Updating spatial queries, and adding shape & image files

These steps assume you have added the databases (SDE and geospatial) as a source. See How to add a data source for detailed instructions.

Updating the spatial query for an SDE database

After you add an SDE database as a data source to Spatial Explorer, you have the option to update the X and Y boundaries used for spatial queries to ensure any data added from the geodatabase is included in these queries.

  1. Click on the SDE Database data source in the Data Source list.
  2. In the Update Query Bounds for Data window, either type in the new X and Y coordinates you want to use or click Use map current view.
  3. Click OK.

Updating the spatial query for a geodatabase

After you add a geodatabase file as a data source to Spatial Explorer, you have the option to update the X and Y boundaries used for spatial queries to ensure any data added from the geodatabase is included in these queries.

  1. Click on the Geodatabase File or SDE Database data source in the Data Source list.
  2. In the Update Query Bounds for Data window, either type in the new X and Y coordinates you want to use or click Use map current view.
  3. Click OK.

As implemented in Spatial Explorer 2018, you cannot write data to a geodatabase file. They are read-only data sources.

Adding shape files

When you add shape files to Spatial Explorer, you link to them from their original location using the steps provided Updating spatial queries, and adding shape & image files.

In order to add shape files, you need to have both .shp and .dbj files. These files are not required (optional): .shx, and .prj.

Spatial Explorer uses an application called Blue Marble, which uses projection methods. For more information, see projection methods (opens a new tab in the Kingdom help).

(Harmony suggestion) For a potential transformation or datum, try searching 1693, 1173, or 1188 in the Select Horizontal Transformation popup.

By default, Spatial Explorer links to shape files without copying them. You can change the default behavior so Spatial Explorer places a copy of any shape files you add in a location you specify.

  1. In the Data Source list, click next to the Shape Files data source.
  2. If you want to change the default path where Spatial Explorer copies shape files, click and then browse to the new location where you want to copy shape files (by default, Spatial Explorer copies them to the project directory).

Now whenever you add shape files to Spatial Explorer, a copy of the shape file is placed in the specified directory. To turn this option off, simply click again.

To remove any shape files you added to Spatial Explorer, click Remove All. If you selected the option to copy shape files to a directory when adding them to your project, removing shape files from the project does not delete the copied files.

Adding an image file (Raster file, .TIF file, .png, .jpg, etc.)

When you add a .TIF file to Spatial Explorer, the application needs to know where to locate the file on the map. To accomplish this, when you add the .TIF file Spatial Explorer opens the Geo Image Navigation window, where you can provide the X and Y coordinates and degree of rotation for the image you are adding. You can type in the coordinates for the four corners of the image, or you can digitize a location on the map (in effect, you are converting the .TIF image into a GEOTIFF file). You also have the option to maintain the aspect ratio of any image you add so it does not become stretched horizontally or vertically. If you need to make adjustments to the size, position, or rotation of a .TIF image after you have added it, click the Display Settings icon for the .TIF layer.

  1. In the Data Source list, select Add new data source.
  2. Select Raster File.
  3. Browse to the image you want to upload. Note that the default setting is .TIF, so you may have to select All Files from the drop-down list.
  4. In the Raster File Coordinates dialog box, either type your X and Y coordinates, or draw a box on the map where you want the image to go. If you draw a box, your X and Y coordinates are automatically populated in the dialog box. Click OK when done.

You can rotate the image by a specified number of degrees to properly align the image. You also have the option to preserve the aspect ratio of the image when you add it to the map to prevent any distortion of the image along the X or Y axes.