PLS 321
THE ELECTORAL PROCESS
SPRING 2008
(http://www.csupomona.edu/~jlkorey/321/)

LAB INSTRUCTIONS

To copy the Chester data:

• Click on “Start,” then click on “My Computer.”
• To access the original data, double-click on the "Project_Data (cgisr-Datasvr.win.csupomona.edu) (W:)" drive to open it.  To access data as you have modified it, go to the directory (for example, your "Z" drive) on which you've saved that version.
• Copy the “Chester” folder.
• Navigate back to “My Computer,” then double-click on the “ GIS Drive (E:)” icon.
• Paste the “Chester” folder to this drive.

 To open the Chester_Districts map in ArcMap:

• If the ArcMap icon is on the desktop, double click on it.  If not, click on "Start," then on "All Programs," then on "ArcGIS," then on "ArcMap."
• In the “Welcome to ArcMap” dialog box, click on "An existing map," highlight “Browse for maps…,” then click "OK."
• In the Open Map dialog box, click on the “My Computer” icon on the left-hand side, then double-click on the " GIS Drive (E:)” icon.
• Double-click the “ Chester” folder, and then double-click the “Chester_Districts” map document.

  [For PLS 321, skip this section] To add a field to a shapefile: 

• Right-click on the shapefile you wish to edit.
• Click on “Open Attribute Table.”
• Click the “Options” button at the bottom of the table window, and then click on “Add Field…”
• Fill in the field Name.
• Choose the data type for the field: “Short Integer, Long Integer, Float, Double, Text, or Date.”
• Fill in the appropriate “Field Properties” for the field.
• Click “OK.”  You should see the new field in the attribute table.

To reassign census tracts to districts:

• In the Main Menu, click on “view,” then on “Toolbars,” If the "Editor" toolbar is not already checked, click on “Editor.”
• A new Toolbar should appear.
• On this toolbar, click the “Editor” button, and then click “Start Editing.”
• Click on the "Chester", and then click “Start Editing.”
• If the attribute table for Chester is not open, right-click on "Chester" in the left window.
• Click on “Open Attribute Table.”
• Once the Attribute Table is open, or if it is open already, take a look at the Field Names, located at the top of each column.
• The fields that are “editable” will have a white Field Name.  The fields that are “un-editable” will have a gray Field Name.
• In the "district" field, click on a box for data entry, and type in the number of the district to which you wish to reassign this census tract, then press “Enter” on the keyboard.

[For PLS 321, skip this section] To symbol color for a shapefile:

• Right-click on the shapefile you wish to change the color for.
• Click on “Properties.”
• Click the “Symbology” tab near the top of the “Layer Properties” window.
• Click either the “Symbol” button or the “Color Ramp” drop down menu.
• Choose the desired color scheme, and then click “OK.”
• If the “Layer Properties” window is still open, click “OK” until the window closes.
• The color scheme should now be different.  

To save edits:

• Click the “Editor” button in the “Editor Toolbar,” then click “Save Edits,” and save to your "Z" drive or to a portable device such as a flash drive.
• Your edits are now saved.

To stop an editing session:

• To stop editing, click the “Editor” button in the “Editor Toolbar,” then click “Stop Editing.”
• If you are asked to save your edits, click “Yes” to accept the edits.  Otherwise, click “No” to reject them.
• The editing session is now stopped.

To create and save a summary table of your redistricting plan:

• Go to the attribute table as described above.
• Right click on "district."
• Click on "Summarize."
• In the first window of the resulting dialog box, select "DISTRICT."
• In the second window, expand "PCT_DEM," "PCT_AFAMER," and "PCT_LAT," and check "average" in each instance.
• Click on the "Browse" icon next to the third window.  Specify where you want to store your results (e.g., on your "Z" drive).  (If you don't see the drive, click on the right arrow ["connect to folder"] icon.)  Name your file.  Click on "OK."  Your summary table will be saved in "dbf" (data base format), which can be opened in MS Excel.
• When asked "Do you want to add the resulting table in the map?" click on "Yes."
• To view the summary table, close or minimize the attribute table, right click on the name of the summary table in the left window.
• Click on "Open."

To save your map as a JPEG or GIF file:

• In the ArcMap main menu bar, click “File,” then click “Export map. ”
• Select the drive to which you wish to save the file.  In the box next to "File Name," give your map a name.  In the box next to "Save as type," select JPEG of GIF.
• Click on "OK."

To exit ArcMap:

• Click on "File" in the main menu bar, and then click "Exit."
• If asked, "Do you want to save changes to Chester_Districts.mxd,” click "Yes" to accept the changes, or click “No” to reject the changes.