Importing data into your geodatabase
Importing a coverage feature class
Before you can start adding behavior to your data, you must get it into a geodatabase. The laterals coverage contains the water laterals for the Montgomery water dataset. You will import the water laterals features into the Montgomery geodatabase.
You will use the Import Feature Class tool to import the arcs in the laterals coverage into the Water feature dataset. This tool is used to specify your input coverage, input feature class, and output feature class. Because you opened this tool by right-clicking a feature dataset, the output geodatabase, Montgomery, and feature dataset, Water, are already filled in for you.
There are several ways to set the input and output datasets. You can also drag a dataset or datasets from the ArcCatalog tree or Contents tab and drop them on the text box. Alternatively, you can click the Browse button to open the ArcCatalog minibrowser and navigate to your dataset or type the full pathname to the dataset in the text box.
Renaming a feature class and adding aliases
You can rename feature classes after they've been imported into a geodatabase. In the ArcCatalog tree, navigate to and click the laterals_arc feature class. Press the F2 key, and type “Laterals” to rename the feature class.
The names of feature classes and tables in a geodatabase are the same as the names of the physical tables in the relational database management system (RDBMS) in which they are stored. When you store data in an RDBMS, the names for tables and fields are often unclear, and you need a detailed data dictionary to keep track of what data each table stores and what each field in those tables represents.
The geodatabase lets you create aliases for fields, tables, and feature classes. An alias is an alternative name to refer to those items. Unlike true names, aliases can contain special characters, such as spaces, because they don’t have to adhere to the database’s limitations. When you use data with aliases in ArcMap, the alias name is automatically used for feature classes, tables, and fields. However, in ArcCatalog these items are always represented by their true names.
Importing and adding aliases for a table
The owner.dat INFO table contains owner information for the parcels in the Parcels feature class in the Montgomery geodatabase. To be able to create relationships between the parcels and their owners, the owner information must be imported into the Montgomery geodatabase. You will use the Table (multiple) import tool to import the owner.dat INFO table into the Montgomery geodatabase. You will then create aliases for the table.
The names of feature classes and tables in a geodatabase are the same as the names of the physical tables in the relational database management system (RDBMS) in which they are stored. When you store data in an RDBMS, the names for tables and fields are often unclear, and you need a detailed data dictionary to keep track of what data each table stores and what each field in those tables represents.
The geodatabase lets you create aliases for fields, tables, and feature classes. An alias is an alternative name to refer to those items. Unlike true names, aliases can contain special characters, such as spaces, because they don’t have to adhere to the database’s limitations. When you use data with aliases in ArcMap, the alias name is automatically used for feature classes, tables, and fields. However, in ArcCatalog these items are always represented by their true names.
Importing a coverage feature class
Before you can start adding behavior to your data, you must get it into a geodatabase. The laterals coverage contains the water laterals for the Montgomery water dataset. You will import the water laterals features into the Montgomery geodatabase.
You will use the Import Feature Class tool to import the arcs in the laterals coverage into the Water feature dataset. This tool is used to specify your input coverage, input feature class, and output feature class. Because you opened this tool by right-clicking a feature dataset, the output geodatabase, Montgomery, and feature dataset, Water, are already filled in for you.
There are several ways to set the input and output datasets. You can also drag a dataset or datasets from the ArcCatalog tree or Contents tab and drop them on the text box. Alternatively, you can click the Browse button to open the ArcCatalog minibrowser and navigate to your dataset or type the full pathname to the dataset in the text box.
Renaming a feature class and adding aliases
You can rename feature classes after they've been imported into a geodatabase. In the ArcCatalog tree, navigate to and click the laterals_arc feature class. Press the F2 key, and type “Laterals” to rename the feature class.
The names of feature classes and tables in a geodatabase are the same as the names of the physical tables in the relational database management system (RDBMS) in which they are stored. When you store data in an RDBMS, the names for tables and fields are often unclear, and you need a detailed data dictionary to keep track of what data each table stores and what each field in those tables represents.
The geodatabase lets you create aliases for fields, tables, and feature classes. An alias is an alternative name to refer to those items. Unlike true names, aliases can contain special characters, such as spaces, because they don’t have to adhere to the database’s limitations. When you use data with aliases in ArcMap, the alias name is automatically used for feature classes, tables, and fields. However, in ArcCatalog these items are always represented by their true names.
Importing and adding aliases for a table
The owner.dat INFO table contains owner information for the parcels in the Parcels feature class in the Montgomery geodatabase. To be able to create relationships between the parcels and their owners, the owner information must be imported into the Montgomery geodatabase. You will use the Table (multiple) import tool to import the owner.dat INFO table into the Montgomery geodatabase. You will then create aliases for the table.
The names of feature classes and tables in a geodatabase are the same as the names of the physical tables in the relational database management system (RDBMS) in which they are stored. When you store data in an RDBMS, the names for tables and fields are often unclear, and you need a detailed data dictionary to keep track of what data each table stores and what each field in those tables represents.
The geodatabase lets you create aliases for fields, tables, and feature classes. An alias is an alternative name to refer to those items. Unlike true names, aliases can contain special characters, such as spaces, because they don’t have to adhere to the database’s limitations. When you use data with aliases in ArcMap, the alias name is automatically used for feature classes, tables, and fields. However, in ArcCatalog these items are always represented by their true names.