topic Re: Unable to import csv files to ArcMap, and preview them in ArcCatalog in Data Management Questions

Unable to import csv files to ArcMap, and preview them in ArcCatalog

NatasaKnap_Gasper — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 07:32:23 GMT

I have been trying to import csv files to ArcMap, but it always tells me General function failure! I can't preview them in ArcCatalog either. Neither my original csv files, or those from the training packages. Any advice? I have ArcGIS 10 on my computer.

Re: Unable to import csv files to ArcMap, and preview them in ArcCatalog

NeilAyres — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 07:41:05 GMT

Have you looked at the contents of the csv's in a text editor like notepad?

Re: Unable to import csv files to ArcMap, and preview them in ArcCatalog

NatasaKnap_Gasper — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 07:55:25 GMT

Yes, and it looks fine (just as it is supposed to look according to the training package). I imagine those from training packages are formed correctly, and I should be able to import/preview those, even if I made a mistake in my own files.

Re: Unable to import csv files to ArcMap, and preview them in ArcCatalog

DanPatterson_Retired — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 09:04:52 GMT

copy and paste a few rows here. We will be looking for field names (the first row) being too long, containing spaces etc. There should be no blank rows and each column should contain the same data type. etc

Re: Unable to import csv files to ArcMap, and preview them in ArcCatalog

NatasaKnap_Gasper — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 09:08:16 GMT

City,latitude,longitude,Country

Tunis,36.811,10.17,Tunisia

Dakar,14.753,-17.475,Senegal

Rabat,34.021,-6.82,Morocco

Cape Town,-34.026,18.465,South Africa

Antananarivo,-18.915,47.534,Madagascar

Re: Unable to import csv files to ArcMap, and preview them in ArcCatalog

DanPatterson_Retired — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 09:18:11 GMT

ok, if you try to import those 5 rows to using the AddXY data tool, does it fail? It is a comma-separated values file with a , as the separator but it would be nicer if there were spaces after the comma. Make sure it isn't being interpreted as space or space and comma-delimited because of Cape Town which contains a space. If you can read those records as Neil suggested, then the problem is further down. Since you have places north and south of the equator, make sure you add the resultant file to an empty/new dataframe, before defining its coordinate system

Re: Unable to import csv files to ArcMap, and preview them in ArcCatalog

NatasaKnap_Gasper — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 09:35:33 GMT

I tried using the addXY data tool, but I don't even see the the csv file. When I try to Create a feature class From XY Table, it just tells me There was an error trying to process this table. General function failure General function failure [africa_cities.csv. I tried adding it to an empty data frame, still doesn't work.

I must stress again that this is a csv file from the online ESRI training course. I can open it in Notebook and it looks fine, but I can't preview it in ArcCatalog or import it in any way to ArcMap.

Re: Unable to import csv files to ArcMap, and preview them in ArcCatalog

DanPatterson_Retired — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 09:40:58 GMT

If you go to your table of contents, and right-click on a new dataframe's title, and select Data, addXY data. It doesn't work? It is stored on a local drive and not a usb drive or inside a zip file I assume as well.

Re: Unable to import csv files to ArcMap, and preview them in ArcCatalog

NatasaKnap_Gasper — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 09:48:33 GMT

It doesn't even allow me to add it to the Table of contents. Yes it's on a local drive.

Re: Unable to import csv files to ArcMap, and preview them in ArcCatalog

DanPatterson_Retired — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 13:58:20 GMT

last try... does the file have a *.csv file extension? try renaming it to *.txt or *.csv. I haven't seen a file that can't be seen unless it doesn't have a file extension or it has the wrong type of extension regardless of file contents.

Re: Unable to import csv files to ArcMap, and preview them in ArcCatalog

FilipeEsteves — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 16:40:02 GMT

Hi Natasa Knap Gasper,

lets see if i can help you:)

1.- Save the csv file in unicode text (*.txt) in a folder.

2.- Open a new mxd and define the coordinate system to "WGS 84"

3.- In order to help you to have an overview about the data, look in you installation folder of ArcGIS, normally at C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.x\TemplateData\TemplateData.gdb and chose the World continents.shp (or chose a basemap)

4. in the mxd, open the Arcatalog, go to your folder here you have the .txt file and chose "create feature class"\" from XY table". Select the WGS84 as your cordinate system, and normaly will display correctly.

If doesn´t work, and in case that you are able (now) to import the the file to the table of contents, but not "Display xy data", you can try to export again the table as .dbf file.

After that (in .dbf) add another field to Log (as double) and another to Lat. (use the field calculator to fill the new fields), and try to "Display xy data".

I hope it helps

If not, and if you can, send me the csv file or tell me which is the online ESRI training course.

Re: Unable to import csv files to ArcMap, and preview them in ArcCatalog

NatasaKnap_Gasper — Wed, 23 Dec 2015 07:49:58 GMT

I've tried all that you suggested nothing works. I get the same general function failure response with the txt file if I try to create feature class/from XY table.

when i tried to convert it to geodatabase it reported an error 9999999: Error executing function.

Do you think that it's possible to have some settings in the system that are not set correctly? I've been able to import the data if I have it in the xlsx format. But it's quite labour intensive to convert everything, make sure, that all the columns have the correct data format etc..

Re: Unable to import csv files to ArcMap, and preview them in ArcCatalog

NeilAyres — Wed, 23 Dec 2015 08:03:17 GMT

Post the csv file here.

I am sure someone will be able to identify the problem.

Re: Unable to import csv files to ArcMap, and preview them in ArcCatalog

NatasaKnap_Gasper — Wed, 23 Dec 2015 09:05:44 GMT

I am sure that the problem is not in the specific csv file, because NONE of the csv files that I have tried so far (either my own or from the ESRI site) can be viewed or imported into ArcGIS on my computer (in the csv format!).

Is it possible that there is some problem with the decimal seperators? But I imagine, there would be a problem with the xlsx files also. What about language settings?

Re: Unable to import csv files to ArcMap, and preview them in ArcCatalog

FilipeEsteves — Wed, 23 Dec 2015 10:03:40 GMT

Ups, ... if it doesn't work like that...

And you tell that any of .csv or .txt never worked...

(i'm sure that you already try to save as .shp, and in a different path)

You can try to change the "decimal symbol" at Control panel\region\additional settings\number... but i really don't know if it could help... you try and you will see

change all the "." for an "," (find and replace) in the csv file.

Hope it helps,

Re: Unable to import csv files to ArcMap, and preview them in ArcCatalog

NeilAyres — Wed, 23 Dec 2015 12:26:13 GMT

I have certainly seen in the past, people with a French set up, have difficulty opening csv's.

All the decimal separators "." get replaced with ",". Which causes chaos in a csv.