Creating and Editing Feature Datasets

1. Creating and Editing Feature Datasets Francisco Olivera, Ph.D., P.E. Department of Civil Engineering Texas A&M University

2. Overview Creating new feature datasets on the map. Creating new feature datasets based on tabular information. Editing existing feature datasets.

3. Point Feature Datasets In the View GUI, click on the View/New Theme menu, select Point in the New Theme window that pops up, and enter your new dataset (i.e., shapefile) path and name to save it. You will obtain a new point theme with a dashed square around the visibility box, indicating that it is ready to be edited.

4. Point Feature Datasets Click on the Draw Point tool, and then click on the View display wherever you want to define a point. When done, click on the Theme/Stop Editing and save your edits when prompted.

5. Line Feature Datasets In the View GUI, click on the View/New Theme menu, select Line in the New Theme window that pops up, and enter your new dataset (i.e., shapefile) path and name to save it. You will obtain a new line theme with a dashed square around the visibility box, indicating that it is ready to be edited.

6. Line Feature Datasets Click on the Draw Line tool, and then click on the View display wherever you want to define a line. When done, click on the Theme/Stop Editing and save your edits when prompted.

7. Line Feature Datasets If you want to snap lines to other lines of the same dataset, you have to set the snapping environment before drawing the lines. One way of setting the snapping environment consists of checking General as the snapping mode and typing the snapping tolerance in the Theme Properties – Editing window.

8. Line Feature Datasets To draw lines that split at intersections with other lines, use the Draw Line to Split Feature tool instead of the Draw Line tool. The drawn line itself and the lines that are intersected are split at the crossing point.

9. Line Feature Datasets To merge multiple line features into a single feature -- which could be a complex line --, select the lines with the Pointer tool and click on Edit/Union Features.

10. Polygon Feature Datasets In the View GUI, click on the View/New Theme menu, select Polygon in the New Theme window that pops up, and enter your new dataset (i.e., shapefile) path and name to save it. You will obtain a new polygon theme with a dashed square around the visibility box, indicating that it is ready to be edited.

11. Polygon Feature Datasets Click on the Draw Polygon, Draw Rectangle or Draw Circle tool, and then click on the View display wherever you want to define a polygon. When done, click on the Theme/Stop Editing and save your edits when prompted.

12. Polygon Feature Datasets If you want to snap polygon vertices to other polygon vertices of the same dataset, you have to set the snapping environment before drawing the polygons. One way of setting the snapping environment consists of checking General as the snapping mode and typing the snapping tolerance in the Theme Properties – Editing window. The Draw Line To Append polygon tool can be used to define a polygon by drawing only the part of its boundary that is not shared with other polygons.

13. Polygon Feature Datasets To split a polygon into two features, use the Draw Line to Split Polygon tool. The polygons that are intersected by the line are split into two.

14. Polygon Feature Datasets To merge multiple polygon features into a single feature -- which could be a complex polygon --, select the polygons with the Pointer tool and click on Edit/Union Features.

15. Overview Creating new feature datasets on the map. Creating new feature datasets based on tabular information. Editing existing feature datasets.

16. Events To create a point shapefile based on coordinates stored in a table, click on View/Add Event Theme ..., and select the table and fields that store the coordinates. The point shapefile will not have any attributes.

17. Fishnet Load the CRWR-Vector extension, click on CRWR-Vector/Fishnet, and enter the lower-left and upper-right corner coordinates and number of rows and columns. The polygon shapefile will not have any attributes.

18. Overview Creating new feature datasets on the map. Creating new feature datasets based on tabular information. Editing existing feature datasets.

19. Editing Features To edit a theme, the theme has to be in edit mode. Make the theme active and click on Theme/Start Editing. A theme is in edit mode if the visibility check box has a dashed square around it. Only shapefiles can be edited in ArcView 3.2. If a theme cannot be edited, make a copy of it by clicking on Theme/Convert to Shapefile, and edit the copy.

20. Editing Lines Click on the Vertex Edit tool and then on the line you want to edit. Hollow squares will show the location of the line vertices. To edit a vertex common to multiple lines, click on the vertex and then edit it.

21. Editing Polygons Click on the Vertex Edit tool and then inside the polygon you want to edit. Hollow squares will show the location of the line vertices.

22. Editing Polygons To edit a vertex that is common to two polygons, click on the common boundary. Hollow square handlers indicate editable vertices, while hollow circular handlers indicate anchors. Note that both end points of a common boundary cannot be moved at the same time.

23. Editing Polygons To edit a vertex that is common to multiple polygons, click on the vertex. Hollow square handlers indicate editable vertices (the vertex itself), while hollow circular handlers indicate anchors (next vertices).

24. Editing Features To save your edits, click on Theme/Save Edits. To finish your editing session click on Theme/Stop Editing.