topic Adding Microsoft Access table to ArcMap? in Data Management Questions

Adding Microsoft Access table to ArcMap?

EileenGrady — Mon, 01 May 2017 17:12:04 GMT

I am looking to map gps coordinates from a Microsoft Access table (.mdb) in ArcMap. I successfully connected ArcMap to Microsoft Access through an OLE DB connection, and can see the Access table in both ArcCatalog and the Add Data dialog box. However, when I attempt to add the table I receive the following warning:

A selected item could not be added to the map. General Function Failure.

After searching online for a solution I thought maybe ArcMap could not read the file because of an incompatible driver. I am running Microsoft office 2016 (64-bit) on a 64-bit machine. However I read that since ArcGIS is a 32-bit program the correct driver for this setup would be Microsoft Office Access Database Engine 2007, which is the driver currently installed on my computer.

All other documentation I have found online indicates that this should be a fairly simple process, and I can not find any mention of the problem I am having.

I'm using ArcGIS 10.4.1, and the MDB file is Access 2000 file format.

The field names in the access table are all alphanumeric, no spaces, and no reserved words are used.

Any suggestions on why this is happening?

Re: Adding Microsoft Access table to ArcMap?

DanPatterson_Retired — Mon, 01 May 2017 17:16:57 GMT

if it is simply gps coordinates, can't you export to a csv or other format and bring that in as xy event data saving you a whole lot of other issues.

Re: Adding Microsoft Access table to ArcMap?

forestknutsen1 — Mon, 01 May 2017 17:40:20 GMT

Just connect to it with ArcCatalog without any special connection. Arc can read an mdb that was not created with arc as a personal geodatabase.

Re: Adding Microsoft Access table to ArcMap?

RachelApplebaum — Tue, 02 May 2017 00:33:01 GMT

Hi Eileen,

Do you have the the 2007 Office System Driver: Data Connectivity Components driver installed on your computer? IF not, try downloading it here Download 2007 Office System Driver: Data Connectivity Components from Official Microsoft Download Center and see if that resolves the issue.

-Rachel