Thursday, December 8, 2011

Learn GIS Online- Useful Links

1. Courses & Tutorials                                              
Geographic Informaton System (GIS) is a computer system for capturing, storing, checking, integrating, manipulating, analyzing and displaying data related to positions on the Earth’s surface.
Typically, a Geographical Information System is used for handling maps of one kind or another. These might be represented as several different layers where each layer holds data about a particular kind of feature. Each feature is linked to a position on the graphical image on a map and a record in an attribute table. GIS can relate otherwise disparate data on the basis of common geography, revealing hidden patterns, relationships, and trends that are not readily apparent in spreadsheets or statistical packages, often creating new information from existing data resources.
Hidden in most data is a geographical component: an address, postal code, census block, city, county, or latitude/longitude coordinate. With GIS, you can explore the spatial element of your data to display soil types, track crime patterns, analyze animal migration patterns, find the best location for an expanding business, model the path of atmospheric pollution, and make decisions for many types of complicated problems.
Whether you are a student, faculty, or a staff already using GIS or you are completely new to this technology, here are some useful links to online literature and tools to upgrade your knowledge and skillset.

GIS Tutorials
Remote Sensing Tutorials
  • ENVI Tutorials- A variety of step-by-step guides covering topics ranging from getting started with ENVI to classification tools to programming with IDL.
  • Remote Sensing Tutorial- A comprehensive introduction to Remote Sensing developed by NASA.
GPS Tutorials
Internaltional GIS Programs / Courses 

2. GIS Software :  There are many GIS software packages, each offering different application niches. Below is a list of popular GIS and Remote Sensing software programs.
ArcGIS is developed by ESRI, a GIS industry leader. ESRI software focuses on the technical needs of GIS users and has products for desktop computers, servers and hand-held devices. Stanford has a campus-wide site license of ESRI software. Visit our download software page for more information.
GRASS (Geographic Resources Analysis Support System), originally developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is an open source program with complete GIS functionality.
Manifold is a low-cost and a complete GIS. License files are available to Stanford; please contact the GIS Manager for further details.
GeoDa a free spatial analysis package also specializing in geovisualization.
Quantum GIS (QGIS) is a user friendly open source GIS that runs on Linux, Unix, Mac OSX, and Windows.
DIVA-GIS is a free GIS focusing on mapping and analyzing biodiversity data.
Remote Sensing Software
IdrisiIDRISI developed by Clark University's Clark Labs, is an low-cost integrated GIS and image processing software with many analysis modules.
IMAGINE an image processing, classification and visualization software.
ENVI provides a variety of image processing and classification functions and has a particular strength in hyperspectural image analysis. ENVI is written in IDL (Interactive Data Language)and both are available to the Stanford community at a low cost through Software Licensing
Virtual Globe
Google Earth is free for individual use and is a great program for visualizing imagery of the Earth. Personal geospatial data can be added and additional functionality is available through the Plus and Pro versions at a low-cost price.
NASA World Wind is a free 3D visualization tool linking to many NASA imagery sources, such as Landsat and MODIS satellite imagery and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM)data.

3. Sites to find Scripts and other GIS tools
  • ESRI ArcScripts - Expand the power of GIS with many helpful scripts. and extensions
  • Directions Magazine - Free tools (extensions, translators, scripts, fonts, etc..) for many different GIS programs.
  • Spatial Online -A collection of ArcView extensions and applications.
ArcGIS Tools and Scripting Help
  • EasyCalculate
    set of expressions for the ArcGIS field calculator
  • ET GeoWizards
    A set of functions for ArcGIS 8.1 and above packed in a user friendly wizard-type interface that helps users manipulate data with ease.
  • MXD Defragmenter
    reduce the size over overly large MXD files
  • Spatial Ecology
    An extension for ArcGIS designed to automate and perform spatial analysis
    functions that cannot be conveniently accomplished with out-of-the-box
    ArcGIS
  • V-LATE
    Vector-based Landscape Analysis Tools Extension.
  • XTools
    contains useful vector spatial analysis, shape conversion and table management tools developed by the Oregon Department of Forestry
ArcView Tools
  • Spatial Tools ArcView ExtensionSpatial Tools is a collection of tools for Raster/Grid data. Its menus, tools, and buttons provide access to various spatial modeling and analysis capabilities such as: clipping, mosaicking,  merging grids, resolution alteration, data clean-up and spatial analysis. Note: Spatial Analyst  must be loaded simultaneously. Download from USGS.
  • Image to Map Transformer Utility
    If you need to georeference .bmp or .jpg images (aerials) to a map in ArcView, use this extension available from Seminole County GIS.
  • ArcView Stream Digitizing ExtensionCreated to support on-screen (heads-up) digitizing of lines and polygons in stream mode
  • Spatial News
    This page offers many ArcView scripts that can't be found anywhere else.
  • Piersson's ArcView Tools
    Various ArcView scripts, extensions, and other goodies.  Some are unique to this site.
  • Patch Analyst
    ArcView extension facilitating the spatial analysis of landscape patches.
ArcInfo Tools
General GIS Tools
Help for Python Scripting with ArcGIS
Python is one of the most user-friendly programming languages available today. It is open source, runs on just about every platform, and can be used to program many kinds of GIS software, including many ESRI products.
Books
Websites
A Guide to the Python Universe for ESRI
The official website for the Python language

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