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Inserting an IDL Shapefile

IDL comes with several shapefiles that you can insert in the iMap tool or in another iTool that has a map projection already applied. These files originated from the ESRI Data and Maps CD-ROM data set (1999, 2000, 2002) and can be found, along with their associated database (.dbx) and index (.shx) files, in the resource/maps/shape directory of the IDL installation. Also see Overview of ESRI Shapefiles for more detailed information on shapefiles.

Inserting the Continents

The Insert  Map  Continents operation loads the continents.shp file and displays the continents as a single ShapePolygon (Figure 15-8) in the current dataspace, using the current projection. If no projection is active, then IDL uses geographic coordinates.

Figure 15-8: The Continents Shapefile

Figure 15-8: The Continents Shapefile

Inserting the Countries (Low Resolution)

The Insert  Map  Countries (low res) operation loads the country.shp file and displays the countries (boundaries as of 2002) as separate ShapePolygons (Figure 15-9) in the current dataspace, using the current projection. If no projection is active, then IDL uses geographic coordinates. The ShapePolygons exist in a Countries (low res) visualization container.

Figure 15-9: The Countries (Low Res) Shapefile

Figure 15-9: The Countries (Low Res) Shapefile

Inserting the Countries (High Resolution)

The Insert  Map  Countries (high res) operation loads the cntry02.shp file and displays the countries (boundaries as of 2002) as separate ShapePolygons (Figure 15-10) in the current dataspace, using the current projection. If no projection is active, then IDL uses geographic coordinates. The ShapePolygons exist in a Countries (high res) visualization container.

Figure 15-10: The Countries (High Res) Shapefile

Figure 15-10: The Countries (High Res) Shapefile

Inserting the Rivers

The Insert  Map  Rivers operation loads the rivers.shp file and displays the rivers as separate ShapePolylines (Figure 15-11) in the current dataspace, using the current projection. If no projection is active, then IDL uses geographic coordinates. The ShapePolylines exist in a Rivers visualization container.

Figure 15-11: The Rivers Shapefile (Continents Added for Context)

Figure 15-11: The Rivers Shapefile (Continents Added for Context)

Inserting the Lakes

The Insert  Map  Lakes operation loads the lakes.shp file and displays the lakes as separate ShapePolygons (Figure 15-12) in the current dataspace, using the current projection. If no projection is active, then IDL uses geographic coordinates. The ShapePolygons exist in a Lakes visualization container.

Figure 15-12: The Lakes Shapefile (Continents Added for Context)

Figure 15-12: The Lakes Shapefile (Continents Added for Context)

Inserting the United States

The Insert  Map  United States operation loads the states.shp file and displays the states as separate ShapePolygons (Figure 15-13) in the current dataspace, using the current projection. If no projection is active, then IDL uses geographic coordinates. The ShapePolygons exist in a United States visualization container.

Figure 15-13: The United States Shapefile

Figure 15-13: The United States Shapefile

Inserting the Canadian Provinces

The Insert  Map  Canadian Provinces operation loads the canadaprovince.shp file and displays the provinces as separate ShapePolygons (Figure 15-14) in the current dataspace, using the current projection. If no projection is active, then IDL uses default longitude-latitude coordinates. The ShapePolygons exist in a Canadian Provinces visualization container.

Figure 15-14: The Canadian Provinces Shapefile

Figure 15-14: The Canadian Provinces Shapefile

  IDL Online Help (March 01, 2006)