Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the system requirements?What is the difference between a DOQ and a DOQQ, and how do I work with DOQQs?
How do I obtain DOQQs?
What format should DOQQs be?
How do I work with soil layers?
How do I obtain soil layers?
Why are there multiple versions of SNMP for some states?
Why does SNMP use the UTM coordinate system?
What is the UTM Coordinate system?
How do I update my version of SNMP?
What will I lose if I update my version of SNMP?
What other software programs are compatible with SNMP?
Can I import existing farms into SNMP?
Is SNMP compatible with State Plane Coordinate System data?
Why doesn't my soil type data transfer to MMP?
What are the system requirements?
- ESRI's ArcView desktop GIS software, version 3.x, preferably 3.2 or 3.3. (Note: This program does not currently support ArcView 9.x)
- Approximately 15 MB of hard drive space. Add about 37-50 MB of hard drive space for each full-size DOQQ file added or 90-150 MB for each full-size color/infrared DOQQ file added.
- Screen capable of at least 800x600 pixel resolution.
What is the difference between a DOQ and a DOQQ, and how do I work with DOQQs?
Digital Orthophoto Quads (DOQs) are used as an aerial
photograph background for drawing more accurate farm and field boundaries. For more
information on DOQs, see the U.S.Geological Survey's
Digital Orthophoto Quad website. These quads are divided into quarters and these Digital
Orthophoto Quarter Quads (DOQQs) are available for download. The DOQQs are needed for use in the
SNMP program. Note: In the SNMP interface, DOQQs are referred to as "photos".
How do I obtain DOQQs?
The U.S. Geological Survey offers their entire catalog of DOQs for purchase
on their Earth Explorer website.
Alternately, you can use the Data
Finder section of this website to clip and download the DOQQs for your operation.
What format should DOQQs be?
SNMP now supports many formats, including GeoTIFF, BSQ, MrSid,
JPEG,and any other format supported by ArcView version 3.1 or higher.
How do I work with the soil layers?
The soil layers are used in SNMP to provide data needed
for fertilizer recommendations. For more information on digital soil surveys, see
the Natural Resources Conservation Service's National
Soil Survey Center website.
How do I obtain soil layers?
The layers most useful for SNMP are the SSURGO-certified
layers available from the NRCS website. Visit the NRCS
Soil Data Mart site to navigate to the desired layers. Alternately, you can use
the Data Finder section
of this website to clip and download a soil layer for your operation.
Why are there multiple versions of SNMP for some states?
Multiple versions of SNMP exist for some states because these states are divided into multiple UTM zones.
Why does SNMP use the UTM coordinate system?
We adopted the UTM coordinate system for SNMP for a variety
of reasons, among them that the USGS uses this same
system for their DOQQs. Because DOQQs are necessary to run SNMP and DOQQs are projected
in UTM, UTM is the only projection currently supported in SNMP.
What is the UTM coordinate system?
The UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) coordinate system is
used by the USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) for projecting
all quadrangle maps and DOQQ imagery. More information about the UTM coordinate system can
be found at the USGS UTM Factsheet.
How do I update my version of SNMP?
| 1) | Take your operation files and data, which should be stored under the SNMP directory, and temporarily move them somewhere else. |
| 2) | Using the Add/Remove Programs function in Windows, uninstall the current version of SNMP. |
| 3) | Download and install the new version of SNMP. |
| 4) | Move your operation files and data back under the SNMP directory. |
| 5) | On the SNMP Shell, click the Update button and choose which operation you wish to have updated to the new version. Note: SNMP is only updated for the specific operations of your choice. You may decide to keep some operations under the older version in order to retain any maps you have made. This causes no problems, but be aware that you will not have the functionality of the new SNMP version for the operations you have not updated. |
What will I lose if I update SNMP?
You will lose any map compositions you have generated,
and the references to the distribution networks you have built. If you wish to keep
these maps, you may use the Export function to
save them as images, but you won't be able to modify them in SNMP after that.
What other software packages are compatible with SNMP?
SNMP is capable of exporting data into Purdue University's
Manure Management Planner (MMP)
and WinMax software packages. Use
the Export button on the SNMP Shell or the Import/Export button on the
SNMP Main Menu.
You can also export field boundaries into the NRCS Customer Service Toolkit format by using the Export button on the SNMP Shell.
Can I import existing farms into SNMP?
Currently, SNMP allows importing of a plan developed
with the NRCS Customer Service Toolkit. In
the future, we plan to incorporate support for other boundary data sources such as
GPS-generated farm and field boundaries.
Is SNMP compatible with State Plane Coordinate System data?
No, SNMP is not compatible with the State Plane Coordinate System.
Why doesn't my soil type data transfer to MMP?
Sometimes the soil type data does not transfer to MMP. If
this happens, open the operation in SNMP, click the Field Boundaries button on
the Main Menu to open the Field Layout Tool, then click Done to
close it again. Next, update your MMP plan, and the data should then transfer.
