Forward: - SCA Field Leaders



19050-635Technology GuideWestern Young Adult Corps ProgramsCreated February 2012Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Forward: PAGEREF _Toc338336026 \h 2Computers: PAGEREF _Toc338336027 \h 2Computer Maintenance PAGEREF _Toc338336028 \h 2Logging in /Password PAGEREF _Toc338336029 \h 3SCA’s Computer / Internet Policy: PAGEREF _Toc338336030 \h 4Army Corps of Engineers Computer Use Policy: PAGEREF _Toc338336031 \h 4Software PAGEREF _Toc338336032 \h 5Optional Software: PAGEREF _Toc338336033 \h 5The Documents Folder: PAGEREF _Toc338336034 \h 6File Backup PAGEREF _Toc338336035 \h 7The Internet PAGEREF _Toc338336036 \h 7Internet Security PAGEREF _Toc338336037 \h 7Email PAGEREF _Toc338336038 \h 7How to make tabs in Internet Explorer PAGEREF _Toc338336039 \h 8The Intranet PAGEREF _Toc338336040 \h 8Blackberry: PAGEREF _Toc338336041 \h 10Tethering: PAGEREF _Toc338336042 \h 12Printer/ Scanner: PAGEREF _Toc338336043 \h 12SPOT Messenger PAGEREF _Toc338336044 \h 13Garmin eTrex Venture Basic Guide PAGEREF _Toc338336045 \h 15Photo Editing PAGEREF _Toc338336046 \h 18Basic Photo Editing PAGEREF _Toc338336047 \h 18Appendicies PAGEREF _Toc338336048 \h 20Appendix 1: The Snipping Tool PAGEREF _Toc338336049 \h 20Appendix 2: Using Google Earth to Illustrate Your Work Geographically PAGEREF _Toc338336050 \h 21Navigating on the Earth PAGEREF _Toc338336051 \h 21Marking Locations PAGEREF _Toc338336052 \h 27Appendix 3: Setting Up and Using KeePass PAGEREF _Toc338336053 \h 31Appendix 4: Using Irfanview to Mass-Change File Names or Shrink Entire Folders of Photos PAGEREF _Toc338336054 \h 32Appendix 5: Computer Clean-Up Checklist PAGEREF _Toc338336055 \h 35Appendix 6: Transferring GIS data Back and Forth between Google Earth and a Garmin eTrex PAGEREF _Toc338336056 \h 39Forward:One of the first steps you will take in your position here with the Young Adult Programs will be to connect to the internal and external communication systems that will be critical to your performing your duties. This Guide will help you accomplish that puters: You are assigned a high-quality laptop computer to help you complete your reporting duties, give you access to the internet, and allow you to provide high-quality service to our agency partners. You need to take careful care of these machines not only because they are expensive, but because the lack of a working machine will inhibit you from completing major parts of your job. These simple steps will keep your computer running properly and will ensure that we can utilize computers for teams well into the future. Thank you for your puter MaintenanceWeeklyDisk cleanup utilityGo to My Computer.Right click on (C:) drive.Click Properties.Under General tab, click Disk Cleanup.The utility will seek out files that can be deleted to free up space. FORMCHECKBOX Check all boxes. NOTE: This will not delete files you need, just unnecessary ones.Keyboard/monitor cleaningPurchase a can of canned air/duster or similar.Follow the directions on the can.Make sure the can is held upright at all times so liquid does not spill onto keys.Clean your monitor with solutions approved for use with laptops only. The screens are very sensitive and damage easily.AntiVirus SoftwareThe laptops are loaded with the free version of Microsoft Security Essentials. Go to the program and run a FULL System Scan weekly.Check for Live Updates DailyWindows UpdateGo to Start > All programs and select Windows Update.Any Critical Updates should be downloaded and installed immediately. Any other Updates should be reviewed and if determined to be useful should be installed. (Use your best judgment to determine if a windows update is required or not.) Remove Internet History/Windows Temp FilesOpen the web browser you are using (i.e. Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, etc.)Go to Tools and Internet OptionsGo to Temporary Internet Files and click on Delete Cookies and Delete Files Go to History and click on Clear HistoryMonthlyDisk DefragmentationGo to My Computer.Right click on (C:) drive.Click Properties.Under the Tools tab, click Defragment Now.Click Defragment and wait. (Defragmentation usually takes at least one hour to complete.) Logging in /Password The laptops issued to the Young Adult programs come out of the Boise office. To protect the SCA laptops from users outside of the organization, they have been password locked with a login screen. The computers are all named “SCABoise” and the password is “Charlestown1”. If you feel the need to protect your computer from anyone privy to this information, you can change your password using the instructions below. If you do, please reset your password to “Charlestown1” before returning the laptop at the end of your season. To change your password:Make sure your computer is on and running normally.Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete.The screen will go black and you will have several options on the screen. Choose “Change a Password.”Fill in the fields with the correct informationClick the arrow key.SCA’s Computer / Internet Policy:SCA supplied computers are intended to be used primarily for work purposes. As such, although personal use of SCA computers is allowed, it does not take priority over work related use.Additional programs may be installed on SCA computers after securing permission by your project leader or program staff. Bit-torrent clients or software that supports bit-torrent protocols may not be installed on SCA puting resources may only be used for legal purposes. Examples of illegal use include, but are not limited to, the following:Intentional propagation of computer viruses, trojans, or any other malicious codeViolation of copyright or communications laws. This includes, but is not limited to, downloading of movies, music, and photos; if you are not the owner of these files, do not download them.Transition of unsolicited emailsTransmission of speech not protected by the First Amendment, such as libel and obscenitySCA will not be held liable for any illegal or unauthorized use of company supplied computers or internet access. Violations of this policy will result in the suspension of SCA supplied internet and computer access and may initiate disciplinary procedures. Army Corps of Engineers Computer Use Policy:(For Army Corps Visitor Use Survey Crews Only)In order to conduct the Visitor Use surveys over the summer, each ACE VUS crew will be assigned four laptops, with assorted equipment to back it up. (Three for taking the surveys, and one for backup, or for areas where the Project Leader anticipates there will be heavy survey load). These computers will be considered official property of the Department of Defense, and as such are severely restricted in their use. ACE VUS crews will sign an agreement that is much more detailed, but this is it in a nutshell:These machines are to be used for the surveys and FOR THE SURVEYS ONLY. The machines are never to be used on the internet. You will load all data from them on a flash drive, load it on the SCA laptop, and then send it to the agency that way.You will install no programs on these computers.Nothing on these computers should be considered private. Any passwords, etc. they use is not for your privacy, but for that of the government.The DoD can seize and search these machines at any time if they suspect they have been used for something other than their intended use.Violation of any of the above is