This section shows how to create a reference map for a county showing census tracts and roads. Dallas County, TX is used as an example.  Select from thousands of other shapefiles, accessible directly using CVGIS, for different types of geography.

 

Requirements: CVGIS Level 1 or higher.

 

With CVGIS running, use File>Close to close the active project.

 

Select File>APITools>Geographic Data

 

When the GeoGateway form opens ...

 

Get/Add the Census Tracts Layer

 

1. Select Geographic Scope

Enter <stusab = "TX"> in the Geography Selectio Filter edit box (upper left) replacing <stusab = "MO">.  Click Apply button to right.  Scroll down and dbl-click Dallas.

 

2. Select Shapefile/Geofile Type

dbl-click Census Blocks (fourth from top in listbox).

 

Processing ...

In new popup, click Continue.

For Proceeding, click OK button.

At Download Successful, click OK.

At Done, your have three options.  Click OK.

 

Click Add Layer to Project button.

Click OK.

 

The file c:\cvgis\1\tl_2010_48113_tract10.shp was added to the "empty project" and is now located on the computer for re-use.

 

Get/Add the Roads Layer

 

2. Select Shapefile/Geofile Type

dbl-click Edges/Roads geography from the Shapefile/Geofile Type listbox (upper right).

 

Proceed as above with tracts.

 

The file c:\cvgis\1\tl_2010_48113_edges.shp was added to the "empty project" and is now located on the computer for re-use.

 

Close GeoGateway Form

 

Map of this county by census tract with roads now appears in map window.

 

Use File>SaveAs and save this project as c:\cvgis\1\tractsdemo.gis

 

This completes this tutorial.  Consider the Make a GIS Project (select from panel at left) next.