Is there a location which tells me how to format my data for specific analysis tools?

[EbrarMohammad]

I read about the tools and its great, then I try to run it with my data and I get empty outputs etc. Can anyone offer advice?

Thanks,

Abby

[DanPatterson_Retired]

Can you provide an example.  It is pretty hard to provide advice beyond simple things like file paths and names

[EbrarMohammad]

Hi Dan. Thank you for replying. An example is optimized hot spot analysis. I input a point feature data set and it outputs a fishnet polygon with only a single value. I have tried going into the symbology layer and playing around (using the GiP, Gi_Bin, or Gi_Z values as the value fields), however, nothing seems to work. I have defined a boundary polygon so all cells within the study area can be evaluated and to avoid getting a probability of 0 where there is a probability, but still nothing. I have used the kernel density tool and that works so I know the data is not flawed or anything. I have included an image of the format I have used. I should also note I add it as a data layer which I create using ArcGIS for Developers or the Catalog. Is that the issue?

Thank you,

Abby

[DanPatterson_Retired]

Abby, you need to make an 'Event' layer

Make XY Event Layer—Data Management toolbox | ArcGIS Desktop 

from the longitude (X) and latitude (Y) data,

Then save it to a file geodatabase (Copy Features or equivalent)

During the process, make sure that you define the coordinate system as a GCS-NAD83 or -WGS84 as appropriate for the data (Define Projection tool)

If you then need to get it into another coordinate system to match your polygons, then you need to use the Project tool

All during this process, avoid file paths that contain spaces or other non-text characters, and use a real folder on a real drive.