{ Welcome | The Willapa Watershed | Installing the Software/Accessing the Data | About the Data |
About GIS | Maps and Images | System Requirements | Troubleshooting | Glossary | Map of Willapa }
The Willapa Watershed Information System is one of the first in a series of information products that make up the Coastal Temperate Rain Forest Bioregional Information System. This information system is designed to help local citizens, resource managers, conservationists, and scientists exchange biophysical and socioeconomic information to better understand patterns of change. The system is distributed in many different ways, ranging from bioregional and watershed atlases and maps, to interactive CD-ROMs and the Internet.
This CD-ROM provides easy access to extensive information describing the natural and human resources of the Willapa Watershed. The information cataloged on this CD was gathered and developed over several years by numerous organizations, agencies, and local residents. Included on this CD are more than one hundred different spatial data sets as well as additional information in the form of reports, maps, charts and tables about the Willapa Watershed.
This section is a guide to setting-up the provided software, and accessing the information on this CD. It also explains some of the basics about browsers, geographic information systems (GIS), spatial data, tabular data, and other types of data such as maps and images. Additionally, there is some general discriptive information on the Willapa area.
The organization of this CD provides users ready access to an extensive and diverse set of information as well as an understanding of how to use it. The majority of the 560 megabytes of information on the CD are spatial and tabular datasets. Both text files and browsable HTML (hypertext markup language) files describe the information contained in these datasets, and provide ideas of analyses that can be performed with them. The Data Catalog organizes and describes the different datasets in depth.
If you have any questions or comments about this CD-ROM, please visit the World Wide Web site at http://www.interrain.org/bis/wwis, and please take the time to fill out the questionnaire.
Additional information is included in the form of reports, maps, charts , tables, and references that broaden the context of the data. These files can be accessed through the provided Netscape browsers, or as text files within the Catalog directory on the CD.
Installing the software/accessing the data
It is important to emphasize that you cannot access the spatial data directly from the browsable Data Catalog. To access the spatial data you will need to use a viewing and processing tool, such as ArcView or workstation ARC/INFO. To simplify data access and to minimize required hard disk space, we have created a subset of the data (85 megabytes) and an accompanying ArcView project for quick data familiarization. The full data set (450 megabytes) is in UNIX ARC/INFO 7.0 coverage format and care should be excercised when copying portions of it to your harddrive. To maintain the integrity of the ARC/INFO coverage format, the INFO directories must accompany the coverage directories under the same parent directory.
ArcView Data Publisher
We have included a special PC version of ArcView on the CD called ArcView Data Publisher, courtesy of ESRI, the software developer. By choosing to install this software, you will be telling the CD to install a project-locked version of ArcView onto your harddrive. In addition, you will have the option of installing the data itself, which is ESSENTIAL for efficient access to the information. By selecting to download the data during the ArcView Data Publisher installation, you will actually download a subset of the full data set which will require 85 megabytes of space. To access data not included in the subset, you may download it from the "all_data" directory at a later time.
You can install ArcView Data Publisher on any PC that runs Microsoft Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups, Windows NT, or Windows 95 (ArcView Data Publisher will not run on Macintosh or UNIX systems). The complete application with the spatial data requires at least 100 megabytes of space on your harddrive. To install ArcView Data Publisher and the subset of data, you need to quit out of Netscape, enter your file manager, go to the CD-ROM drive, double click on the file setup.exe and follow the directions on your screen (be sure to check yes when asked if you want to download the data).
This version of ArcView has a customized Graphic User Interface which includes a button (looks like a pen) that allows access to the metadata for each theme in the project. In order for this feature to function properly, Netscape must be loaded in a Netscape directory located on the harddrive (C:\netscape\netscape.exe). Themes with attribute data in more than one table have their tables pre-linked. When a themes' main attribute table is opened, the linked tables will open simultaneously, providing access to all of the available attribute data for that theme.
If you initially choose not to download the data with ArcView Data Publisher and later decide it would be appropriate to have it on your harddrive, you must first un-install ArcView Data Publisher from your computer and then re-install it with the data.
Existing ArcView users
If you already have a copy of ArcView on your system, simply download the directory "data" onto to your hardrive. To access the data start ArcView and open the project file "wil_shp.apr" under the data directory. It is important to note that the project must remain relative to the data. That is, you should not move the project file without moving the data along with it. This project file is not for use with ArcView Data Publisher. However, unlike the ArcView Data Publisher version, it can be manipulated and saved if you already have ArcView on your system.
Netscape Navigator 2.02
Netscape Navigator 2.02 for Mac, PC, and Solaris 2.4/Unix is included as a means to navigate through the Data Catalog and the ArcView Basics training. The browsers enable the viewing of text and graphics files and provide links to related sections on the CD. Via the browser the Spatial Data Catalog lists each spatial data layer and provides links to descriptive information including pictures showing what they look like.
On the root of the CD there is a "netscape" directory, inside are directories for the PC, Mac, and Unix operating systems. Inside each directory is a "readme.txt" file that tells you how to install the software, and a compressed version of Netscape Navigator 2.02. Follow the appropriate instructions to install the software onto your harddrive. You will need at least 10 megabytes of free space.
You are welcome to use your own browser if you already have one installed, but the formatting may be slightly different than intended.
Once you have an installed browser on your system, open it, click OK when it tells you that you are not connected to a network (see the "Using the CD Online" section), and go to the "File" menu and select "Open File...". Go to the root of the CD, go into the "catalog" directory, and select the "launch.htm" file.
If you have never used a browser, continue reading, otherwise you may skip ahead a paragraph to learn about using the CD online.