serious. SCA will not protect you from prosecution if the Department of Defense decides to indict your for violating their rules.In short, DON’T USE THESE MACHINES FOR ANYTHING EXCEPT THE SURVEYS. Since ACE VUS crews live in front country housing, it’s strongly encouraged that they bring their own computers for their private use, or as mentioned above, use the SCA computer (within the parameters discussed above).Software You should have all the software you need to complete your job loaded on your computer. Upon receiving your laptop, you will want to double-check that you have the software below installed, because if it is lacking, you will not be able to do important parts of your job. Included in this package is generally:A recent edition of Microsoft Office. You will generally use Microsoft Word (for word processing), Excel (for spreadsheets), Access (for databases), and PowerPoint (for presentations and visual projects.) Internet Explorer (web browser). You may use another web browser, but keep Internet Explorer installed on your computer because some SCA job-related websites function better via Explorer. Irfanview: (Image Processing)- Since this is shareware, it is perhaps not as powerful as say an Adobe Photoshop package, but it should be more than adequate for what you need to accomplish with your photos. Adobe Acrobat: (.pdf editor)- It’s important to have the full Acrobat (as opposed to just Adobe Reader) because there will arise times when you need to create, edit, and save .pdf documents. Windows Security Essentials- Discussed in the “Internet Security” Section below, it’s free anti-virus software. If it is not on your laptop, you can get it at: Tool: Buried in the “Accessories” folder under “All Programs” in the Start menu of Windows 7 is the “Snipping Tool,” a very handy tool for quickly obtaining “screenshots,” which are images pulled from all or part of whatever is on your computer screen at the moment. See “Appendix 1: The Snipping Tool” for details on how to use it. Optional Software:KeePass: This handy program, another bit of freeware, helps you keep track of the many passwords you will accrue over the course of your work with SCA. You can store all your usernames and passwords there, and then, with a few simple clicks, be able to cut and paste them to the web fields that require them. Optional, but highly recommended. See Appendix 3: Setting Up and Using KeePass” for more instructions.ESRI ArcView: Optional, but required if doing GIS work. Contained within this software package are ArcMap (GIS editing software) and ArcCatalog (GIS file software). Critical software for any crew doing GIS work, but far too user-unfriendly and complex for the casual user. Google Earth: GIS software. Handy, approachable GIS software that can be very useful if you are so inclined to display the work you accomplished on your website. For specifics, see “Appendix 3: Using Google Earth to Illustrate Your Work Geographically”. The Documents Folder:-2667048895 In addition to the software installed on your computer, there will be a “Documents” folder on the desktop. The documents in this folder can also be found on the Intranet and elsewhere, but we have attempted to make it easier on you this year by placing all the documents you need in one place, on your machine. You won’t need the internet, Intranet, or your supervisor to find the documents you need to complete your job. You may see in this folder a Microsoft Access database which provides an index and various searchable functions for all the documents within it. Directions to use the database have been included in the folder (“Document Database Instructions”). If you don’t see a database in the folder, it is possible your manager has created an Excel spreadsheet with links to each document. You will simply need to click on the link in the spreadsheet to open the correct document.If you have neither the database nor the spreadsheet to help you navigate through the folder, you still have an organized collection of 200 or so documents used currently by the Southwest and Northwest Young Adult Programs. If you are not comfortable using the Microsoft Access database or the Excel spreadsheet provided, you can just search the file tree for the files you want. The file tree is designed like this:Floating loose in the Boise/Documents folder is this document, “Database Instructions.”Also floating loose in the Boise/Documents folder is the Document Database. Double-click to launch it. The folders in the database are broken down by category. The categories are somewhat arbitrary, since as one will see later, often documents could reasonably (and do) belong to more than one. Also, the categories were chosen and named solely by Alex Olsen (the one writing this), and it’s possible that I am the only one they make sense to.Within each folder, there are sub-folders for each program within the Young Adult Programs. These exist to house documents within each category that are unique to that program (i.e. only that program uses that document). Floating loose in each category folder are documents in that category that are used by all programs across Young Adult Programs.File Backup190501905 You will either be provided with, or have money in your budget for, a backup memory device to periodically back up your critical files. SCA computers (like all computers) regularly and unexpectedly crash or are damaged, and you want to be sure you do not lose all of your files along with the machine. At the very least, you will want to obtain a “Flash Drive” (aka “Thumb Drive”, “Memory Stick, etc.). These days, these easy-to-use solid-state memory devices have enough memory on them to easily accommodate all of your files for the season. They also come in handy when transferring files from one computer to another. For programs that archive much larger amount of data (such as those collecting a lot of GIS data), you might opt instead for an external hard drive. Generally, such a device will run about $100 and store an enormous amount of data. Whichever device you choose, you should copy all of your files at least once a week to the device. The InternetObviously, you are going to need to use the Internet to research things for your crew, send your reporting documents to your supervisor, and communicate with your agency contacts, manager, and crew. Before you go plunging online headlong however, there are a few things you ought to know.Internet SecuritySCA Corps computers use Microsoft Security Essentials as their protection from viruses or other malicious software. It’s free, easy to use, and updates more or less automatically. All you need to do is click “Yes” whenever it asks you if it can update. It should come pre-installed on your computer, but if it doesn’t, you can get it at: . Though this software is pretty effective, at the same time it is not the best anti-virus software in the world, which is again why you should always stick to SCA’s policies to use the work computer for work only, and not use it to surf around to questionable sites. “Torrent” sites, in addition to generally being windows to intellectual property theft and thus illegal, are generally magnets for viruses, so DON’T USE YOUR WORK COMPUTER TO STEAL MUSIC AND MOVIES! EmailEmail: Like all other SCA staff, you will be provided with your own SCA email. This will generally be your first initial and last name, followed by “” (e.g. aolsen@). Anywhere you happen to