Using the ArcIMS HTML Viewer

There are many GIS Internet Viewers active within Kentucky. They are available for many separate mapping applications and have been developed to allow the staff and the public to view maps and the associated feature attribute data. This page will assist you in understanding the different functions of the viewers by displaying a short description of each button and how to use them. Keep in mind that although the viewers are very similar, the data presented is different in each instance.

The basic functions you will be able to perform using the viewer include:

Zooming in to an area and displaying specific information

Database searches by a category or key word

Measuring distances

Creating a buffer zone around a feature

To the right is an image showing the basic layout of the viewer and its main components.

Click on an area of the viewer in order to navigate to the appropriate help section.

 


Toolbar Usage

To the right is a close-up view of options you may find on a toolbar.

When a tool is selected from the toolbar menu, the button is
highlighted with a red box indicating it is active.
Normally, the "Zoom In" button is active when first opened.
(See "Zoom In" Tool in the graphic to the right or the table below)

Scroll down for more detail on each tool.

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Tool Description
Layer/Legend Toggle

Allows the user to toggle between displays of the Map Legend and Map Layers in the far right frame within the viewer. The Layer view displays which layers are available at the current scale. There are 2 options you can check for each layer. By checking "Visible", the layer will be displayed inside the view. By selecting "Active", you will be able to select, query, search and identify features of this layer. Only one layer can be active at any one time. The Refresh Map button is used to show changes if you select or unselect the Visible option. The Legend view displays each layer that is visible and the graphic used to symbolize features on that layer.
Zoom In Allows the user to zoom in by either clicking in the view area or dragging the + cursor to create a boxed area that will determine the extent of the new view.
Zoom to Full Extent Allows the user to return to the original view of Kentucky with county boundaries displayed.
Return to Previous Extent This button takes the user back to the scale and position of the last view.
Pan Up

This button pans or moves the map display up (north) in order to obtain a new view directly north of the current view at the same scale.
Pan Left This button pans or moves the map display left (west) in order to obtain a new view directly north of the current view at the same scale.
Identify Feature Attributes The Identify button allows the user to view the attributes of a particular feature. In the Layer view in the far right frame simply select the layer desired to be active before using the Identify tool. It will only return attributes for the active layer. The attributes will be displayed on the bottom of the view area. If the desired layer/feature for which attributes are desired isn't listed in the Layer view, zoom in until it is displayed, then identify it.
Find Text String The Find button allows the user to search for a text string in the "active" layer. This search is case sensitive so to search for a particular city (for example) the user will need to capitalize the first letter.
Set Units Allows the user to set the map units in Degrees, Feet, or Meters, and display units in Feet, Miles, Meters, or Kilometers.
Select an Area Allows the user to drag a box with the cursor to define an area of selection. Any "active" feature that touches or falls within the box will be selected. The selected set will be highlighted. Once features are selected, other functions can be performed on this selected set.
Clear all Selections This button will clear any selected features or remove any added graphics such as lines or polygons used with the Line/ Polygon tool.
Overview Map Toggle The Overview button simply turns on or off the overview area of the map. This small map in the upper left corner of the main map display indicates the current view area.
Zoom Out Allows the user to zoom out by either clicking in the view area or dragging the + cursor to create a boxed area that will determine the extent of the new view.
Zoom to Extent of Active Layer Allows the user to zoom to the extent of all features contained within the active layer.
Pan The "Pan" button allows the user to take the cursor, click on the view and while still holding the mouse button down, drag the view in any direction to obtain a new view of the desired area at the same scale.
Pan Down This button pans or moves the map display down (south) in order to obtain a new view directly north of the current view at the same scale.
Pan Right This button pans or moves the map display right (east) in order to obtain a new view directly north of the current view at the same scale.
Query Feature Attributes The "Query" button allows the user to select features based on a filter of selected fields of that feature. Hit the Query button to call up the query frame near the bottom. In the field area, there is a pull down menu that can be used to select the field of interest. Then choose an operator such as =, >, or LIKE to define a specific value of the field. In the value box, type the value of what you're searching for based on the field. Then hit the "Get Samples" button to see a sampling of what can be typed in this field. If the desired value is listed, simply click on that value. Once all 3 fields are complete, hit the "Add to Query String" button and hit the "Execute" button. This will perform the query and return the results as well as zoom into the area of interest which highlights the query results.
Measure Tool The "Measure" button allows the user to click on 2 or more points and return the distance in the current units (see "Set Units" button). It keeps track of the length of the segment as well as a running total in case there is a need to obtain the length of a route between multiple points. The readout is at the top of the view screen.
Buffer Tool This button is used to create a zone around a specific feature at a designated distance from the feature. It can also be utilized to highlight another feature that falls within the defined buffer zone. The checkbox beside the Create Buffer button will display the attributes of the feature highlighted, if any. A feature(s) has to be selected before a buffer can be performed.
Select by Line/Polygon This button allows the user to create a line route upon which all "Active" features the line crosses will be selected or to create a polygon upon which all features touching or contained within that polygon area will be selected. To create a line, click on one or more points in the view and then hit the "Complete Line & Select" button and the selected set will be highlighted and it's attributes will be displayed in the lower window. To create a polygon, click on the view in selected points until the desired area is defined then hit the "Complete Polygon & Select" button to highlight the selected set as well as display the attributes. If a point is hit mistakenly, just hit the "Delete Last Point" button to take it off.
Creates Map Layout for Printing This button creates a printable, simple map layout of the current view area along with a legend.
Get a Lat/Long

