import my points Tool
Introduction
Using the Import my points tool
1) Using a template
2) Select the file
3) Have NABIS check the format
4) Enter a title for the data layer
5) The column of your file that contains the latitude
6) The column of your file that contains the longitude
7) The column of your file that contains the label to use
8) Select whether the points are joined and how
9) Select a display format for points and lines
10) Maximum number of rows that can be loaded
11) Select whether points are out of the general New Zealand area
12) Load and display the data
13) Loading Multiple Import My Points Data Layers
Introduction
This tool enables you to import your own coordinate data (points, lines or polygons) to display on NABIS. This tool can be used for verification of coordinate locations for any point, line or polygon location data. For example restricted areas, aquaculture areas, and other fisheries management data.
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Using the 'Import my points tool'
Select 'Import my Points' from the Layer Generation tools within the 'Select Layers' tab. An internet page opens allowing access to the following fields:
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1) Using a template
Excel spreadsheet templates have been set up so that you can see example data and also add you own data (the templates will open in a separate Internet Page).
The NABIS point template.xls, NABIS line template.xls and NABIS polygon template.xls have been set up so that only the correct coordinate format can be entered.
You do not need to use a template, you can use you own excel spreadsheet or text file. The file may be an Excel spreadsheet (.xls), comma-separated-value (.csv), or text file (.txt).
Macros
You may encounter security setting error messages. This is because there are macros within the templates. Macros aid the formatting and saving of the template.
You may need to alter your security setting to allow macros. To do this:
- Open a new or existing excel spreadsheet
- Go to Tools> Macro> Security and select 'Medium. You can choose whether or not to run potentially unsafe macros.'
If your system does not allow macros then you can view example data on the second worksheet and save the template as you would normally save an excel spreadsheet.
You can work on the template in the browser window, then save it, close it and return to the main 'Import My Points' window.
If you have enabled macros and have the spreadsheet ready, use the “save” button macro to save the file to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents. This can only be used by Windows XP and 98 operating systems. Otherwise save your spreadsheet in your preferred location using File>Save as.
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2) Select the file
Browse for your file or type the file location into the entry box.
Make sure the worksheet is the first one in the spreadsheet.
Use a header row in the spreasheet or text file, if you can use "Latitude", "Longitude" and "Label" and NABIS will automatically recognise these columns for you when loading. If you do not use a header row the first line of you data will be used and not loaded to the map.
This can be a file you have created with the template or your own file as generated by another system or with manual inputs. See 1) Using a tempate.
The file may be an Excel spreadsheet (.xls), comma-separated-value (.csv). Save all your office 2007 documents as "excel 97 - 2003 workbook" or CSV(comma delimited), as the .xlxs format is not supported.
The file may not exceed which ever is the greatest of 4MB or 10,000 rows of data. You will encounter an error message. The error message page will read "Sorry for the inconvience" just use the back browser to return to the previous page.
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3) Have NABIS check the format
Use the 'CHECK' button to load up the first few lines of your data, these will be visible at the bottom of your screen. NABIS will attempt to work out which are your latitude and longitude columns and if it does these will be automatically populated into the appropriate boxes. Otherwise enter the number or letter of the columns that contain your latitude and longitude data into the appropriate boxes.
Columns can be specified: as a number, e.g. 2
NABIS will validate your latitude and longitude data. You will be informed of any errors that it finds.
Common types of errors include:
| Issue |
Validation Error |
Action |
| 1. Incorrect Format: |
You must correct the following error(s) before proceeding:
§ Invalid latitude '-41:09"' on row 3
This could mean that the format is not accepted by the tool or that there is an unaccepted character in the file. |
Check the file for data entry errors.
Check the symbols used are correct. |
| 2. Outside Bounds: |
You must correct the following error(s) before proceeding:
§ Point '1 35.2584' outside bounds on row 2
You will get this error when a point is outside of the normal New Zealand region. This has been estimated between 20°S and 60°S and between 150°E and 205°E. This also verifies that your latitude and longitude are in the correct hemisphere. Remember, the southern hemisphere is a negative latitude. A longitude that is east of the prime meridian (Greenwich) is positive for NABIS. See 11) below. |
Check that the coordinates are correct.
Check that the 'Select whether points outside the New Zealand region' option is correctly assigned |
| 3. Too Many Rows of Data |
You must correct the following error(s) before proceeding:
§ Error with file format: Too many objects to load quickly (max 100). This can be overridden by selecting Allow Slow Loads
This error will occur if you have more than 100 rows of data and have not selected the option to load up to 1500.
OR |
Change the 'maximum number of rows' dropdown to reflect the correct number of rows.
|
| |
You must correct the following error(s) before proceeding:
§ Error with file format: Too many objects to load (max 1500)
This means you have too many rows of data to load. |
Check the number of rows in your spreadsheet - if there are more than 1500 rows, split up your spreadsheet logically and load again. |
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4) Enter a title for the data layer
The name of your file is used as the default title of the layer but you can type in here whatever you choose. This is only for display in the Legend and your file will not be renamed.
The title must be unique - this means that it cannot be the same as any of the data layers (including any other Import My Points Layers) that are currently loaded on to the map
Note: if the only difference between two layers is the file type (.xls, .txt, .csv) then the title will be allowed.
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5) The column of your file that contains the latitude
Latitude Column - The column that contains the Latitude values.
Columns can be specified:
By default it will be: the column where the first row value = 'latitude', or the column that contains a valid latitude.
Accepted formats: Latitude: N (+positive) or S (-negative) (from -90.0 to +90.0)
| Coordinate Format |
Example |
|
Decimal Degrees |
-41.417° Or |
|
|
-41.417S Or |
|
|
-41.417°S |
|
Decimal Minutes |
-41°25.02’ Or |
|
|
-41°25.02’S Or |
|
|
-41:25.02 |
|
Degrees Minutes Seconds |
-41°25’1.2”Or |
|
|
-41°25’1.2”S |
|
Separator |
-41:25:1.2 Or |
|
|
-41-25-1.2 |
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6) The column of your file that contains the longitude
Longitude Column - The column that contains the Longitude values.
Columns can be specified:
- As a number, e.g. 2
- In spreadsheet style, e.g. B
By default it will be: the column where the first row value = 'longitude', or the column that contains a valid longitude.
Accepted formats: Longitude: E (+positive) or W (-negative) (from -180.0 to +180.0)
| Coordinate Format |
Example |
|
Decimal Degrees |
171.986° Or |
|
|
171.986E Or |
|
|
171.986°E |
|
Decimal Minutes |
171°59.16’ Or |
|
|
171°59.16’E Or |
|
|
171:59.16 |
|
Degrees Minutes Seconds |
171°59’9.6” Or |
|
|
171°59’9.6”E |
|
Or Separator |
171:59:9.6 Or |
|
|
171-59-9.6 |
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7) The column of your file that contains the label to use
By default it will be the column where the first row value = 'label'
Columns can be specified:
- As a number, e.g. 2
- By specifying the column heading = 'label'
There is no size limit for the labels but anything more that 10 or 15 characters will cover a lot of the map.
NOTE: If you do not want a label to show enter "0" into the label column specification box.
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8) Select whether the points are joined and how
Choose to display your coordinate data as
- Points – Individual points not joined,
- Lines – Points joined to form individual lines,
- Polygons – Points joined to form lines that are joined to form polygons.
If you want to separate out different line or polygons in one input file add a carriage return (space) to a text file or row to a spreadsheet.
The default value is Points (not joined).
Note If lines cross over (self intersection) for a polygon it will still display but will come up with an 'invalid' type error if you select it with the "What's Here?" tool. NABIS is unable to calculate an area for this type of polygon.
Here is an example of an invalid polygon:
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9) Select a display format for points and lines
You can select a style style and colour in which to display your dataset.
Colours available to display your dataset in are: Black, Blue, Green, Grey or Red (the default colour is Black).
Point styles to display your dataset in are: dots, squares, crosses or stars (the default style is dots).
If your dataset includes lines or polygons, you can choose from the following line styles: solid, dashed, dotted or arrow (the default style is solid).
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10) Maximum number of rows that can be loaded
Loading more than 100 points will be slow.
If you want to load more than 100 points, then select “up to 1500” or “up to 10000” (intranet only) from the drop down box (the default value is less than 100).
If you have more than 1500 points (or 10000 if you are using the intranet), please split your data set logically and load the spreadsheets one at a time.
You may also encouter an error if the file exceeds which ever is the greatest of 4MB or 10,000 rows of data. The error message page is "Sorry for the inconvience" just use the back browser to return to the previous page.
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11) Select whether points are out of the general New Zealand area
For the purposes of NABIS, the New Zealand region is defined as being between
- Latitude 20°S (-20) and 60°S (-60)
- Longitude 150°E (150) and 205°E (205) or 155°W (-155)
Select "New Zealand only" from the drop down box if your coordinate data falls within the New Zealand region.
Select “Whole World” from the drop down box if you know that your data contains latitude and longitude points outside the New Zealand region.
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12) Load and display the data
Your coordinate data will be loaded as a new layer and displayed on the map that you were previously viewing. A final data check will take place when the data is loaded. If you receive a validation error you will need to recheck your data as described in 3) above.
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12) Loading Multiple Import My Points Data Layers
You can load multiple Import My Points data layers, so long as the title of each layer is unique. This means that the title cannot be the same as any data layers currently loaded on the map.
There is no limit to the number of Import My Points Layers that can be loaded on a map at any time, but be aware that the application may start to run slowly if you have a large amount of data loaded.
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