A+note+about+tables+and+ArcGIS

Another quick note on importing excel tables into ArcGIS. Matt & I just fought with this for a while today, and I wanted to post what we found. If your data is stored in an excel spreadsheet, you will need to convert it prior to using it in ArcMap. I am still figuring out all the kinks, but the quick version is to open the file in ArcCatalog. If you do not already have a geodatabase, it would be good to create one first.

Once that is created, click on the excel spreadsheet, and in the contents you will see all the worksheets within the spreadsheet. - Right click on the appropriate worksheet under the contents tab - Choose export -> to Geodatabase (single) [I do not know what the other options are, but this one worked for me] - Your output location should be the geodatabase you created, and the output table can be whatever you want to name it. - Click 'OK' & if it is successful, a box will pop up at the bottom of your screen with a hammer and a green check. - Next, click on the geodatabase, and the worksheet will have been converted to the appropriate format and added to the geodatabase.

Almost done! In ArcMaps, copy the table into the Table of Contents - Right click on the table - Choose Display XY data - Choose the appropriate X & Y data - Next select the appropriate projection for the data - Click OK.

Your points should now appear on the map. Add a basemap of some sort to double check (I had to adjust my points from India to Florida).

Now, if anyone understands how to add direction to these points, please let me know.

Hope this helps!

- Carrie

_____________________________________________ Hi everyone,

Here is a note from Liz Wallace, who was in the class last year, and has worked with excel and ArcGIS. She describes a workaround that uses another spreadsheet program called OpenOffice. If this is something that you need, get in touch with me and I am sure that we can work out a way to convert the files.

Take care,

J. Walker

- - - - - - -

Hi Dr. Walker,

Someone in this years GIS class asked me about creating tables for their project. I am not sure if you told the class this year, but I know I had a hard time last year making tables till I looked up documentation about excel and .dbf IV tables. Excel can open .dbf files but can not save them properly, so the tables won't load in ArcGIS. (I think you can modify them, I vaguely remember doing this for Crime Analysis stuff but I know you can't create them).

So you can either create the tables in ArcGIS the same way you create shapefiles (the drawback there is you can't change the column type so if you want to go back and change it from integer to float your out of luck) or use Open Office Calc program (it does not specify if it is .dbf IV but works just fine in ArcGIS).

I just wanted to pass that on because it might make it easier and less stressful.

Thanks, Liz