converting Distance Field values from a Spatial Join

[DanielBrenner]

Hi,

I recently used the Spatial Join tool to join 2 point files of X/Y, Lat/Long values, one being Weather Stations, the other Zip Code Centroids.  The files had an angular unit of Degree (decimal degree, I am guessing/hoping?)  The distance field was in a decimal format. 

I would like to be able to convert this 6 digit number into miles, but am in the dark as to what conversion factor do I use.   I can easily draw a line between a Weather Station and a Zip Code Centroid in miles, but how to convert the value in the Distance field is mystifying.

Please clear this up ASAP.

Thank you,

Dan Brenner

[DarrenWiens2]

1.) Project your lat/long data
2.) Spatial join. The distance field should be in the coordinate system distance units

[DanielBrenner]

darren,

Sorry but no dice either on that.  I added the table of zip code centroids, gave it a Projection of State Plane California in feet, and reprojected the file of weather stations into the same, and I'm still getting these weird numbers in the Distance field.   Ideally i'd like to have the Distance field units be in miles, and I guess I could do a Field Calculator equation which converts feet into miles (x feet * 43360), but that still doesnt' seem right.  I don't think there's a projection that has miles in it for units.

I've attached a jpg of the current table for the Spatial Join file.  The Data Frame's Display Units are in miles, the projected coordinate system for both Zip and Stations is NAD_1983_StatePlane_California_III_FIPS_0403_Feet. 

Please clarify.

Thank you,

Dan Brenner

[DarrenWiens2]

The conversion from feet to miles is to divide the number of feet by 5280 (there are 5280 feet in a mile).

[DanielBrenner]

Got it to go!

Not to rag on ESRI, but why is it so hard provide simple, down-to-Earth instructions like this for something that could be so useful?


I could have used any of the Near or Proximity functions, which were real enticing, before I did a Spatial Join, but nooo, no directions there either!!

[PatrickBurns1]

A decade later, I have the *same* problem.  Using ArcGIS Pro 3.1, I'm trying to measure the distance -- as the crow flies -- between the sets of points. I've tried this using the Geoprocessing Tools "Near" and "Spatial Join," and the both seem to be giving me results in decimal degrees (or some unknown measurement scale).  How to find out what this measurement unit is, and how to convert it to miles (ideally in the same table, using calculate field)?