Geo-Database Help

[BrookMorris]

We are receiving a number of geo-databases from all the installations that provide us with the real property information of all the facilities and utilities. We use this in building our ESS databases for explosives safety site planning. We are having problems accessing the real property data and need to export it some how into an excel format. Then we bring it into the access database and it integrates with the geo-data and imagery for the rendering of the explosives site plan analysis output.

We are not able to access the facility numbers or other facility specifics upon importing the layers of the Geo-database.  Any suggestions, Can anyone provide step by step instructions on how to do that?

[DanPatterson_Retired]

hard to answer this question since it is hard to tell where you are on the spectrum of gis functionality.  There are some key words you use that are appropriate, but then you say you are exporting out to, or want to export out to excel to do some work.  So, are you familiar with arcgis specifically and what level of familiarity do you have.

I will cite the help file online... ignore the ArcGIS PRO section and examine the tree to the left.  There are tutorials and the like inside...but if you could use some specific examples of what you know , the more targeted advice could be given

Documentation | ArcGIS for Desktop

[ChrisDonohue__GISP]

As Dan Patterson mentioned, this problem has a myriad of potential sources, so without more information, it will be hard to provide an relevant answer.  So, with that in mind, can you provide some basic information:

• Which GIS software are you using?  ArcGIS?  ArcGIS Pro?
• What Version is the software?  10.4, 10.3, 10.2.1, etc?
• What type of Geodatabases are you working with?  Personal Geodatabases?  File Geodatabases?  Enterprise Geodatabases (SDE)?  Some other format?  Another file type, like a Coverage or Shapefile?
• What Version of Excel are you working with?
• What Version of Access are you working with?
• You mention that some of the data cannot be accessed.  Does only some of the data transfer over, with some missing?  Or is none of it transferring over?
• What specific processes/tools/functions are being used?  In using these, do you get any error messages, and if so, what are they?

Chris Donohue, GISP

[BrookMorris]

Chris and Dan,

Thank you for your quick feedback and help!  Let me say up front myself and some others are breaking into the ArcGIS realm and know enough to make us dangerous.  Doing the explosives safety site planning originally involved using an MS Access DB called ESS that interfaced with the ArcGIS runtime engine initially.  We have now progressed to using ArcGIS desktop basic Version 10.3.1.

We receive the data files from the installation master planners for us to build the DB's.  This usually consists of an access or excel file in a text format that is the real property data (Fac ID, Fac Number, RPUID, square footage, Barricade data, number of souls, etc...) and includes a number of shape files and a *.SID image file or multiples we just tile.  We import those layers into the ESS program. We then perform a detailed analysis of all facilities and transportation routes for standoff distances and authorized net explosive weights given those distances allowing commanders and directors to make decisions on where and when to place installation infrastructure assets thus minimizing damage, injury and fatality potentials to the mission assets.

In the past we have been receiving shape files that were no problem to import into the program.

We are now receiving a myriad of personal and file geodatabases and we can import the imagery with little to no issues.  The main issue is data quality!

We can  import the individual layers, but the problem we are running into is the fact that not one master planner in the Army has their real property data standardized.   Yes, they are using the SDSFIE standard for the most part, but their numbering of facilities is completely different at each installation.  With that said, we have to go in and edit some of the data to eliminate duplicates and null values and modify facility numbers: (Ex., Facility might have four different numbers assigned with all being the same--Fac: 001 Office; Fac: 001 Generator Support; Fac: 001 Explosives Operation.  We have to go in and renumber as 001A, 001B, 001C, etc...

The version of Excel is 2013, 32-bit.

The version of Access is 2013 32-bit.

I believe the information is there, we just haven't achieved the user 10% factor level of expertise yet.  LOL 

I hope this clarifies.

Brook Morris

[RuthBowers]

Are you looking for a way to identify features that are spatially the same but don't have the same ID? And looking for the best way to locate features with nulls in certain columns? And you are working with personal and file geodatabases in ArcGIS 10.3? That is what I am getting from your description.