Week 6, Projections: The Sequel

     Alright! Look at me, finally getting something submitted on time, entirely completed and hopefully correct!
     This lab was a doozy. There were so many steps between downloading data, unzipping and moving files, creating a whole slew of files, re-projecting and redefining data time and time again, and even using excel.
     Don't get me wrong this was a fun lab but it was exhausting. I spent 6 hours on the lab in the GIS lab and was turning to page 20 of the lab prompt and thought I saw the  light at the end of the tunnel. Only to find that I had to redo everything from the get go and make my own map. (Now that I think about it I left off two scale bars.)
     After I got home and mustered the will to continue the assignment I spent about 5 more hours on it. Much of this time was fighting the map layout, deciding colors that could be seen and messing up re-projecting the same file many times, but mostly fighting the map layout.
     I realized by scrolling down on the rubric that I am supposed to include an image of my map but let me say that I had completely forgot and added the ones that I have to the assignment. Not only that but for some reason ArgoApps did not want to register my flash drive for a good while and then did not want me to save. I say this because I had to submit the assignment through ArgoApps instead of my usual web browser which made me unable to copy and paste this blog link, but hopefully I can comment the link to this in the assignment in a bit.
     Speaking of fighting the map layout, I was unsure what the assignment wanted as far as three views go so I decided to spend some time getting more familiar with making a map layout while I had the time to. I three maps, one that was zoomed out with the county boundaries and Quad index, one that showed Escambia county with the aerial views, plotted points of the petroleum contamination, major roads, county boundary, quad index, and a light under map to make it look nice, and then a smaller version of the second map but zoomed way in on the Pensacola quad that I chose.  I think it looks nice and I am honestly proud.
     I have to say that the class confuses me greatly, it seems like so much new information that doesn't make much sense. The labs are confusing because I don't quite know how to answer the questions. I am doing my best and would like to think that if nothing else I am getting better at using ArcGIS Pro, even when I have to flip-flop between computers.
     On the subject of what was don't this week I think I grasped the concept that I took data from varying sources, types and projections and re-projected or defined the data in a way that was uniform in GCS and PCS before bringing it all together and making a cohesive map. Not only making a cohesive map but keeping up with all the steps, questions to answer in the process summary and keeping the files and file paths coherent. I usually do a way better job making files in my computer to store things but for some reason this class threw me for a loop, but I would like to think that I am getting the hang of things. I even tried harder to keep the names in GIS format, that I forgot about, even though everything in me wants to add spaces rather than underlines and squishing things together. (I'll include the picture of the files because I am that proud.) While this was interesting I have a feeling that the next lab will rely heavily on this and I have another feeling that it wont be nice and walk me through the steps. And I am not sure if I am quite ready. However this lab is also teaching me to not be so afraid to reach out for help which I have always had an issue with being as I would rather do it myself and not have to bother anyone, but this is subject matter I have to pony up (as someone I know says) and ask.
     Anyway, thank you for reading,
     ~Jo Snow.

   

Week 5: Projections Phase One

     Before I begin I'd like to say that I somehow managed to name my files wrong but managed to keep the blog in time with the weeks. Once again late because of family issues, getting sidetracked by statistics homework and trying to own my own map. Also step 7 part 6 had me confused for a while.
     Alright, I have to say that I am really starting to enjoy these labs. Though they might be a little frustrating and stressful its so fun as someone who loves to watch processes to see the labs come together. The fact that we map makers get to personalize each finished product is addicting and easy to get carried away in. I am not quite sure if I understand the difference between PCS and GCS but I am getting there. I do however understand that different forms of projections allow and create stretching and skewing. I have been following VOX and other similar educational sources like TedEd and BBC and and actually saw the video linked in the lesson when it came out. I loved the video and enjoyed watching it again and relating what he said to what I have learned. Though this lab is late I think I enjoyed it as much as I did the last lab, which is saying something.
     While sitting here and typing this I also realized that I said that projection style as UTM 2016 instead of UTM 16 N on my map and I feel so stupid.
     Here's to hoping I can get back in line. Thanks for reading,
     ~Jo Snow.

Week 4: Data Collection

     So far this lab was the most enjoyable and engaging. It so cool to see that each step actually made the feature layer, then to plot the points and watch them actually become a part of the map I made. Plotting the points was so much fun, because I tend to take walks on campus to clear my head meaning I got to take my normal walk and get work done. Not only that everything worked as it was supposed to for once. I even started this lab early on Monday in hopes of not making it late, because I thought to my self that it was time to break a bad habit. I actually went to lab every day but Tuesday to work on this in the GIS lab. 

     When I realized that the lab was on public safety, the first thing that popped into my head were the "Blue Lights" which my family called the emergency poles. My family has been walking on the nature trail since I was very small and once I got bigger I asked what the pole was for and from then on thought that they were a very important safety precaution. I appreciate these installments of infrastructure even more since I walk almost daily on the nature trail and other areas that tend to not have many onlookers alone. I am not necessarily afraid, but the knowledge that the Blue Lights are there gives me some peace of mind. So, I did not intend to rip off the lab instructions, but once I realized that my idea of public safety measures/infrastructures worked for the lab and seemed like an easier choice I immediately jumped on the prospect and made the data collection based around the blue lights.

     The lab itself was done, all I had to do was the final step of the Process Summary where I had to reword the sharing steps. I was finally proud of myself. I even made sure to take the reading test because I had a feeling I would need to. Should have listened to that feeling and also finished the process summary as well because once I was on the way home I got bad news and then to top it all off our only car broke down and probably wont be starting again. When I Finally got home it seemed that a nap was way better than eating or anything because I didn't sleep a wink last night. This nap turned into a 7 hour nap. The only reason I woke up was because my boyfriend called me off the hook to make sure I woke up to finish the lab. Somehow slept through over a dozen calls and messages, at 11:43. Well, I got the process summary done and turned in making yet another late lab. 

     I did enjoy the lab a lot and felt like I am learning something, but hindsight is 20-20. 

     Hope whoever is reading this had a good day and such,

     ~Jo Snow. 

I am also including the story map I made for the lab, as is required the link is below. 

Story map: 

http://pns.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=60a97ac43cc243169f5e1086405b5ca5

Week 3 Cartography

Well it seems that I forgot to do this on time, I'm sure there are repercussions but it entirely slipped my mind. I have to say I almost gave up on the first step of this lab because the metadata would not show up properly, thanks to my horrid internet service. I even went to the lab to retry to unzip the folder, took three tries before I could even get it to work. However, I had to go home so I transferred the data to my little shark thumb drive in hopes that would work, it didn't. I finally figured out how to do an insert map, at least I think. Can't say how many times I spelled "Cartography" wrong though when trying to restart/create a new project in hopes that the files unzipped wrong. Overall the lab, while stressful, is so interesting to see how things build on each other. Kinda excited to see what the next lab entails.