• Introduction
• What the ArcView 3.x MassGIS Data Viewer contains
• Enhancements in the ArcView 3.x Data Viewer vs. "regular" ArcView 3.x
• PC Specifications for Running the ArcView 3.x Data Viewer
• Training Documentation
• Online Technical Support

The MassGIS Data Viewer is distributed on CD and contains MassGIS data for a specific area in Massachusetts (or data for the entire state), and some tools with which to view the data.  The Geographic Information System (GIS) data on the CD is a an open ESRI file format called shapefiles.  The CD(s) may also contain a subset of the image data (orthophotographs and/or scanned USGS topographic maps, etc.) that MassGIS maintains. 

The CD contains the "MassGIS Data Viewer", a customized ArcView project (an .apr file) which uses the ArcView Avenue object-oriented programming language (ArcView is an ESRI product). The project consists primarily of a few key enhancements to native ArcView which are designed to make it even easier to work with spatial data (see below). The MassGIS Data Viewer was created specifically to be distributed and work with MassGIS data. However, it also was designed to be generic enough to work with any other spatial data supported by ArcView. The CD has ArcView project files for users that have the ArcView software ("full" version), as well as a "Runtime" version of ArcView for Windows which removes some of the functionality of the commercial version of the software but which still allows data query, analysis and display, including the ability to create and print maps.

The MassGIS Data Viewer is compatible with ArcView 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3.  Users with ArcView 3.1 and who wish to use the Data Viewer must download the 3.1.1 patch (Windows or UNIX) from the "Software Updates" section on the ESRI web site at http://www.esri.com/software/arcview/avsoftware.html.

MassGIS Data Viewers are available for a particular region (one town, a few towns, a watershed, etc.) or for the entire state. All Viewer CDs contain the customized ArcView projects explained above. In addition:

Custom Regional Viewers usually include: 

• all point, polygon and vector data that overlap the requested region in shapefile format (except point elevations),
• USGS Quadrangle Images in MrSID format,
• and Color digital orthophotos in MrSID format.


Statewide Viewers include only vector data and are available as a multiple-CD set.  Images are available separately.

On the CD are these directories:
 31
 ArcGIS8
 data
 gisdata
 program
 web

The Runtime Data Viewer uses the data and program directories. The Data Viewer for ArcView 3.x ("full" version) uses the 31 directory. The ArcGIS 8.x Data Viewer uses the ArcGIS8 directory. All viewers use the gisdata directory, where the shapefiles and the images are stored. The web directory contains a browseable copy of the MassGIS web site.

See the page on Data and Map Ordering Services for pricing and ordering information.

Some of the enhancements in the ArcView 3.x MassGIS Data Viewer include: 

• A set of menu choices which group the available MassGIS datalayers into useful categories so it is easy to find the data you wish to view.
• Default legends and information on whether a theme should be drawn based on level of zoom (scale-dependency)
• The ability to save and name extents so that you can return to them quickly without rezooming
• The ability to zoom to a particular town or basin (or many other extents) immediately
• Easy-to-access documentation on each MassGIS datalayer
• Storage of data so that viewing is simple - the user does not have to know where it is stored.
• Storage of application metadata - Easy access to all information needed to work with data themes, including file locations, legend files, documentation files, map extents, etc. through centralized "theme inventory" table.


The Data Viewer does not disable any regular ArcView functions. Some documentation is included for those users who wish to further customize the project and add their own scripts, and more information is available upon request. 

The Data Viewer is available for ArcView versions 3.1.1, 3.2, and 3.3 on Windows (95 or higher) or UNIX. For users who do not have a copy of the ArcView software we also supply an ArcView 3.1.1 "Runtime" version of the Viewer. This "Runtime" version has more limited ArcView functionality, but does allow the user to view and analyze data and print maps. 

The table below lists the "minimum" requirements printed in the ArcView documentation and the "preferred" setup to provide best performance. Where there is a gap between the minimum and preferred values (e.g. 486 v. pentium processor), the middle of the range will usually provide superior performance over the minimum.

HARDWARE	MINIMUM	PREFERRED
Processor	Intel 80486	Pentium
RAM	22MB	128MB+
Operating System	Windows 95	Windows 95 or higher
CD Speed	2x	8x

CD Drive - Data should be downloaded to a local or network hard drive for best performance. However, PCs with faster CD drives (8x or greater) may be able to run the program directly off the CD without downloading program or data. To access all the data in a statewide Viewer (distributed on multiple CDs), the data must be downloaded from each CD to a PC or network drive.

Hard Disk - The commercial ArcView software uses about 20 MB of hard drive space. MassGIS data for a single town requires from 500-800 MB. The "Runtime" version, which must be installed on the hard drive if you do not have a full version of ArcView, uses about 60 MB of hard drive space.

Though MassGIS does not offer formal training to the general public on use of the Data Viewer, there are documentation and tutorials available. 

MassGIS also provides materials for teachers and students to incorporate the Data Viewer and GIS into classroom lessons. Please see the GIS Education section of this Web site for more information and free downloadable files.

For more information or if you find a problem with the MassGIS Data Viewer please contact Aleda Freeman at (617) 626-1193 or by e-mail at Aleda.Freeman@state.ma.us or send a Viewer technical support question by using our new Online Technical Support system.

Last Updated 1/18/2006
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