topic Re: Geodatabase from ftp registering as regular file folder!? in Data Management Questions

Geodatabase from ftp registering as regular file folder!?

RyanSmith — Sat, 19 Dec 2015 16:27:51 GMT

Hi. I am doing some work for a nonprofit, we are getting some data from the local city government. They are providing it via an ftp site. However, I am having problems accessing the data within it. Whenever I try to connect to it, it just reads as a regular folder (in other words, the icon is that of a folder and not a geodatabase), and if I click to go within it nothing else appears. I have tried downloading it several times and from different computers. I only have esri on one computer so I can only try connecting to it on that particular desktop. I've also tried accessing the database from within arcmap and also arccatalog, with the same results. I read somewhere that this happens somewhere if a gdb is corrupted. I am assuming it is not on their end, but I have not contacted them because so far it's been a bit of a hassle for all parties and I'd rather not bug them again if possible.

I've attached a screenshot of how it looks when I try to add data from it into ArcMap. If I double click on the folder, it appears to be empty.

Any ideas on why a .gdb would be reading as a regular file folder, and what I can do to fix it? Any input is appreciated.

Thanks

Re: Geodatabase from ftp registering as regular file folder!?

DanPatterson_Retired — Sat, 19 Dec 2015 17:22:28 GMT

GeoNet Community Structure describes the GeoNet structure, unfortunately, the Lounge is not the best place to post a question. Perhaps Managing Data or Geoprocessing.

In any event, a geodatabase isn't meant to be explored with the operating system since it is in effect a glorified folder (great simplification here), it's are meant to be added to ArcMap, so download the file to disk into a folder, launch arcmap, select the Add Data tool, navigate to the geodatabase on disk and add away

In the future, request that they send the file as a zip file, that will avoid all confusion if it can't be downloaded via ftp

Re: Geodatabase from ftp registering as regular file folder!?

RebeccaStrauch__GISP — Sat, 19 Dec 2015 22:21:55 GMT

If you look at the folder in Windows explore, are there files within the folder, or is that also empty?

also, you may want to verify that you are using the same version, or you are at least at the version of the fgdb source.

Re: Geodatabase from ftp registering as regular file folder!?

RyanSmith — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 17:08:15 GMT

Thanks for the response. No, it's not empty if I go through windows

explorer. There are 262 items.

I'm using arcmap 10.3.1, I don't know what version they are using, so

you're saying if it's from an earlier version that might be a problem?

On Sat, Dec 19, 2015 at 5:22 PM, Rebecca Strauch, GISP <geonet@esri.com>

Re: Geodatabase from ftp registering as regular file folder!?

RebeccaStrauch__GISP — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 20:00:41 GMT

Not if from an earlier version, there should be an issue.

i see this is a duplicate of your other post Re: Can't add data from geodatabase

in the future, you can try Moving Content instead of starting a new thread (I know it takes a while to learn the ins and outs of geonet).

as Robert mentioned in the other post, it sounds like something may be corrupt. I know I sometime get differnt results from Friday's (ugh...autocorrect) FTP depending on what browser I use (I know it should be this way). Maybe try connecting to the to in a different matter and unzipping again. If that doesn't work, you may just need to have them resend the .zip.

one other thing, you didn't try to rename the fgdb during an unzip or from file explorer by chance? If so, try naming it back....once catalog sees it you can rename it.

Re: Geodatabase from ftp registering as regular file folder!?

TimothyHales — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 20:02:16 GMT

Got it moved to Managing Data