How to Use the Select Data Tool

Use the Select Data Tool to convert Map Room data into tabular form, letting you download data as a .csv file. This tool is available to all SparkMap users.

Load Your Map Layer

Select Your Location

Explore and Download Your Data

Step 1 – Load Your Map Layer

The Select Data Tool is only accessible once you add a map layer in the Map Room.

Once you’ve added the map layer from which you wish to download data, access the Tool by clicking the “Tools” button in the left menu and and scrolling to the Select Data heading (Figure 1).

A SparkMap visitor chooses "Select Data" from a list of available tools. — *Figure 1 – Finding the select data tool*

Step 2 – Select Your Location

After choosing the Select Data Tool, four data selection options will appear: Select by Rectangle, Select by Polygon, Select by Lasso, and Select by Radius (Figure 2).

After choosing the Select Data tool, a window appears showing selection options of Rectangle, Polygon, Lasso, and Radius. — *Figure 2 – Data selection options*

Choose whichever data selection option allows you to best draw a border around your location of interest.

Upon choosing a data selection option, instructions for drawing your area will appear (Figure 3).

After choosing "Select by Lasso," instructions for drawing a lasso appear in the select data window. — *Figure 3 – Lasso selection options*

Draw your area of interest on the map (Figure 4).

After drawing a lasso around a group of counties, a bright purple border appears around the selected counties. — *Figure 4 – Area drawn on map*

Step 3 – Explore and Download Your Data

Once your shape is complete, a selection result section will appear at the bottom of your menu (Figure 5). Click the “View Data” button to explore your selection.

After selecting locations using the select data tool, a selection result section appears in the left menu. — *Figure 5 – Selection Result section*

After clicking the “View Data” button, a table view of data for your selected locations will appear on the right side of the screen (Figure 6).

To download your attribute table as .csv, select the “Export CSV” button.