Netscape Navigator 2.02 is a relatively simple piece of software to operate in that all you need to do is follow the hyperlinks (blue underlined text, and some images) and enjoy. The browser comes equipped with both a forward and a backward arrow for navigating should you need it, but we have included links to major subject areas from just about every page.
We have included a few links to sites on the World Wide Web as well as some e-mail links so that you may contact us directly. You may take advantage of these features by first connecting to the Internet, and then opening the browser and viewing the pages off of the CD. Once online, the "http..." and email links will be hot. Alternatively, you can also write down the addresses and visit them at another time when you're online.
Although maps have been used for thousands of years to convey large amounts of information, it has only been in the last thirty years that maps, graphics and databases have been combined with computers to create geographic information systems (GIS).
A simple definition of a geographic information system is one that links locations of places on the earth's surface to information describing the attributes of those places. A GIS is commonly considered to be an organized collection of computer hardware, software, geographic data and personnel designed to efficiently capture, store, update, manipulate, analyze, and display geographically referenced information.
A GIS uses georeferenced and associated relational data to keep track of geographic features and attributes. Georeferenced data is information tied to specific locations on the earth through a system of real-world coordinates such as latitude and longitude. The georeferenced information may describe a variety of geomorphic, biological, and social attributes, all of which can be displayed as maps.
Spatial data The spatial data on this CD can be found in the "data" directory, where it is separated into "covs" and "grids". They are all ARC/INFO (version 7.x) "coverages".
Due to formatting differences, you cannot use ARC/INFO coverages in PC ARC/INFO. If you only have access to PC ARC/INFO you will need to contact Interrain Pacific to obtain the data in the correct format.
The spatial data on this CD is registered or projected to the coordinate system of UTM Zone 10.
Relational tables connect databases with geographic coverages. To "relate" one of these tables to a coverage you need to use a common item to establish temporary connections between corresponding records in two tables. In a relate, each record in one table is connected to a record in the feature attribute table, or the geographic coverage table, that shares the same value for a common item (ESRI, 1992). Coverages will be less useful if the relation is ignored. You can "relate" tables within ArcView using the "join" or "link" commands.
Not all coverages have relational tables, only about ten percent of the coverages on this CD have them. Relational tables are used when massive amounts of data need be attached to a coverage, when different types of attributes are associated with a coverage, when one to many or many to one relationships exists (such as time series databases), or when feature attributes are consistently updated while the features themselves remain static.
Other data All of the "other data" included on the CD is accessable with the provided Netscape Navigator 2.02 browser.
The maps contained on the CD are representational only - they contain no links to underlying datasets. Although the maps were created in a GIS, they are not georeferenced and can not be queried as they have no associated attribute data. Likewise, the images and photographs are limited to only graphical display.
The maps demonstrate some of the analysis that can be accomplished using GIS technology in combination with the spatial data and associated information on the CD.
We have included the photographs as a fun, real-world perspective on the Willapa Bay Watershed and as context for the spatial data, the Willapa Indicators Report, and the Fisheries Recovery Strategy.
-
Learning about the spatial data
All you need to learn about each coverage is a text editor and a .gif reader, or an all-inclusive browser such as the provided Netscape Navigator 2.02.
Below are the specifications for using ESRI GIS software.
- ArcView --
| Computer | A 386 micorprocessor, hard disk, at least 2x CD-ROM drive. RECOMMENDED: 486 or Pentium processor with drives. |
| Hard Disk Space | At least 12 MB of available space |
| RAM | 8 MB RAM, with 12 MB swap space. RECOMMENDED: 24-32 MB RAM. |
| Cache Subsystem | L1 write back primary cache, 16k; 8k code/8k data. L2 write back secondary cache, 256k; direct mapped. |
| Operating System | MS-DOS 5.0 or later, and Microsoft Windows 3.1 or later, Windows for Workgroups 3.11 or later, or Windows NT 3.1 or later. |
| I/O Ports | One parallel and two serial ports on system board; LPT and COM configurable from system setup program. |
| Monitor | VGA monitor |
| Pointing Device | Microsoft Mouse or comaptible pointing device. |
| Printer | Optional |
| Computer | Power Macintosh, or Macintosh with 68040 processor and FPU. |
| Disk Drive | Floppy disk drive and at least 6x CD-ROM drive. |
| Hard Disk | Atleast 25 MB of available space. |
| RAM | Power Macintosh - with virtual memory 12 MB 68040 - 12 MB RECOMMENDED: 24 - 32 MB RAM |
| Operating System | System 7.1 or later |
| Monitor | Any Macintosh compatible monitor. |
| Pointing Device | Macintosh Mouse or compatible pointing device. |
| Printer | Optional |
- ARC/INFO --
You need to have a resident version of ARC/INFO version 7.x or better for Unix or MS Windows NT.
- PC ARC/INFO --
Unfortunately you will not be able to view the coverages included on this CD within PC ARC/INFO. If you only have access to PC ARC/INFO please get in touch with Interrain Pacific and we will provide the data in a format you can use.
You need:
- at least 10 MB of free space
- an internet connection (optional)
- Win32s installed (MS Windows 3.x users only)(see Troubleshooting)
win32s
If you are running MS Windows 3.x on your PC, you will need to have Win32s installed to run both the Netscape Navigator and ArcView Data Publisher applications.
We have included version 1.25 of this software on the CD. It is located in the "win32s" directory on the root of the CD. The included "readme.txt" file will instruct you on how to install it correctly.
CD performance Reading any data off the CD is slow, especially the spatial data. For those of you who are installing the provided ArcView Data Publisher, we can't stress enough how important it is for you to install the data as part of your setup.
{ About Us | About this CD | Spatial Catalog and Other Data | Maps and Images | Primary Source Contacts }
© Interrain Pacific
