Prerequisites & Workshop Preperation

Participants are required to bring their own laptops. We will provide you with the necessary software (i.e. ArcGIS and GCD). This page provides more details on these requirements and what participants can do to prepare for the workshop.

Contents

  1. 1 Participant Background
  2. 2 Hardware/ Laptop & Software  Requirements
  3. 3 GCD Software
  4. 4 Bringing Your Own Data

Participant Background

  • Participants are expected to have some previous GIS experience, familiarity with ArcGIS (don’t need to be an expert), and some understanding of topographic data and digital elevation models.

If its been a while since you've used ArcGIS and you want a refresher, you may find these 'Getting Organized and Oriented' pages helpful, or you may find Task 1 of this Intro to GIS Lab Exercise  helpful (don't bother with the making a website portion; Task 2 and 3). 

Hardware/ Laptop & Software  Requirements

Before you get to Logan, all participants will need:

  • Their own laptop computer with Windows (Windows 10, 7 or 8 recommended; XP Pro or Vista will work) and:
    • Most recent Windows Updates (how to run)
    • Access to a User Account with Administrative Privileges is mandatory. You cannot install ArcGIS, or the GCD Software plugin without it. 
    • Wireless network access (to download exercises)
    • For ArcGIS to run efficiently in Windows, 4 GB or more of RAM is recommended 
    • A mouse is strongly encouraged over a trackpad
  • Required Software Installed Before Workshop
    • ArcGIS 10.X (10.1 through 10.5 will work): ArcInfo version with Spatial Analyst & 3D Analyst extensions installed and enabled (one-year license student versions will be available at the Pre Registration Session at no charge). If you want some step-by-step instructions for installing the student version of ArcGIS, see here. We also recommend that you have the latest service pack installed. I can provide you with a free, education edition license (good for one year) either at the workshop or ahead of time. You can download the software (and request your own license) from ESRI here.
  • Optional Software (NOT MANDATORY)
If you are unable to get ArcGIS installed prior to the workshop, it typically takes about 30-60 minutes.  As such we will have a help session during Registration on Day 1 in the morning (see your workshop schedule), and we will help you install it.  If you can not meet any of the above requirements, please contact Joe Wheaton prior to the workshop so we can make alternative arrangements or help you with the necessary changes. 

GCD Software

We will install the GCD 6 Add in during the workshop.
    • GCD 6.  The most recent release of GCD software we will be using for the workshop will be provided to you when you register in person in Logan.  We will show you how to install the software in the workshop.  Contact us if you can not make this session. See the System Checks page for detailed instructions on the System Checks we will go through in the Pre Registration Session.

Bringing Your Own Data

If you have your own repeat topographic survey data and/or surfaces that you want to analyze, feel free to bring them to the workshop. On the third day, we will have a session devoted to working through analyses on your own. We will provide a dataset you can use, or you can choose to bring your own data. Raw topographic survey data can be in tabular or text file format (e.g. *.csv, *.txt, *.xyz) or in any point feature class type in ArcGIS (e.g. ShapeFiles or feature classes in file geodatabases). DEM surfaces will need to be in *.img, *.tif, or ESRI raster format.