Data acquisition and general GIS

Where can I get the Flash Player to see the Tutorial-Videos? 

The graphical user interface text-content used in gvSIG is stored in textfile-documents for each language separately. These files can be exported from gvSIG as a package (*.zip) to your desktop-folder (Window->Preferences -> General -> Language -> Update) to be edited and translated in a textfile-editor (e.g. Notepad).

Edited and saved files can be re-imported into gvSIG (Window->Preferences -> General -> Language -> Install).

Extensions and the latest version of gvSIG are available for download on the gvSIG-Homepage.

After starting gvSIG, the project manager (Handbook Chapter 2, from page 14) will be displayed. This is the main administration component in gvSIG. The Project Manager allows organising and handling all project relevant data. Here, new document types (View, Table, Map) can be generated or gvSIG project files (*.gvp) or templates (*.gvt) can be loaded or saved. It is also possible to edit the properties of the gvSIG project (name or projection type).

To open the Project Manager click "Show" -> "Project Manager".

Previous zoom	Zoom in	Zoom out	Full extent	Zoom in 1x	Zoom out 1x	Panning

The gvSIG-Toolbar offers different zoom options to choose from. To get more information about the zoom options see the Handbook Chapter 4, Page 77 or watch the Video demonstrating all necessary zoom functions.

To save the defined colour settings of your layers, save the current gvSIG-project as a *.gvp-file (File -> Save Project). When closing the project or opening a new gvSIG-project click "Save Resources" in the reminding dialogue box.

Hopefully, this will not happen but if so, try to restart your computer and run gvSIG again. Another quick solution to solve this problem could be the re-installation of gvSIG. The complete re-installation process will take about 15 minutes. You'll find detailed information about the uninstall process as well as the installation process in the "Installation of gvSIG"-Chapter.

Where can I find free maps to use in gvSIG? 

Here you can find a small overview on thematic datasets that can be obtained from the internet:

Open the „Google Earth“- Application. Zoom to the area of interest and click the „N“ on the right toolbar to adjust the map to north. Save the screen as *.jpg-Image by clicking File -> Save -> Save Image and define the folder to save the image to.

To use the file in gvSIG you have to rectify the image to a reference cartography (e.g. satellite images)

Is it possible to open project files from ArcView/ArcGIS with gvSIG? 

It is not possible to directly import project files from any proprietary software, like ArcView 3.x / 9.x from ESRI to gvSIG. Though it is possible to load shapefiles created in ArcGIS, but you will have to re-define the properties.
To save file resources of gvSIG projects, save projects as *.gvp-file.

To add vector- or raster- files to a gvSIG project click View -> Add Layer or click the "Add Layer"-Icon in the gvSIG-Toolbar. Define the file type when loading the file.
If you want to load coordinates saved as *.csv-file, click Show -> Project Manager -> Table -> New then click "Add" and define the file type when loading the data.

To open raster files choose "gvSIG-Raster Driver" as "File Type" when using the "Add Layer"-Function. If the projection of the "View" is different from the raster file's projection, choose "Change the View Projection to Raster Projection" or "Reproject Raster to View Projection" and confirm by clicking "Accept".

If you want to change values of the attribute table right-click on the layer-name in the "Table of Contents" and click "Start Editing". Then open the attribute table of the layer and change cell values. Save changes by closing the attribute table and right-clicking on the layer-name and "Finish Editing".

It is possible to save selected features as a new *.shp-file which then can be loaded and edited separately. To do so, select features you want to export by using the selection tools then click Layer -> Export to -> SHP and choose the folder to save the new *.shp to. For more information see this Video.

If you want to create vector-features (polygons, polylines, points) start editing an existing file, or create a new *.shp-file by clicking View -> New Layer -> New SHP and choose the vector type, define fields and enter the file path to save the new layer to. Remember to set the right projection (properties of the "View"). Use the "Drawing-Tools" from the gvSIG-Toolbar.

What is SEXTANTE? 

Sextante is a set of free geospatial analysis tools for raster and vector data in hydrological or vegetational issues, for network analysis and many more. Sextante was integrated in gvSIG since version 1.10.

To calculate the size of a polygon (area) or the length (perimeter) you need to have the map referenced in a projected coordinate system (e.g. UTM+zone according to geographic location).
Activate the layer, start editing and open the attribute table. Click on the headline of the field column to activate and click on the "Calculate Expression"-Button in the gvSIG-Toolbar.
Choose the algorithm to be used (e.g. "area" or "perimeter") from "Commands" by double-clicking and run the process. Close the attribute table by right-clicking on the layer-name in the "Table of Contents" and "Finish Editing".

Several GPS-Handhelds offer software to help you transferring data to your PC and save as *.csv-file which can be imported to gvSIG-projects. To add a *.csv-file to the gvSIG-project, open the "Project Manager" and click on "Table".
Click "New" to open a new table and choose the *.csv-file (Files type: csv string). Return to the "View"-Window using the "Project Manager".
Add the loaded *.csv-file as a new "Event Layer" by clicking on the button "Add Event Layer" in the gvSIG-Toolbar. Choose the *.csv-file and connect the table rows "Longitude" and "Latitude" to the corresponding "Lon" and "Lat" correctly.
Click "Ok" and a new Point-Layer consisting of all GPS-Points will be displayed.

How can I create a map out of my "View"? 

To create a map out of your "View", click Show -> Project Manager -> Map. Click "New" to create a map-file and click "Open". For more detailed information about "Map Creation" see Video or chapter 7, from page 550.

You can insert the map items by clicking Map -> Insert -> ... or use the icons from the gvSIG-Toolbar. For more detailed information about "Map Creation" see Video.

The easiest way to publish a map is to export it as *.pdf. To do so, simply click the "pdf-Button" or click File -> Export to pdf and chose the folder to save the *.pdf to.

By default the page size is "21cm x 29,7cm" (A4) and has a horizontal orientation with a resolution of 300dpi (normal). To change the settings click Map -> Prepare Page. You can choose from pre-defined sizes (A4 to A0) as well as customise the map size as you like. If the height of the map will exceed the width you can also change the orientation to vertical.