Welcome to the City of Corpus Christi’s GIS web-based map

City of Corpus Christi, Texas

GIS Website Help Document

Welcome to the City of Corpus Christi’s GIS website! This guide will help you better utilize available maps and data.

Getting Started

The City of Corpus Christi’s GIS Website is located at http://www.gissites.com/corpus. When you initially enter the website you are taken to the Disclaimer Page. Please read the disclaimer. If you understand and agree to the information provided, click the Accept button.

After clicking the accept button on the disclaimer page, the GIS Map Viewer will appear on your screen. The GIS Map Viewer has four main areas: Map Window, Attribute Window, Layer Listing, and Toolbar.

Map Window

In the upper left-hand corner, you will find an overview map. This map illustrates where you are within the City of Corpus Christi. In the bottom left hand corner you find a north arrow and a data copyright. The north arrow will always stay on the screen so you know relative direction. On the bottom right of the screen you will find a scale. The scale bar shows map distance and the number below it states the real world corresponding distance.

Attribute Window

Data in the attribute window does not come up immediately when you enter the website. Data becomes visible in the attribute window when you use buttons from the toolbar in conjunction with map layers. This will be discussed in detail later in the toolbar section of this document.

Layer Listing

The panel lists layers that are available for viewing on the map screen. There are two parts to the layer listing: visible and active. The user can check multiple layers under the visible column for viewing purposes. Under the active column, only one layer can be selected for analysis purposes. As you zoom in, more layers become available. But remember, every time you change the visible layers you MUST press the Refresh Map button at the bottom of the Layer Listing. It is recommended that the basemap be made visible after zooming in a few levels (zoom in, check the visible box next to the basemap, then click refresh).

Toolbar

These buttons are commands and options that allow you to utilize the map and associated attributes more efficiently. You can learn the functions of each of these buttons by keeping the mouse over the icon for 2 seconds and then a box will appear giving you the name of the icon. But do not worry if you need to know more about each operation. The following explains each button in detail.

Legend/Layer List Toggle: This button, found in the upper left corner of the toolbar, allows the user to switch from the layer listing to a legend that shows what is visible and the corresponding color and design on the map. Click it again and the layer listing will be displayed.

Overview Map Toggle: By pressing this button the overview map will disappear from the map window; click it again and the overview map will appear in the Map Window.

When using the following buttons, a red box will appear around the icon after it is pressed. This is an indication to the user that the icon is in "active command status" and does not need to be pressed again until a different button is needed. Be advised that you will need to wait for the screen to refresh before issuing the next command.

Zoom In: This button zooms into the map so less area is seen, but at better clarity and at a larger scale. After you click the button on the toolbar you must go to the map and click where you want the zoom to be centered. The map might not zoom into the area you want the first time so you might have to press the button several times. But remember you will need to wait for the map to zoom in one level at a time. Triple clicking the button will only make your computer freeze. You can also create a zoom window: click, hold, and drag to create a viewport in the map window.

Zoom Out: Found next to the zoom in button, this icon does the exact opposite of its companion. The same advice should be followed for this command as noted above for zoom in.

Zoom to Full Extent: This will zoom out so the entire map is shown. You only need to press this button once. The map will look like the overview map found in the upper left-hand corner of the map window.

Back to Last Extent: This button is the back button. If you zoomed in or out too far, this button will take you back one step. This button can be pressed multiple times, so you can go back several steps.

Pan: This little hand will grasp the map and recenter it for you. Click the pan button, move the mouse pointer to the map, and hold down the left mouse button. Once you have moved the map to the desired location, release the left mouse button.

Identify: This function allows you to go to the map and select a map element you want information on. But remember these two things when you use it: This function will only give you information from the active layer, and a higher zoom level will result in a higher accuracy report of attributes.

Address: Use this button to locate a particular parcel based on its address.

Owner: Use this button to locate a particular parcel based on its owner.

Tax ID: Use this button to locate a particular parcel based on its Tax ID.

Report: A report on the active parcels can be generated by using this button.

Measure: This button allows you to measure distances on the map. Just click on the map and then move the arrow to the next location, click it again to get the end point of the line segment. You will notice at the top of the map window a box appears. The figure on the left gives you the length of the completed line segment, while the one on the right gives you the current distance from the last endpoint. These units are in real world figures and not map distances.

Buffer: This allows you to place a ring around a highlighted area. Found next to the Set Units button, the buffer key can only be used after the Select Box or Select Shape has been utilized. The buffer WILL NOT work if a feature is not selected. After a feature is selected, press the buffer button. Then you can select what feature you are buffering, how large you want the buffer to be and check the attribute box if you want attributes displayed.

Select Box: This dotted rectangle will not only allow you to select an area so you can buffer, it also gives you information on the site that you have selected. All you have to do is hold down the left mouse button and make the rectangle as large as you want. You get better accuracy if you zoom in on a particular area.

