topic Re: Layer's Data Source is inaccessible in Data Management Questions

Layer's Data Source is inaccessible

ManeeshMassey — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 15:26:20 GMT

Dear ESRI Community,

I am using the ArcGIS Desktop 10.1 on Windows 8.1.

My issue is: I've changed machines when installing ArcGIS Desktop 10.1. When trying to load a data layer which was on the previous machine, I am getting an Error Code of 00003: Layer's Data source is inaccessible.

I've tried to Set Data Source from ArcCatalogue by right-clicking and changing the Data Source, yet it refuses to display in ArcGIS Desktop 10.1.

I am having a frustrating time working on a project until and unless the data layer properly loads and displays.

Please help resolve the issue at hand. Let me know if you need any more information.

Appreciate all help.

Thanks you

Re: Layer's Data Source is inaccessible

DanPatterson_Retired — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 02:23:32 GMT

are you sure that that file was also moved? Examine the path it is being direct to and use windows operating system to check the folder for its location. It is was on a network drive check to see if you have access to it as well

Re: Layer's Data Source is inaccessible

ChrisDonohue__GISP — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 03:02:06 GMT

Also, in troubleshooting this, see if you can see any GIS files at all. This will limit the issue to just one file, or whether the software itself had an installation or network access issue.

Re: Layer's Data Source is inaccessible

ManeeshMassey — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 05:51:28 GMT

Hello Dan,

Thanks for the quick reply. Yes, I am sure not only the file, but the whole folder in which the file was kept was moved from C:\Users\<username>\Documents\<foldername> to another computer to C:\Users\<differentusername>\Documents\<samefoldername>. That being said, I did try to change the path of the file with ArcCatalogue by right-clicking the file and Set Data Source(s) to the new path where the file is now kept in the new computer. Even then, the data layer is not visible/inaccessible within ArcMap.

Now what do you think I should do?

Appreciate all help.

Re: Layer's Data Source is inaccessible

ManeeshMassey — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 06:22:25 GMT

Hi Chris,

I can see all the different .mxd's in the folder, this means the software installed properly. The issue remains with the file being inaccessible in ArcMAP. Another piece of information I can give is --->> I can't see only 3 columns in the attribute table whereas previously (back in the old machine) it contained a lot of columns.

Any ideas?

Re: Layer's Data Source is inaccessible

JayantaPoddar — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 08:03:59 GMT

Are you seeing the red exclamation mark next to the layers in Table of Content. If yes, then repair the data source.

If the Repair/Set data source doesn't work, then check the following.

Open a blank MXD. And add the data from the new folder location. If the data is opening properly, then do the following.

Open the older MXD, Right-click each layer > Save as layer. Save it in a folder.

Open the new MXDs where data is displayed properly. You can import the symbology from the saved layer files.

NOTE: I would recommend saving the data in a more consistent folder (e.g. D:\Data or C:\Project\Data)

Re: Layer's Data Source is inaccessible

ManeeshMassey — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 10:33:54 GMT

Hi Jayanta,

Previously, I did see the red exclamation marks next to the layers in the Table of Contents. But after having repaired the data source, the exclamation marks no longer appear. Even after doing this, the data source's layer is not visible in ArcMAP.

Any more suggestions will be very much appreciated.

Re: Layer's Data Source is inaccessible

JayantaPoddar — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 10:37:41 GMT

Could you try right-clicking the layer > Zoom to layer?

Also could you send a screenshot of the layer extent and the spatial reference (Layer properties > Source tab).

Also check the attribute table for the availability of data.

Re: Layer's Data Source is inaccessible

ManeeshMassey — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 11:39:36 GMT

Hi,

I tried to work on the suggestions you gave, like Zoom in to the layer, but found nothing to display. I looked into the attribute table and cannot find the columns it used to show when it was installed in the previous computer.

I know it got to be something relating to the path of the files which is disturbing the layer from being displayed but I don't know where to begin in the right direction in order to solve this problem.

However, I have attached some screenshots of the attribute table, as well as the errors that display with the 'Analyze Map' from the File menu.

I hope this helps to look at the problem.

Re: Layer's Data Source is inaccessible

JayantaPoddar — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 11:51:55 GMT

Thank you for the screenshots... The "UP_Blocks" layer doesn't seem to have any data (or remove the definition query, if any).

