Proximity Tool Problem (incorrect units)

[JessicaW]

Hello,

I am a total beginner to ArcGIS, I am just using it for a school project.

Question:  I loaded a list of longitudes/ latitudes (in decimal degrees) of several subjects in an excel file.  I created another excel with just one particular longitude/latitude (in decimal degrees).  I added both data excel files into arcgis.  I displayed xy coordinates and used the Geographic coordinate system.  All the points from both data sets appear on the map.

Goal:  I want to find the distance( meters) from all the points in the first excel file in relation to the one data point in the 2nd excel file I added.  So, I used the proximity tool, then point distance.  I set the first excel data points as my Input feature.  I set the data point from the second excel sheet as my Near feature.  I set the desired output value for meters.

Problem:  When I get the output table of all the distances, they are not in Meters.  They are in a decimal form.  Maybe because my data is in longitude/latitude decimal degrees?  Can someone explain how I can get my distance in Meters?

[JessicaW]

Thank you! That helped a lot.  So I have to define the coordinate system and then re-project.

I just ran the proximity analysis and the distance output was meters. Yay!

[MelitaKennedy]

An alternative to Darren Wiens​ suggestion to use the Project Tool, is to export the layers in ArcMap to a new coordinate system. The steps are:

1. Add the lat/lon data using the Add XY Data Tool (setting a GCS for the coordinate system)

2. Set the data frame's coordinate system to what you want to use. The suggestion to use the State Plane zone for Tennessee was useful. A UTM zone wouldn't be bad either. No projected coordinate system maintains all distances, and using a small scale pcs like the USA equidistant conic would still lead to distance distortions when used for a smaller area like yours.

3. Right click a layer in the table of contents and select data, export data.

4. In that dialog, set it to use the data frame's coordinate system. Fill out the rest of the information.

Melita

[JessicaW]

Thanks Melita!  I'll try that too.