Intro TransCAD

Intr ntrodu oductio ction n to t o Tra TransCAD nsCAD Murtaza Haider

[email protected] Tel: 416.979.5000, ext. 2480

TRANSCAD • The only only true true compre comprehen hensiv sive, e, transp transporta ortatio tion n GIS System • A true true vec vecto tor-b r-bas ased ed GIS GIS wit with h comp compre rehe hensi nsive ve mapping capabilities • Extens Extensive ive econom econometr etric ic abilit ability y for for trave travell dem demand and modeling, (UTMS) • Matri Matrixx-ba base sed d Obje Object ct Orie Orient nted ed Prog Progra ramm mmin ing g Language • Clos Closes estt riva rivall EMME EMME/2 /2,, Vis Vissu sum m

TRANSCAD • The only only true true compre comprehen hensiv sive, e, transp transporta ortatio tion n GIS System • A true true vec vecto tor-b r-bas ased ed GIS GIS wit with h comp compre rehe hensi nsive ve mapping capabilities • Extens Extensive ive econom econometr etric ic abilit ability y for for trave travell dem demand and modeling, (UTMS) • Matri Matrixx-ba base sed d Obje Object ct Orie Orient nted ed Prog Progra ramm mmin ing g Language • Clos Closes estt riva rivall EMME EMME/2 /2,, Vis Vissu sum m

TransCAD Screen • Ever Everyt ythi hing ng is cont contai aine ned d in in a main main win windo dow w • Data Data are are sho shown wn and and cont contro roll lled ed in one one or or more more windows • There There are are ofte often n seve several ral ways ways to perform perform a com comma mand  nd  • Status Status inform informati ation on and help help are are always always availa available ble

Examp xample: le: The Scree Scr een n

TransCAD Menus, Toolbar and Toolboxes • Menus: list all the TransCAD commands • Toolbar: buttons for frequently used commands • Toolboxes: contain tools for general and specific needs • Commands or tools are gray when they cannot be used 

Example: Menus, Toolbar and Toolboxes

TransCAD Dialog Boxes • Menu commands ending with three dots (...) have dialog boxes • Some dialog box buttons take you to additional dialog boxes • You can use defaults settings or change any of the options

Example: Dialog Boxes

Help Is Available Several Ways • Balloon help appears if you leave the cursor over a  button • Status bar shows brief help and other information • Context-sensitive, on-line help by pressing the F1 key or using the Help menu

Example: Help

Types of Windows • Map: an electronic version of a paper map • View: two kinds:  – Dataview: to view and edit tables of data from geographic files, databases or spreadsheets  – Matrix view: to view and edit values in a matrix

• Figure: a window containing a chart or other graphic • Layout: presentations with maps, views and figures,  plus freehand text and other items

Example: Three Types of Windows

Workspaces Save All Open Windows • You can save more than one window • You can save windows of different types • Workspaces are good ways to organize projects

Designing Maps and Creating Themes • Goal: Understand the parts of a map and how to use them to:  – Organize your data  – Study relationships  – Present information  – Get your point across clearly

Basics: Map • Definition: classically, a drawn or printed representation of the earth and its features. In this case, an electronic version of that representation.

Example: Map

Basics: Layers • Definition: a group of map features of the same type, such as states, highways, or retail stores; conceptual equivalent of an acetate overlay on a  physical map

Example: Layers

Basics: Map Features • Definition: entities such as customers, rivers, cities, states, and roads, that are displayed as points, lines or areas on a map

Example: Map Features

Basics: Saving and Retrieving Maps • All the information needed to recreate a map is saved in a .MAP file

Example: Saving and Retrieving Maps

File-Save File-Save As

File-Open

Basics: Printing a Map • You can print a map directly, or place it in a layout and print the layout

Example: Printing a Map

Quick Start: Overview • Step-by-step tutorial, showing basics in action • In this Quick Start we will create a map and move around it • We are just touching the surface of what TransCAD can do • In-depth sections will go into more detail

Creating a New Map • Choose File-Open or click

on the toolbar.

• Choose Geographic File from the List Files of Type drop-down list. • From the TCW\TUTORIAL subdirectory, choose the file NES_HWY.CDF and click OK. TransCAD displays a map of highways in southern New England.

Moving around the Map: Zoom In • Click tool.

in the main toolbox to activate the Zoom In

• Click in the middle of the map. TransCAD redraws the map at twice the scale. • Drag a rectangle around Boston. TransCAD enlarges the Boston area to fill the map.

Moving around the Map: Zoom Out • Click

to activate the Zoom Out tool.

• Click in the middle of the map. TransCAD redraws the map at half the scale, with Boston still in the middle.

