Exporting ArcGIS plugin data source to Shape

BruceJones — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:45:48 GMT

I have implemented a plug-in data source for ArcGIS. In my case, the format read by the plug-in may contain point, line and polygon features within the same file.

In my implementation the data file read by the plugin is a dataset which may contain up to three feature classes (point, line, poly).

In ArcMap I can sucessfully browse to my data sources and add feature classes to the map. If I then open the ArcToolbox->Conversion Tools->To Shapefile->Feature Class To Shapetool I can see the added feature classes in the Input Features pulldown menu and add them. Using this method I can sucessfully export the feature class to a Shape file.

Also, in ArcCatalog I can browse to the feature classes contained in my custom files or I can enter a path into the Location:box in ArcCatalog for example: f:\arctest\plugindata\testPT\testPT_PT where f:\arctest\plugindata is the location of my data file, testPT is the root name of my data file (less extenstion) and testPT_PT is the name of the feature class within the file. Doing this will sucessfully browse to and open my file.

The trouble coumes when I attempt to use the ArcToolbox->Conversion Tools->To Shapefile->Feature Class To Shape tool and enter the full path to my feature class f:\arctest\plugindata\testPT\testPT_PT directly into the Input Features box rather than first adding the feature class to a map and then selecting it via the Input Features dialog. I am immediately greeted with 000732 dataset does not exist or is not supported.

I believe that I have traced the probem to the call made by ArcGIS to the ContainsWorkspace() that I have implemented in my custom workspace factory. My ContainsWorkspace() is being called and the parentDirectory being passed to me in the above example is f:\arctest when I expect to be called with f:\arctest\plugindata. As it is I am being called to indicate whether f:\arctest contains a workspace which it does not, f:\arctest\plugindata does. ContainsWorkspace() is never called with f:\arctest\plugindata and the Export To Shape tool immediately indicates that the specified feature class is invalid.

Again, if I enter f:\arctest\plugindata\testPT\testPT_PT into the location box in ArcCatalog I am immediately taken to the correct featureclass, it is only the Shape Export dialog that will not accept this path.

I am fairly new to ArcGIS Engine development and this is my first data source plugin so I I have not clearly explained the situation I apologize.

Can anyone give me some pointers on where to look for my failure?

Thank you,
Bruce Jones

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Exporting ArcGIS plugin data source to Shape