BoundarySeer accepts raster, point, and polygon data sets. The next version of BoundarySeer will support analysis of transect data. For all data formats, the measured variables can be numeric, categorical, or label/other.
Raster data are sampled on a regular grid; that is, sample locations are spaced at regular intervals in two spatial dimensions. Each data record is comprised of X, Y, and values of the variable(s), where X and Y can correspond to displacement or pixel numbers. Raster data are often generated from satellite images or other remote sensing techniques.
BoundarySeer can detect boundaries for variables associated with points and polygons.
Point data consist of X, Y, and values of variable(s).
Polygon data consists of vertices and associated data. Polygon files typically come from a GIS such as ARC/INFO® although users can create polygon text files in text editors for importing into BoundarySeer.
BoundarySeer requires that the user import valid polygons, valid polygons in BoundarySeer are non-overlapping and border each other (like the polygon icon itself).
For spatial analysis purposes, BoundarySeer will divide polygons that consist of multiple disjointed sections into several different polygons, each with the original data attached to it (see tutorial example). If your data are rates, then this will not change the underlying information. If your data are counts, then your total count will be inflated by the number of additional polygons created. To avoid this, you may wish to edit your data file in a GIS to eliminate the extra polygon pieces.
Line data consists of vertices and associated data. Lines with associated data cannot be used for boundary analysis, but they can be used as spatial features and associated data can be viewed by querying the line layer on the map.
Similarly, point or polygon files without associated data cannot be used for boundary analysis, but they can be viewed in the map and used as spatial features for tasks like spatial network editing.
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ARC/INFO® is a registered trademark of the Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc.