thanks for the info eric. I can't emphasize enough how much of a novice I am with arc, after having come from a long mapinfo background, so if anyone's up for it I could still use more clarification....
- my two point layers, when put into a 'generate near table' are coming back with what I presume are decimal degrees for the DISTANCE column; I would prefer metres.
- point layer 1 ('stores'), under its source is set to geographic coordinate system: GCS_NAD_1983_NSRS2007 and datum: D_NAD_1983_NSRS2007. it was generated using lat and long columns in the original table to 'add XY data'.
- point layer 2 ('competitors'), under its source is set to geographic coordinate system: GCS_NAD_1983_NSRS2007 and datum: D_NAD_1983_NSRS2007. it was also generated using lat and long columns from the original table to 'add XY data'.
- if I right-click the 'layers' at the very top of the ToC, and go to the coordinate system tab, it shows:
WGS_1984_UTM_Zone_17N
Projection: Transverse_Mercator
False_Easting: 500000.000000
False_Northing: 0.000000
Central_Meridian: -81.000000
Scale_Factor: 0.999600
Latitude_Of_Origin: 0.000000
Linear Unit: Meter
so, I see a mismatch here in that the layers themselves are geographic (GCS_NAD_1983_NSRS2007?) but the 'layers' shows projected (UTM zone 17N)? is one taking precedence over the other, resulting in a decimal degrees measurement for DISTANCE in the near table? is there some blatant mismatch here that I should address first, and how? if something such as the project tool in the toolbox is what I'll need, some step by step instructions would be very handy. my goal is to have these two point layers on a properly projected map of all of canada (not just one UTM zone), which comes back with metres when I generate a near table...
thanks very much all,
cj