For other layers (in 3rd screenshot), validate the definition queries. They seem to be causing issues.

And I am suggesting you once again to move the data source to any other drive (Do not keep it inside C:\Users).

Re: Layer's Data Source is inaccessible

RebeccaStrauch__GISP — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 15:49:01 GMT

I see the first is looking graphic is looking for shapefiles. Make sure you copied all the files associated with the shapefile, and not just the .shp. At a minimum there is usually a .shp, .dbf, .shx, but there can be others, especially a .prj that would contain projection information.

https://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/10.3/manage-data/shapefiles/shapefile-file-extensions.htm

Re: Layer's Data Source is inaccessible

ManeeshMassey — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 06:00:40 GMT

Hi Jayanta,

I removed the definition query from the layer and also moved the data source layer onto another drive like an ext. HDD since I only have one drive on my computer i.e. C drive configured. The drive hasn't been partitioned. Is it okay to keep the data source on an ext. HDD?

I checked to see if the layer becomes visible in ArcMAP, yet it did not work. I still can't get the layer to display in ArcMAP.

I am trying out everything I can. The data source refuses to display. What next ?

Re: Layer's Data Source is inaccessible

ManeeshMassey — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 06:03:56 GMT

Thanks for the reply Rebecca. I do have all the files associated with the shapefile, none of the individual files seem to be missing. However the data source is still inaccessible. This seems to me to be something wrong with the path of the layer that ArcMAP is looking for.

Any more suggestions?

Re: Layer's Data Source is inaccessible

DanPatterson_Retired — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 07:26:49 GMT

what is the path of the file and what is the path of the project?

Re: Layer's Data Source is inaccessible

JayantaPoddar — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 07:52:54 GMT

Maybe you can get in touch with the Esri India Tech Support. They can have a look at the data and work for its resolution. It would be very difficult to provide a solution without having a look at the data.

Esri India Online Technical Support

Re: Layer's Data Source is inaccessible

ManeeshMassey — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 07:55:19 GMT

Hi Dan,

The path of the project and the path of the data file both were different however that has now been corrected by me and both files are now within the ext. HDD folder named GIS. I mentioned earlier that I had removed them from C drive on my computer as suggested by Jayanta above and now both the files are on an ext. HDD in a folder named GIS.

Even after this exercise, the data source is not displaying in ArcMAP.

Just to check I launched a new blank map and then load the data source into i, I right-clicked the attribute table to see if it contained any data in the table. The table was having only 3 columns in it which was previously showing a number of other columns.

I fail to understand the reason why it is not being displayed on the map?

Re: Layer's Data Source is inaccessible

DanPatterson_Retired — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 10:44:08 GMT

lacking paths to look at, you will have to provide that information to tech support

As for why the table have other fields? There was apparently a table 'joined' to your table and the join was broken when you loaded it into a new project. Joins are not permanent but used to display supplemental associated data.

Re: Layer's Data Source is inaccessible

ManeeshMassey — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 11:05:08 GMT

Hello Dan,

I can post a screenshot of the paths to both the files here and you may have a look at them. Meanwhile, I have also requested tech support to the issue at hand, but they have not followed me up on this issue yet. And yes the table that was joined to the layer was broken when I moved to another computer. The shapefile I am trying to load into the program had several other columns in it. As of now, I am seeing just a few columns of data in the shapefile. This is strange as columns are missing from the shapefile.

Re: Layer's Data Source is inaccessible

DanPatterson_Retired — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 11:19:06 GMT

i have never seen several columns vanish from a shapefile. I suspect their presence there was the result of a join. Unless a shapefile is exported/saved to a new file when it has a join, the join remains temporary and it will be lost even when the shapefile is added to a new project. The easiest solution would be to go back to some point in time and find a backup or other copy of the main shapefile and the table used in the join and replicate it. There is essentially nothing that can be done until you locate those files or ... hopefully... your backup copies.

Re: Layer's Data Source is inaccessible

RebeccaStrauch__GISP — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 15:26:08 GMT

I agree with Dan that there was most likely a join (or Relate) which is no longer there.

Can you at least temporarily copy the data from the HDD drive back to the C drive to see if the MXD shows all the fields again. If so, at that point you should be able to review the information needed for the join so you can reestablish it when the data is moved to the new drive.