Introducing Geographic Information Systems with ArcGIS: A Workbook Approach to Learning GIS, 3rd Edition

Making a Table That Contains the Coordinate Data

____ 2. Using Notepad, or another text processor, make a text file that contains the coordinate data. Call it Coordinates.txt and put it in the Student_Data_Collection folder. Each line should contain three values, using CSV (comma separated values) format:18

Each student’s three-digit ID

The easting value (x-coordinate) of the computer terminal

The northing value (y-coordinate) of the computer terminal

For example, lines 2, 3, and so on should look like:

612, 10.28, 20.05

606, 10.99, 21.22

etc.

As the first line of the text file, use the following text exactly as shown including the quotation marks:

“Comp_ID”,”Easting”,”Northing”

____ 3. Save the file as Coordinates.txt in

___IGIS-Arc_YourInitials\Student_Data_Collection.

____ 4. Start ArcMap with a Blank map. Make a folder connection to Student_Data_Collection. Add Coordinates.txt as data. The T/C will show the path to the file. (Notice that List By Source is active in the T/C. If you click the List By Drawing Order button, the T/C will show nothing, since this is not—yet—a feature class. Make sure the List By Source button is active.)

____ 5. Right-click Coordinates.txt and choose Display XY Data to bring up a window of that name. In the X Field drop-down menu choose, of course, Easting. Make the correct choice for the Y Field. When you OK the window, you should see point symbols for each computer or desk (and maybe a warning message; disregard). The T/C will show ...