topic Adding an editable layer, starting a map with .dwg's in Data Management Questions https://community.esri.com/t5/data-management-questions/adding-an-editable-layer-starting-a-map-with-dwg-s/m-p/100373#M5855 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><SPAN>Problem:</SPAN><BR /><SPAN>I'm trying to begin an edit session but don't have any editable layers. It seems like I should be starting with data that is editable to begin with so I can't find steps to add an editable layer from scratch, as far as I can see.</SPAN><BR /><BR /><SPAN>Background:</SPAN><BR /><SPAN>I've been asked to encode the location of AEDs in various buildings across my campus. I have the .dwg CAD files to start out with. There is no spatial reference information tied to these files, as far as I can tell. There are plans to encode other information but right now they are all going to go on separate map files. I'm not sure if I should be approaching this problem in a different way (to ensure that everything will be able to merge in the long run). Vague question/problem statement, but I've never worked with ArcGIS Desktop software before and I'm crash-coursing it now...</SPAN></BODY></HTML> Thu, 09 Jun 2011 12:10:16 GMT JonathanCarreon 2011-06-09T12:10:16Z Adding an editable layer, starting a map with .dwg's https://community.esri.com/t5/data-management-questions/adding-an-editable-layer-starting-a-map-with-dwg-s/m-p/100373#M5855 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><SPAN>Problem:</SPAN><BR /><SPAN>I'm trying to begin an edit session but don't have any editable layers. It seems like I should be starting with data that is editable to begin with so I can't find steps to add an editable layer from scratch, as far as I can see.</SPAN><BR /><BR /><SPAN>Background:</SPAN><BR /><SPAN>I've been asked to encode the location of AEDs in various buildings across my campus. I have the .dwg CAD files to start out with. There is no spatial reference information tied to these files, as far as I can tell. There are plans to encode other information but right now they are all going to go on separate map files. I'm not sure if I should be approaching this problem in a different way (to ensure that everything will be able to merge in the long run). Vague question/problem statement, but I've never worked with ArcGIS Desktop software before and I'm crash-coursing it now...</SPAN></BODY></HTML> Thu, 09 Jun 2011 12:10:16 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/data-management-questions/adding-an-editable-layer-starting-a-map-with-dwg-s/m-p/100373#M5855 JonathanCarreon 2011-06-09T12:10:16Z Re: Adding an editable layer, starting a map with .dwg's https://community.esri.com/t5/data-management-questions/adding-an-editable-layer-starting-a-map-with-dwg-s/m-p/100374#M5856 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><SPAN>CAD files are not editable in ArcMAP.&nbsp; They can be brought in, georeferenced, displayed and copied (sometimes) to editable feature classes.&nbsp; However they can be converted to GIS features, both by the </SPAN><STRONG>CAD to geodatabase </STRONG><SPAN> tool and by reprojecting to a different coordinate system.&nbsp; </SPAN><BR /><BR /><SPAN>Likely your best approach will be to convert all the CAD data into gdb feature classes if you need to edit it.&nbsp; This will involve georeferencing them either by knowing some coordinates or having a reference base map.</SPAN><BR /><BR /><SPAN>On the other hand if you are only plotting locations, you may only need a single point file (feature class or shapefile) and just display the dwgs as background layers once georefed.</SPAN><BR /><BR /><SPAN>Hardolph</SPAN></BODY></HTML> Fri, 10 Jun 2011 04:52:55 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/data-management-questions/adding-an-editable-layer-starting-a-map-with-dwg-s/m-p/100374#M5856 HardolphWasteneys 2011-06-10T04:52:55Z