Adding X, Y Coordinate Data in ArcGIS 10

X, Y coordinate values describe discrete locations on the earth's surface, and are collected using GPS devices. Once the information has been uploaded from the GPS to a computer, it is possible to map these points in the ArcGIS environment. he procedure belo! outlines the steps re"uired to create a point shapefile from #our X, Y coordinate values in ArcGIS $%. Step 1 Format data

&egin b# opening the file in '(cel or a similar spreadsheet program. 'nsure that #our first ro! contains the column headings) tr# to *eep the column names as short and descriptive as possible. +hec* that the cells containing #our coordinate values are in numeric format. his is important , lat-long values ./S be in decimal degrees. If #our data has been entered in degrees, minutes and seconds format then it !ill be necessar# to convert to decimal degrees. he conversion formula is as follo!s0
Decimal Degrees = Degrees + ((Minutes / 60) + (Seconds / 3600))

Select all of the cells in the spreadsheet that contain data and clic* on File > Save As. In the Save As dialog, bro!se to the director# in !hich #ou !ish to save #our !or*, change the Save As Type bo( to read +S1, and enter a name for the document. +lic* Save. Note: ArcGIS 9x and later will support Excel for at! "owever# s"ould you "ave any issues atte ptin$ t"is process wit" an Excel spreads"eet t"en it ay %e necessary to save t"e file to a different for at &'(F# T)T# *S+,.

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&ro!se to #our director# and open the file in 2otepad. he document should appear similar to the e(ample belo! 3 a delimited te(t file !ith the first ro! containing column headings and the remaining ro!s containing #our data.

Step 2

Add

! " Data to ArcMap 5.

Open a ne!, blan* document in Arc.ap. +lic* the Add 'ata button 4

he Add 'ata dialog !ill displa# onl# the directories to !hich a connection has been established. If #ou are able to see the drive in !hich #our !or* has been saved, bro!se to the file containing #our coordinates, and clic* Add. If #ou can't see the drive, create a connection using the the *onnect to Folder button 4 bro!se into the director#, highlight the file containing #our coordinates, and clic* Add. 5, then

he +S1 file !ill appear in the Arc.ap table of contents. 2ote that the file must be closed in all other applications 4'(cel, 2otepad5 prior to adding it to Arc.ap. If it is open in an# other application, #ou !ill most li*el# receive an error message. o displa# #our coordinate values as points, right3clic* the file name in the Arc.ap table of contents and select -'isplay ). 'ata...-

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he Add ). 'ata dialog !ill open. Specif# the fields that contain the X and Y coordinates, !ith X corresponding to longitude 4easting5 values and Y corresponding to latitude 4northing5 values. Set the desired coordinate s#stem b# clic*ing the 'Edit' button at the bottom of the screen and bro!sing to the coordinate s#stem of #our data.

+lic* O6 to close the Spatial 7eference Properties dialog, and clic* O6 again to process the re"uest. You !ill receive a !arning that the resulting table does not have an Ob8ect3I9 field , clic* O6 to close the message , !e !ill create an Ob8ect I9 field in Step : belo!. Your XY data !ill appear as points on #our map.

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Step 3

#$port data

Although the X, Y data is visible on #our map, it e(ists onl# as an event la#er on this particular map document. o create a permanent file that can be used in calculations and anal#ses, right3 clic* the Events la#er name in the table of contents and choose 'ata > Export 'ata. ;ollo! the instructions in the resulting dialog to save the ne! file to #our !or*ing director#.

+hoose .es !hen prompted to add the e(ported data to Arc.ap. A ne! shapefile !ith the name #ou have specified is added to #our director# as !ell as to the map document. You ma# no! remove the +S1 file and the 'vents la#er 4ri$"t/clic0 > 1e ove,. Your ne! shapefile is full# functional, and can be added to multiple map documents, pro8ected, or used in calculations and geoprocessing functions. File > Save to save the map document.

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