be, you can use Webmail (Outlook Web Access), which will allow you to access your Outlook account remotely. Once configured by the IT personnel in New Hampshire, you need only open the program and type in your user name and password (the default password is Charlestown1). Here is the link to connect to the SCA Webmail:392430447675 Since you will be checking your email more or less every time you use your computer, It is generally advisable to make this a tab in your internet browser, if it is not already. How to make tabs in Internet ExplorerOpen Internet Explorer.Find the “Tools” dropdown menu on one of the toolbars at the top of your browser window. Click on the little down arrow to open up the various options.Choose “internet options.”The window to the left will appear. In the “Home page” box, you can enter the URLs of as many websites as you want to automatically open up when you launch Internet Explorer. Open a different window of Internet Explorer. Navigate to one of the sites you want to have automatically open when you launch Internet Explorer. Highlight the URL of that site (usually something like ). Copy that by right-clicking it and choosing “copy” or just pressing “Ctrl-C”.Paste it into the “Home Page” box as shown to the left. If you wish to have multiple tabs open up with various websites (recommended), then paste in your first site, hit “Enter” to make a new line, then paste in another URL, and repeat as many times as you like. (Note: having a huge amount of start-up tabs will start affecting your internet performance, especially during start-up, so don’t go too crazy.)Some recommended sites to start with:The SCA general website ( )The SCA intranet () The webmail startup page ( )Your personal homepage (for emails, etc.)Your mySCA entry portal (for reporting) ( )The IntranetThe SCA Intranet is the one-stop-shopping place for many things SCA. It is designed to be used only by SCA staff, and is decidedly less slickly formatted than the external site. You can get to the Intranet by going to . The first time you use it, you will be prompted for a username and password. Eventually, you will get your own password, but for now, you can use:Username: corpsPassword: goscaThough the intranet is pretty broad, and designed to service the entire organization, we will only cover a few parts of it here. Conservation Corps Quick Links Page: This will be the primary starting place for you to use the intranet. It has links to pretty much everything you need to do your job that has to do with web reporting.How to get there: From the main page of the intranet, find the “Program” tab on the upper bar of selections near the top of the page. This will bring you to the “Program” page, which only has a menu to the right with the various programs. Choose “Conservation Corps”.On the Conservation Corps Quick Links Page, you will mainly be interested in the “All Corps Staff” Section at the top. In this section you’ll find:SCA Website- a link to the main SCA website.Uniform Ordering- generally, you won’t need to worry about this, but if you do need to order some items for late additions to your crew, this is the place to do it.Egencia Travel- If you are tasked with approving the flights of your members, this is where you go to do that.Webmail- A link to the email portal you can use anywhere there’s internet.Chase Card Coding- A link to the Chase site where you can classify all your expenses processed with your Chase crew budget card.Pro Purchases- A link to the page on the National High School “pro-deals” page. You have access to these great gear deals too. Make sure you have the password from your manager, and don’t abuse the pro-deal policies and wreck it for the rest of us!Project Websites: A link to all the Corps websites, where you can log in to update your own crew’s website, or check out those of your fellow crews. Expense Report Form- You can get this form in your Documents folder (explained above), but here it is again. Useful for being reimbursed for your money you put out for your crew.Western Cell #: An updated list of cell phone numbers of full-time Western Corps staff.Program Management Guide: This deserves a section on its own, but this link leads you to the online Field Manual for all Corps programming. This link will soon be moving to the Crew Leader website, but as it is, the PMG is a fantastic resource for nearly every question you might have about the management of your crew. Timesheets/Pay Statements- this is a link to Web Time, where you log your own hours so that they might be approved by your Manager.Other places of note on the Intranet (which you can get to via the tabs at the top of any Intranet web page):HR Page: Various employment forms, such as I-9s, W-4s, etc. you might need.Finance: Various forms you might need, plus lots of detailed information about your Chase card and your members’ Chase cardsIT: Mainly useful to you for answering questions about mySCA.Staff: Contains a staff directory, where you can look up the contact information of any full-time SCA staffBlackberry:You may be issued a Blackberry cell phone and data device. (The Trails Inventory Program has been provided five cell phones for every ten interns for use in the field.) SCA has an ample account for all business-related phone calls (please limit personal calls to evenings, weekends, or your own phone) and an unlimited data plan, so using the phone for web browsing or tethering can be done as needed. At the beginning of your field hitch, you need to personalize your voice mail on your Blackberry. Again, remember it is serving for both you and your teammate on the trip, so include both of your names.Here’s how:Call the number of your phone (usually listed on the phone itself)Enter password (12345)Then follow the voice prompts, which will be:Press 4Press 3Press 1 (to set name) then 3 (for message) Your outgoing voice mail should be something along the lines of: “Hi. You have reached [your name/s] of the [name of your program (e.g. SCA/ Fish and Wildlife Service Trails Inventory Program)]. We’re sorry we missed your call, but if you leave your name, number, and a message, we will get back to you as soon as possible.”Also at the beginning of your field hitch, you will likely want to configure your Blackberry to receive your work emails. Here’s how:Press the menu key and scroll to the folder labeled ‘setup’ and select it.Select the folder labeled ‘email settings’.Accept the Blackberry user agreement if prompted.Choose ‘Other’ email account and click next.Enter your email address and password and choose next.4762506350**Hint: check the box labeled ‘show password’ so that you can see what you are typing in the password field. You should be taken to a confirmation screen once the setup is completeAt the end of the travel hitch, you’ll want to erase all personal data from this Blackberry so someone else can use it. Here’s how:1. Call into your voicemail and change the personal message to an automated standard greeting stating the phone number. Also change your recorded name to SCA2. Delete Email account(s)Go to -> Set up -> Email Set up -> click the menu button and delete your account3. Clear off your deviceGo to-> Options- >Security Options -> General Settings- > click menu and choose wipe handheld. Make sure to check the box that will erase all user installed programs as well. Type ‘blackberry’ and hit ok.Tethering: This is a great way to gain internet reception