Spatial Data Management Group Meeting Notes, September 16, 2004

Treats: Theresa
Note taker: Ken Vance-Borland
Attendees:

Keith Olsen, Dave Hockman-Wert, Matt Gregory, Ken Vance-Borland, Theresa Valentine, Terralyn Vandetta, Kelly Christiansen

Speaker: Christian Torgersen

Research Biologist, USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
"Describing spatial pattern in stream networks: A practical geostatistical approach" (co-authors Lisa Ganio and Robert Gresswell)

Business Meeting Agenda:

1. Meetings:

  • Discrete Global Grids: Ashland October 27
  • NW ESRI Users Meeting in Sun Valley (end of the month). No one from here is going.
  • URISA Conference in Reno, November 7-10

    2. Training:

  • Tips and Tricks with ArcGIS 9.0 (Theresa to host in October?)
  • Scripting in ArcGIS 9: A FREE live training is being given by ESRI on September 23. Check it out at esri.com.
  • Matt and Keith are planning to present a scripting seminar here in November or December.
  • The Oregon Department of Revenue also wants to schedule a PYTHON scripting workshop.
  • Matt is interested in a Maplex (ArcGIS cartography extension) workshop. A trainer or volunteer is needed.
  • Kelly and Keith will finally present a plotter workshop!

    3. ArcGIS 9.0 Upgrade:

    Update problems?
  • OSU and USGS have ArcGIS9, but not USFS.
  • rcGIS9 doesn't export maps in CYMK color format without changing colors drastically. A workaround is to export in RGB format and use PHOTOSHOP to convert to CYMK.

    There is a Photoshop filter (also works with other software) to see how colorblind people perceive your images. Visit vischeck.com. One in twenty people are colorblind and may not be able to make sense of your image/map/figure if you depend on red and green for symbology.

  • Performance (speed) seems to be better in ArcGIS9.
  • Updating Labs? Jerry Mohr may have updated the Richardson and Peavy computer labs with ArcGIS9.

    4. GIS Day Planning:

    We've had an overwhelming response from the Corvallis Public Schools: teachers have about 300 students they would like to bring to GIS Day. We will evaluate how many we can accommodate.
    Theresa and others in the Forestry GIS Day Committee will be asking for volunteers to help lead labs, demos, GPS walks, etc.
    The Valley Library will have a vendors' fair again this year.
    There will be a poster session in Richardson Hall.
    Geosciences students will be going out to schools to give presentations.

    5. Round Table:

    The discussion of GIS data storage on the CoF system is postponed until the next meeting.
    Theresa has a student working on a 'Watershed DB' project in which hydro data are being compiled for watersheds as far afield as Alaska and the Antarctic.
    Keith needs to work out a CLAMS data backup strategy with the Forestry Computing Network.
    Terralyn says there is a 'cellar and attic' system for users and group storage.
    Theresa finds ongoing acquisition of DOQ CDs is becoming a data storage problem.

    Upcoming Speakers/Meetings:

  • Next Meeting: October 14th, then November 18th.
  • Speakers: October 14th, John Bolte, November 18th will be a wrap-up of GIS Day.

    Treats next meeting: Kelly Christiansen

    Note taker next meeting: Matt Gregory