Get Latitude and Longitude - This tool allows the user to click on the map to get a Latitude and Longitude for that location.
Zoom to a Lat/Long Zoom to Latitude and Longitude - This tool allows the user to type in a Latitude and Longitude in several different coordinate systems and then zooms to that location on the map and places a dot on the map.
Creates a Bookmark as a URL Link Click this button to create a bookmark of the current spatial extent. The bookmark will be written as a URL Link to the Tool Usage Area and copied to the clipboard (MS Windows Only!). Simply paste the URL into another document from the clipboard or select it from the Tool Usage Area and paste it accordingly.
Links to Other Interactive Maps Use this service to open interactive maps or search databases using geographic and map-based queries. Use this tool to open other internet maps containing different thematic layers in the same geographic extent.
Opens on-line Help Page This button will spawn another window that provides an overview of all tools that may be available in an ArcIMS HTML Viewer. The site can be accessed via this URL: http://kygeonet.ky.gov/imshelp/


Inset Map

To the right is a close-up view of an inset map.

The Red box indicates the area of Kentucky that is the current extent within the viewer. Clicking on the inset map will move the area of current extent to the area clicked.

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Layers & Legend

To the right is a close-up view of the Layers and Legend Controls.

Map information is arranged by “Layer”. Each layer can be turned ON or OFF and can be selected as the “active” layer. The scale at which each layer becomes visible varies according to its suitability for viewing at a particular scale and based on feedback from those who tested the viewer during its development. If a layer is visible, but not at the current scale, a small gray square with a black magnifying glass will be shown to the left of the layer name.

Note that when the user first accesses the site the layer menu is “collapsed”. Also make note of the “Help” section just below the layer listing. This Help section shows the different layer icons and what they indicate.

Simply click on a closed group or “folder” and it will expand showing the map layers available in that group. The example to the right shows all folders expanded.

Take note that the layer “County” has been selected as the “active” layer. The filled black circle and the yellow highlighting of the line show that the user has made it the active layer.

Users cannot change the order in which the layers are presented but any combination of layers can be viewed at any time.

There may be layers that by default are NOT visible. Simply turn on those layers as they are needed and turn off any layers that are not of interest.

All the layers in a Folder can be turned ON or OFF by clicking on the gray square to the left of the layer name.

Also visible in the Layer listing is the symbology for each layer, or essentially, the map legend. The viewer does NOT allow the user to change the symbology, but every attempt has been made to ensure that the symbols work well with all other base and thematic map elements.

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Map Area

The map area highlighted to the right.

User input such as zooming in and out, selecting features or areas, measuring and so forth are performed within this area.

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Related Links

To the right is a view of related links.

Most viewers use this area to insert links to other sites, metadata for the viewer, and so forth.

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Tool Usage Area

To the right is a view of the tool usage area.

Results from queries, identifications, bookmarks and other user input functions is displayed in this area.

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For additional assistance in utilizing a viewer please contact:

Kent.Anness@ky.gov

Visit the Kentucky Geography Network for more information on Internet Mapping in Kentucky.