• Introduction.
• Definition and basic concepts.
• Uses of Geographic Information Systems.
• Geographic information: vector data models, raster data models and other data models (CAD, TIN, etc.). Main features of each data module, advantages and disadvantages.
• Introduction to ArcGIS Desktop: ArcMap, ArCatalog, ArcToolbox, ArcScene and ArcGlobe.
• Arcmap interface, extensions and tools.

• Information layers: how to add layers, features and attribute tables.
• Data tools: search and queries.
• Selection tools: selection per feature, selection by spatial location and information capture.
• Layer symbology: simple symbology, by category, by quantity and through graphs.
• Other display options: labelling and transparencies.

• Introduction to Coordinate systems and projections.
• Defining Coordinate Systems.
• Coordinate system transformation. Reprojection of ED50 or ETRS89 geographic databases.
• Image, layer and CAD files georeferencing.

• Creation and editing of spatial data
  – Creating spatial data: Editing tools bar. Digitization techniques
  – Creating layers from CAD files
  – Modifying existing layers
  – Creating layers from coordinates and GPS data
• Creation and editing of data from the attribute table
  – Structure of an Attribute Table
  – Types of data included in an Attribute Table
  – Modify information from an Attribute table
  – Calculate geometric information (surface, perimeter, length, etc.)
  – Creation of statistics from an Attribute table
  – Export tables to Excel and other formats. Reports and graphs creation

• Designing databases.
• Joining and relating databases.
• Spatial joins. Obtain statistics from database information and spatial position of elements in a layer.
• Geodatabase: Advantages. Properties.
• Loading data to the geodatabase. Subtypes and domains.

Guided exercise 1 (data collection): Collecting field data with GPS or coordinates manual, its processing and creating digital cartography linked to information gathered in the field, as well as in the office.

• Extract (Clip, Split), overlay (intersect, union) and proximity toolsets (buffer analysis, Thiessen polygons).
• Obtain sampling grids.
• Multi-criteria analysis. Obtain optimum areas according to several criteria.

Guided exercise 2 (environmental surveillance): Creation of sampling grids and combining them with field data applied to the environmental surveillance of wind farms.

• File conversion tools. File format conversion from vector to raster, and viceversa, ASCII or html files, and exporting files to KML (Google Earth) as well as CAD.
• Create Digital Elevation Models from vector data, ASCII files and TIN files.
• Extracting information from raster files by query, mask, entity and / or joining raster files.
• Contour lines, slope calculation, hillshade maps, orientations and visibility studies.

Guided exercise 3 (landscape): Creating a visibility study through viewsheds from high precision digital terrain models, defining specific views and project elements.

• Reclassifying raster files. Euclidean distances, building Boolean layers, adding values to intervals or categories, and data conversion.
• Map algebra (raster calculator), math calculations between raster layers, field statistics.

Guided exercise 3 (geomorphology/erosion):  Territory erosion risk analysis through variables like slope, type of soil, presence of vegetation, etc.

• Data interpolation. Different interpolation methodologies (IDW, kriging, natural neighbour).

Guided exercise 4 (fauna and vegetation): Calculate density fauna and vegetation distribution by interpolating field and bibliographic data.

• Use in hydrology: obtaining a drainage system, flow direction, outlets, and identification of drainage basins.

Guided exercise 5 (hydrology): Obtain the drainage network, the main flow direction, accumulation areas and hydrographic basins, sub basins and micro basins. 

• Volume calculation.
• Raster multi criteria analysis. Basic concepts and weightings. Weighted overlay. Non-compensatory analysis. Least cost route calculation.

Guided exercise 6 (selection of alternatives): Selecting a project alternative with smaller impact by multi criteria analysis of environmental variables.

Guided exercise 7 (selection of alternatives 2):  Guided exercise 8 (selection of alternatives 2):  Selecting a lineal construction route with smallet impact by multi criteria analysis.

• Downloading digital maps (IGN) and using WMS cartographic servers.
• Regional, European and international Spanish spatial data infrastructure (IDEE).
• Arcgis Online Services

• Adjusting the sheet.
• Inserting basic elements (north, scale bar, numeric scale, map legend, etc.)
• Adding UTM coordinates grid, composition with several “Data frames”, images, excel tables, etc.
• Including other elements: images, graphs and tables.
• Printing options.

Guided exercise 9 (map composition): Create quality mapping focused on environmental studies according to the INSPIRE directive.

The usage of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is rapidly growing, becoming an essential tool in a variety of business sectors like engineering, environment, geography, mining or geomarketing.

Among GIS tools, ArcGIS is one of the most used GIS software worldwide, the most stable and versatile, comprised by a set of integrated applications, with a solid documentation over a wide range of tools being also supported by a large community.

ArcGIS provides contextual tools for data visualization, mapping and spatial analysis, connecting and combining information from varied sources (local and online), offering complex capabilities in order to explore, gain and enquire knowledge, that will lead to the best decisions. It can be also handled using a user interface as well as in command line using specific programming languages, like Python.

No, this course starts from the very beginning.

Due to changes in the ESRI licensing policy, the trial version of 60 days for ArcGIS – ArcMap it is not available anymore. You can get access to the full capabilities of ArcGIS platform with the new ArcGIS for Personal Use option available at the following link.