Data Capture & Data Management

DR. MANSOOR AHMAD HASHMI, FAST-NUCES, LAHORE,

E-MAIL: MANSOOR.AHMED@NU.EDU.PK
Data Capture
• The functionality of GIS relies on the quality of data
available.

• GIS are being used widely, effective and efficient means of

data collection have yet to be systematically established.

• The true value of GIS can be realized if the proper tools to

collect spatial data and integrate them with attribute data
available.
Data Capture
Sources;
1. Areal Photography

2. Remote Sensing

3. Scanning

4. Digitizing

5. GPS
 Manual Digitizing
It is the most common method for entering
maps into GIS.

• The features like boundary line between

mapping units, other line features or point
features are traced by using a pointing device
on the map affixed to a digitizing table.

• The digitizing table electronically encodes the

position of the cursor with the precision of a
millimeter.

• The range of digitized coordinates depend upon

the density of the digitizing resolution and the
setting of the digitizing software.
 Scanning Systems
Scanning is a quicker means of data entry than manual digitizing.
• In scanning, a digital image of the map is produced by moving an electronic detector across the
map surface.
• The output is a digital RASTER image consisting of a large number of individual cells ordered
in rows and columns.
 
For the conversion to vector format, two types of Raster Images can be used.
1. In case of choropleth maps or thematic maps, the individual mapping units can be separated
according to their different color or grey tones. The output can be in color or grey tone.
2. In case of topographic maps, the result is a black and white image. Black lines are converted to a
value of 1, and the white areas in between lines will obtain a value of 0 in the scanned image. These
images, with only two possibilities (1,0) are also called BINARY images.

Scanning works best with maps that are very clean, simple, relate to one feature only, and do not
contain extraneous information (text or graphic symbol).
Scanning Systems
 Converting Digital Data
There is no point in digitizing, if you can find
existing data that meets your need.
Key Punching;
• It is possible in some GIS to input spatial data by
keyboard. This involves entering all coordinate
pairs of point and line or entering the value of
every pixel.
• Main disadvantage is that it takes a lot of time
and also increase the room for errors while
entering data.
• For attribute data, it is normal to make use of
the key Punching.
Data Conversion;
 
• For Data Manipulation and Analysis, the format of
all the data should be same.
• When different layers are to be used
simultaneously, they should all be in vector or all in
raster format.
• Usually the conversion is from vector to raster,
because the biggest part of the analysis is done in
the raster domain.
• Vector Data are transformed to raster data by
overlaying a grid with a user-defined cell size.
• The conversion of raster to vector data happens
when one wants to achieve data reduction.
 Spatial Data Management
Geo-Relational Data Model
• All spatial data files will be GEO-
REFERNCED.
• Geo-referencing refers to the location of a
layer or coverage in space defined by the
coordinate referencing system.
• The geo-relational approach involves
abstracting geographic information into a
series of independent layers, each
representing a selected set of closely
associated geographic features.
• By this approach user can combine simple
feature sets representing complex
relationships in the real world. 
Topological Data Structure
• Topology is the spatial relationships between
connecting and adjacent coverage features (e.g.,
arc, nodes, polygons and points).
• Topological relationships are built from simple
elements into complex elements;
1. Points (simplest elements)
2. Arcs (sets of connected points)
3. Areas (sets of connected arcs).
 
• Topological data structure, in fact, adds intelligence
to the GIS Database
Spatial Data Management
What is Database?
 Attribute Data Management
All data within a GIS (spatial data, as well as attribute data) are stored within database.

•A database is a collection of information about things and their relationships to each other.

•The objective of collecting and maintaining information in database is to relate facts and
situations that were previously separate.

•To manage a database, you need specific software, called a Data Base Management System
(DBMS).
Principal characteristics of a DBMS are;
1.Centralized control
2.Data Sharing
3.Accessibility
4.Data redundancy
 Relational Data Model
 The relational data model is conceived as a series of tables, with no
hierarchy nor predefined relations.

 The relation between the various tables should be made by the user.

 This is done by identifying a common field in two tables, which is

assigned as the key and which is used to link data from one table to the
other. This is called joining of tables.

 The relational data model in used by nearly all GIS systems.

Relational Database
THANK-YOU