topic Re: Why did 'Project' tool erase features & attributes? in Coordinate Reference Systems Questions

Why did 'Project' tool erase features & attributes?

AlexBullen1 — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 21:32:07 GMT

I got some shapefiles from a local energy utility company. They are in GCS_WGS_1984. I brought them into ArcMap (10.3) and performed a Project to get them into my projection (NAD_1983_SPC CO-N). This erased all the features. Never had this happen before. The original shapefile is intact, but the newly created file geodatabase feature class has zero features. Zero features, zero attributes. It brought over the fields & field names, but there's not a shred of data. I've tried doing it in ArcMap, ArcCatalog, shapefile --> shapefile, and shapefile --> file geodatabase feature class. What am I missing?

Thanks in advance, Alex

Re: Why did 'Project' tool erase features & attributes?

DanPatterson_Retired — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 21:37:14 GMT

load the file, examine its properties and provide the extents for the file. When doing the project, the file must have a defined coordinate system for it to work so I assume that is the case. and you had no features selected when you did this.

Re: Why did 'Project' tool erase features & attributes?

DarrenWiens2 — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 21:38:31 GMT

Does the same thing happen if you try to project to another CRS, like UTM? I've never seen that particular CRS and it doesn't appear in my list, so I assume it's custom.

Re: Why did 'Project' tool erase features & attributes?

ChrisSmith7 — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 21:43:45 GMT

I am not familiar with NAD_1983_SPC CO-N, athough it looks like a custom state plane north system for Colorado... If that's true, can you verify the coordinate system? What happens if you reproject another shapefile? What happens if you use a built-in state plane projection?

Re: Why did 'Project' tool erase features & attributes?

AlexBullen1 — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 21:48:31 GMT

See extents below for the source file. Did the project with features selected and unselected both just for fun.

Re: Why did 'Project' tool erase features & attributes?

AlexBullen1 — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 21:50:16 GMT

Same thing projecting into UTM.

Re: Why did 'Project' tool erase features & attributes?

AlexBullen1 — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 21:52:20 GMT

The full name for the coordinate system we use is NAD_1983_StatePlane_Colorado_North_FIPS_0501_Feet. All of our data is in this projection. For grins I ran the Project tool and used HARN 1983 and NAD_1983_StatePlane_Colorado_Central_FIPS_0502 as well. Same results - field names persist in the new feature class, but no features or attribute data.

Re: Why did 'Project' tool erase features & attributes?

DanPatterson_Retired — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 21:53:13 GMT

Did you do everything outside of a geodatabase. The area is quite small. It would be worthwhile seeing if it displays in a new project, projecting it to another shapefile then proceed from there. since it is a point file, the repair geometry won't do anything.

Re: Why did 'Project' tool erase features & attributes?

AlexBullen1 — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 21:57:58 GMT

I can project other shapefiles fine. So it must be something to do with the source files from the utility company then?

Happy to share one of these shapefiles for testing purposes.

Re: Why did 'Project' tool erase features & attributes?

DarrenWiens2 — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 21:59:25 GMT

Yes, please zip and upload.

Re: Why did 'Project' tool erase features & attributes?

DanPatterson_Retired — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 21:59:34 GMT

It the shapefile load, try a simple right-click on the layer, do Data, export data and save it to a new shapefile. and see if that one is a duplicate of the first or not

Re: Why did 'Project' tool erase features & attributes?

AlexBullen1 — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 22:12:07 GMT

It is a duplicate. Exporting it into a file geodatabase renders it featureless.

Re: Why did 'Project' tool erase features & attributes?

AlexBullen1 — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 22:15:14 GMT

Try this one: AreaLight.zip - Google Drive

Re: Why did 'Project' tool erase features & attributes?

DanPatterson_Retired — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 22:17:06 GMT

and you put it into another geodatabase to confirm that the geodatabase settings aren't rendering it useless

Re: Why did 'Project' tool erase features & attributes?

AlexBullen1 — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 22:20:33 GMT

I've put it into three different geodatabases. I've gone shapefile to projected shapefile. I've gone shapefile to geodatabase. Just made a fresh geodatabase. I'm even getting an error saying that it's generating empty outputs.

Re: Why did 'Project' tool erase features & attributes?

AlexBullen1 — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 22:20:55 GMT

The file is here if anyone is willing to have a crack at it AreaLight.zip - Google Drive

Re: Why did 'Project' tool erase features & attributes?

DanPatterson_Retired — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 22:26:19 GMT

I am ArcLess at the moment, but I am sure someone will figure it out. Since it is a point file Darren Wiens could try a FeatureClassToNumPyArray and then back to NumPyArrayToFeatureClass if all else fails. Make sure you use explode_to_points in case it it a multipoint issue.

Re: Why did 'Project' tool erase features & attributes?

ChrisSmith7 — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 22:39:44 GMT

The reprojection worked well for me:

Re: Why did 'Project' tool erase features & attributes?

DarrenWiens2 — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 22:40:19 GMT

It worked for me projecting to UTM 13. Perhaps there's something going on with your custom CRS...?

Re: Why did 'Project' tool erase features & attributes?

AlexBullen1 — Tue, 15 Mar 2016 17:03:01 GMT

I've found a workaround. Bring the shapefile into ArcMap, export it to feature class using the layer's data source projection. It keeps the old projection (GCS). Open a new map, add a feature class with my preferred projection of State Plane Colorado North. Bring the newly exported feature class into ArcMap, export it using "The Data Frame" option for coordinate system in the export window.

Why my "Project" tool is not functioning properly is another issue, as you all were able to Project without issue. Happy to have my ducks/files in a row. Thanks for working through this with me.

Alex