How to Assign Values in an Attribute Table
Attribute tables are a component of information storage and analysis for Geographic Information Systems, or GIS. These tables can include a vast array of geographical information and are documented in spreadsheets through programs such as Excel. Assigning values to names within an attribute table in Excel creates a correlation between a cell in the table and a specific word. This word can then be used as a variable elsewhere in the table to represent the value that is in the assigned cell.
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Instructions
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Input the Data Values
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1
Open the Excel spreadsheet with your attribute table by double clicking on the file's icon.
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2
Click on the cell where you wish to add or change a value in the spreadsheet.
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3
Type your datum value or formula into the formula bar. The formula bar is the white band located above the column letters and beside the "fx" symbol.
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4
Hit the enter key to input your datum.
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5
Repeat Steps 2 through 4 until the desired data is entered.
Assign a Value to a Name
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6
Click on the cell to which you want to assign a name.
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7
Go to the formulas tab and click on "Define Name." This opens the "New Name" window.
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8
Type a name into the space next to "Name" and press "OK." For example, you might represent a cell with the generic name "alpha" or a descriptive name such as "Soil1Type."
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9
Use the assigned value in formulas and other cells by typing the name in the formula bar following the "equal-to" symbol. For example, to use the data from the cell described above, type "=alpha" without quotation marks in the formula bar.
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Tips & Warnings
You can test to make sure that a value was assigned correctly by trying it on an unused cell somewhere in the spreadsheet. For example, imagine that cell A10 has the value 65 and it has been assigned the name "alpha" while cell B10 is empty. Select cell B10 and type "=alpha" into the Formula Bar without quotation marks and hit enter. Cell B10 should now display 65.
References
- Aghakouchak.com; Attribute Tables; Amir AghaKouchak
- "Excel Lessons: Using Names"; Ben Koopman, Ph.D; 2008
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