when no Wi-Fi is available. Tethering allows your phone to act as a modem so that anywhere you can get Verizon signal, you can get an internet connection. You must first install the “VZAccess manager” software on your computer (which should be already done). To do this simply double click on the install file from the file you download from the internet or are provided and follow the prompts that are displayed. After you have installed the software you will be able to simply follow the easy step-by-step instructions below to begin browsing the web using the Access Manager.Step One: First connect your blackberry to your laptop using the USB cable provided.Step Two: Open VZAccess Manager by going to the start menu, then all programs, then clicking on VZAccess Manager (or use the shortcut on your desktop if there is one).Step Three: When the program starts for the first time you will be asked a series of questions. Simply answer these and provide your phone number and then the program will continue. Be sure to only detect Broadband connections and not WLAN or LAN connections.Step Four: You will now see the default screen. To connect to the internet simply highlight the Verizon Wireless connection and then click on connect. When you are connected, the program will display a green connection window in the lower right hand toolbar in windows. After you are connected you can begin browsing the web.Step Five: To disconnect simply click on disconnect and close the program.Printer/ Scanner: You will either be provided with, or given the money in your budget for, a printer. You should buy a combo model that also copies and scans. (These days, $100 will get you a very workable model). The scanner will come in very handy, and is more or less critical for you to efficiently complete your job. If you do receive a veteran unit from the Technology cache, be sure you have the correct driver software for the unit before you take it into the field. Even if you don’t have the disk, you almost always can find driver software for free at the manufacturer’s web site, and install it on your machine. Also make sure you have the correct USB cord to connect the device to your computer and the correct power cord to power the device. Note: beware that printer manufacturers seem to make most of their money from replacement ink cartridges. Before buying a new printer, stroll over to the ink cartridge aisle and take note of what a replacement cartridge costs- there can be a huge difference between models (so huge that you can immediately erase the savings you thought you had with a cheap model printer with an expensive cartridge). Also be sure to set your print settings to the most ink-miserly settings when printing, unless you actually need high quality copies. Finally, you can save a lot of money (and be more environmentally sensitive) by locating an ink-cartridge recycler near your project site. Though a little less convenient, having your ink cartridges refilled generally costs half as much and is much less wasteful than buying new ones.SPOT MessengerThe SPOT messenger device should be used to establish a line of communication between the field and members of the management staff within the trails corps program. The following process should be followed when using the SPOT device in the field. **Mandatory**The SPOT device is to be used for daily communication and emergency notification. The device is not to be used for any other purpose. The following process must be adhered to in order to ensure proper, timely response to field emergencies.-8255048260OK CheckThis button should be used daily when in the field.Press this button each night when in the field to send the following message via email to both the Project Leader and the Program Director.MDA Code: 08-SALMON2-USFAll members of the crew are safe and accounted for.**NOTE**Press the OK check button ONCE. (Pressing this button for three seconds will activate the track function that sends a message every 10 minutes – DO NOT HOLD THIS BUTTON, simply press it once)27305135890911This button should only be used in the event of an emergency that requires evacuation from the field. This button will alert the nearest 911 dispatch but not SCA staff. Please follow the directions below (in the “Help” section) to ensure communication with SCA Corps Staff. The 911 button will send something like the following message:To whom it may concern, This message is being sent to you utilizing a SPOT messaging device. The message has been sent to inform you of an emergency that requires evacuation from a backcountry setting. The individuals involved in this emergency are part of a backcountry trail maintenance crew working for the Student Conservation Association (). This is a 5 person team and there may be more than one person involved in the emergency. Provided as part of this message you should have received our latitude and longitude coordinates. Please alert the proper emergency services in our immediate area. Also please use the following phone tree to contact a member of our full time staff and inform them of the situation. This is not a field exercise and we are in immediate need of medical assistance. Thank you Phone Tree: Jarrod Ball Daytime: 208.424.6734 x.404 Cell phone: 360.333.54091-800-YO-SOGGY – This number is our 24hour on call staff line. Please stay on the line until someone answers or leave a message.-5461055880HelpThis button will alert both the Project Leader and the Regional Program Director for the team. Messages will be sent to these individuals in the form of both an email and a text message to their cell phones. The following message will be sent when this button is pressedMDA Code: 08-SALMON2-USF. We have pressed 911. This is an emergency that requires evacuation from the field.General Usage InstructionsBatteries:Ensure that the batteries are in full working condition. Replace the batteries each month to ensure they will function properly in the field.Always keep at least one set of spare batteries with you in the field. These can be stored in the First Aid Kit that stays with the crew in the field.Battery Requirements:2 AA batteries per SPOT deviceThe batteries must be 1.5V lithium batteriesSending a message:Ensure that the SPOT device has a clear view of the sky with minimal obstructions.After pressing the button the green light should blink every ten seconds.Leave the SPOT device in the location where you pressed the button for a total of 15 minutes to ensure the message has been sent.The green light should stop blinking after the message has been sent.Power down the SPOT after the message(s) has been sent.In GeneralThe buttons on the SPOT messenger should only be pressed once.As noted above, pressing the OK check button for longer than 3 seconds will activate the track feature. This is not something we want to do.Initial TestBefore using the SPOT device in the field, a test should be performed at the home site to ensure that the device is functioning properly. Follow the steps below to test the SPOT device:Move the SPOT device to an area that has a clear view of the skyPress and release the OK Check buttonWait 15 minutes to ensure the message has been sentAfter the green light has stopped blinking turn off the deviceCheck the email inbox of the Project Leader to ensure that the email message was received from the SPOT device.Troubleshooting and SupportFor Troubleshooting and support of your SPOT messenger