Below are some problems and solutions that you may encounter in the ArcMap environment as you analyze your data and compile your report. The below won't solve all your problems, but it might help with some. Give me feedback on the below and I will adapt it so others can benefit. Don't forget to use your other resources if the the above doesn't help.

File management:

Remember you are going to generate a lot of different files - all part of your ArcMap project. Create a folder and put them all in there. Also remember to back your project folder up, perhaps at the end of every work session. Also, after saving your project, or exporting data, check your filder to see what types of new files have been created.

• make sure your longitudes are negative (since we are west of the meridian).
• use the Save As and select the dbf4. Give the file a descriptive name.
• make sure your cell format is number with 5 decimal places.

Positioning the background air photos:

Background info: Raster data refers to images, which are basically a bunch of color values for each pixel that together make an image. You can download these from sites on the web. I have downloaded several USGS air photos that should be useful for your specific projects. They are available on one of the disks in the lab. If you have georeferenced jpeg or other image file you want to include as a layer the computer has to somehow know what the geographic location of each pixel is. This information is contained in an accompanying world file, and these can often be downloaded from the web along with the image. This is simply a text file containing the UTM coordinates of the upper left corner, and the pixel scale distance. In order for ArcMAP to recognize and use these they must have the a ".jgw" suffix (e.g. sample.jpeg and sample.jgw. If you have both the jpeg image file and the world file in your folder the following should work.

Source of USGS georeferenced airphotos.

Steps to get your image 'positioned' in ArcMap:

• In the data view window of ArcMap under File, select Add data. Navigate to the folder with your jpeg file and select it. ArcMap should make an automatic connection to the accompanying jgw file. While the two fils have different suffixes, they must have the same name in order for ArcMap to connect them.
• A message about missing spatial info will come up. This is because a coordinate system hasn't been selected for the image. Latitude and longitude are angular measures of position. A coordinate system, via some type of projection, plots points in a scaled x,y plane. The following will allow you to establish a coordinate system for your layers:
  • Double left click on the Layers line at the top of your layers menu. this controls properties for all your layers, including map projection properties.
  • A window comes up in which you will select a coordinate system. Navigate through the following folders: predefined -> projected coordinate system -> Utm -> NAD 1983 -> NAD 1983UTMZone13N, and select this last file. This will be your projection and coordinate system.

Getting the right suffix on your world file - steps to take:

• If you have your computer set so that the file extensions are visible then simply go in and change the txt extension to jgw. A message will come up asking if you are sure you want to do this. Reassure the computer that you do.
• If you can't see the file extensions the you need to navigate to the folder where the files are kept and under the Tools column select Folder Options, then View. Check to see if the Hide file extensions ... box is checked. If it is uncheck. You should now see all your file extensions. then proceed as above.

Importing x, y data:

This is how you you get your dbf file information into ArcMap so that you can play with it. In the ArcMap (data view window) under Tools, select Add x,y data. Navigate to your dbf file and select that. In the x coordinate and y coordinate window latitude and longitude will likely show up automatically. If not navigate to the column heading which has the appropriate x and y values. Then reassure the program its OK, and your data should show up in the Layers window to the left.

Zooming in on your data

For some reason if you try to zoom in on just portion of your dbf data it will likely disappear. I have no idea of why. Perhaps the programmers keep saying - "we should really fix this" - but never got around to it. Anyway you need to "export" your data so that ArcMap can work with it at any scale.

Here are the steps in order to do so:

Plotting strike and dip symbols for your faults and veins.

Here are the steps:

• right click on the layer with your data.
• select Properties at the bottom of the menu window.
• In the Layer Properties window select the Symbology tab towards the top. Here is where you can do all sorts of magic in terms of what plotted.
• If you click direclty on the small displayed symbol another window opens up showing you the symbols you can select. The one you want to use likely isn't there yet. Select the More Symbols button and check the Geology 24k option (you might want to deselect other symbol options to not have to search through so many possibilities).
• Now scroll down throught the window of symbols and select one of the strike and dip simples (there are quite a few to choose from). Note that you can also change the color here.
• ArcMap still doesn't know how much to rotate them by. Select the Advanced button in the Symbology menu and select Rotate. Navigate through the listed field to the one with the strike information and choose it. Now your symbols should plot correctly.