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Digitizing

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37 views3 pages

Digitizing

Uploaded by

asfarahmed835
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Digitizing (Editing) of GIS Map Layers

Digitizing in GIS is the process of converting geographic data either from a hardcopy or a
scanned image into vector data by tracing the features. During the digitizing process,
features from the traced map or image are captured as coordinates in either point, line, or
polygon format. Or, to encode map features as x, y coordinates in digital form.

Digitizing is the process of interpreting and converting paper map or image data to vector
digital data. Or, DIGITISING is the conversion of an analogue map into a digital format.

Quick Guide: Digitizing (Editing) GIS Map Layers


NOTE: If you want to create a new layer from scratch to digitize into, you will need

to first create a blank (empty) layer in ArcCatalog.

a. Open ArcCatalog

b. Browse to the folder where you will want the new layer to reside

c. Right-click in the white space in the right side of ArcCatalog

d. Select New… Shapefile (or Geodatabase, your preference)

e. In the dialog box that appears, name you new file and select Feature Type of point,
polyline, polygon, multipoint, or multipatch, depending on what type of features you
want to draw

f. select a coordinate system (if desired) and click OK

g. You can now drag and drop this newly created layer into ArcMap for digitizing.

Open ArcMap and add the layer to be digitized and any necessary background layers

1. Open ArcMap with a new or existing map document (.mxd)

2. Add the layer to be digitized (whether creating new features or editing existing
features)

3. Add whatever background layers you need for reference to do your digitizing.

4. If you are digitizing from an image (raster layer), add it

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5. Click the View menu, Toolbars, and Editor Toolbar

6. On the Editor Toolbar, click Editor, Start Editing

7. You will be asked which folder you want to start editing in. This should be the folder
that contains the layer you want to digitize into.

8. Click OK

9. In the Editor Toolbar, make sure that the Target (drop down list) is set to the layer you
want digitize.

NOTE: You can always “Stop Editing” by going to Editor, Stop Editing. You will be
asked whether you want to save your edits ornot. Thus you may elect not to save edits,
and your layer will only reflect changes you made up to the point where you last saved
your edits.

If modifying existing features:

1. Click the “Edit Sketch Tool” icon(looks like a black triangle on the Editor Toolbar)

2. In the map double-clickthe feature that you want to edit. You should see the feature
become highlighted with little squares where the vertices are.

3. If you hover over a vertex, you will notice the cursor changes and you can click and
drag the vertex to move it.

4. You can also insert a new vertex anywhere along a line or edge of an area (polygon)
by right-clicking and choosing Insert Vertex.

5. You can delete a vertex by right-clicking on it and selecting Delete Vertex.

NOTE: After you have created or modified a feature and are happy with your result,
click on the Editor Toolbar, and SAVE EDITS. Do this OFTEN while editing.

If drawing new features:

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1. Click on the Pencil Toolin the Editor Toolbar

2. You will now begin drawing the trails by clicking on the map.

3. Left-click to add points. While editing, you can use “CTRL Z” on the keyboard to
undo your last added point, or use it several times to undo several points. An entire
segment can be undone by using the Editor Tool (black arrow) on the editor toolbar to
select a segment, then press the “Delete” key.

Remember: After every few good moves you make, go ahead and save your work to the
layer by clicking Editor on the Editor Tool bar and then clicking Save Edits. This way if
you make a mistake after, you can always stop editing without saving your recent edits,
but everything you’ve done before you ‘saved edits’ will still be saved.

Adding attributes to a feature you just created

10. Now, to add the attributes for the segment you just created, click the Attribute Button
on the Editor Toolbar. It’s the next-to-the-last one on the right that looks like an icon for
a table. (See image below).

11. A dialog box should pop up. Click in the value column to the right and enter the
appropriate information for each row.

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