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Learning ArcGIS Geodatabases
Learning ArcGIS Geodatabases

Learning ArcGIS Geodatabases: An all-in-one start up kit to author, manage, and administer ArcGIS geodatabases.

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Learning ArcGIS Geodatabases

Chapter 2. Working with Geodatabase Datasets

In the previous chapter, we discussed how to design and author an ArcGIS geodatabase. After reading and analyzing the Bestaurants case study, we created the geodatabase and populated it with feature classes based on the requirements. We even defined a spatial reference for the geodatabase so that our data is correctly projected. We then used ArcMap to edit the geodatabase and add some features to the feature class. In this chapter, we will delve deeper into the different types of geodatabase datasets, and work closely with each one and use them to enrich our Bestaurants geodatabase. Now that you know the basic tools to author geodatabases, let's equip you with a few more tools to do even more.

Working with feature classes

Let's start with the feature classes. We have already learned how to create a new feature class. In this section, we will learn how to add and delete attributes and work with the concept of subtypes and domains.

Note

A subtype is a subset of the features in a given feature class sharing the same attributes.

A domain is a range of the possible values for a given attribute. It is usually used to avoid erroneous entries.

Adding new attributes

Your client for the Bestaurants project reviewed your initial geodatabase and suggested some changes. They noticed that you have a name field for each feature class, but they need to have the DESCRIPTION and REVIEW attributes, which can help the customers by giving them more descriptive information about a particular restaurant. To add these attributes, perform the following steps (make sure all instances of ArcMap and ArcCatalog are closed):

  1. Open a fresh session of ArcCatalog and browse to the Bestaurants geodatabase. Start...

Working with object tables and relations

A question was raised during the Bestaurants workshop review: what if I want to write multiple reviews for a given restaurant or diner? Does the geodatabase support that? The answer is no. We have a single review field for each feature. We can add another field called REVIEW2, for instance, but it is infeasible as we will end up with a very rigid geodatabase design. It is not an elegant solution to the multiple reviews problem. It seems that we can't work out a solution for this with the skills we have acquired so far while working with feature classes. We need a new tool that can help us tackle this. Here is where object tables come into the picture.

Note

An object table is a table in the geodatabase that stores only the records without geometry.

Tables are extremely useful, and yes, we can create them in the geodatabase too! However, how can we use tables to solve the multiple reviews problem? For each restaurant, diner, and so on, there might...

Working with annotations

Once you complete the geodatabase, you may want to visualize it by creating a map. An important element of a map is labeling, where features are labeled based on their values, giving richness to the map. If you are familiar with ArcMap, you might have done labeling before. However, labeling is done in the map and labels are generated and placed dynamically. This might not be efficient for a large set of features. That's why we are interested in another method of labeling using what we call the annotation class.

Note

Labeling is a property of a map where a text label is placed on each feature, pointing to a single or a combination of attribute values in that feature.

An annotation class is a geodatabase dataset used to label features in a feature class.

Our Belize client has asked us to label all their venues with their names. For this, we will use annotation. To do so, perform the following steps:

  1. Open your Belize_Basemap.mxd file. You should see the Diner&apos...

Importing other datasets

In real-life scenarios, you will not have to create all the data from scratch; some of the data will be available for you in different formats such as shape files, images, Excel sheets, and CAD files. That's why it is important to discuss how to import different kinds of formats to your geodatabase. In this section, we will discuss importing shape files, CAD files, and coverage classes that represent the boundary of Belize.

The client has asked us to import their legacy data, which is available in shape files, CAD files, and coverage feature classes in the geodatabase as well. We will start by importing the shape file as a geodatabase feature class. All the files are available in 8648OT_02_Files, which can be downloaded from the book's supporting files at www.packtpub.com. Copy the entire folder to your local drive before you carry on with the exercises.

Importing shape files

The shape files are in Esri's native file format, which was created a long...

