How to Make a Map – Advanced Tutorial

This map tutorial will teach you how to use Show Data, Measure, Advanced Query, and Download Data. These functions will be demonstrated by creating a map showing the EPA Superfund Sites and the springs in the area around Tucson.

If at any time you encounter an unfamiliar term, please consult our Glossary.

First, open the map theme Natural Resources. Then use the Basic Query tool to zoom in on the city of Tucson. (For help, see How to Make a Map – Intermediate Tutorial on Basic Query). Next, turn on the EPA Superfund Sites layer in the Areas folder, and the Springs layer in the Water folder.

Show Data

We will use the Show Data tool to identify information about the Superfund sites and the springs around Tucson.

Click in the Map Toolbar, and then click the spring on the northeast side of map.

Information about the spring and other applicable layers will be shown in a Show Data Results window.

As you can see, the name of the spring is Agua Caliente Spring. Now, click the EPA Superfund Site in north Tucson on your map.

Another Show Data Result window will appear containing information about this EPA Superfund Site.

The name of this EPA Superfund Site is Kleindale Industrial Park.

TIP: The data for each visible layer is displayed in table format. The number of data layers displayed will depend on the number of features applicable to the point clicked. When your map is displaying a lot of detail, you will get multiple data layers for the same point. Therefore, in order to eliminate some of the overlapping layers, we recommend that you zoom in on the area in which you are interested. For example, if you want to see the data for census tracts in the Phoenix or Tucson metropolitan areas, we recommend you zoom in until the scale bar in the lower left side of the screen displays: 0 ----1.0 mi. . . . 0 ---- 1.6 km. or closer. (For help on zooming in and out, see How to Make a Map – Basic Tutorial on Zoom In and Out).

Measuring Distance

You can measure the distance between Agua Caliente Spring and Kleindale Industrial Park with the Measure tool.

First, click in the Map Tool Bar.

Displayed at the top left of the map are step-by-step measuring instructions. At the bottom of the map are boxes displaying the Total Length and Segment Length measured in miles and kilometers.

To begin measuring, click Agua Caliente Spring on the map. This beginning point is marked by a yellow dot.

The distance from the yellow dot will be shown in the Segment Length box while moving the cursor around your map.

Move the cursor to Kleindale Industrial Park, and click on the site. Then, without moving the cursor, double click on the same site. This is your ending point. The total distance between Agua Caliente Spring and Kleindale Industrial Park is shown as 11.18 mi. (17.99 km.).

The red line connecting the two yellow dots is a segment. Additional segments can be measured by moving the cursor from one location to the next, clicking once on each location. After clicking on your final location, double click on that same location to end. The total distance of all the segments will be shown in the Total Length box at the bottom of your map.

This map measures the distance from Agua Caliente Spring to Kleindale Industrial Park to Unlicensed Pharmaceutical Lab (the southern EPA Superfund Site) and back to Agua Caliente Spring. The segment length between Unlicensed Pharmaceutical Lab and Agua Caliente Spring is 7.65 mi. (12.31 km.). The total distance among the three locations is 25.66 mi. (41.30 km.).

Advanced Query

We will use the Advanced Query tool to search for the locations of and data pertaining to EPA Superfund Sites in zip code 85202 in the city of Mesa.

First, select in the Data Toolbar. An “Advanced Query” window appears.

Select “EPA Superfund Sites” for the Layer to Query. In the first Field row, select “ZIP”, then choose “=”, and in the first Value row enter “85202”.

Choose “OR” for the criteria combination. Select “CITY_NAME” in the second Field row, then choose “=”, and in the second Value row enter “Mesa”.

TIP: The “OR” operator will find records that meet the criteria in either expression. So in our example, using “OR” will find all EPA Superfund Sites that are either in the zip code 85202 OR in the city of Mesa. Conversely, the “AND” operator will find records that meet the criteria in both expressions. Thus, selecting “AND” in our example will find all EPA Superfund Sites that are both in the zip code 85202 AND in the city of Mesa.

Additionally, the comparison operators, such as “<”,” >”, and “=” for numbers, and “=” and “Like” for words, are used to link Field and Value.

Click to get the Search Results. The Search Results window shows you which EPA Superfund Sites are in the zip code 85202 or in the city of Mesa.

Click to the left of one of the sites to to obtain more detailed information about that site, and to zoom to that site on your map.

For instance, click to the left of the first EPA Superfund Site: the GMC GM Desert Proving Ground Mesa. A second Query Results window appears displaying specific information for the site you selected.

And your map zooms to the EPA Superfund Site, GMC GM Desert Proving Ground Mesa, which is highlighted in yellow in the center of your map.

Data Download

Use the Data Download tool to download the EPA Superfund Sites data layer. You will then be able to utilize the downloaded information in GIS software, such as ArcInfo, ArcView, ArcExplorer, or MapInfo.

Click in the Data Toolbar. The Data Download Introduction Page window will appear.

After reading the disclaimer, click to continue. The Data Download Categories window appears.

The data is organized into categories, the first 5 of which correspond to the folders in the Layer List on the right side of your screen. The last category, Other Datasets, refers to data layers that currently are not viewable through any of the map themes, but are available to download.

TIP: Data Download has the same categories available to download regardless of your chosen map theme.

We are going to download the EPA Superfund Sites layer, which is in the Areas in Arizona category.

Click next to Areas in Arizona. The Download Shapefiles window appears.

Click on EPA Superfund Sites, and the File Download window will appear.

Select , and the Save As window will appear.

You must select a download location (Desktop) in the Save In box, and a name for your file (Superfund) in the File Name box. Click to begin downloading the file.

When the file is finished downloading, the Download Complete window will appear.

Click when download is complete. Or, if you selected and return to your file at a later time, you must first locate the Superfund zip file on your desktop and open it.

In either event, you will first need to un-zip your file before you can use it. There are several software applications that can unzip a zip file, such as CoffeeCup Zip Wizard, WinZip and PowerArchiver. The University of Arizona Library uses CoffeeCup Zip Wizard, which will open automatically when you open your file.

Click and the Un-zip File window will appear.

Select . A Destination Folder window will appear.

Select a Destination Folder, and click to begin.

A Directory Not Found window may appear. If it does, Click to create a directory.

The UnZip Complete Window will appear:

Click to view the files inside the folder.

These files are now stored in a Superfund folder on your desktop.

Now you can open a GIS software program such as ArcView, ArcInfo, ArcExplorer, or MapInfo and import this layer as a theme. (Note: The Library has ArcView versions 8.2 and 3.3 available on the computers in the Information Commons.)

If you need help using these software products:

• Use Help available in the software product
• Go to ESRI (producer of ArcInfo, ArcView, ArcExplorer software) Support Center.
• The University of Arizona Library has several user manuals available for ArcView, ArcInfo, and ArcMap. Search for them in the SABIO Catalog by the following subjects: ArcView, Arc/Info, or ArcMap.