script, we just had to make it run by adding try-except statements to it. After a little trial and error, I managed to get it to work without too much stress. 

This was a surprisingly fun exercise. After getting my undergrad in journalism, I really enjoy reading/editing things. While this is a bit different, it was the same principle so I made the best of it. 

Here's the results from each script:

Module 8: Working with Rasters

For this week's assignment, we were to create a new raster from the data provided. This new raster was to highlight the areas that had forest landcover at 41, 42, and 42, slope between 5 and 20 degrees, and aspect between 150 and 270 degrees.

After working through the exercise, this assignment was pretty painless and stress-free. This is an image of my final product:

Module 7 GIS Programming

For this week's assignment, we were to write a script that created a text file and write it to the coordinates and OIDs for all of the features within the rivers shapefile that was provided.
Other than the usual setbacks, minor syntax errors and so on, this assignment went well up until the end. When I opened the new .txt file, all of the information was there, however, there weren't new lines for each feature. I messed around with PythonWin trying to figure it out until I ran out of time. Perhaps I kept overlooking something? This was my result in the text file:

Module 5: Geoprocessing Using Python

This week's assignment familiarized us with running geoprocessing tools in Python. This one went much smoother than last week's, and was pretty enjoyable to work through. 

For the assignment, we were to take the hospitals.shp layer from the Data folder and first write a script that added XY coordinates to it. Then we were to create a 1000' buffer on it, and from there, dissolve the buffer into a single feature. It's a little tedious making sure every part of the script is correct, but overall, this one was a fun learning experience. Here are the results of my script:

Module 4: Python Fundamentals Part II

This week's assignment was a rough go. It started out simple enough, in the first two steps we were to import a random module and then find and correct two errors in a loop that was already written.
Then in step 3 we were to create a 'while' loop that added 20 random numbers to a blank list. This is where it got tough. After two days of trial and error and intense reading and rereading, I finally got it. Then it was on to step 4, where we were to write a code that created an unlucky number and removed it from the list. This was also tricky, but not quite as time consuming as step three. This was my final result:

GIS Programming Module 3

In this week's lab, the assignment was to write a script using our entire name. It started with a string, and from there we were to split, index, and use math functions to ultimately figure out the number of characters in our last name, multiplied by three.

Although it took me two attempts to get it to work in PythonWin, it was a fairly easy assignment. Here is a screenshot of my finished product:

GIS Programming Module 2

For this week's lab, we first built a model, then created a script tool from the model. Being relatively new to all of this, I found it rather tedious as first, but was able to grasp it fairly reasonably.
Building the model wasn't too bad, the only real obstacle I encountered was the SQL for the Select tool, mainly because I just kept skipping over it. Modifying the script took some time, because just any extra space or capital letter can throw the entire thing off. It just takes extreme diligence.
As tedious as the project was, it was very rewarding and satisfying to finally finish it.

Here is the map that came from running the script in ArcMap:

GIS 4102 Module 1

Here's my results from the first dose of script writing for GIS Programming. Pretty much just knocking the rust of all things eDesktop from last semester. This semester seems like it could be pretty challenging, but I'm looking forward to it.

GIS4043L Final Project Links

The Powerpoint Presentation: Presentation

Slide-By-Slide Commentary: Commentary

Cartographic Skills Final Project

This is my finished product for the final assignment for this class. I started by using the basemap from a previous lab (the shapefile was called state_pop), then went to the ACT website and copied the data from the 2013 list into an Excel spreadsheet. From there I imported the spreadsheet into ArcMap, joined that data with the state_pop shapefile, added a few elements from ArcMap, then imported it to Adobe Illustrator to create the final product. 

Cartographic Skills Module 10

Here is the map I created for this week's lab. It includes data pertaining to the immigration from six continents to the United States in 2007.

This flow map has lines, with sizes indicative of the number of people who immigrated, pointing from the respective continents to the United States. I also added a few extra touches, included drop shadows, inner glow, and 3D effect to some of the features.

GIS 4043L: Data Search

For this lab, we were to find and download all of the data for up to three maps on our own. I was assigned Pasco County, FL. A good amount of the data was found on the FGDL website, and others came from LABINs and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

For the first map, I included the data for the Pasco County boundary, as well as the major roads, rivers, and cities found within the county.

For the second map, I included all of the environmental data. This included public lands, invasive species, and land cover.

The final map consisted of the DEM and the DOQQ. I also included a map of Pasco County, with a rectangle around the area featured in the Raster datasets to show where exactly in the county they were located.

Cartographic Skills: Module 7

For this week's assignment, first we were to download data about the population changes in the United States over a ten-year span into ArcMap. From there, we were to classify the data and create a basic map which included a legend, scale, and north arrow, and then save it as an .ai document to be opened in Adobe Illustrator. On my first map I used a Natural Breaks classification.

