Overview

The Cancer Atlas Viewer allows you to view data from the National Cancer Institute, display these data in maps and graphs, and to perform statistics to evaluate spatial pattern in these data. What is unique about this software is that it is a space-time information system (STIS). It is more than just a GIS with time as an attribute of the data. In the Cancer Atlas Viewer, time is a dimension of the data. Thus, all views of the data can be animated, from maps to histograms to tables. But, the Cancer Atlas Viewer does more than just animate your data, it allows you to make statistical inference about patterns in the data as well. the Cancer Atlas Viewer allows you to view, interact with and statistically analyze your space-time data so that you can make informed decisions.

The interface consists of a few components: the data view, the log view, the toolbars, and a workspace containing any maps and graphs you choose to generate.

Right-click in the toolbar areas to toggle toolbars and views. You can retrieve toolbars and views by selecting them from the Window menu. The data view, log view, maps, graphs, and all toolbars can be docked or free-floating.

Data View

The data view is a visual display of all of the data in your project. Unlike other GIS programs, which tend to organize the data by tables, this view organizes the data by the associated geography, and all variables associated with that geography are listed.

The data view occupies the left side of the application window as a default.

Spatial Weights and Cluster Sets View

The spatial weights view is a visual display of the spatial weights sets you have in your project. It lists the weights sets available, and it is where you create new weights sets to use in statistical methods or to view in the map. This view occupies the left side of the application window under the data view as a default.

Log View

The Cancer Atlas Viewer records text-based information from your analyses in the log view: the screen below the Data view and Map. You can move it or resize it as you like. You can also close it and re-open it by going to "Windows>Log view."

Tool Bars

The Cancer Atlas Viewer has four tool sets for you to use: Project, Visualization, Animation, and Map tools.