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Spatial Analysis

The analysis is stage of a GIS project involves t he manipulation of both graphic and attribute data. It is at this stage that the user reaches the goal of a GIS __ to improve the user’s decision-making ability. InFoCAD has an entire module dedicated to creating topology and performing spatial analysis, the POLY Module.

The commands in the POLY Module allow users to automatically clean, build, overlay, and/or dissolve polygon structures, which are made up of what InFoCAD calls figures. Other commands allow you to create circular, linear, and figure buffer zones, as well as create sophisticated thematic maps.

Figure (Polygon) Processing

InFoCAD provides users with the ability to perform two different kind of spatial or figure analysis.

First, the user may perform dynamic, or temporary, one-to-many analyses. The analyses are performed by overlaying one figure with many figures, and are temporary because the analysis does not create resulting figures or databases. In fact, this analysis does not’t take into account any attribute information held in databases. The advantages of dynamic or temporary analysis are that users may perform spatial analyses without changing the original topology or graphics, and that the analysis is flexible and fast.

Second, user may perform the more traditional kind of spatial analysis, which is the many-to-many spatial analysis. This kind of analysis yields new graphics and new attribute information. If specified, databases are created and populated automatically during the analysis, and the resulting collection of records is saved to a file for subsequent use.

User’s can overlay or dissolve one record collection with up to seven additional record collections in a single analysis. This multiple collection analysis feature eliminates the vagaries inherent in performing the analysis one by one, or serially, as is the requirement with other systems.

The OVERLAY command performs analyses such as identity, intersect, union, not, and erase. Attribute data may be aggregated during the overlay process. The resulting graphics and record collections may then be analyzed again or used for map display.

The DISSOLVE command enables users to perform two types of aggregation. The first type, graphic-only aggregation, is based on common boundaries. The second type, attribute aggregation, is based on equivalent field values as well as a common boundary. This type of aggregation allows for the summation of values from numerical database fields.

Buffer Analysis

InFoCAD provides users wit the ability to develop boundaries at a specified distance from map elements like points, segments, or figures. The regions defined by these boundaries are known as buffers and the operation is known as proximity analysis.

Proximity or buffer definitions on vector data sets require complex geometrical operations. Through its standard, easy to use panel interface, the InFoCAD user may define fixed or weighed buffers and if needed may create figures out of the resultant buffer zones. Fixed buffers are regions with boundaries that are equidistant from specified geometric elements.

When buffer regions are converted into figures, the appropriate figure database is automatically create and populated with the corresponding records. This creation allows users to perform additional analyses on the buffer regions as well as display them in a thematic map.

Geocoding & Networking

The Geocode utility allows InFoCAD users to perform address geocoding, which is the process of relating addresses contained in an Address database graphical elements of a network and their associated records. The Geocode utility is used through a sophisticated yet intuitive panel and push-buton interface.

InFoCAD’s robust data structure permits geocoding in extraordinarily large databases (upwards of a million street segments is not uncommon). Features include normalization, address parsing, aliases, ranges, error checking and correction, batch processing, temporary address locating, and reporting. These characteristics facilitate a degree of success never before approached in the field of geocoding.

InFoCAD’s Network utility is also accessed through an intuitive yet sophisticated panel and push-button interface. This utility allows users to determine the fastest route, not only the shortest, between to addresses, intersections, or named structures.

Users may load all or part of the network based on the current window, group, or record collection as well as disable selected segments or partial areas when necessary. Other features include zooming in to addresses or intersections and converting street names to text.