device please contact:Brian Doughty – SCA Boise – (office) 208-424-6734 ext. 7410 (cell) 248 798-4382, bdoughty@Garmin eTrex Venture Basic GuideNot every crew is assigned a Garmin GPS Unit, but here is a handy quickstart guide in case you are assigned a Garmin Unit. A full owner’s manual can be found at: Photo Editing You will find as a project leader that you are often dealing with images of various sorts. It’s important that you be proficient in keeping your photos and other images organized, well edited, and correctly named. This section will cover some resources you have on your computer that will help you with this task.Basic Photo EditingYour computer is loaded with basic photo editing software called Windows Office Picture Manager. It’s not the default software, which is too bad, because it’s a lot better for our purposes than the software that is. Anyway, you can open your photos (or maps) in this software simply by:Putting your photos on your computer in a place where you can find them.Navigating to the photo via Windows Explorer (the program that you use to find files on your machine).Right-clicking on the photo or map in question.Selecting “open with”.Choosing “Windows Office Picture Manager.”This opens the photo in Windows Office Picture Manager, not surprisingly. Select “edit photo” among the options on the top of the screen.This opens a taskbar to the right. A couple of the most useful functions listed are “crop”, “resize”, and “compress”.Cropping allows you to cut out the unimportant parts of the photo and “fill the frame”. It also ends up making the file size smaller.Resizing gives you a bunch of options to make the file size smaller. (Note: this will also make the photo lower resolution, so if it’s a really nice photo you want to keep for other purposes later, save the photo under a different name). You generally want to try to make the photo only as big as it needs to be for your purposes, so if it’s going to be in a Word doc, it should be a maximum of 7 inches wide because that’s the width of a piece of paper, minus the margins.)Compress is a good option if the above step overwhelms you. It just makes the photo smaller and lower res, with fewer steps. Okay, if you found that helpful and you want to set up your machine so it will use Windows Office Picture Manager as a default (and thus saving you some extra clicking):Open Windows explorer. (Open the start menu and click on “my computer.”)Open the “tools” menu.Select “folder options”.Select “file types”.Scroll down to find “.jpg files”. Click once on that. Find the section below that says “Open with” and click the “change” button. Select “Windows Office Picture Manager”.Now every time you double click a photo (well, a jpg one anyway), it should open up in Windows Office Picture Manager instead of the less functional default program.AppendiciesAppendix 1: The Snipping ToolYou can use Snipping Tool to capture a screen shot, or snip, of any object on your screen, and then annotate, save, or share the image. Simply use a mouse or tablet pen to capture any of the following types of snips: Free-form Snip.??Draw an irregular line, such as a circle or a triangle, around an object.Rectangular Snip.??Draw a precise line by dragging the cursor around an object to form a rectangle.Window Snip.??Select a window, such as a browser window or dialog box that you want to capture.Full-screen Snip.??Capture the entire screen when you select this type of snip.After you capture a snip, it's automatically copied to the mark-up window, where you can annotate, save, or share the snip.To Capture a SnipOpen Snipping Tool by clicking the Start button , clicking All Programs, clicking Accessories, and then clicking Snipping Tool. Click the arrow next to the New button, select a snip type from the menu, and then use your mouse or tablet pen to capture a snip.To capture a Snip of a MenuIf you want to capture a snip of a menu, such as the Start menu, follow these steps:Open Snipping Tool by clicking the Start button , clicking All Programs, clicking Accessories, and then clicking Snipping Tool. After you open Snipping Tool, press ESC, and then open the menu that you want to capture.Press CTRL+PRINT SCREEN.Click the arrow next to the New button, select a snip type from the menu, and then use your mouse or tablet pen to capture the menu.To Draw on A SnipUse a mouse or tablet pen to write on or around the snip. To Save a SnipClick the Save Snip button. In the Save As dialog box, enter a name for the snip, choose a location to save the snip in, and then click Save.Bottom of FormAppendix 2: Using Google Earth to Illustrate Your Work Geographically The following tutorials give you the skills to start messing with Google Earth, and prepare you to create interactive maps that describe your work this summer. Since this is an optional activity, there is little direct instruction or guidance on this subject.Navigating on the Earth This tutorial describes the basics of navigating the globe within Google Earth. You will learn to tilt, rotate the globe and zoom in on the Grand Canyon in the western United States. Note - The following tutorial describes only some of the ways you can move around in Google Earth. To learn more and watch a video tutorial see Navigating in Google Earth in the Google Earth User Guide. Viewing the Globe Each time you start Google Earth, the Earth appears in the main window. The area that shows the Earth is called the 3D viewer. The 3D viewer always appears in Google Earth and shows you imagery, terrain and information about places around the globe. Zooming In and Out In these exercises, you will zoom in and out of the Grand Canyon. There are a number of ways to accomplish this. To become familiar with Google Earth, try all three: Zoom in using a placemark Zoom in and out using the mouse Zoom in and out using the navigation controls Zoom in Using a Placemark In Google Earth, a placemark is a visual notation that marks a location. Each placemark appears as a pushpin with a label. To zoom to the Grand Canyon using an existing placemark, let's first use the Fly To command and create a placemark for future use. In the Fly To search panel (see diagram below), type "Grand Canyon" into the search box, and hit Enter. Alternatively, you can click the Begin search button, which looks like a magnifying glass.Google Earth zooms to the Grand Canyon. If no direct match is found, Google Earth will prompt you with Did you mean suggestions to click.Save this search to your Places panel for future use by dragging the search result and dropping it into My Places. Or, right-click the search result, and select Save to My Places. This will create a placemark for the search result.Leave the Grand Canyon site using the mouse or keyboard, or by using the Fly To command to visit another location.Locate the placemark you saved under My Places and double-click it. Google Earth flies back to the Grand Canyon at the same zoom level where you saved the placemark. Places panel Grand Canyon place entry Zoom In and Out Using the Mouse Once you have zoomed in using a placemark, you are ready to zoom in and out using your computer's mouse. To do this: Zoom out from the Grand Canyon by doing one of the following: Scroll the mouse wheel down (toward you) a number of times. Hold down the alternate mouse button, drag the mouse up. Do this a number of times. Zoom in to the Grand Canyon again by doing the opposite. In other words, do