Basics of ARCGIS

Defining a Working file

ArcCatalog to navigate through all folders and files in the system
ArcCatalog directory tree showing all folders with connection to the AcrCatalog
Click Connect to folder to add a new folder connection
and then select the desired working folder and it will be then added to the list of folder connections
 ArcGIS file and folder naming
convention
When naming folders and files, avoid using space
and use underscore and also avoid using special
characters

Eg: Use working_file instead of working file

Avoid using characters such as *, # $ etc.
Creating a geodatabase
 Geodatabase is similar to a
folder but used for storing geo-
information

In ArcGIS the Geodatabase

ends with a .gdb and .mdb
file extension
Right click on the working forlder -> new and select file geodatabase to create a new database (use the arcgis naming
convention to name the new folder)
Right click on the working forlder -> new and select file geodatabase to create a new database (use the arcgis naming
convention to name the new folder)
Hierarchy of Geodatabase in ArcGIS
Geo- Container/folder for all data
Database

Container/folder for all data with the same coordinate system. Eg:
Feature Thimphu local coordinate system files will be classified within one
Dataset feature dataset

The features of the map. Similar to the autocad layers except a

Feature feautreclass has only one type of feature(polygon, line, point etc)

Class Eg: Plots are one feature class of type polygon and roads another
featureclass of type line
Geodatabase

Feature Dataset
Line featureclass

Polygon featureclass
Creating a featureclass
Exporting maps
Adding Data
Usage: Plot Classification
Usage: Labeling Feature Class
Usage: Joining Excel data
Usage: Displaying Data