Python Fundamentals Part 1

The goal of this weeks assignment was to create a Python script that would take anyones full name and select the last name, count the number of letters in the last name, then multiply that by three. This was a short six line script that took me way too long to complete. I guess my brain has not wrapped itself around how programming should look yet.

To create the final output of the name and digits to be prints required a couple easy steps. First was to set the variable of the full name. Next was to split the name into a list so that the last name could be selected and counted. The last step was to print the results above.

Geoprocessing in ArcGIS

In this weeks assignment I had to create a tool through the ArcGIS model builder, export it as a Python script, modify it to work as a standalone script, then re-test it within ArcGIS. The model was built to examine the area within a basin that would make for suitable farming land. First the land was clipping to just the study area, then just the area that is suitable for farming was selected and remained.

Your health depends on where you live

Where you live can effect where your health. Bill Davenhall is a expert that works in ESRI’s health and human services field since the early seventies. Currently Davenhall is the global manager of Esri's Health and Human Service Solutions Group at its headquarters in Redlands, California. Because of that his TED talk is a little slanted to boring in more business for ESRI. This is something that he should have disclosed at the beginning of this talk so that the audience was better informed about where his motives where located.

In this video Davenhall discusses that where you live effects your health. What air you breath and what food you put in your mouth can play a big role in what you are feeling and what diseases you acquire. He points out that there are many maps out there that can show you what pollutants are in the area from a macro to a micro scale.

Since your environment can play a role in your health he discusses how doctors should be educated to also look at this when treating and preventing diseases. With the new electronic healthcare system that your location could be tracked to better be able to treat patients.

http://www.ted.com/talks/bill_davenhall_your_health_depends_on_where_you_live

Introducing Python Module 1

The first assignment for my GIS programing class was a simple script that was already created that we were required to run. This script created all the folders that we will use for the remainder of the class.

Flow Line Mapping Module 10

Migration into the U.S. 2007

This lab required me to create a flow line map, like those nice and pretty ones you see on the news stations. To decided the how wide the lines should be I first choose how large the largest line would be and the rest are proportional to the first. When creating a flow line map the lines must not cover any of the map area. That is the toughest part of a map such as this. To add a little flare to the map I also made the slow lines 3D and added some shading to them.

Vector Analysis 2 Module 10

Desoto National Forest Possible Camping Sites

In this weeks lab I performed buffering, dissolve, and overlay. Buffers and overlay are two of the most common operations in GIS. A buffer is a area that is x amount of distance away from a map feature. With buffers you can choose different areas to buffer based on the map feature. You can also apply multiple buffers to the same feature to create a range ring around the feature.

With the above map I was given the vector data and requires to create buffers around the lakes, roads, and rivers. These features were then overlaid with the conservation area file. The conservation areas I am not allowed to camp in, the areas of the conservation area that overlapped my buffers were then removed from the map. The buffers that I created were 500 meters of a river, 300 meters of a road, and 150 meters of a lake. Since I was only given the vector data I added a base map that allowed to see that this campsite was was in the Desoto National Forest.

Isarithmic Mapping Module 9

This week I learned about Isarithmic Maps. Isarithmic maps are also known as contour maps or isopleth maps depict smooth continuous phenomena such as precipitation or elevation. Each line-bounded area on this type of map represents a region with the same value. For example, on an elevation map, each elevation line indicates an area at the listed elevation. 

On Both maps I added contour lines to help delineate were the values changed for each step. To create the contour lines I used the spatial analysis tool.