Exploring Budburst Data Using GIS
LESSON 1 a – Installing AEJEE
LESSON 1 b – Creating a Data File
LESSON 1 c – Visualizing your Data
LESSON 1 d – Exporting Maps as an Image
Computer /network requirements
Windows 2000 or XP, not Vista Home Edition
Java Runtime Environment 1.3.1 or higher
18 MB hard disk space
64 MB RAM
AEJEE is pronounced “EDGIE”, and is an educational GIS data viewer from the ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute), the industry leader in GIS software.
Network connection (check with your school’s computer administrator)
broadband, T1
Background Info:
http://downloads.esri.com/support/documentation/ims_/699Using_ArcExplorer_Java.pdf
Support
http://www.esri.com/software/arcexplorer/support.html
Installing the software
Before following the process below, check your computer(s) for the current version of Java. It should be JRE 1.3.1 or higher. Open the computer’s  in Classic View , click on  , and in the General tab, click About. It should show you something like:
Installing AEJEE from the ESRI web site
1.) Browse to: http://www.esri.com/software/arcexplorer/about/arcexplorer9.html and
read the basic overview information.
2.) Click on ‘Download ArcExplorer for Windows’
3). If you’re not already registered, you’ll have to register. If you are, enter
your email address and proceed or you can use todd.ensign@ivv.nasa.gov
4.) Click on the ‘download’ link, below, and save to disk…
 
5.) Unzip (‘Extract’) the file, click on the setup utility icon
6.) The Setup utility will show a process indicator, then a very brief
ArcExplorer symbol box…
followed by the installation extraction utility dialog box…
At this point, you will asked to quit all programs, and click
In the next box, click the radio button that says
Once you accept and click again, you will be asked to select the directory location…
It is suggested that you use this default, C:\ESRI\AEJEE, for reasons provided in the NOTE: above
 Click again, check to see if you have enough disk space, and if so, click the final button, and you’re done…
unless you have an older version of AEJEE installed, in which case you’ll see…
 
Select , cross you’re fingers, and with luck you’re
END OF LESSON 1 A
LESSON 1 B. Creating a Data File
We will create data worksheet in Excel that is compatible with AEJEE. While GLOBE has you always work in Latitude and Longitude Decimal Degrees, we are going to switch our units over to UTM for this exercise. The reason for this is that the preferred base imagery we are using is projected using UTM83 and for our trees to show up we need to be using the same coordinate system. This is the data that you have collected in the field. You will save the file in Excel as a DBF 4 (dBASE IV). Limit the title of each column to only 9 characters and as much as possible use one-word column title or underscore but never leave spaces in the header row.
- Open Excel and ceate the following header row columns ID, UTM_EAST, UTM_NORTH, ELEV, DIAM, and HEIGHT. Save the file as Excel.
- Enter your data collected in the field.
- Make sure your cursor is inside the data before completing the next step!!!!
- Go to file, and click save as. Select the folder where you want to save the file. Type the file name and save type as: DBF 4 (DBASE IV). Note that the file name should not have any space in between words. Make the file name as short as possible such as “budburst.dbf”.
- Once you have completed saving the file in dbf format, window below will appear. Just click YES
- Another window will appear and again just click YES.
- Please note that when adding the file in AEJEE the dbf file should be closed.
End of Lesson 1 B
Lesson 1 C. Visualizing your Data
- Launch AEJEE.
 To add an aerial photograph, we are going to connect to the West Virginia GIS Technical Center at WVU. They house a sever that is accessible over the Internet and shares thousands of images for free!- Click on the Add Data yellow and black Plus sign.
- From the Content Chooser window, scroll down and click on Internet Servers
- Double Click on Add Internet Server
- It may take a few moments for the connection to be established (Don’t panic) and when it does, Double Click the WV_SAMB_Orthophotos_2003_utm83
- Click on the WV_SAMB_Orthophotos_2003_utm83 again then OK.
 You SHOULD see a big green WV image. Try zooming in and out using the magnifying glass or zooming to “full extent” by clicking the world icon and panning around using the hand.
- Now we want to add our tree data. Click on View on the menu bar, then select Add Event Theme.
- Browse to the file as usual, by clicking on the folder icon .
- Select UTM_EAST for your X Field and UTM_NORTH for your Y Field.
- The Output directory is VERY IMPORTANT as AEJEE will create a Shape file from your data and save it in that location.
- You can choose the type of icon, color and size then select OK.
- You SHOULD now see you trees located on the map.
End of Lesson 1 c
Lesson 1 d. Exporting Map as an Image
Click View and select Layout view.
Click File and select Export to Image
A new window appears, set it as a default value: 72
You can resize the map by clicking the zoom in or out button.
 
On the bottom of the export window, click Export
Type a file name and save the map as a jpeg or BMP file.
You can label the map in MS Word to show the Title, North Arrow, and the locations of the trees observed.
End of Lesson 1 d |
