1. Getting to Know ArcGIS - Exercises 3a, 3b, and 3c (pages 19-51) - Print off the end result of each exercise (whatever that may be) and bring in to class.

2. Create a map showing the color distribution of the number of renting households (households that rent as opposed to purchase their home) by Census Block group in Dallas County. Of course, we are using Census 2000 data for now.

You will therefore be bringing in 4 maps to complete this homework.

This class project may take more than one class. We will see.

Create a map showing the distribution of median household income (1999) in Tarrant County, TX.

--> Note: Yes this is old data. We will learn how to access current data as soon as this exercise is complete.

Topics to cover:

1. What are TIGER files?
2. What are the common boundaries as designated by the U.S. Census Bureau?
3. What data can be gathered from the decennial Census 2000?
4. How to extract Census 2000 data from Old American Factfinder?
   
5. How to join TIGER 2000 boundaries to Census 2000 data tables?
6. How to create a choropleth map (color distribution)?
   

Resources we will explore:

1. TIGER Files - Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing system
2. Old American Factfinder

Retrieving Census 2000 Data

1. Use this guide here - Decennial Data 1990-2000 tab
   

Preparing Tables for Use Within ArcMap:

1. There are five rules to remember.
1. First, there can be only one header row (horizontal row at the top). ArcGIS will interpret the top row as the attribute names and the second row through the end of the table as the data contents. Often times tables may contain 2 or more rows at the top that help to define the contents of each attribute (vertical columns). Other times tables may contain no header row whatsoever. In both of these instances, the tables must be edited so there is one single header row before importing into ArcMap.
2. Second, the header row can only contain letters, numbers, and underscores. All other characters (including space) will cause errors either when importing into ArcMap or when attempting to be made a permanent part of a feature class.
3. Third, the header row may not begin with a number. For example, POP2010 is acceptable, but 2010POP may generate errors.
4. Fourth, save your file in a format ArcMap can read. ArcMap can read a variety of file formats, but the most popular include Excel (.XLS or .XLSX), tab-delimited (.TXT), comma-delimited (.CSV), and dBase table (.DBF).
5. Fifth, be careful how many characters you use in your header row. If you plan on integrating this table into a shapefile, all headers will be truncated to the first 10 characters.

Tabular Joins

1. Right-click the layer or table you want to join, point to Joins and Relates, and click Join.
2. Click the first drop-down arrow and click Join attributes from a table.
3. Click the second drop-down arrow and click the field name in the layer on which the join will be based.
4. Click the third drop-down arrow to choose the table to join to the layer. If the table is not currently part of the map, click the Browse button to search for it on disk.
   
5. Click the fourth drop-down arrow and click the field in the table on which to base the join.
6. Click OK.

Export Shapefile to Make Permanent

1. If you want to permanently save joined data with your geographic features, export the data to a new feature class, right-click the layer in the table of contents, point to Data, and click Export data.
   
2. Right-click shapefile, select Data, and click Export Data.

Totally my fault and I sincerely apologize!

I reserved our classroom throughout the summer but did not look to see whether another event or class had already booked it. Lo and behold, to my mighty chagrin, tonight (06/14) is the only evening where the room was pre-booked before I nabbed it. (It is just for tonight, their reservation is not recurring.)

I feel horrible and dread you guys losing confidence in the course, but I assure you that I will make this up to you guys. And no, I promise I will not make it up with an extra, unscheduled, class. :)

Please enjoy the night off and Thursday we hit the U.S. Census Bureau!

P.S. If neither the automated email (already sent) nor this web post gets to you guys in time for class, and you show up and see another class there (should be an interdisciplinary studies class) I doubly apologize for causing this extra confusion and also for you making the trip out here unnecessarily..