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

Layers and the Data Frames

____ 32. Understanding layer properties versus data frame properties: In the Layers pane, click the List By Drawing Order tab. In the T/C make all the +/– boxes say minus, so that nothing is hidden. Right-click the text Landcover. Click Properties. A Layer Properties window, with a number of tabs, appears. The Layer Properties window tells you (or lets you specify) the properties of the particular layer that you right-clicked on, such as how it is symbolized, what the fields of the table are, what its extent is, how selected features are to appear, aspects of feature labeling, the coordinates and characteristics of its data source, and several other parameters.

Write the names of the tabs in your Fast Facts File.

Done? Yes ___ No ___

Dismiss the Layer Properties window for Landcover.

____ 33. Now right-click in the right pane of the overall window—where the map is shown. Click Data Frame Properties. The Data Frame Properties window tells you (or lets you specify) the properties of the display of the map, such as the scale, the map units, the coordinate system, whether a reference grid appears and so on. Write the names of the tabs in your Fast Facts File. Dismiss the Data Frame Properties window.

Done? Yes ___ No ___

It is important to be cognizant of the difference between layer properties and dataframe properties.