Projection Problem

[AlexanderPugliese]

I just uploaded a bunch of points using the display XY data in the following format:

Lat: 38.655666 Long: -122.793479

No matter what projection I originally set everything to it always projects into the ocean.  All the points seem to be accurate and when I search the lat/long in google earth they are accurate so I'm a bit lost atm.

I've set the data frame coordinate system to the same system I am using on my layer.  I've tried everything from adding the data in a current ArcMap document to a brand new one and I keep getting the same results.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

~alex

[DarrenWiens2 · Accepted solution]

No matter what projection I originally set

Those are Lat/Long, so your original coordinate reference system for the point(s) should be geographic, not projected. Try WGS84 as a default, or other if you know.

[AlexanderPugliese]

This was the fix and I am an idiot!

Thanks so much for your time!

~alex

[nasiaqureshi]

Hi Alex,

I tested out your point in ArcMap and it landed in California. Is this correct? just make sure your settings is in decimal degrees when you got to plot your points. Good Luck,

[DanPatterson_Retired]

And an oft mixed up thing when adding event layers... X is longitude and Y is latitude

[PROBERT68]

@ Dan Patterson yes it always does messed up our brains !!!!

[DanPatterson_Retired]

Because people still say "latitude - longitude" for historic and non-geometric reasons. 

I will give this reference since it is very complete as to how this travesty (my comment) occured and how it has been perputuated and actively endorsed for a variety of which are largely insane (ok...that was a comment).

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7309121/preferred-order-of-writing-latitude-longitude-tuples

Most of the original references are in there and it will save me time in looking up the missing.

Now don't get me started on why it is ... X-Y ... Easting-Northing (or is it the other way around??? gosh)  or Define Projection vs Project

I am sure the nomenclature originated with the same desire for obfuscation.

[NeilAyres]

Good one Dan...

When preparing a table for storing these sort of values, I always call the 2 coordinate fields :

XLong, YLat.

[VinceAngelo]

I try to spell out "Longitude" and "Latitude", or use 3-character abbreviations (which won't collide with a datatype reserved word in any platform).  Where possible, I try to include units as a postfix or prefix (e.g., "LatitudeDD", "DMS_Lon",...).  Using "Long" causes me to break out in hives (same as with spaces in directories).  I suppose "LonX" and "LatY" wouldn't require benedryl, but it might be a close thing.

- V

[NeilAyres]

Vince,

the Fields XLong & Ylat would be reserved exclusively for real numbers.

If I was storing DMS or some other format of notation, I tend to make it obvious in the attribute name that it is TEXT, like

XLongDMSText or something.