United States Solar Atlas Internet Map Server Application Guide

When the concept of creating an Internet Map Server (IMS) United States
Solar Atlas was introduced in 2001, the software we chose was ESRI
ArcView IMS. This allowed us to create an actual ArcView project where
the user could zoom in, add themes, and pick their location to run the
PVWatts V2 application. To accommodate the high volume of users, the
United States Solar Atlas IMS application was moved to a new server and
updated to run off the ESRI ArcIMS Version 9.0 software in September
2004,. This guide has been developed to help users navigate the new
features that have been added to the site.

To get started, let's take a look at what you will see when you first
launch the site.

![](media/image1.wmf)► The tools you will use are all along the top of
the screen. The available standard tools include:

Toggle between legend list and layer list
![](media/image2.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
height="0.16666666666666666in"}

Zoom in ![](media/image3.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
height="0.16666666666666666in"} Zoom out
![](media/image4.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
height="0.16666666666666666in"}

Zoom to full extent ![](media/image5.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
height="0.16666666666666666in"}

Back to last extent ![](media/image6.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
height="0.16666666666666666in"}

Pan ![](media/image7.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
height="0.16666666666666666in"} Hyperlink
![](media/image8.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
height="0.16666666666666666in"}

Identify ![](media/image9.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
height="0.16666666666666666in"} Find
![](media/image10.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
height="0.16666666666666666in"}

Clear Selection![](media/image11.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
height="0.16666666666666666in"} Print
![](media/image12.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
height="0.16666666666666666in"}

Help ![](media/image13.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
height="0.16666666666666666in"}

In addition to these standard tools, a custom tool
![](media/image14.png){width="0.375in" height="0.375in"} has been added.

> ►The available layers are all in collapsible groups on the right side
> of the screen. To view available layers, use your mouse and click on
> the ![](media/image15.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
> height="0.16666666666666666in"} icon next to the group layer name.
> This will collapse the layers, allowing you to chose which layers you
> want to be displayed. To speed up rendering, several of the layers are
> scale dependant and will not be displayed until you have used the
> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
> height="0.16666666666666666in"} tool and zoomed in to the appropriate
> scale. The ![](media/image9.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
> height="0.16666666666666666in"},
> ![](media/image8.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
> height="0.16666666666666666in"}, or
> ![](media/image10.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
> height="0.16666666666666666in"} tools can only be used when a selected
> layer is active (indicated by a yellow glow around the layer name).
> The active layer will also be indicated below the map with a statement
> like: "Lakes is Now the Active Layer".
>
> There are many similar layers in this version. To make sure that you
> are viewing the data you want, remember to click off the layers you do
> not want rendered.
>
> Note also that load time will depend on the number of layers you want
> to have rendered.
>
> ►Along the bottom of the screen you will see two user input boxes:
> Find Location by Zip Code and by Latitude/Longitude.

Now that you know what tools are available, here is how you use some of
them.

> ►You can use any of the tools by selecting one with your mouse. If the
> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
> height="0.16666666666666666in"},
> ![](media/image4.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
> height="0.16666666666666666in"},
> ![](media/image9.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
> height="0.16666666666666666in"},
> ![](media/image8.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
> height="0.16666666666666666in"} or
> ![](media/image14.png){width="0.375in" height="0.375in"}
>
> tool is selected, the icon will change to display a red box around the
> tool ![](media/image16.png){width="0.375in" height="0.375in"}. If the
> ![](media/image10.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
> height="0.16666666666666666in"} tool is selected, a query form will
> show up in the bottom frame of the page. Note that in order to do a
> query, the appropriate layer must be visible and active.
>
> ►The ![](media/image8.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
> height="0.16666666666666666in"} tool can be used on layers in the Data
> Tables for Lower 48, Data Tables for Alaska and Hawaii, and Links to
> NSRDB Tables groups. For an example on using this hyperlink tool,
> select the Hot Link to Data Grid layer (make sure it is highlighted in
> yellow) in the Data Tables for Lower 48 group and click on the Refresh
> button. After you click Refresh, a grid will appear. Zoom in to an
> area using the ![](media/image3.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
> height="0.16666666666666666in"} tool, then select the
> ![](media/image8.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
> height="0.16666666666666666in"}tool and click in a grid cell. A
> separate window will pop up displaying the data for the grid cell you
> selected.
>
> ►The ![](media/image14.png){width="0.375in" height="0.375in"} tool can
> only be used on the Alaska Launch PVWatts Version 2, Hawaii Launch
> PVWatts Version 2, and Lower 48 Launch PVWatts Version 2 layers. To
> use this tool, select one of these layers (make sure it is checked as
> active and yellow highlighted) and click on the Refresh button. After
> you click Refresh, a grid will appear. Zoom in to an area using the
> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.16666666666666666in"
> height="0.16666666666666666in"} tool; then select the
> ![](media/image14.png){width="0.375in" height="0.375in"} tool and
> click in a grid cell. A separate window will pop up displaying the
> PVWatts form. This form is populated with Cell ID, State, Latitude,
> Longitude and Cost of Electricity (2002 data). You can then select
> your Array Type (fixed tilt, 1-axis tracking or 2-axis tracking) and
> the click on the calculate button. The PVWatts calculator will then
> run and produce a table showing the AC Energy and Cost Savings.

![](media/image17.png){width="3.397222222222222in"
height="2.5506944444444444in"}

> Also new with this version are the Find Location by Zip Code and by
> Latitude/Longitude user input boxes.
>
> ►To use the Zip Code user input box, you do not have to have the Zip
> Code Layer active or highlighted (this layer is in the Lower 48
> Reference Data group). Just type in a 5-digit zip code and click on
> Go. If an invalid zip code is entered, you will get an error message.
> When a valid zip code is entered, the map will zoom in and the zip
> code you entered will be indicated with a gray transparent color and a
> thicker purple border around the polygon.
>
> ►To use the Latitude/Longitude user input box, type in your numbers
> (in decimal degrees) making sure you use a minus sign (as an example,
> 45.0/-111.0) and click on Go. If an invalid Latitude/Longitude is
> entered, you will not get an error message; nothing will happen. When
> a valid value is entered, the map will zoom in to the
> Latitude/Longitude you indicated and be indicated by a purple
> triangle.

Other new features are the 14 different collector data sets for the
Lower 48 in the Data Tables for the Lower 48 group, the 5 different
collector data sets for Alaska, and the 4 different collector data sets
for Hawaii (in the Data Tables for Alaska and Hawaii group).

There are a few items that will be added to or adjusted on this site.
One of these items is to add the elevation legend so watch for changes.
Also, the electric rate for Hawaii is not yet available.

►A note on browsers:

-   On a Macintosh computer you are advised to run the Internet Map
    Server through Microsoft Internet Explorer.\
         

-   Other browsers partially or fully supporting the IMS services on a
    Macintosh computer are:

    -   Netscape v.7 - partially supported; only Alaska, Hawaii and
        Lower 48 layers visible.

    -   Mozilla v. 1.7.1 - - partially supported; only Alaska, Hawaii
        and Lower 48 layers visible.

    -   Mozilla Firefox v.0.9.3 - partially supported; only Alaska,
        Hawaii and Lower 48 layers visible.

    -   Opera v.7.54 - fully supported; slightly unstable.

If you have any questions or comments on this site, please contact the
webmaster.