topic Re: Updating a shapefile in Data Management Questions

Updating a shapefile

GuyKouwoaye — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 16:58:35 GMT

I am told to update a shapefile (add new records to it) before I can use it to produce a map. To update the shapefile, I opened its attribute table and then used "Start Editing" and "Add new features" menu option to enter the new records in an ArcGIS Edit session.
As I updated the shapefile this way (by editing the table and adding the new records), I think that the XY coordinates were not lost for the old records.
However, I am wondering if I have to geocode again the shapefile in order for the new records to have a positional location attached to them and then use the exported shapefile (obtained after geocoding) to make my map?
Thanks.

Re: Updating a shapefile

RobertBorchert — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 17:08:24 GMT

I am not certain what you did but did you open the dbf in something like excel and add the records.

You cannot do that with a shapefile. you will lose everything or if you don't lose it you can scramble the data records. The dbf rows are tied to a specific graphical feature. if you make changes to the dbf you alter which record is tied to which graphic.

if you need to edit a shapefile you do it in an ArcGIS session.

I am told to update a shapefile (add new records to it) before I can use it to produce a map. To update the shapefile, I opened its attribute table and then used "Start Editing" and "Add new features" option to enter the new records.
As I updated the shapefile this way (by editing the table and adding the new records), I think that the XY coordinates were not lost for the old records.
However, I am wondering if I have to geocode again the shapefile in order for the new records to have a positional location attached to them and then use the exported shapefile (obtained after geocoding) to make my map?
Thanks.

Re: Updating a shapefile

GuyKouwoaye — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 17:38:35 GMT

I edited the shapefile to add the new records in an ArcGIS session.
First I thought about exporting the shapefile to Excel and then add the new records there, but I didn't do it. Because I thought the old records would lose their XY coordinates.
So, after I added the new records in an ArcGis session, do I have to geocode the shapefile(table) again and use the new shapefile obtained from geocoding to make my map?

.

I am not certain what you did but did you open the dbf in something like excel and add the records.

You cannot do that with a shapefile. you will lose everything or if you don't lose it you can scramble the data records. The dbf rows are tied to a specific graphical feature. if you make changes to the dbf you alter which record is tied to which graphic.

if you need to edit a shapefile you do it in an ArcGIS session.

Re: Updating a shapefile

MichaelVolz — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 17:47:04 GMT

Is this a point shapefile? If so, maybe you can do a field calc on the fields holding the x and y coordinates using getx and gety on the shape field which should be available through the field calculator.

Re: Updating a shapefile

RobertBorchert — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 17:52:36 GMT

If you added them in an ArcGIS session why would you need to geocode them. They should already be placed where you want them. Typically geocoding is performed on a set of data that is not a shape file or feature class.

I edited the shapefile to add the new records in an ArcGIS session.
First I thought about exporting the shapefile to Excel and then add the new records there, but I didn't do it. Because I thought the old records would lose their XY coordinates.
So, after I added the new records in an ArcGis session, do I have to geocode the shapefile(table) again and use the new shapefile obtained from geocoding to make my map?

.

Re: Updating a shapefile

GuyKouwoaye — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 01:17:03 GMT

Yes, it is a point file. The records I added to the shapefile are new facilities or buildings that have their address, zip code, telephone number, and other attributes, but there is no longitude and latitude in their attributes.
When I did add new features in ArcGIS Edit session, I just dropped these new features or new points anywhere or the map as I didn't know where on the map the point should be dropped for the new facilities.

Is this a point shapefile? If so, maybe you can do a field calc on the fields holding the x and y coordinates using getx and gety on the shape field which should be available through the field calculator.

Re: Updating a shapefile

GuyKouwoaye — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 01:27:13 GMT

Because they new records I added to the shapefile are new facilities(buildings). In attributes of these new facilities there is no longitude or latitute but attributes such as their name, their address, zip code, ect..

When I did add new features in ArcGIS Edit session, I just dropped these new points(new features) anywhere on the map as I didn't know where on the map the point should be dropped for the new facilities.
As I dropped a point anywhere on the map for each new facility, will arcGIS put each new facility in the exact place it should be on the map of the city?

If you added them in an ArcGIS session why would you need to geocode them. They should already be placed where you want them. Typically geocoding is performed on a set of data that is not a shape file or feature class.

Re: Updating a shapefile

GuyKouwoaye — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 01:34:39 GMT

The new records I added to the shapefile (as well as the old records that were put in the shapefile by the person who created the shapefile) are facilities on a city map. There is no longitude and latitude in the attribute table of this shapefile, but attributes such as name, address, zip code, etc...

Is this a point shapefile? If so, maybe you can do a field calc on the fields holding the x and y coordinates using getx and gety on the shape field which should be available through the field calculator.

Re: Updating a shapefile

DanPatterson_Retired — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 01:43:29 GMT

You should geocode the new data separately then merge the two files together

Re: Updating a shapefile

GuyKouwoaye — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 02:23:37 GMT

The new data (the new records I'm going to add to the shapefile) I was given is in Excel. These records are new facilities that will be added to the old facilites that are in the shapefile. In the attributes list of these new facilites, there is no latitude and longitude, but attributes such as name, address, zip code, year the facility was built, etc...

As you said I have to geocode the new data and merge it, can you tell me how I can import this Excel file into ArcGIS and then geocode it?
I think I have to create shapefile with this new data before I geocode it, right? If so how can I create a shapefile with this new data in Excel?

I am not sure, but can I create a shapefile with this new data by importing it into Mcrosoft Access to create a table with it and then import this table into ArcGIS?
Thanks.

You should geocode the new data separately then merge the two files together

Re: Updating a shapefile

RichardFairhurst — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 04:37:28 GMT

The new data (the new records I'm going to add to the shapefile) I was given is in Excel. These records are new facilities that will be added to the old facilites that are in the shapefile. In the attributes list of these new facilites, there is no latitude and longitude, but attributes such as name, address, zip code, year the facility was built, etc...

As you said I have to geocode the new data and merge it, can you tell me how I can import this Excel file into ArcGIS and then geocode it?
I think I have to create shapefile with this new data before I geocode it, right? If so how can I create a shapefile with this new data in Excel?

I am not sure, but can I create a shapefile with this new data by importing it into Mcrosoft Access to create a table with it and then import this table into ArcGIS?
Thanks.

Access tables are not needed for geocoding. You need to bring in the Excel table that has new addresses in as a table. Then you need a geocoding service. You either can use the ArcGIS Online service or create your own with your own data. You have to build a compatible Locator with the Locator tool in the tool box to run geocoding against an address range network or parcel database with addresses. The geocoding process will make these records spatial as points in a new separate shapefile from your original geocoded points or assign XY coordinates into fields in a table so that the table can be made into a Point layer using the Make XY Event Layer tool and then converted to a permanent point feature class with an export. Geocoding means that a non-spatial table is made spatial by matching it up to an existing addressing sources like a road network with address ranges or parcel dataset with addresses.

After the new records are fully geocoded and made into points then you can use the Append or Merge tool to combine your original points with your new points. I would not attempt to combine the two together until both were either made into point features or both were made into flat tables with filled in XY coordinate fields. Combining them before that just makes things harder on yourself.

Never edit any shapefile by inserting new records in a table view. Only do that with flat tables that can be converted to a layer using the Make XY Event Layer, Make Route Event Layer (for lines or points on a Linear Reference line network), Make Query Table tool, Join, or similar tools that can spatially enable flat data based on fields or integration with existing spatial data.