Once in AI, the assignment was to add final touches to the map and doctor it up and give it a good layout.

The second part of the assignment was to take a copy of the finished product in AI and create a different classification scheme based on data provided in an Excel document. This time I chose a Quantile classification scheme.

Someone observing both of these maps can not only see the difference in population across the United States from 1990 to 2000, but they can also see the differences between data classified by Natural Breaks and data classified by a Quantile system.

Module 6: Data Classification (Cartographic Skills)

This week's lab was pretty interesting and was fairly easy to work through. In this lab, we were to use four different data classifications in four different maps (though all included within one full map) for African-American population distributions in Escambia County, FL.

The primary new thing I learned this week was how to change the data classification, which is done simply under the Symbology tab for a given layer's properties. This had to be done four different times, using Natural Break, Equal Interval, Quantile, and Standard Deviation classification for each of the four layers. Once this was one, it was just a matter of adding all of the essential map elements to the page. Any reader of this work should be able to tell the differences between each classification and use it to help choose which one they may need for any given data.

Week 6, Intro to GIS

This one was a rough go. Due to a very busy week (and me neglecting to get an early start on this lab), I wasn't able to begin this one until the final evening. Everything in this lab went fairly smoothly until I attempted to get the X and Y coordinate data correctly downloaded and placed on the .mxd. After reading the instructions over and over, and reading just about every post in the Classroom Discussion, it still wasn't working, and I eventually ran out of time. Below is the image of what I was able to get finished for the evening.

Cartography Module 5

For this week's lab, we were introduced to spatial statistic on ArcGIS Online. In these exercises, I was able to learn how to explore the spatial distribution of any given data. The image below is the histogram of the temperatures recorded from the weather stations across Europe. It's pretty interesting to see how quickly you can generate this information on ArcMap. In just a few steps you can find out anything you want on the spatial distribution of your data.

Intro to GIS Week 5 Lab

This one was not only pretty interesting, but I was also able to finally notice how much I've learned about using ArcMap. The part that gave me the most trouble, however, was creating a legend for each of the three maps. It was just pretty time-consuming to open the attribute table, select the attribute, and make each layer for each dataframe. But here's what my finished product turned out to be:

Cartography Week 4 Lab

This week's lab was fairly simple. I downloaded the data for the Florida Keys map and proceeded to label it and tailor it to my preferences. In this map, I gave all water bodies a blue background, used a dark blue font for the labels and also made them italicized. When labeling all of the other features, I gave each feature type it's own label font color. (For example, green for cities and red for names of the Keys.) 

Overall I enjoyed this lab. It was pretty straightforward and not too confusing. 

GIS 4043 Week 4

This one wouldn't have been so bad if the technology involved wasn't so full of glitches. For example, I created my ArcGIS Online account, but then was unable to sign in to it on ArcMap until I tried about fifty times, then it just decided to work. But it's pretty interesting how you can share your work on ArcGIS Online and see works that everyone else has shared. Overall, once I got the kinks worked out, it was fairly easy.

Cartographic Skills Module 3

This week's lab was pretty tedious for me. Having NO prior experience with Adobe Illustrator, I frequently got pretty frustrated on this one that at first seemed so simple. It really just became a matter of knowing how to arrange the layers/groups as I created them. It also took some tinkering around to figure out things like why I'd go to fill something with a color and it either wouldn't change or would just disappear, and why EVERYTHING disappeared when I made my neatline. Just took a little extra time.

Lab III for Intro to GIS

Here are my three finished products for this week's lab. Though most of it was pretty straightforward, it was still very time consuming. The first one showed Mexico's population by state, the second one showed roads, rivers, railways, and urban areas, and finally the third showed elevation. There were a few tricky parts for me, but overall I enjoyed this exercise.

Lab 2 for Cartographic Skills

This was my final product for Week 2. At first, since I have no previous experience with it and I'm fairly technologically handicapped as it is, Adobe Illustrator nearly gave me a stroke. After a little while I got the hang of it though, and it really wasn't that bad. At this point, I find ArcMap much easier to use, but it just takes time. 

My GIS Lab 1 Map! (Pretty fun once I got the hang of it)

The maps I used for Cartographic Skills Lab 1. Both are from a recent prescribed burn we did at work. One is pretty good, the other is pretty useless. First one is the good one:

Then the bad one:

First Attempt!

Greetings everyone! My name is Renick Seanor. I'm a forest ranger for the Florida Forest Service in Escambia County, FL. I mainly work here in Molino, but also spend a good deal of time in the Blackwater River State Forest.

I received my Bachelor's in journalism from UWF in 2009, and have been working for the state for about three and a half years now. I've finally built up the gumption to go back to school, and figured, with my line of work, GIS would be the best route to go. Especially since it's mostly online!

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the upcoming semester, should be fun!

Have a good one

Renick