Adding X, Y Coordinates to ArcMap
by Garet Couch
ArcCatalog
1. Open ArcCatalog
2. You will be creating a new table. Open a directory (folder) where you can store the table for future use.
3. Open the folder so the contents appear in the dialog window.
4. Right click in the window, navigate to "new" then click "dbase table."
5. A new table will appear. Name this table "xy_coordinate_worksheet."
6. Right click your new table and select "properties."
7. Select the "fields" tab.
8. You will see two fields "OID" and "Field1."
9. Under "fields" select the next available box.
10. Enter a name of "Point_ID" and set the data type to "text."
11. Create another field named "Latitude" and set the data type to "double."
12. Create one more field named "Longitude" and set the data type to "double."
13. Click "apply."
14. Click "OK."
15. Close ArcCatalog
ArcMap
1. Open ArcMAP.
2. Open a new empty map.
3. Click on the "add data" button.
4. Navigate to the directory (folder) where you stored the table in the first step.
5. Select the table and click "add."
6. On the editor toolbar start editing.
7. Now right click the table and click "open."
8. You can now start keying in your ID and coordinates as long as your coordinates are in decimal degrees. (example N:4230453.24 E:715696.51)
9. If your coordinates are in degrees minutes seconds you will need to convert your coordinates using the following formula. DMS = DD D + M/60 + S/3600 = DD
Example: 45 30’45.22”: 45 + 30/60 + 45.22/3600 = 45.512561
Note: Coordinates representing west and south need to be negative numbers. When entering them into the table, you will need to add the negative sign in front of the numbers.
10. Once all of your coordinates are converted and entered, save your edits and stop editing.
11. In ArcMAP right click on the "xy_coordinate_worksheet" and select "display XY data."
12. Verify X is set to Longitude and Y is set to Latitude
13. Under spatial reference of input coordinates select "edit."
14. Click "select" to select your coordinate system (this will be the coordinate system you have your GPS receiver set to. For example, Projected would include state plane & UTM Geographic would include WGS 84)
15. After you have selected your coordinate system click "OK" to close the coordinate system dialog box.
16. Now click "OK" in the "display XY data" box.
17. If you have completed all of the steps, you should now see your data as points on the map.
18. To check the accuracy, you may want to add air photos or additional data layers.
19. Project complete
1. Open ArcCatalog
2. You will be creating a new table. Open a directory (folder) where you can store the table for future use.
3. Open the folder so the contents appear in the dialog window.
4. Right click in the window, navigate to "new" then click "dbase table."
5. A new table will appear. Name this table "xy_coordinate_worksheet."
6. Right click your new table and select "properties."
7. Select the "fields" tab.
8. You will see two fields "OID" and "Field1."
9. Under "fields" select the next available box.
10. Enter a name of "Point_ID" and set the data type to "text."
11. Create another field named "Latitude" and set the data type to "double."
12. Create one more field named "Longitude" and set the data type to "double."
13. Click "apply."
14. Click "OK."
15. Close ArcCatalog
ArcMap
1. Open ArcMAP.
2. Open a new empty map.
3. Click on the "add data" button.
4. Navigate to the directory (folder) where you stored the table in the first step.
5. Select the table and click "add."
6. On the editor toolbar start editing.
7. Now right click the table and click "open."
8. You can now start keying in your ID and coordinates as long as your coordinates are in decimal degrees. (example N:4230453.24 E:715696.51)
9. If your coordinates are in degrees minutes seconds you will need to convert your coordinates using the following formula. DMS = DD D + M/60 + S/3600 = DD
Example: 45 30’45.22”: 45 + 30/60 + 45.22/3600 = 45.512561
Note: Coordinates representing west and south need to be negative numbers. When entering them into the table, you will need to add the negative sign in front of the numbers.
10. Once all of your coordinates are converted and entered, save your edits and stop editing.
11. In ArcMAP right click on the "xy_coordinate_worksheet" and select "display XY data."
12. Verify X is set to Longitude and Y is set to Latitude
13. Under spatial reference of input coordinates select "edit."
14. Click "select" to select your coordinate system (this will be the coordinate system you have your GPS receiver set to. For example, Projected would include state plane & UTM Geographic would include WGS 84)
15. After you have selected your coordinate system click "OK" to close the coordinate system dialog box.
16. Now click "OK" in the "display XY data" box.
17. If you have completed all of the steps, you should now see your data as points on the map.
18. To check the accuracy, you may want to add air photos or additional data layers.
19. Project complete
This
page last updated February 14, 2006
http://www.showme.net/GIS/