one of the following: Scroll the mouse wheel up (away from you) a number of times. Hold down the alternate mouse button, drag the mouse down. Do this a number of times. Note - If you zoom in far enough, your view point tilts to a ground-level view. You can always reset the view to a top-down orientation by pressing the "u" key on your keyboard. You can also reset North to up by pressing the "n" key. Or, to reset to a top-down orientation AND set North to up, press the "r" key. Zoom In and Out Using the Navigation Controls The navigation controls appear in the top right corner of the 3D viewer. They offer the same type of navigation action that you can achieve with mouse navigation, plus some additional features. To view and use the navigation controls, move the cursor over the top right corner of the 3D viewer. The navigation controls automatically appear whenever you do this; they fade from sight when you move the cursor elsewhere. Note - If you don't see navigation controls when you hover your cursor over the top-right corner of the 3D viewer, you may have disabled them. Go to View > Show Navigation and make sure Automatically or Always is selected. For now, just practice zooming in and out with the navigation controls. To do this: Zoom out by clicking the zoom out button . Click and hold the button to zoom out continuously. Zoom in by clicking the zoom in button . Click and hold the button to zoom in continuously. Note - You can also use the zoom slider to zoom in or out (see diagram above). Tilting the View Now that you know how to zoom in and out, you are ready to look at the Earth in three dimensions. To do this, you tilt your viewpoint so that you can see elevation changes on the Earth's surface. This feature is an extremely fun aspect of Google Earth, particularly when you are viewing hilly and mountainous terrain. Steep terrain of the Grand Canyon as it appears in Google Earth. As with zooming, there are multiple ways to tilt the view. Try both: Tilt using the mouse Tilt using the navigation controls Tilting Using the Mouse To tilt the viewpoint using your mouse: Make sure Terrain is on. You can easily turn on terrain by checking its respective box in the Layers panel. Zoom to the Grand Canyon. This exercise works best if you zoom to a viewpoint of about 35,000 feet. For help setting eye altitude, enable the status bar (View > Status Bar) and reference the Eye alt figure in the bottom right corner of the screen. If your mouse has either a middle button or a depressible scroll wheel, tilt the view by depressing the button and moving the mouse up or down. Notice that you are looking at the sides of the Grand Canyon walls, and the Colorado River appears at the bottom of the canyon. If your mouse has a scroll wheel, you can tilt the view by pressing the SHIFT key and scrolling DOWN to tilt the Earth to top down view, or scrolling UP to tilt the Earth for horizon view. Note - The Eye Alt figure at the bottom of the 3D viewer refers to eye altitude (the elevation of your viewpoint). Tilting Using the Navigation Controls You can tilt simply by zooming in. Once you zoom in far enough, Google Earth tilts your view. Moving and Looking In Google Earth, you can look around and move around. These are different and it is useful to know the difference. Looking around involves gazing from a single vantage point, as if you were turning your head. Moving around involves shifting your location from one place to another. Both actions change your perspective.? Look joystick Move joystick Looking with the Navigation Controls To look around: Move the cursor over right corner of the 3D viewer. The navigation controls appear. The Look joystick is at the top of the controls; it has an eye icon at its center. Click an arrow to look in that direction. Click an arrow and continue to press down on the mouse button and drag outside the Look joystick to quickly turn your viewing angle. Click and drag the outer ring of the Look joystick. This rotates the view. Note - You can always reset the view to a top-down orientation by pressing the "u" key on your keyboard. You can also reset North to up by pressing the "n" key. Or, to reset to a top-down orientation AND set North to up, press the "r" key. Moving with the Navigation Controls To move around: Move the cursor over right corner of the 3D viewer. The navigation controls appear. The Move joystick is in the middle of the controls; it has a hand icon at its center. Click an arrow to move in that direction. Click an arrow and continue to press down on the mouse button and drag to move quicker. Note - You can also move using the arrows on your keyboard. Marking Locations This tutorial describes the basics of marking locations within Google Earth. You will learn to create, edit and position a placemark for Ayers Rock in the Australian Outback. Note - This tutorial describes only some of the ways you can use placemarks in Google Earth. To learn more, and watch a video tutorial see Marking Places in the Google Earth User Guide. Creating a Placemark for Ayers Rock You can use placemarks to mark any location on the planet. Once you have created a placemark, it appears in the My Places folder in the Places panel. You can then quickly go to the marked location at any time by double clicking the placemark in the Places panel. Additionally, you can edit, move, share or delete any placemark. Learn more. In this exercise, you will create a new placemark for Ayers Rock. To do this: Go to Ayers Rock. For the purpose of this exercise, the quickest way to do this is to enter the following latitude and longitude coordinates in the Fly To field in the Search panel (see diagram above):25 20'42.28"S 131 2'6.24"EPress Enter. Google Earth flies to Ayers Rock. (If you prefer, you can search for this location instead of using the coordinates listed above. Learn more in the user guide or this tutorial.) Click the Placemark button in the toolbar . The New dialog box appears and a placemark icon appears in the exact center of the 3D viewer. Try moving around the placemark by clicking and dragging it. You can use this method to move the placemark to any location in the 3D viewer. In the Google Earth - New Placemark dialog box, enter the following information: fields for now: Name: "Ayers Rock"Description: "A very large rock in Australia."Google Earth's default placemark is a yellow pushpin. You can change the placemark icon by clicking the placemark button to the right of the Name field and selecting a new icon. You can even add a custom placemark icon that corresponds to a local image or web image.Click OK. Google Earth displays your placemark in the 3D viewer and at the top of the My Places folder in the Places panel.To fly to your placemark at any time, double-click the placemark in the Places panel. To simply display the balloon description of the placemark, single-click it in the 3D viewer or the Places panel. Note - A placemark appears in the 3D viewer only if it is checked. If you cannot see a placemark in the 3D viewer, be sure the box next to it in the Places panel is checked. Editing Your Placemark You can edit, move or delete any placemark that appears in the My Places folder. To edit and move the Ayers Rock placemark: Right-click (CTRL click on Mac) the Ayers Rock placemark in the 3D viewer or in the Places panel. Choose Properties (Get Info on Mac). The Edit Placemark dialog box appears. Click and drag the placemark icon to the