Structures for Storing Geographic Data - Introducing Geographic Information Systems with ArcGIS - page 260

3. Open the pgdbfc_line_1 attribute table. Write down the names of the attributes (i.e., columns,
fields). ________________, ________________, ________________ What lengths are the lines?
______ Close the table.
4. Add the pgdbfc_line_2 feature class. Turn off pgdbfc_line_1. Using the Identify tool again, how
many lines are there? _____________ What are their lengths? _________.
Comparing pgdbfc_line_1 and pgdbfc_line_2: the reason for the difference in the number of lines and
different lengths is that, in pgdbfc_lines_1, the lines cross but do not intersect. An example might be that
the lines represent dual-lane highways, where one highway passes over the other. In pgdbfc_lines_2 the
lines do intersect like the streets on a city grid.
5. Open the pgdbfc_line_2 attribute table. Verify that the columns are the same as above.
6. Turn off pgdbfc_line_2. Add the pgdbfc_poly feature class. Open the pgdfc_poly attribute table.
Write down the names of the fields. ________________, ________________, ________________,
________________.
7. Turn off the pgdbfc_poly feature class and add the pgdbfc_point feature class. Open the
attribute table. Write down the names of the attributes. ___________, __________. Dismiss the
attribute table. Dismiss the Identify Results window.
In the next steps, you are going to use ArcToolbox to perform an almost trivial operation. As you may recall,
the x- and y- coordinates of the fire hydrants were included in the attribute table of the Village Data (from
Chapter 1). You will add x- and y-coordinates here, so you get to see a toolbox used in a simple situation.
The tool you want to use is called Add XY Coordinates. How do you find it among all the tool categories
and tools available?
8. On the Standard toolbar find the Search button. The ToolTip says 3 “Opens the Search window
so you can search for data, maps, tools, etc.”. Click the button. The Search window, which
you met in Chapter 1, should appear on the right-hand side. This time, instead of searching
for Data we will be searching for Tools, so click the Tools link in the window. Type “Add” into
the search text box. Click the search button to see the results. There may be two Add XY
Coordinates tools. One (Coverage) works on coverages; the other (Data Management) works on
geodatabases. In the three lines of text about each you will see information about the tool, and
the path to the tool. You could also search for Coordinates. Again you may see the two Add XY
Coordinates tools. Click the green link of the (Data Management) entry. The ArcCatalog sidebar
will open and the reference tool will be highlighted. By scrolling up in the ArcCatalog window,
you see that it could have been accessed by navigating to ArcToolbox > Data Management Tools
> Features > Add XY Coordinates—if you had known it was there.
More Help
9. Pounce on the tool to start it. In the Add XY Coordinates window—which may need some
expanding—notice that at the lower-right corner there is a button that controls whether a help
pane appears to the right of the main window. Show the help pane. Read about the tool.
3 I'm describing in this section what you do for version 10.1. Version 10.0 is almost the same.