The import data option appears whenever you create a new project. You can choose to import additional vector data sets at any time by choosing "Data" from the main menu, and then choosing "Import Data", and then "Vector".
BoundarySeer can import vector files containing points, lines, and/or polygons. BoundarySeer uses data associated with points and polygons for boundary analysis. Lines and point and 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.
BoundarySeer does not clean or verify polygon files on import. BoundarySeer requires that the user import valid polygons, valid polygons in BoundarySeer are non-overlapping and border each other (like the polygon icon to the upper left). Polygons that do not share edges will not be recognized as adjacent for boundary detection procedures like constrained clustering and wombling. Polygons that overlap may not share a common edge, and may not appear to neighbor each other. Also overlapping polygons may cause problems in analyses like location uncertainty, for which points must be contained in only one polygon.
Available vector file types include: ArcView® shapefiles, text files of point data, BNA files, digital line graph files, and MapInfo® interchange files. When these files are imported, BoundarySeer will ask you to identify which variables to include, and their type (numeric, categorical, or label/other).
ArcView® shapefiles (extensions .shp, .shx, and .dbf) can be imported without modification.
To import text files of point data, the files must consist of columns of data (separated by delimiters), with each set of observations separated by a carriage return.
When BoundarySeer reads the file, it looks for information in a header (see example below). You can add this header when creating the file, or BoundarySeer will prompt you for the information during the import process. The header information is not case-sensitive.
Specify the data type (numeric, categorical, or mixed), coordinate system (planar or geographic), missing value code, and variable names. When you do so, specify them in the format shown below. If the X and Y coordinates are the first two data columns, you need not provide those names. Otherwise, if your data do not begin with the X and Y coordinates, you must label them "X" and "Y" (or "x" and "y") in sequence with the other names. Other variable names can be descriptive, such as, canopy cover, contaminant concentration, etc., but must be separated by commas.
You may experience problems with text files that have extra information (such as tabs or white space) at the end of some of the lines (either header lines or data lines). This can occur when you prepare the file in a spreadsheet and export it as text. If you encounter this, try editing out this extra information and re-importing your file.
Data type: Numeric
Coordinate system: planar
Missing value: -99
Variable names: x, y, z1, z2, z3, z4
1 1 0.03 72 1200 2.1
1 2 0.05 85 1650 1.8
1 3 0.06 89 1650 2.2
1 4 0.08 -99 750 2.5
BNA files (extension .bna), which are typically associated with Atlas GIS® systems, can be imported without modification. Often, these files are geographic (latitude-longitude) coordinates, although they may also be in UTM units.
Typically, these files do not contain variable names, and they have a maximum of three variables. When the file is imported, BoundarySeer creates field labels for the variables (e.g., "field 1", "field 2", up to "field 3"). When you import the file, you will need to know how many variables to select, and the data type (numeric or categorical) for each one. You can rename the variables in the data set properties dialog.
If you need to examine the file to determine the number of variables and the projection, these files can typically be opened in a text file reader.
Digital line graph files (*.dlg) are digitized topographic or planimetric maps available from the United States Geological Survey. These files contain images of spatial features, such as topography, hydrography, and some political boundaries, without associated data, so they cannot be used for boundary detection. DLG files can be useful as a spatial feature for editing the spatial network of a related point data set in BoundarySeer. The format is described in detail at the USGS website.
DLG files can be imported directly into BoundarySeer. At this time, BoundarySeer supports import of "optional format" DLG files but not "spatial data transfer standard" (SDTS) files.
MapInfo® interchange files (*.mif, *mid) can be imported directly. MapInfo® interchange format consists of two files—the MIF file contains the graphics, while the MID file contains the textual data. The MIF file header contains the details of the coordinate system and bounds of the data set. BoundarySeer reads the coordinate system information directly from the MIF file.
See also:
Examples:
ArcView® and Atlas GIS® are registered trademarks of the Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc.
MapInfo® is a registered trademark of the MapInfo Corporation.