Moving around the Map: Pan • Click

to activate the Pan tool.

• Drag Boston to one corner of the window and release the mouse button. TransCAD redraws the map in the new location.

Moving around the Map • Choose Map-Previous Scale. TransCAD redraws the map as it was before you used the Pan tool. • Choose Map-Previous Scale again. TransCAD redraws the map as it was before you used the Zoom Out tool. • Choose Map-Initial Scale. TransCAD redraws the map as it was when you started.

 Adding a New Layer  • Choose Map-Initial Scale, then choose Map-Layers or click on the toolbar. • Click Add Layer to display the File Open dialog  box. • From TCW\TUTORIAL, choose the file  NESOUTH.CDF and click OK. • Click Close. TransCAD adds counties to the map.

Saving a Map • Choose File-Save or click

on the toolbar.

• Choose a writeable drive and then create TCW\TUTORIAL subdirectory. • Enter MYFIRST as the map name and click OK. TransCAD saves the map. • Choose File-Close to close the map.

Retrieving a Map • Choose File-Open or click on the toolbar, and choose MYFIRST.MAP from the TCW\TUTORIAL subdirectory. • Click OK. TransCAD opens and displays the map, as it was when you saved it.

Printing a Map • Choose File-Print or click

on the toolbar.

• Choose Landscape from the Orientation drop-down list and check the other printer settings. • Click Print. TransCAD prints the map.

Returning to a Previous Scale and Center  • Map-Previous Scale command: use scale and center from before the last change • Map-Initial Scale command: use scale and center from when map was created or last saved. Style and other changes shown • Map-Snapshot command: shows how the map looked when last saved. Subsequent style and other changes not shown

How Map Features Are Organized • Grouped into layers, stored in files • Layer can be points, lines or areas • Layers can be visible or not • Visible layers are drawn in order  • Working layer is one shown in layer list

Chang hangin ing g a Ma Map' p's s Laye L ayers rs • Clic Click k

for for Laye Layers rs dial dialog og box: box:

Rena enami ming ng a Layer  Layer  • Rena Renam me Lay Layeer dia dialo log g box box::

Pri rint ntin ing g a Ma Map • Clic Click k

for for Prin Printt Map Map dial dialog og box: box:

Basics Ba sics:: Style • Defini Definitio tion: n: The colors colors,, patte patterns, rns, symbol symbolss and and lines lines that are used to draw map features

Example: Style

Basics: Label • Definition: a way of identifying features on a map using text

Example: Label

Basics: Freehand Item • Definition: a point, line, shape, symbol, bitmap, or text item that is drawn using the freehand tools. Freehand items may be moved or edited with the  pointer tool

Example: Freehand Item

Quick Start: Retrieving Your Map • Choose File-Close All to close any windows that you have open. • Choose File-Open or click on the toolbar, and choose MYFIRST.MAP from the TCW\TUTORIAL subdirectory. • Click OK. TransCAD opens and displays your Quick Start map.

Using Styles • Choose County from the drop-down list in the toolbar. • Click  box.

on the toolbar to display the Style dialog

• Choose Solid from the Fill Style drop-down list and a color from the Color drop-down list. • Click OK. TransCAD redraws the map with the new style.

Changing the Map Background Style • Choose Map-Settings, then choose Solid from the Background Styles drop-down list and a color from the Background Color drop-down list. • Click OK. TransCAD redraws the map with the  background color behind the filled counties.

Labeling Features in a Map • Click

on the toolbar; click Add Layer.

• From TCW\TUTORIAL choose the file  NES_PLC.CDF, then click OK. • Click  box.

on the toolbar to display the Labels dialog

• Choose City from the Field drop-down list. • Click OK. TransCAD labels the places with their names.

In Depth: Using Styles • Styles for points, lines, areas and the map  background each have their own dialog box • Two ways to changes styles (and labels) for a layer:  – Choose the layer from the drop-down list on the toolbar and click   – Click

to get the Layers dialog box and click Style

Labeling Features in a Map • Labels identify map features • You can use any data field as a label • Labels can be:  – Automatic: TransCAD decides how to place the labels, and which features are labeled   – Manual: you decide how to place the labels, and which features to label. The labels become and act like freehand text

 Automatic Labels • Click

for Labels dialog box:

Manual Labels • Click

for Manual Label dialog box:

Notes on Using Manual Labels • If you zoom in to a larger scale, manual labels get  bigger; if you zoom out, they get smaller  • More automatic labels may appear as you zoom in • Add manual labels to unlabeled features as a last step to touch up a map design

Quick Start: Using Freehand Items #1 • Click tool.

in the main toolbox to activate the Text

• Drag a rectangle on the map where you want the text, type your name and press Enter. • Click tool.

in the main toolbox to activate the Pointer

Using Freehand Items #2 • Click on the text to select it. • Click on one of the editing handles in a corner and drag it to change the size of the text. The text is redrawn at the new size. • Click anywhere inside the text, but not on one of the handles, and drag the text to a new location.

