~DMSION OF AGRICULTURE Agriculture and Natural Resources U~ljj RESEARCH & EXTENSION University of Arkansas System FSA2192
Using ArcGIS Pro: Creating Points from Coordinates
Pearl Webb Introduction fertilizer application rates can be Program Associate - developed. For example, if a field ArcGIS Pro® is a geographic boundary has been developed into a Crop, Soil & Environmental information system (GIS) software Science polygon and stored into a data file platform developed by ESRI. The com- known as a shapefile, then a soil sam- pany began its development of GIS pling grid can be developed within the Mike Daniels software in the early 1990s with the boundary to guide exactly where grid Professor - release of ArcView, which eventually soil samples should be collected. The Crop, Soil & Environmental evolved into ArcGIS Desktop. Since grid points can be spaced based upon Science 2015, ESRI has been transitioning to the user’s desired coverage of the field. replace ArcGIS Desktop with ArcGIS The shapefile containing the spatial Pro. coordinates can be easily exported to a A GIS is a software package that GPS to navigate to its location within connects databases to geographically the field. known locations usually depicted by Points containing geographic coor- geographic coordinates such as lati- dinates can be made in ArcGIS Pro tude and longitude. ArcGIS Pro breaks in the form of a shapefile or feature database features into three simple class. This is useful when presented items: points, lines and polygons. with a list of X,Y coordinates that Points may be defined spatially as a has information associated with each single pair of latitude and longitude point, such as in soil test data. Gener- coordinates, while a line is described ating a point shapefile or feature class by at least two pairs of coordinates. A containing this data allows for anal- polygon may be defined spatially by ysis of the data’s geographic distribu- multiple pairs of coordinates with two tion. Furthermore, point shapefiles or sets overlapping so that the polygon is feature classes containing data are the a closed shape, such as a field bound- foundation for ArcGIS interpolation ary. ArcGIS Pro allows for the efficient tools, which among other things can development of maps with spatial be used to analyze changes in soil over integrity, addition of features with time or across different depths. coordinates collected with Global Posi- tioning Systems (GPS), and overlay of The goal of this fact sheet is to spatially correlated data layers. It has help the reader develop navigable many display and analysis features grid points where soil or other sam- that make it a powerful tool in dealing pling locations can be located and the Arkansas Is with spatially explicit datasets. results depicted in a spatially explicit map. The information included here Our Campus A GIS has many uses in agricul- assumes a basic knowledge of or ture, such as displaying yield maps, exposure to ArcGIS Pro software nav- satellite imagery, and defining a col- igation. ArcGIS Pro version 2.4.0 was Visit our web site at: lection of points that represent a soil used in the development of this fact https://www.uaex.uada.edu testing grid from which variable-rate sheet.
University of Arkansas, United States Department of Agriculture, and County Governments Cooperating Preparing the Data create a point shapefile, save within a folder and not a File Geodatabase, in which case the Output Fea- The data containing the X,Y coordinates that will ture Class will automatically add .shp to the end of be used for the point shapefile or feature class must the file name. first be prepared in a spreadsheet application such as Excel. Each row that represents an object or point File Geodatabases are useful for consolidating should have columns for a unique ID (such as a sam- many features (i.e. polygons, points, and/or lines) into ple number), latitude coordinates, and longitude coor- one location. Shapefiles are independent files that dinates. Additional data associated with the points only represent one feature type (i.e. point, line, or (i.e. Phosphorus, Nitrogen, Potassium, etc. soil test polygon). values) should also be in columns. ArcGIS will attempt to automatically populate The data for each point shapefile or feature the X Field and Y Field based upon the data in the class that will be created should be contained in one input table. Make sure these selections are correct sheet of a workbook. Therefore, divide the workbook by ensuring the X Field is the longitude and the Y into separate sheets for each category that is to be Field is the latitude. If necessary, change assigned analyzed. For example, if there are soil test results fields by selecting the drop-down menu arrow. Unless from two depths for two different fields, there should working with 3D data, the Z Field will remain blank. be four sheets in the workbook (Depth A on Field 1, Press the drop-down menu arrow of Coordinate Depth B on Field 1, Depth A on Field 2, and Depth System to select the same coordinate system as an B on Field 2). Note that the unique ID, latitude and existing layer on the map, or press the globe button longitude should match across sheets if they repre- to select an appropriate coordinate system. For the sent the same point in the field. Organizing the data field scale of this example, the Projected Coordinate in this way is necessary for creating an interpolation System NAD 1983 is used. Press Run to execute the map of results across a single category. tool (Fig. 4).
Creating the Point Feature or Shapefile Geoprocessing • 1/-X Open the Catalog Pane in
to and open the folder where the jlnputTable Reset Catalog Catalog Co spreadsheet is located. If not list- TDumas2o 6S liii Panes• Pane ~iew ·1 ed in the Folders tab, right click ~ature Class Dumas1_0-6 Folders and select Add Folder Ir. Figure 1. Catalog Pane X Field Connection (Fig. 2). button in the View tab. ~tude ·I Y Field Folders ~titude ·I • ♦ Add Folder Connection ~- Expand the Z Field 0 Tuon t __ ~ ·I ~ lmportlog workbook (Excel C- file) and right- Coordinate S~stem Figure 2. Add Folder Connection to link to INAD.1983 UTM Zone 15N ·Io where the spreadsheet is located. click the individu- al sheet that will be used. Select Export > Table to Point Feature Class (Fig. 3). This opens the Geoprocessing pane for , ...... Run 0 the XY Table to Point tool. Figure 4. Settings for XY Table to Point tool in the The Geoprocessing pane. Input Table + Add To Curre-ntMap + Add To New will be If desired, the process for the XY Table to Point De-s19n populated tool can be repeated for each sheet that was created Export by default when preparing the data in the spreadsheet applica- from the tion. Change the Input Table to the new sheet, and opening the prepare the remaining options accordingly as detailed tool. Press Figure 3. Selecting the Table to Point Feature Class above. the folder by option from right-clicking the desired sheet. Add the newly created point shapefiles or feature Output Feature Class to name and choose where classes to the map by right-clicking them in the Con- the feature class or shapefile will be saved. Opening a tents pane and pressing Add to Map or by press- File Geodatabase (.gdb) and saving there will cre- ing the Add Data button in the Map tab. ate a point feature class within that geodatabase. To Labeling and Symbology After selecting Graduated Colors as the Primary Symbology, the Field is the phosphorus soil test val- Apply labels by right-clicking the point shape- ues column selected from the drop-down menu. The file or feature class in the Contents pane and press Method in this particular example would be Manual Label. From the Labeling tab of the Feature Layer Interval (Fig. 7). menu, the label category and many other display set- tings for the labels can be defined (Fig. 5). Primary symbology :Graduated Colors Field [Phospho,ou:s ·I~ Insert Analysis View Edit Imagery Share AppUfanc:,e Labeling Data 'I <-N-o-ne-,------.~I Normahzabon Cl.tH I ·Iii' ~In &.yond ~✓ M ~'"" Ub.l FHlure,, In This Clan ll,,Oute.yo,,d [;;""
Press the drop-down arrow by Field in the Label Quantile ~lribut~ thP olx.er..-ations <-qu.1lly,)(~'i lhP clJ'i'i Class section to choose the desired category for label- inteN.ll, giving unequ.il cl.Ju widths bul the s..1me freq~ of observatJOnsper dass. ing. Alter the font face, color, and size in the Text Equa I I nterva I Symbol section. The label placement in relation to The da1arange of each cLm ii ~Id coMtanl giving an c,qu,:dcta~s width w.lh va,ying frc,quc-ocyof the point can also be specified. For both Text Sym- otxervabOnsper cl.lis bol and Label Placement, open the menu for more Defin~ Interval advanced options by pressing the button in the bot- Specifyan inteNal size to delll'leeqwl ctass widths tom right corner of the section.[2J with varying froquN'lcy of obwr11atiOM por c!J'i'§. Manu,11Interval In the Appearance tab of the Feature Layer Cre.it~ d.h'> br,eJb n14nwlly or mod fy one of 1M 11 I prewt cLMSlflGllJOnfrM!lhod~ dp<: ,rop,i.:ne t ,. your menu, press Symbology to open the Symbology fi,lt,l pane. The primary symbology can be changed depend- Geometric Interval ~ ing on the information that is being conveyed. By M,uhem.thc.Jl.lydefa,ed cl.t~!i-width.