Lab Log, Oct. 8th

Issues with Lab 5:

Transferring dbf file into ARC GIS. Important to remember to stick little apostrophes in front of the FIPS code numbers in excel before transferring it over to open office.

• Other General Issues:
  • using the field calculator when creating new columns in the table on ARC GIS.
    • Important to precisely copy and paste the numbers onto the calculator.
• General Discussion:
  • Huge emphasis on precision in this lab.
• Notes
  • Nothing of note.

Definitions:

• .DBF / Dbase file: a file format typically used by database software. DBF stands for DataBase File.
• Select by Attributes: allows you to provide a SQL query expression that is used to select features that match the selection criteria.
• Query: a request for data or information from a database table or combination of tables.
• Fields (in a Table): a collection of related data held in a structured format within a database. It consists of columns, and rows.
• Records (in a Table): a database entry that may contain one or more values.
• Attributes: a piece of information that determines the properties of a field or tag in a database or a string of characters in a display.
• Relational Database: a database structured to recognize relations among stored items of information.
• Join function: The join() method is a string method and returns a string in which the elements of sequence have been joined by str separator.
• Monitor Fire: the state of combustion in which inflammable material burns, producing heat, flames, and often smoke  
• Calculate / Field Calculator: a tremen- dously useful but sometimes overlooked tool. It can eliminate the tedious process of manu- ally entering values in a table or create new data from existing data in a table.