east end of Ayers Rock (this means if the 3D viewer is positioned with north/up orientation, move the placemark to the right). In the Edit Placemark dialog box, change the following information: Name: "East Side of Ayers Rock" Description: "The east side of a very large rock in Australia." Click OK. Google Earth saves the new position and placement of the placemark. To delete the placemark, right-click (CTRL click on the Mac) the placemark in the 3D viewer or in the Places panel and choose Delete. Tip - You can tilt the terrain or navigate around a placemark to get just the perspective you like and then save that view so that this perspective is shown each time you visit the placemark. Simply navigate to the perspective you want, right click the placemark in My Places, and select Snapshot Current View. You can learn more about editing placemarks here. Appendix 3: Setting Up and Using KeePass KeePass is a handy bit of shareware you can use to keep track of the large and baffling array of passwords you will acquire this field season. Many SCA full-time staff use this software and recommend it highly.Getting KeePassGo to , download the software, and install it on your computer.Creating a new databaseThe very first step is creating a new password database. KeePass will store all your passwords in such a database. To create one, click 'File - New...' in the main menu or click the leftmost toolbar button. A window will appear, which prompts you for a master password and/or key file. The database will be encrypted with the password you enter here. The password you enter here will be the only password you'll ever have to remember from now on. It should be long and built up of mixed characters. Keep in mind that when someone gets your database file and guesses the password, he could access all passwords you stored in the database.For this tutorial, we'll just use a password, not a key file. Click into the password edit field and enter a password of your choice. The password edit control isn't limited in length, so feel free to enter a whole sentence if you like (just keep in mind that you'll need to remember it).KeePass 1.x OnlyAfter clicking [OK], a second dialog appears, in which you have to repeat the master password you just entered in the previous dialog. This is in order to avoid accidental typing errors. KeePass 2.x OnlyAfter clicking [OK], a second dialog appears. In this dialog you can configure some generic database properties. For now, just leave everything as it is and click [OK]. Now you see the main window. On the left, you see the entry groups. On the right, you see the actual password entries. The password entries are grouped together into the password groups you see on the left. So, depending on which group on the left you selected, it'll show you the entries in this group in the right view. KeePass has created a few default groups for you, but you're totally free to delete them and create your own.Adding an entryTime to store your very first password in the KeePass database! Right-click into the right password entry view and choose 'Add Entry...'. A window will pop up. In this window you can now edit your entry: enter some title for it, a username, a URL, the actual password, etc. If you don't need some of the fields, just leave them empty. When you're done, click [OK].You'll see your new entry in the password list on the right now.Using entriesNow you have the new entry in the password list. What can you actually do with it? Right-click on the entry. You have several options. You can for example copy the username of the entry to the Windows clipboard. When you've copied it, you can post it into any other program of your choice. The same works for copying passwords.Alternatively, you can drag&drop fields into other windows. To see an example of how this works, see this page: Drag&Dropping Fields.KeePass can open the URL you specified. To do this, just click 'URL(s) - Open URL(s)' in the context menu. KeePass will start the default browser and open the specified URL.Saving the databaseIt's time to save the database. Click on the 'Save' toolbar button (looks like a disk; 3rd toolbar button). When saving the database for the first time, you have to specify a location where you want the database file to be stored.Appendix 4: Using Irfanview to Mass-Change File Names or Shrink Entire Folders of PhotosSometimes, you might find that we have made a small error in early stages of formatting that affects a large amount of data. Such an example would be the format of the photo numbers, where the correct format was supposed to be Refuge Code_C2_Photo Number (e.g. BITT_C2_0047), and we instead used hyphens as separators (e.g. BITT-C2-0047. Knowing how to change a large amount of data at once is a useful skill that can really add up to saving hours of tedious data correction.Finding and replacing data in ArcMap attribute tables:Highlight the field in question (in this example, the “Photo_NO” field.)Hit “Ctrl-F” (Find and Replace.)Click on the “Replace” tab.In the dialog box that pops up, in the “Find What” box, type in the section of text that is incorrectly formatted. (In this case “BITT-C2-“).In the “Replace With” box, type in the correctly formatted section of text. (In this example, “BITT_C2”)Make sure the “Text Match” is on “Any Part”.Click on “Replace All.”ArcMap will replace all the mis-formatted labels with the correct ones and leave the photo numbers alone. Make sure to save your edits when done.Extra tip: If you wish to eliminate a certain value and just make a field blank, you can leave the “Replace with” box blank and hit “replace all.”Mass-Renaming File Names using Irfanview-Make sure you have Irfanview (an open-source photo-editing software) installed on your computer. It should already have been installed for you, but if not, you can download it for free at: Open Irfanview.In the “File” menu, select “Batch Conversion/Rename.”In the “Work As” box, select “Batch Rename.”Click on the “Options” button in the “Batch Rename Settings” section. The dialog box below appears. In name pattern, choose “$N”.Ignore the “starting counter” and “Increment” boxes.In the “Replace Text” box, type in the unwanted text. In this case, “BITT-C2-“.In the “with” box, type in what you want. In this case “BITT_C2_”.Make sure “Copy original/input files to output directory” is checked.If you don’t care about the files in your destination folder, click “Overwrite existing files.”Click “OK.”Back on the main “Batch Conversion” Dialog box, in the “Output directory for result files,” navigate to your destination folder (in this case the “Ready to send” folder).In the “Look In” section, navigate to the folder of mis-named photos (in this case, the photos in the “Final” folder.) Click on “select all.” When all is in readiness, hit “start batch.” Irfanview will re-name all files in the folder. Double-check in Windows Explorer to make sure all went well.Extra Tip: You can modify the above procedure to have Irfanview change the names in the same folder (say, the “Ready to Send” folder. ONLY DO THIS IF YOU ARE POSITIVE YOU HAVE COPIES OF THE PHOTOS ELSEWHERE, AS YOU RISK DELETING ALL OF YOUR PHOTOS DOING THIS. When you are in the “Batch Rename Settings” dialog box, choose “Rename original/input files” instead of “Copy original /input files to output directory.”In the main “Batch Conversion” dialog box, make sure the folder you are taking photos from and the one you are