Using Freehand Items #3 • Drag the rotation handle to rotate the text. • Double-click on the text to display the Freehand Text dialog box. • Change the color to blue, the font to Times New Roman and the size to 24, then click OK. TransCAD redraws the text. • Press the Delete key to delete the selected freehand items.

In Depth: Drawing Tools •

Symbol tool

•

Line tool

•

Polygon tool

•

Rectangle tool

•

Circle tool

More Drawing Tools •

Text tool

•

Bitmap tool

•

North arrow tool

Working with Freehand Items • Pointer tool

is used to:

 – Select one or more freehand items  – Change the size of a freehand item  – Rotate text or symbol items  – Move freehand items  – Edit freehand items

More Working with Freehand Items • Pointer tool

is also used to:

 – Align freehand  items:

 – Change the order of freehand items  – Make copies of freehand items  – Delete freehand items

Basics: Theme • Definition: a method of illustrating the data that go with a map layer. Map themes use color, patterns, charts, or other symbols to illustrate the characteristics of map features.

Example: Color and Pattern Themes

Example: Dot-Density Theme

Example: Scaled-Symbol Theme

Example: Pie and Bar Chart Themes

Example: Combined Themes

Basics: Legend • Definition: an explanation of the symbols, colors and styles used in a map, usually in a box next to the map.

Example: Legend

Quick Start: Retrieving Your Map • Choose File-Close All to close any windows that you have open. • Choose File-Open or click on the toolbar, and choose MYFIRST.MAP from the TCW\TUTORIAL subdirectory. • Click OK. TransCAD opens and displays your Quick Start map.

Showing and Hiding a Legend • Click in the toolbar, or else choose Map-Settings to display the Map Settings dialog box, check the legend checkbox and click OK. TransCAD will show the legend. • Click in the toolbar again. TransCAD will hide the legend.

Getting Ready to Create a Theme • Choose Map-Scale or click in the toolbar to display the Map Scale dialog box. • Click the Show an Entire Layer radio button, choose the County layer and click OK. TransCAD redraws the map to show the whole County layer. • Make sure County shows in the drop-down list in the toolbar.

Creating a Theme • Click on the toolbar or choose Map-Color Theme to display the Color Theme dialog box. • Choose Population from the Field drop-down list and click OK. TransCAD redraws the map with the color theme, and shows the legend.

 Adding Another Theme • Click on the toolbar or choose Map-Dot Density to display the Dot Density Theme dialog box. • Click on White and Shift-click on [Other Race] in the Field drop-down list and click OK. TransCAD redraws the map with the multi-variable dot-density theme and updates the legend.

 Adding a Third Theme • Click on the toolbar or choose Map-Chart Theme to display the Chart Theme dialog box. • In the Field drop-down list, click on [Mode: Drove Alone] and Shift-click on [Mode: Bus], Ctrl-click on [Mode: Subway], then click OK. TransCAD redraws the map with the pie chart theme and updates the legend.

In Depth: Legends • Click

to show or hide legend 

• Double-click on legend with the pointer tool

Using Themes to Present Information • About map themes • MapWizard instant mapping •

Color themes

•

Pattern themes (no button)

•

Dot-density themes

•

Scaled-symbol themes

•

Pie and bar chart themes

 About Map Themes • Color often used first when exploring data • Pattern good for black and white printing • Color and pattern best with negative numbers and non-numeric data • Use chart or dot density to show values for two or more fields • Don’t use chart or dot density for percentages, ratios or averages

MapWizard(tm) Instant Mapping • Looks over the data • Creates the theme • Chooses a design that makes map clear and attractive • To change the designs, choose Edit-Preferences

Color Themes • Click

for Color Theme dialog box:

Color Theme Style • Click Style for Color Theme Style dialog box:

Methods for Color and Pattern Themes • Equal number of features • Equal range of values • Equal area/length • List of values • Nested means • Standard deviation • Manual

Manual Theme • Click Manual for Manual Theme dialog box:

Dot-Density Themes • Click

for Dot-Density Theme dialog box:

Dot-Density Theme Styles • Click Style for Dot-Density Theme Style dialog  box:

Scaled-Symbol Themes • Click

for Scaled-Symbol Theme dialog box:

Pie and Bar Chart Themes • Click for  Chart Theme dialog box: