Geographic Information
System
Internet Site Help/Tutorial
If you click on the Show Me link next to each subject, an animation will show you what to do. When you are done watching the animation, close the window to resume using the GIS site or click your browser's back button to return to this help screen.
Toggle Legend 
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Click this tool to toggle between a color legend and the layer control window. The color legend will show each layer that is visible, as well as any selection or highlighting colors.
Toggle Overview Map 
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Click this tool to toggle between showing the overview map or not. The overview map will show you the area of the County that you are viewing indicated by a red box.
Zoom In 
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1. Click this tool to make it active. A red box displays on the tool to indicate that it remains active until you select another tool.
2. Use the left mouse button, click and hold down the mouse button on the area of the map where you want to zoom in.
3. Drag a box down and to the right.
4. When you have boxed in the area you want, release the mouse button and wait for the map to redraw.
Zoom Out 
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1. Click this tool to make it active. A red box displays on the tool to indicate that it remains active until you select another tool.
2. Use the left mouse button, click and hold down the mouse button on the area of the map where you want to zoom out.
3. Drag a box down and to the right.
4. When you have boxed in the area you want, release the mouse button and wait for the map to redraw. The smaller the box, the more you zoom out.
Zoom To Full Extent 
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Click this tool to zoom out to see the entire County.
Back To Last Extent 
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Click this tool to go back to the last map that was displayed.
Pan 
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1. Click this tool to make it active. A red box displays on the tool to indicate that it remains active until you select another tool.
2. Use the left mouse button, click and hold down the mouse button on the map.
3. Drag the map in any direction.
4. When you have moved the map to the desired area, release the mouse button and wait for the map to redraw.
Measure 
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1. Click on this tool to make it active.
2. Click on the beginning point of what you want to measure. Wait until a red dot appears.
3. Click on the end point of what you want to measure. The total distance will be displayed at the top of the map. You can continue adding to the total measurement by continuing to click along the map.
4. Clear the red line by clicking on the Clear Selection tool.
Set Units 
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Set Units is used to change the measurement units used by the measuring tool and the buffer. The default unit of measurement is feet.
1. Click the Set Units tool.
2. Select Miles from the drop down list.
3. Click Set Units
4. Try the measuring tool again.
5. Change the units back to feet.
Mailing Labels/Buffer Tool 
This tool only works if you have a property selected. To select a property see “Select By Line or Polygon”
Make the
ACCOUNTS theme active.
1.
2. Click the Create Mailing Labels tool.
3. Type 200 into the “within a distance of” text box. Make sure units is set to FEET for this exercise. If not, see directions for set units.
4. Make sure the box next to “Mailing Labels/Owner Information” is checked.
5. Click Create Labels button.
6. The map redraws showing the buffer area in grey and the selected accounts shown in pink. The lot you buffered is shown in yellow.
7. A new form appears where the buffer page was. Select “Click here” to review a text file of property owner’s names and addresses. This includes all properties highlighted on the map. This file can be saved to your computer by selecting File from the menu and then Save As. Select a directory and type in a file name then click Save.
8. Close the text file window.
9. Click on the Labels button.
10. A new window will appear containing an Adobe PDF file formatted for Avery Labels #5261.
11. The file can either be saved using clicking on the “Save a copy” button or printed using the “Print” button.
Select By Rectangle 
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1. Make the theme you want to select a feature in active.
2. Click on the Select by Rectangle tool.
3. Use the left mouse button, click and hold down the mouse button on the area of the map where you want to select.
4. Release the mouse button and wait for the map to redraw.
5. A list of selected records will be returned.
Select By Line or Polygon 
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1. Make the theme you want to select a feature in active.
2. Click on the Select by Line/Polygon tool.
3. Click on the map at the beginning of the features you want to select.
4. Continue clicking on the map to draw a red line through (for line selection) or around (for polygon selection) the features you want to select.
5. If selecting by line, click the Complete Line & Select button.
6. If selecting by polygon, click the Complete Polygon & Select button.
7. You can click the Restart or Delete Last buttons at any time to change the red selection line.
8. The map will redraw showing the selected features highlighted in yellow.
The Select with
Line or Polygon window will be replaced with a list of the selected features.
9.
10. 10. To go back to the "Select with Line or Polygon" window, click on the tool again.
Identify 
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Zoom into the
lot you want more information on.
1.
2. 2. Click on the Identify tool.
3. Click on the map.
A list of values will be returned. This shows what value each layer has for the
location you clicked on the map. Such as what the legal description is, or
what the Zoning is.
4.
5. 5. Click on the account number to go to the Property Appraisers website.
Clear Selection 
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This tool clears any selected items or any red lines used to measure or select.
Print 
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1. Click the Print tool.
2. The Print Map window appears. Fill in the title you want printed on your map.
3. Click the “Create Print Page” button.
4. A new MS Internet Explorer or Navigator window opens displaying your print document.
5. Click File from the menu.
6. Click Print from the drop down menu.
7. In the Print window that opens, select a printer.
8. Select “Properties”.
9. Depending on your printer, go to the area where you choose to print in Portrait or Landscape and choose Landscape.
10. Click OK to close Properties window.
11. Click OK to print.
12. Close the Print Document window to return to the GIS web site.
Search By Address 
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1. Click on the “Search By Address” tool.
2. Enter the Address Number or Street Name or partial Street Name or a combination of Number and Name, in the appropriate places.
3.
Do NOT enter Street Direction (E,W,N,S) or Street
Suffix (
4. Click the Submit button.
5. A list of potential matches will be displayed.
6. Click on the Account Number to zoom to that record.
Search By Owner’s Name 
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1. Click on the “Search By Owner’s Name” tool.
2. Enter the owner’s last name (or partial last name) and then first name (if desired).
3. Click the Submit button.
4. A list of potential matches will be displayed.
5. Click on the Account Number to zoom to that record.
Search By Account Number 
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1. Click on the “Search By Account Number” tool.
2. Enter the account number. The account number can be found on your tax bill. It is a 14-digit number. Do NOT enter any dashes. Try entering 00705580000009.
3. Click the Submit button.
4. The matched record will be displayed.
5. Click on the Account Number to zoom to that record.
Making
Layers Visible Show Me
In the Layers window, each layer has the option of being visible. A check mark placed in the visible box indicates that the layer will be drawn on the map. Some layers don’t display until you are zoomed in close because they are large data sets and would take a long time to download.
The layers are drawn one on top of the other. If you have Accounts and Zoning visible, the colors shown in the zoning legend will be different than what is showing on the map because the map will have the green of the accounts drawn over top of the zoning colors. To clearly see the colors of a lower layer, remove the check marks in the visible box of any upper layers.
As many layers as you want may be visible at a time, but remember that the more layers you have visible, the longer the map will take to redraw.
After changing the visible selection you must click the “Refresh Map” button at the bottom of the Layers window.
Making Layers Active Show Me
If you are building a query or selecting features, you must first make the layer you want to search or select from active.
To make a layer active, click on the round radio button next to the layer name. The button will fill in and the lower window will tell you which layer is the active layer.
Only one layer may be active at a time.