DGGS Data Extraction Using ARCEX
 

Power On and Log In

Logon in the computer lab using your BEDROCK username and password.  A standard desktop will come up.

Launch ARCEX

Confirm that you have access to the archive extraction program (ARCEX.exe) and the DGGS databases (files of type *.adb).  Either from CD-ROMs (available at UAF libraries), or from data stored in your home directory (N:), launch the program ARCEX.exe.  ARCEX is an older (Windows 3.1 vintage) application distributed with the data which does not support all of the standard Windows95, 98, or NT interface, but the standard mouse, arrows, TAB key, and keyboard should be sufficient to run the program.

Select Database

In the Archive Data Extraction window, select Open Database.  Note that one can only browse to resources that have been assigned a drive letter (drive letters can be assigned as necessary in the Windows desktop).  One can toggle between the ARCEX application and other applications using an Alt -Tab key combination (yikes - just like windows 3.1!).  Valid databases will generally have an extension of *.adb.  Once you have selected a valid database, the original screen will return, now showing the available lines and channels.  Click the "Configure Data" button and you can select geographical coordinates in UTM northing and easting (NAD27) or Latitude and Longitude.  UTM coordinates are the default and generally the preferred choice.

Window Data

If you want to select out a geographical subset of the data, then put an "X" in the "window data" box and click the "Edit Window" button.  The geographical window can be a polygon of any shape and is specified by any number of vertices in whatever format (UTM or Lat/Lon) is selected in the data windowing dialog.  The dialog box allows vertices to be added, deleted, or edited.  Once the vertices are correct, then leave the windowing dialog.

Write Data

Click the "Write Data" button to extract the data.  The data will be written to a text file, located where you specify.  The output file does not include column headings, you may wish to copy down the channel names from the right side of the Archive Data Extraction dialog for your information, otherwise the columns can be pretty inscrutable.

Miscellaneous

The DGGS distribution disk includes essential descriptions of the data channels and should be referred to for a description of the data.
 

Revised January 2001