RCW Foraging Matrix Application Clarification
1. Most questions we have received to date relate to getting data into the application for analysis. We understand that some users may find this initial data loading process challenging but want users to know that we will support them through this process. The documentation provides the answers to many questions but please do not hesitate to ask for help, either from your organization’s GIS personnel or by emailing Matrix Support. Once you have your data loaded, a wizard is available to walk you through the steps of the foraging habitat analysis.
2. A "date updated" has been added as a footnote to each matrix web page so you can tell at a glance if there is new information. Those changes will be summarized on this web page, so please check back periodically for updated information.
3. A new installation package was uploaded to the website in December 2006 and new versions will be posted periodically when needed to resolve identified issues with the application. To update your version, FIRST MOVE ANY EXISTING DATA MODEL(S) AND REPORTS TO A DIRECTORY OTHER THAN THE INSTALL DIRECTORY. You must uninstall the old version (using Add/Remove Programs from the Windows Control Panel) and doing so MAY WIPE OUT ANY DATA MODEL(S) OR REPORTS IN THE INSTALL DIRECTORY. Once you have backed up your data model(s) and reports and uninstalled the previous version, follow the directions on this website to download and install the new version.
4. To reduce the size of the .zip file needed to download the application, we have removed redundant installation files and ArcEngine installation files. IF YOU WISH TO RUN THE ARCENGINE VERSION OF THE APPLICATION, YOU SHOULD CONTACT Matrix Support TO REQUEST A CD WITH THE NECESSARY INSTALLATION FILES.
5. If you are using the installation package obtained prior to December 2006, the Introduction document and the Procedures document were associated with the wrong file type during the installation. Those two word documents are now available on the ftp site for download independent of the .zip file. We suggest you download them and place them in "your installation folder\documents" folder for future reference. We also suggest that you update to the newest version at your earliest convenience.
6. A valid ArcGIS 9.x or ArcEngine license is required to run the matrix application. Please be aware that in order to load your data, whether cavity tree locations or forest inventory data, you MUST use ArcGIS (see the section on loading your data into the data model within the Introduction document). That is, once your data are loaded into the data model, you can use ArcEngine to run analyses but data must be loaded into the data model by someone using ArcGIS. NOTE: If you have ArcGIS, you should run analyses using the toolbar in ArcMap. There is no need for ArcGIS users to run the ArcEngine version that is accessed from the short cut on your desktop following installation (installation prior to December 2006).
7. If the RCW Matrix toolbar is not displayed automatically in ArcMap, follow these steps to load the toolbar:
a. Close ArcMap.
b. In Windows Explore, navigate to: "your installation folder"\Tools\RCWEngine\RCWCommands
c. Double click on Install.bat
d. Reopen ArcMap.
The toolbar should now be visible. If not, choose View > Toolbars and click RCWMatrix to turn on the toolbar.
8. Several layers in the data model are displayed in the Enginemap.mxd with scale dependencies (see page 4 of Introduction.doc). If you zoom out beyond the scale set in the feature properties, the data will not be displayed. To display the data, either zoom in on an area of interest or, using ArcMap, remove the scale dependences in the feature Properties dialog box. This is also true for labels. To view or change the scale dependencies of labels, open the feature Properties dialog box, click the Labels tab, and then click Scale Range under the Other Options section of this tab.
9. The application uses default ranges for several characteristics based on high site index as originally established by the RCW recovery coordinator. If you are analyzing data for properties with low site indices, it is possible to change the values for these characteristics to those appropriate for your area. You should discuss these changes with the FWS if the results of the foraging habitat analysis will be submitted as part of a project review. Instructions on how to change the default values can be found in Introduction.doc, installed with the application and also available directly on the ftp site.
10. As stated on page 3 and 4 of Introduction.doc, all the feature classes must be in the same projection and this projection must be the same as the data frame used in your .mxd. Therefore, if you use the Enginemap.mxd and you do not use the projection North Carolina, NAD83, State Plane, Feet, you MUST CHANGE THE COORDINATE SYSTEM OF THE DATA FRAME. If needed, do so in ArcMap by right clicking on the data frame (named Layers by default) in the table of contents and choosing Properties. Click the Coordinate System tab. The current coordinate system is displayed in the top box on this tab and you choose your desired coordinate system in the box below it. Simply navigate to the desired coordinate system, click on it to highlight it, and then click OK.
11. If you notice that the application tries to reinstall itself repeatedly, check to see that the Emptydatamodel.mdb is still with in your data directory. This problem was noted by someone at a military installation and has not been seen on non-networked computers using the application. Though we do not as yet have an explanation for this issue, it is possible that it is related to the network setup. Restoring the Emptydatamodel.mdb to the data directory eliminated the problem.
12. If you get an error message when analyzing your data, please check to see if you get the same error message when analyzing the sample data. This is an important step to help us determine how best to solve the problem. If you are able to analyze the sample data, then the error message is likely related to the structure of your data model. If you cannot analyze the sample data, then the error message may be a result of an issue with the application.
13. We have rewritten the instruction for creating a new geodatabase for use with the application. These revised instructions have been updated in the Introduction.doc document and are available for download directly from the ftp site (mdb_creation.doc).
14. An Emptydatamodel.mdb has been included with the installation. This data model contains all the feature classes but does not contain any actual data. This data model can be used instead of the sample data model (RCWDataModel.mdb) when creating new geodatabases for your areas of interest. Note that the data are still projected in North Carolina, State Plane, 1983, Feet and will need to be projected to match your coordinate system.
15. Due to the way the application calculates contiguity, you must have three cavity trees within a partition to be able to score the partition. That is, you may still calculate a cluster center with less than 3 trees, but the application will crash if you try to score a partition with fewer than 3 trees.
16. Codes are used for hardwood midstory and the season of last prescribed burn. The codes (e.g., 1= low, sparse midstory) can be found in the Procedures.doc.