Select Shape: This button allows you to select features using a line or polygon configuration. Decide the endpoints of each line segment and then decide if you want a line or a polygon. Note: you MUST click the Complete Line & Select button (or the Complete Polygon & Select button); the function is NOT complete until you do. When using this function the user will need to wait for a red dot to appear after selecting each point.

Clear Selection: The eraser clears all that you have done to the map, including selections, measurements, and buffers. The map will stay in the current zoom position.

Print: By pressing this button a new window will popup, allowing you to print whatever is shown in the map window. However, it will not print your table of attributes. If you also want a printout of the attributes’ table, go to the File menu at the top of the screen, pull the menu down, and select print. You must print the attribute table before you print your map; if you print the map first, you will lose your table.

Scenarios

The purpose of this section is to provide you with a few common scenarios this system is capable of and to take you step by step through each one. We will start off with something very simple and progress from there.

You know where a parcel is located, but need to know who the owner is.

A) Zoom in to the area of interest by using the Zoom In button . Left click once in the map window or left click, hold down and drag in the map window, creating a view port. Continue zooming in if needed.

B) When you have the general area of interest displayed in the map window, click the visible box next to the basemap in the layers listing. If there are any other layers you need to turn on (or off) click the visible box next to the layer. Scroll down in the layers listing and click Refresh Map.

C) When the basemap appears, click on the identify button then click on the parcel in the map window. The attribute window should display ownership and other attributes.

D) In order to acquire a printout of the attributes, click once in the attribute window and then click File in the upper left corner of the web site window; then click Print. The system should display your default printer. It is recommended that the attributes be printed in landscape orientation. If needed, click on properties and change the paper orientation to landscape. Click OK and then click Print.

E) Click on the print button to print the map. A title box will appear for you to enter a map title. Type in a title then click Create Print Page. A new browser window will appear. If the map is satisfactory click File, Print. After the map is sent to the printer, close the window.

You need to find a parcel.

A) Click on one of the Find buttons . A box will appear asking you to type in an identifier for the location you are looking for. You can either type in the 12-digit tax account number, the owner’s name, or the location address. Make sure that the Caps Lock is on. After you type in your requirement, click Find String.

B) In the attribute table several choices may appear that partially fulfill your search requirements. Click the blue number of the correct choice; wait for the map to refresh.

C) In the map window, the property will be highlighted and the owner information will be displayed in the attribute window.

You need to select/highlight a specific parcel.

A) Zoom in to the area or do a find on the parcel you want to select and then click the Select Shape button . Next, go to the map window and select where you want your start point to be. Click on the parcel and wait for a red dot; left click again and wait for a second red dot. Click Complete Line. The line will be completed and the parcel will be selected.

B) In the map window, the property will be highlighted and the owner information will be displayed in the attribute window.

C) In order to acquire a printout of the attributes, click once in the attribute window and then click File in the upper left corner of the web site window; then click Print. The system should display your default printer. It is recommended that the attributes be printed in landscape orientation. If needed, click on properties and change the paper orientation to landscape. Click OK then click Print.

D) Click on the print button to print the map. A title box will appear for you to enter a map title. Type in a title then click Create Print Page. A new browser window will appear. If the map is satisfactory click File, Print. After the map is sent to the printer, close the window.

You need to select several properties together.

A) Click the Select Box button . Hold down the left mouse button and drag it over the area you would like selected. If you accidentally select the wrong area or select too much or too little of what you need, click the Clear Selection icon (). This will allow you to start over.

B) You can also select an area by clicking the Select Shape button . Go to the map window and select where you want your start point to be. Click the left mouse button and wait for the red dot. Click where you want your next point to be and wait for the red dot. Once you have selected all your points, click Complete Line or Complete Polygon. The line or polygon will be completed and the area will be selected.

C) In the map window, the selected area will be highlighted and owner information will be displayed in the attribute window.

E) In order to acquire a printout of the attributes, click once in the attribute window and then click File in the upper left corner of the web site window; then click Print. The system should display your default printer. It is recommended that the attributes be printed in landscape orientation. If needed, click on properties and change the paper orientation to landscape. Click OK then click Print.

F) Click on the print button to print the map. A title box will appear for you to enter a map title. Type in a title then click Create Print Page. A new browser window will appear. If the map is satisfactory click File, Print. After the map is sent to the printer, close the window.

You need to buffer a specific property.

A) First, you need to select a parcel to buffer. Follow the directions above in 3A to select a property.

B) Click the Buffer button . A number of options will be displayed in the attributes window area. Click the pull down in the highlight features from box; select Base Map. Enter the distance in the distance box. Click the display attributes box and then click the Create Buffer button.

C) You will then see on your map window three different highlights. The bright yellow is the area selected by the Select Shape icon. The red is the actual buffer of your feature and the brown is all the properties that your buffer touches.

D) Your attribute window will be filled with information on the properties the buffer touches or partially touches.