LandView programmers have included five generic data files available for user customizing-file_01.lv5, file_02.lv5, etc. Each file is structured so as to receive (or not receive, as best suits a user's need) information into generically named fields. Additionally, there is a core group of named fields which, again, can either be used or ignored. These are:

Name   An object identifier field

Description   Allows as extended text description of the object

Latitude   Allows for the creation of related MARPLOT point objects

Longitude   Allows for the creation of related MARPLOT point objects

IDMARPLOT   Unique identifier common to both MARPLOT and the data record

Each User file contains four sets of generically named fields with five fields to each set, of type: character, numerical, data and logic. These are named as follows: Text Field 1 thru 5, Number Field 1 thru 5, Data Field 1 thru 5 and Check Box Field 1 thru 5. A customizing option allows display of user assigned descriptive labels for each fields when displaying entered data. Unused fields, which still carry their generic label, may be distracting. Two treatments are suggested: you may delete the unused field name leaving an untitled field, or you may enter "N/A", for Not Applicable, to identify the field as unused.

Communication, or linking, between a LandView data file record and its related MARPLOT map object requires that the LandView file identifies the exact Map name and the exact Layer name containing the map object and that the unique identifier of the MARPLOT map objects, its MARPLOT ID, either be known to LandView or be assigned by LandView.

If the latitude/longitude fields in a User File are populated, a LandView export file can be created, as C:\lv5export.txt, which can be imported into MARPLOT so as to place Point map objects on the named Map and the named Layer. A User file can force population of its Idmarplot field and MARPLOT will use these identifiers in creating the Point objects. Linkage between a record and its map object can thus be established.

Two examples of using User files to link to MARPLOT map objects are given. The first, Converting Latitude / Longitude data to Map Points, demonstrates the methodology for importing latitude / longitude data into a LandView User file and creating mapped point objects in MARPLOT that are linked to corresponding records in a LandView User File. Tutorial On Importing Spatial Data into LandView 5 [PDF], an article by E. J. McFaul of the U.S. Geological Survey, is a more comprehensive exploration of the same subject. Additionally, the article explores the use of the Internet as a source of GIS data for display in LandView/MARPLOT.