Summary

This chapter was lengthy and full of practical exercises. You have acquired new skills and tools that will allow you to do more on the geodatabase. You added new attributes, worked with domains and subtypes, and even created a relationship class that links multiple datasets together. You were able to create annotation classes that are useful for labeling maps. Finally, you learned how to import and convert other data files into your geodatabase and make them consistent in a single spatial reference so that you have a single geodatabase to manage, which will have all your data. So far, we have been creating datasets without paying attention to efficiency and optimization factors.

In the next chapter, we will discuss best practices for modeling the geodatabase in order to achieve an optimal and consistent design.

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Description

This is a solution-based book, showcasing the real power of ArcGIS Geodatabase by following a real-world, example-based approach. This book is aimed at geospatial developers who want to work with ArcGIS geodatabases as well as manage them. Having knowledge of building a geodatabase from scratch isn't a must; Learning ArcGIS Geodatabases is ideal for those who want to use ArcGIS geodatabase for the first time, or for those who want to migrate from their existing legacy database to a geodatabase.

What you will learn

  • Explore the benefits of geodatabases with practical illustrations
  • Work with geodatabase datasets covering feature classes, tables, relationship classes, coverage, and annotations
  • Model your geodatabase by creating a sturdy design that can sustain large edits and decrease maintenance
  • Discover various tools to optimize queries and response time, which will help you to finetune your geodatabase
  • Utilize Python scripting to author your geodatabase programmatically
  • Set up and configure a fullfledged networked enterprise geodatabase using ArcSDE technology
  • Add programming flavors to your geodatabase using Python

Product Details

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Publication date, Length, Edition, Language, ISBN-13
Publication date : Jun 25, 2014
Length: 158 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781783988648
Vendor :
ESRI
Category :
Tools :

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Product Details

Publication date : Jun 25, 2014
Length: 158 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781783988648
Vendor :
ESRI
Category :
Tools :

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Table of Contents

7 Chapters
1. Authoring Geodatabases Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
2. Working with Geodatabase Datasets Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
3. Modeling Geodatabases Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
4. Optimizing Geodatabases Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
5. Programming Geodatabases Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
6. Enterprise Geodatabases Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Index Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

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Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Empty star icon 4
(14 Ratings)
5 star 50%
4 star 21.4%
3 star 14.3%
2 star 7.1%
1 star 7.1%
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Matthew Anderson Aug 24, 2017
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Had the information i was looking for.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Albeiro Figueroa Sep 01, 2014
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Excelente guía introductoria
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Garrett Nordyke Nov 24, 2015
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Book is concise, effective, and uses clean examples for the reader to build while progressing through book. I wish the author, who did an excellent job, was more exhaustive with his writing. The author's intent was to provide a short and broad introduction to geodatabases and he did so very well. I am a novice ESRI user and the author explained the subjects with sufficient detail to understand the subjects without building the examples. I emailed the author with several questions related to geodatabase performance and he replied back very quickly with an answer to each question. I look forward to more books by Mr. Nasser
Amazon Verified review Amazon
IrfanClemson Feb 07, 2015
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
This book is a simple but very effective guide to creating both file and enterprise ESRI Geodatabases. For someone like me, who has created traditional relational databases before, ESRI's Geodatabase was a mystery. Nasser made it graspable enough to not only build a scale-able, secure, and 'normalized' Geodatabase but, in his latest book (Javascript API one--November 2014), he is guiding us to actually use his 'Bestoraunt' Geodatabase in a web application.One of the best things about this book is that Nasser never loses sight of what he describes in previous pages and refer us to go back to those pages to understand the new concepts. End of chapter summaries are very helpful too.This book may be a more simplified abstraction of the information already available on the web but, by creating a scenario for the 'Bestoraunt' project Nasser makes it well worth the few $ to buy this book.***Five stars and a big 'thank you' to Nasser for not only this book but also in answering some questions via email.**
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Amazon Customer Nov 11, 2014
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Great book, well explained, focusing step by step on the basics
Amazon Verified review Amazon
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