Resources

GIS Tutorials

The following GIS tutorials should help enable you to import and plot your field data into a GIS.  If you are an EDENext Partner and are interested in learning more about GIS please consider enquiring about the EDENext Distance learning course run by Els Ducheyne at Avia-GIS.

Tutorial Description Download
Downloading and displaying TIFF Data from the EDENext Data Site.  If you download a tif format raster file from the Edenext Data website. Some programmes will initially display it as a blank square. It looks like this because it assumes that the upper and lower limits for file values are the largest possible. As the actual  value range is relatively narrow to this they often cannot be distinguished until the real limits are understood by the programme.  This document describs how to do this in ArcGIS 10.x Download PDF
Geographic Data Formats - vector, raster etc.  New to GIS? Need to know the basics? This short presentation introduces the basic concept of GIS. Explains the two main types of data: Raster and Vector. Then explains how they can be used to add meaning to data... Download PDF
Opensource GIS - QGIS: QGIS now has a very comprehensive manual which will talk you through installation, display of vectors and rasters and more advanced processing if required.  We will be providing a getting started with QGIS document shortly.  If you need to get started in the mean time the manual will get you on your way... GNU Free Documentation License.  For translations, downloads and further support visit the QGIS website. Download PDF
Opensource GIS - GRASS: An introduction to the practical use of the Free Geographical Information System GRASS 6.0.  Provided kindly by Markus Neteler.  Please note it is also possible to utilise GRASS functions from within QGIS.  For further documentation visit the GRASS wiki. Download PDF
Importing an EDEN format raster image into ESRI GIS Software:
This tutorial download includes tutorials and the data required to work through the examples and import and view Raster data into both ArcView 3.2 and ArcGIS 9.3.  This is a fairly old tutorial, but its content is still relevant today.  It should be possible to work through the ArcGIS 9.3 tutorial in ArcGIS 10.0. (27MB)
Download ZIP

How to Add Google Maps (Bing, Yahoo and Open Street Map too!) as a background in QGIS 1.7 .0 In Ten Easy Steps:

This guide shows you how to install and use the OpenLayers Plugin to add Google maps and other background mapping information from well know online mapping sites to your QGIS project.

Download PDF

ArcGIS Mapping Tips - Exercise 1:

A Good Beginners overview of ESRI's ArcGIS including the basic features of ArcMap and ArcCatalog. How to utilise the help documentation.  How to display points and symbolise data. Kindly contirbuted by Caroline Zeimes (UCL, Belgium)

Download ZIP