TIGER -- the OLD Way

The steps required -- in Workstation Arc/Info or ArcGIS to import TIGER Files and create a new polygon map (Tracts) for a portion of El Dorado County, CA include:

Download the data.
Import the lines into Arc/Info 'coverage' format.
Select lines based on attributes to form the boundaries of polygons.
Edit the coverage to add 'label points.'
Build Polygons.
And, use ArcMap to create a final, presentation-quality map.

TIGER EXAMPLE: CREATING CENSUS TRACT BOUNDARIES

CLICK HERE to Download the El Dorado County TIGER Files

(Place in a scratch directory on the local disk. Use WinZIP to extract the TIGER files.)

use the command: TIGERARC to import the line features. (review?)

TIGERARC TGR06017.BW tigercover

use the command: BUILD to build line topology for the coverage.

BUILD tigercover LINES

Run ArcMap and ADD the coverage to the map.
From the Project Window, ADD the TABLE named "tigercover.ACODE" to the project

It is an INFO file, remember?

Find the corresponding TIGER_Line_ID fields in the two tables and Link the "ACODE" file with the attribute file.
Use the Query Tools in ArcMap to select only Census Tract Boundaries (for whole county) and save to a new shapefile.

CTBNAL <> CTBNAR

Use the Query Tools in ArcView to select all boundary lines of FIPS_PLACEs in the County

FPLL <> FPLR

Use the Query Tools in ArcMap to select all boundary lines for FIPS_PLACE number = 57540.

(FPLL = 57540) OR (FPLR = 57540)
SELECT FROM SET !!
SAVE AS NEW SHAPEFILE for target CITY boundary

Use ArcToolBox Editing Tools to add label points to the tracts which overlap with the City boundary:

BUILD Tract polygons

in ARC: BUILD tractcover POLY
Toolbox should also have a function to Build (maybe even necessary to use Clean)

In ArcMap -- Select only Census Tract Boundaries which overlap the city and save to a new shapefile.
Make a Reference Map showing the Tract Number for each area as a Text Label. Print in Color.

Last Updated: February, 2005