GIS for dummies / by Michael N. DeMers.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

DeMers, Michael N.

Series:

--For dummies.

--For dummies

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Geographic information systems.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (388 p.)

Other Title:

Geographic information systems for dummies

Place of Publication:

Hoboken, N.J. : Wiley Pub., 2009.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

GIS (geographic information system) is a totally cool technology that has been called "geography on steroids." GIS is what lets you see the schools in your neighborhood or tells you where the nearest McDonald's is. GIS For Dummies tells you all about mapping terminology and digital mapping, how to locate geographic features and analyze patterns such as streets and waterways, and how to generate travel directions, customer location lists, and much more with GIS. Whether you're in charge of creating GIS applications for your business or you simply love maps, you'll find GIS For Dummi

Contents:

GIS for Dummies; Contents at a Glance; Table of Contents; Introduction; About This Book; Conventions Used in This Book; What You're Not to Read; Foolish Assumptions; How This Book Is Organized; Icons Used in This Book; Where to Go from Here; Part I: GIS: Geography on Steroids; Chapter 1: Seeing the Scope of GIS; Getting a Feel for GIS; Meeting the GIS Collective; Knowing How to Think Spatially; At Least 101 Uses of GIS; Chapter 2: Recognizing How Maps Show Information; Knowing How Maps Represent Geography; Recognizing the Different Types of Maps; Working with Projections and Datums

Working with Coordinate Systems and Land SubdivisionsChapter 3: Reading, Analyzing, and Interpreting Maps; Making Sense of Symbols; Recognizing Patterns; Analyzing and Quantifying Patterns; Interpreting the Results and Making Decisions; Part II: Geography Goes Digital; Chapter 4: Creating a Conceptual Model; Helping Computers Read Maps; Embracing the Model-Creation Process; Defining Your Map's Contents; Converting from Map to Computer; Chapter 5: Understanding the GIS Data Models; Examining Raster Models and Structure; Exploring Vector Representation; Dealing with Surfaces

Chapter 6: Keeping Track of Data DescriptionsKnowing the Simple Systems for Tracking Descriptions; Working with Tables and Database Management Systems; Understanding Object-Oriented Systems; Chapter 7: Managing Multiple Maps; Layering Data in GIS Models; Comparing the Map-Handling Capabilities of GIS System Models; Opting for an Object-Oriented Model; Chapter 8: Gathering and Digitizing Geographic Data; Identifying Quality Data; Importing Statistical and Sensory Data; Getting Existing Map Data into the Computer; Part III: Retrieving, Counting, and Characterizing Geography

Chapter 9: Finding Information in Raster SystemsCreating a Search Strategy; Using the Software to Perform a Search; Counting and Tabulating the Search Results; Chapter 10: Finding Features in Vector Systems; Getting Explicit with Vector Data; Seeing How Data Structure Affects Retrieval; Deciding How to Search the Systems; Locating Specific Features with SQL; Searching Vector Systems using Geography; Counting, Tabulation, and Summary Statistics; Validating the Results; Chapter 11: Searching for Geographic Objects, Distributions, and Groups; Searching Polygons in a GIS

Searching for the Right ObjectsLocating 2-D Map Objects; Defining the Groups You Want to Find; Part IV: Analyzing Geographic Patterns; Chapter 12: Measuring Distance; Taking Absolute Measurement; Establishing Relative Measurement; Measuring Functional Distance; Chapter 13: Working with Statistical Surfaces; Examining the Character of Statistical Surfaces; Working with Surface Data; Predicting Values with Interpolation; Chapter 14: Exploring Topographical Surfaces; Modeling Visibility with Viewsheds; Finding and Using Basins; Characterizing Flow; Defining Streams

Chapter 15: Working with Networks

Notes:

Includes index.

ISBN:

0-470-52150-3

0-470-49875-7

OCLC:

426490954