There are many ways to organize a project database.
One good strategy is to create a single project folder, then subfolders to hold the input datasets, and another subfolder to hold the datasets you create during the analysis.
As with many GIS projects, the data for your project comes from several different sources. Some of it is in different data formats or in different coordinate systems. Most of the data has already been collected for you. Here is where the data currently resides:
Youll copy the data (to maintain the original as a backup) and organize it in a single project folder to make it more accessible. Youll also create a new folder to store the data youll create during the analysis.
There is no single way to structure a project database; it partly depends on personal preference. The goal is to minimize duplication of datasets and to have the data well organized and easily accessible. This will help avoid confusion during the project as well as if you need to revisit the project in the future. Before you start to create the folders on disk and move the datasets around, its a good idea to sketch out the organization of the project folders.
The City_share, County_share, and State_share folders are stored locally on your computer, but they could represent shared folders accessed over a network. You can use ArcGIS to manage and display GIS data on any shared drive on your network.
Youll also want to think about how to name the new datasets youll create, and create naming conventions.
Using meaningful names can help you see at a glance what each dataset is. For example, if you merge two parcel datasets, you might name the output parcel01mrg to indicate that it was the first parcel dataset created and the
LAYER NAME FORMAT CURRENTLOCATION
ELEVATION ELEVATION GRID STATE_SHARE FOLDER
ELEVATION<365M LOWLAND SHAPEFILE STATE_SHARE FOLDER
FLOODPLAIN FLOOD_POLYGON GEODATABASE GREENVALLEYDB
GEODATABASE
RIVER RIVER SHAPEFILE COUNTY_SHARE FOLDER
PARCELS PARCEL_,1
PARCEL_2 SHAPEFILES(TILED) CITY_SHARE\LAND FOLDER
PARKS PARKS_POLYGON GEODATABASE GREENVALLEYDB
GEODATABASE
HISTORIC PARK HISTORIC.TIF SCANNED IMAGE CITY_SHARE\IMAGE FOLDER
WASTEWATER JUNCTION JUNCTION COVERAGE CITY_SHARE\UTILITY FOLDER
STREETS STREET_ARC GEODATABASE GREENVALLEYDB
GEODATABASE
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operation was a merge. If you then edit the dataset, you might name the edited version parcel02edt, and so on.
Youll use ArcCatalog to copy the folder containing the shared data to a new location so you can work with it while maintaining the original data. Youll then create the new personal geodatabase to hold several of the new datasets youll create. Youll also create the two new folders: one to contain the layers from the Citys GreenvalleyDB
geodatabase and another to contain the layers you create during the analysis. Here are the steps:
Copy the project folder.
Create a connection to the project folder.
Create the WaterProject personal geodatabase in the project folder.
Create the City_layers folder in the project folder.
Create the Analysis folder in the project folder.
If you have not already done the tutorial in Chapter 2,
Exploring ArcCatalog and ArcMap, you will need to check with your system administrator to learn where the tutorial data is installed. Before you start the project you will also need to make a folder connection in ArcCatalog to the Greenvalley folder (use the instructions in Chapter 2).
Copy the project folder
The project folder contains data that other organizations are sharing with you. Youll copy the whole folder intact to your own drive. First, open ArcCatalog.
1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to ArcGIS, and click ArcCatalog.
2. Navigate to the ArcGIS\ArcTutor\Getting_Started folder. Double-click the Getting_Started folder to show its contents.
3. Click the project folder, hold the Ctrl key, drag the folder from its current location, and drop it onto your C:\ drive or any other local drive or folder.
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Substitute your local drive or folder for C:\ for the rest of this chapter.
Dragging a folder to another drive (for example, from the C:\ drive to the D:\drive) copies the folder and its contents to the new location. Dragging to another location on the same drive moves the folder. To copy a folder to another location on the same drive, hold the Ctrl key while you drag.
4. When ArcGIS is finished copying the data, click C:\ in the Catalog tree to view the contents of the C:\ drive on the right side of the Catalog window.
You can see that the project folder is listed.
Now that youve copied the project folder, you can work on your copy of the data without modifying the original data.
Connect to the project folder
If you have many folders on a drive, it can become tedious to scroll to one you use frequently. Making a connection puts that folder at your fingertips. Youll create a connection for the project folder.
In the tutorial, you made a folder connection by clicking Connect to Folder and browsing. Here is a quicker way:
1. Navigate to the project folder in the right side of the Catalog window (the Contents tab should be selected).
2. Click the project folder and drag and drop it onto Catalog at the top of the Catalog tree.
The new folder connectionC:\projectis now listed in the Catalog tree.
The connection is a shortcut to the project folder. For the rest of the project, youll access the data in the project folder using the connection.
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Create a personal geodatabase
Next, youll create a personal geodatabase within the project folder to store several of the updated and new datasets youll create during the project. Using a
geodatabase is an efficient way of storing, accessing, and managing data.
1. Click the project folder connection you just created to see its contents in the right side of the Catalog window.
2. Right-click the project folder connection, point to New, and click Personal Geodatabase.
You will see additional options if you are using ArcInfo.
The new geodatabase is listed in the right side of the Catalog window with its name highlighted (New Personal Geodatabase).
3. Rename the geodatabase by typing WaterProject over the highlighted text. Press Enter.
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Create the City_layers and Analysis folders
Now youll create two new folders under the project folder to hold the layers from the Citys GreenvalleyDB
geodatabase and the new layers youll create later during the analysis.
1. Right-click the project folder, point to New, and click Folder.
The new folder is listed on the right side of the Catalog window with its name highlighted (New Folder).
2. Rename the folder by typing City_layers over the highlighted text. Press Enter.
Create the Analysis folder the same way.
3. Right-click the project folder, point to New, and click Folder. Rename the folder Analysis.
If you make a mistake and create the folder in the wrong location or misspell the name, simply right-click the folder, click Delete or Rename, and start over.
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