For this week's module, we learned about creating dot density maps. Dot density maps utilize dots to represent conceptual data for enumeration units, particularly when it is necessary to "show that the underlying phenomenon is not uniform throughout the enumeration units". This lab started off relatively easy. I started working on the map earlier this week, going through the steps provided in the lab manual to create a map showing the population of South Florida using dot density only in urban areas, It looked great and felt good about it. Today, when I went to edit my map and add the finishing touches, I turned off masking so that the software would run less slowly and not crash. Unfortunately, when I turned the masking feature back on, the software completely gave up on me. The dots no longer showed up in only the urban areas; instead, they showed up in the surface water areas. Time and time again I went through the entire process of trying to include the dots only within the urban center layer. It seemed as though the software was completely disregarding my commands, and every time I went to open the properties for the dot density population layer, the settings had to be implemented again (they were not being saved even though I was clicking "okay" and "apply"; it just kept going back to setting my control layer as surface water no matter how many times I tried to change it back to urban areas). A screen capture demonstrates this issue:
So for me, this lab was very frustrating to say the least. I tried everything I could think of to get the dots to show up in the right places again. Since it worked the first time, I was completely confused as to what was going on. My downfall was waiting until today to finish up my map because I ended up having to submit something that I know is incorrect.
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