putting them in are the same. Click “Start Batch”. Irfanview will rename all the files in your folder.Appendix 5: Computer Clean-Up Checklist(Print out this form and include with your computer when sending back to the Boise office)Site InformationSite Code: FORMTEXT ?????Computer Serial Number: FORMTEXT ????? Name: FORMTEXT ?????Type of Computer (i.e. dell/gateway): FORMTEXT ?????FILES AND “NEW” PROGRAMS – you can leave ArcGIS installed unless otherwise directed FORMCHECKBOX Remove all personal files and folders from the computer (This should include photos/videos/word docs etc.) FORMCHECKBOX You should un-install all programs that have been placed on your computer since Boise. A good place to check for these is in the Control Panel>Add/Remove Programs - you can search through this list and see if there are any programs that you or your team have installed. If there are programs, please remove them. (i.e. AOL Instant Messenger, Photo viewing software that is often packaged with digital cameras etc.)HARD DRIVE CLEANUP FORMCHECKBOX Hard Drive Clean(complete both steps at right)Disk Cleanup UtilityGo to “My Computer”Right Click on (C:) driveClick PropertiesUnder the general tab click Disk CleanupThe utility will seek out files that can be deleted to free up spaceDisk DefragmentationGo to “My Computer”Right Click on (C:) driveClick PropertiesUnder the tools tab click Defragment NowClick Defragment and waitDefragmentation usually takes at least one hour to completeWINDOWS PROFILE FORMCHECKBOX There should only be one User Account on your computer. If you have created a new User Account remove it from your computer. FORMCHECKBOX Remove all passwords associated with your Windows Profile.MICROSOFT OUTLOOK FORMCHECKBOX Remove the outlook profile (only if you have been able to access your e-mail through Outlook on your Computer – Not the web mail) FORMCHECKBOX Go to the Control Panel. FORMCHECKBOX Click on the “Mail” Icon. FORMCHECKBOX Click on “Show Profiles”. FORMCHECKBOX Select the Profile with your e-mail address associated with it and click “remove”. FORMCHECKBOX Click OK to bring you back to the Control Panel. FORMCHECKBOX Click the “Mail” icon again. FORMCHECKBOX Choose e-mail accounts > view or change existing accounts. FORMCHECKBOX You should not see an e-mail account listed. If you do, select and remove it. FORMCHECKBOX Open Microsoft Outlook to ensure that there are no e-mail messages stored in the window.ANTIVIRUS/WINDOWS UPDATES/INTERNET FORMCHECKBOX Anti Virus FORMCHECKBOX Windows Updates FORMCHECKBOX Internet HistoryMicrosoft Security EssentialsGo to the program and run a full system scan.Check for live updates.You will need to be on the internet to run “Live update”. If you have no internet access, please also note this to the left.Windows UpdatesFrom the “Start” menu go to Windows Update.This should direct you to the Windows update webpage where you can scan your computer to see if there are updates.You should install any critical updates immediately. All other updates can be installed after reading the descriptions. Use yourbest judgment as to which are critical or not.Internet History/Temp FilesOpen Internet Explorer.Go to Tools and scroll down to Internet Options.Go to Temporary internet files and click on the Delete Cookies button and delete Files button.Go to History and click on the clear history button.If you are using a different web browser (i.e. FoxFire) the process is very similar, and all three options are also listed under the “tools” and “options”.HARDWARE FORMCHECKBOX All hardware working FORMCHECKBOX Problems with hardware(describe):CD DriveClean inside using compressed gas dusterBe sure that the CD –RW is workingBe sure that the DVD – RW is workingIf any problems arise you should call Dell Tech Support and work out a fix.If there are repairs that need to be made or if they are going to send new equipment, you can have them ship to the Boise office and note on the left that the new equipment will be shipped here.The number for dell tech support is 1-866-876-3355 – be sure to have your dell express service code ready – this number is located on the bottom of your laptop.MonitorClean using an approved monitor cleaning solutionNote any scratches etc to the left.Key board and touch padClean using an approved cleaning solutionNote any scratches, missing keys, loose keys, etc. to the left.BatteryBe sure battery is charged and working properlyBe sure to include spare batteries and note which computer they belong toNote any problems with batteries on the left and be sure to mark the battery in the package so it can easily be identified when returned to BoiseIf you have questions about any of the above processes please feel free to call Lisa Hawkes in the Boise office.208.424.6734 x7401lhawkes@Appendix 6: Transferring GIS data Back and Forth between Google Earth and a Garmin eTrexOverview-Download and install three free shareware programs:“Easy GPS” at: [USB] This program will allow you to upload and download data from your GPS unit, and manipulate it to a certain extent. “GPSBabel” at: This program will allow you to convert data you either create or manipulate in Google Earth back into a language that the Garmin handheld GPS unit can understand. “Google Earth”: This program allows you to view and manipulate GIS data in a beautiful interface. You can also create GIS data here that can be loaded onto your handheld unit. Transferring data from the Garmin to Google EarthTake the data in the fieldOpen EasyGPS. Connect Garmin with USB cable, turn Garmin on.In EasyGPS, click the button.This screen will appear:Click “OK”. The data stored on your GPS will appear on the map to the right, and the various features in the window on the lower left.In the “File” menu Click “Save As.”Determine where you want to save the data, and it will save a folder of your data in a folder you specify. Remember where you put it!Open Google Earth.In the “File” Menu of Google Earth, click “Open”. Navigate to your file. Make sure the file type dropdown box is set to either “All Files” or “GPS”, as shown. Otherwise your file will be invisible. A dialog box will appear asking you some questions:Click “OK.” You will see your points appear on the map, and also on the “Places” menu to the left. You may note that Google Earth converts the .gpx format into .kml by itself on the way in (not so on way out.)You are now ready to examine/ manipulate your data. See “Appendix 2” to learn the basics of Google Earth.-114300-190500Transferring data from the Google Earth format (.kml) to Garmin format (.gpx)In Google Earth, create a folder in the “places” window. Put all the data that you wish to transfer to the Garmin in the folder by dragging and dropping it there.Right-click on the folder, and select “Save Place As”.Save the folder where you like. Make sure to choose “Kml” in the “Save as Type” dropdown box. Open “GPSBabel” and follow the following instructions:Open “EasyGPS.” Find the converted folder of points you just changed from .kml to .gpx. Open it. Your points should show on the map section and the window to the left. Make sure your Garmin is attached via the USB cable.Click the button.A dialog box will appear. Make sure the program is sending the data to the right device. If you device is showing up, you also know the connection is good.Click “OK”.The data should appear on your Garmin device. ................
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