ArcSDE for SQL Server Express and ArcSDE geodatabases:New User asks questions

Question

I have Microsoft SQL Server Express 2008 and ArcView v9.3.1 installed in the terminal PC of Microsoft Widows NT 4 LAN System in our office.  I am an end user of the terminal PC (not a Computer Administrator).  I am a new user in ArcView v9.3.1 and I am using ArcCatalog to set up Data of Point, Polyline and Polygon, and then convert the Data to Shapefile in geodatabase for the Map.  I used  Microsoft SQL Server Express 2008 to do T-SQL programming for a short time.  Now, I want to use Microsoft SQL Server Express 2008 to link ArcSDE for SQL Server Express and ArcSDE geodatabases.  Please help and give me the basic detailed steps/instructions for this linking task.

Thanks,
Scott Chang

DerekLaw · Answer

I have been struggling to create the new, decent Shapefiles for Points, Polylines, and Polygons in ArcView v9.3 for quite a while.  I read the materials you cited, but I am still not able to get a good start in creating Points, Polylines, and Polygons in ArcView v9.3.

To learn about using ArcView - ArcGIS 9.3, I would start with the online tutorials: ArcGIS Desktop Tutorials.

An overview of editing and data compilation

About creating new features

Another suggestion would be to take an ESRI training class. There are many options available, and some content is free.

Hope this helps,

ScottChang · Answer

Hi Derek,  Thanks for your responses.

I have been struggling to create the new, decent Shapefiles for Points, Polylines, and Polygons in ArcView v9.3 for quite a while.  I read the materials you cited, but I am still not able to get a good start in creating Points, Polylines, and Polygons in ArcView v9.3. Let me describe the following things I did and the difficulties I have had:
1) From the book "Getting To Know ArcView Desktop, Second Edition Updated for ArcView 9" by Tim Ormsby, et.al, I learned (i) Getting started with maps and data: Chapter 3 (Exploring ArcMap) and Chapter 4 (Exploring ArcCatalog) - Cities Earhart visited and her Flight Path. (ii) Creating and editing data: Chapter 14 (Building geodatabases) and Chapter 15 (Creating features), and Chapter 16 (Editing features and attributes). Then I started a new project and had a layer of USA Map (dtl-st) created. Then I tried to get a path of 5 U. S. cities (Baltimore, Atlanta, Omaha, Denver, and LA) I visited. I had the 5 U. S. cities as 5 Points in my ArcCatalog v9.3. But I can not make the 5 Points appeared in my new layer "5USCitiesChangVisited" in ArcMap v9.3.   
2) From the book "Introduction to Geographic Information Systems", 5th Edition, by Kang-tsung Chang, I studied Chpater 3 (Vector Data Model) and tried to do his Task 1: Examine the Data File Structure of Coverage and Shapefile on Page 60. I have encounter a serious difficulty to save the Feature Class to Shapefile in Step 5 on Page 61 - error message "output file does not exist"??!!
3) From the "www.gps.caltech.edu/gislab/.../creating_and_editing_shapefiles", I can do "Creating and Editing Shapfes for Points, Polylines, and Polygons" without any problems. But I do not know the x,y-corrdinates for the Points, Polylines, and Polygons I created!!!
4) I just read "Linear Referencing in ArcGIS 9" from the "HELP" menu.  But I am still lost like a blind man lost in the darkness.
I am lost badly in creating Points, Polylines, and Polygons in ArcCatalog/ArcMap v9.3.  In 1), I do not know how to my data into geodatabase properly and correctively!!! In 2), I do not know why I get that error and how to resolve it. In 3), I have no ideas how the x,y-coordinates should be set up to show me where my maps are.   Please help and guide me to the promised land of ArcView v9.3.

Thanks,
Scott Chang

DerekLaw · Answer

Quick correction: I meant to say ArcEditor or ArcInfo level of ArcGIS Desktop includes ArcSDE technology and SQL Server Express.