Shapefile attribute table

[paulmcburney]

Hey Everyone,

I just imported a shapefile from arcgis online. The layer appears on the map but there is no attribute table associated with it, which I need for my analysis. Is this a restriction from the source of the shapefile or is there something I can do to access the table?

Thank you for your time!

[DanPatterson_Retired]

there has to be an attribute table, otherwise the shapefile wouldn't work.  It may be that you aren't allowed to open the table, but if the file is saved locally, then you can open it in database programs and older versions of excel

[paulmcburney]

Dan,

When a right click the layer there is no option to open the attribute table. I assume that means I'm simply not allowed to open the table?

[DanPatterson_Retired]

bingo... a limitation of the software, but shapefiles can be opened up in other Arc* software and/or open source gis packages or the dbase portion as I previously mentions

[XanderBakker]

Can you include a screenshot of the Source tab of the properties of the layer. I wonder if it really is a shapefile...

[ChadKopplin]

If you pull the shapefile into your map can you use the identify tool to see your attribution?  If so, then you should still be able to use it for your analysis, but you would have to know your analysis parameters for that data before your use the data.  Also, is there any metadata associated with the shapefile?  This should have the attributes listed if it is complete.

[JayantaPoddar]

Hi Paul,

I think you are using a tiled map service (just an image of the map) instead of a shapefile. Even a feature layer service would have an attribute table attached with it.

[DanPatterson_Retired]

I wonder where the word shapefile came from then? strange

[XanderBakker]

Should I branch this as a new question ... ?

Couldn't find it in: https://www.esri.com/library/whitepapers/pdfs/shapefile.pdf

nor in this page: https://doc.arcgis.com/en/arcgis-online/reference/shapefiles.htm

and neither here: Shapefile - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Should we ask Jack or Scott?

[DanPatterson_Retired]

Grief I meant in the question.... will have to be more specific