Project Raster and Shapefiles

ClaireBrenner

Hello,

I'm trying to project a raster file, which currently is in GCS_WGS_1984 to MGI_M31. I tried to do it using the project raster toolbox - i get the error: 000289  ("The spatial reference of the dataset cannot be altered. The dataset may be in use by another application and therefore locked. Solution: Ensure that the dataset is not read-only or being locked by another application or user.). I also tried to do the projection using python and got the same problem.

I have no other applications open (when trying to do the projection in python I also closed ArcMap). could the raster be read-only and how can check it? I already checked in the windows explorer in the file properties if read-only is checked (it is not).

If a go to properties of the raster in Arccatalog I can alter the coordinate system and it works fine.

Thanks for help,
Claire

curtvprice

Claire -- you've made a common beginner's mistake here. If you want to change the coordinate system of a raster dataset (ie, your raster is in decimal degrees and you want to make it UTM), you need to use the Project Raster tool to make a new dataset, projected to the coordinate system you want. If the you want to document the coordinate system (if it is or wrong or missing) the tool to use is Define Projection (this is what you're doing with the catalog properties, you are just changing the documentation, not the raster dataset).

Hope this helps!