\ b.s~d oo .t geo,netric seoos. gMng an appr01e1r'r\atetyequal default, Single Symbol is selected. This setting is class 'Widthand co1~tfflt fre,q~ncy of good for simply showing where the points are on a obwtvahon'i per da'i~ map; there is no distinction in appearance between Standard Deviation for normally d~1,1but~ data. class .....d1fu.are the points. Press the image by the Symbol category d@fined~ing standard de-vialionsfr'Ol"n tile m.ean of IM' data .lrr.ly. giving an ('{lual c!J'i'5. width and to change the appearance (i.e. color "'"'Y-'''9lreqtiency of O~,VdliOll!o per cld$~ Primary symbology and size) and press Apply to save SmgleSymbol Figure 7. Use Manual Interval to enter specified - the settings (Fig. 6). numerical values that represent each color range. Symbol 0 Back in the Symbology pane, Label Select a pre- Symbology • Dumas2_0 • 9 X the Primary Symbology of Unique defined color scheme, Figure 6. Pressing Values makes each point associat- the Symbol image or change the symbol opens the appear- ed with a certain value appear in Primary symbology colors individual- Gr.duet.d Colon; ance properties a different color. In the case of soil menu. ly by clicking the F1ekl Phosphorous test results, this setting is not par- point image in the ticularly useful because each point’s data is usually a Classes table (Fig. aasscts different value. However, an example where Unique 8). Click the Upper ColorscM~ Values would be useful is if the point shapefile or fea- value column for ture class contained identifying features about objects I,..... Htslogritm Scel.s the first value in the More ... in a field (i.e. each point represented either a tree, Classes table and Uppc!t"Y~ Label fence post, boulder, etc.). Applying Unique Values and ""'""' enter 15.999. This 0 slS-999 V«ylow specifying “Field 1” as the object type would make represents the “Very s 2S.999 ,- each point of that object type the same color (i.e. all 0 Low” soil test level for trees are green, all fence posts are brown, etc.). s JS..999 M""'m soybeans defined in • The Primary Symbology of Graduated Colors is the Arkansas Soybean • < "'""' ""'""""' highly suitable for soil test results, as points with val- Production Hand- • 1: 10'.,0 AboveOtomum ues in a specified range appear the same color. For book. The next value Figure 8. Settings of Manual Interval example, phosphorus soil test values can be divided entered is 25.999 to symbology based on the example of by color in the range specified by the University of represent “Low” val- phosphorus soil test results following the University of Arkansas soybean fertilizer Arkansas phosphorus fertilizer recommendations for ues of 16 – 25. This recommendations. soybean crops. would be followed by 35.999 to represent “Medium” values of 26 – 35. The next entry would be 50.999 to represent “Opti- mum” values of 36 – 50. The last entry is by default the highest value included in the data set. If this value falls into the “Above Optimum” range of ≥51, no change is necessary. However, if the highest value in the data set is below the “Above Optimum” range, the value of the last symbol entry would be entered as 51.999. The Label column entries for each symbol can be changed to the soil test value ranges, or as text labels of “Very Low” through “Above Optimum” (Fig. 9).
4 , Dumml 6
4 .I Oumn2 0 o...,.... -...... o .... • ...._..°""""" 49:·- Dumasl 8oundMy V:Wotldffll9e'Y
Figure 9. An example map display of phosphorus soil test results using the Graduated Colors symbology.
Conclusion By preparing the data appropriately beforehand, creating a point shapefile or feature class can be a quick, straightforward way to visualize and communi- cate information associated with geographic locations. The versatile style capabilities of ArcGIS Pro allow for a personalized representation of the point shape, colors and labels. For additional learning, ESRI has highly informative help resources and quick-start tutorials available on its website, as well as a sup- portive community of GIS users.
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PEARL WEBB is a program associate - Crop, Soil and Environmental Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and Science, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Cooperative June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Extension Service, Little Rock. MIKE DANIELS is Professor - Crop, Director, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Arkansas. The Soil and Environmental Science, University of Arkansas System Divi- Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible sion of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension. persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, FSA2192PD-12-20N disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected sta- tus, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.