I need to make a shapefile of points from a table of data, two columns of which are lat. and long. values in decimal degrees. I need to see where these points are and what their attributes are.
I have done this before many times successfully but now cannot, and after hours trying have given up searching the web, arcgis 'help', or documentation.
Arcgis 10. SP5.
I have a csv file but cannot get it to convert or display . The headers and first two rows are at the bottom of this message. I have also tried deleting everything but the X and &Y values, which also doesn't work.
Attempting to drag the csv to arcmap gives "could not open the specified file" (for the full or just XY versions or even one with only three rows and X/Y!)
Trying in arccatalog to import x,y gives "there was an error trying to process this file", for same versions as above.
There are no spaces in the field names, no spaces or other weird characters in the x/y, even checked to see that the "-" was actually a minus for the longitude. There are no blank rows or columns. I have also checked and removed all commas from the data fields to not confuse esri over the csv field locations - no improvement.
So I guess I need to know where to find the 'rules' - what characters are/aren't 'allowed' or other 'windows-95' limitations from the last century might exist. Do the X and Y columns have to have the same number of digits or characters? (that'd be ridiculous of course). Surely I am allowed to put characters into the other fields (e.g., the html stuff)!?
Maybe I need a basic 'how to' document, though I wasn't able to even find that on the web or arcmap help!
Please, someone... this is /nuts!/
------------------------------
Headers and first 2 rows (keep in mind that I also made versions with only X/Y columns, same results):
YLatitude,XLongitude,ScientificName,EventType,VerbatimDate,SpecificLocality,ErrorRadiusInMeters,Datum,CollectionCode,URL
64.81,-141.16,Potentilla pensylvanica,accepted place of collection,1987.07.08,Yukon R. Eagle (Mission) Bluff 1 km N of Eagle,3615,unknown,Herbarium ALA Vascular Plants,http://arctos.database.museum/guid/UAM:Herb:28568 UAM:Herb:28568
64.78,-141.16,Comarum palustre,accepted place of collection,1982.07.08,Eagle,3615,unknown,Herbarium ALA Vascular Plants,http://arctos.database.museum/guid/UAM:Herb:28327 UAM:Herb:28327
65.15,-141.05,Saxifraga bronchialis,accepted place of collection,1993.06.18,Ogilvie Mts. Upper Hard Luck and Cathedral Ck. drainage vic. 1 mile NE of VABM Pack,3615,unknown,Herbarium ALA Vascular Plants,http://arctos.database.museum/guid/UAM:Herb:7300 UAM:Herb:7300
I have done this before many times successfully but now cannot, and after hours trying have given up searching the web, arcgis 'help', or documentation.
Arcgis 10. SP5.
I have a csv file but cannot get it to convert or display . The headers and first two rows are at the bottom of this message. I have also tried deleting everything but the X and &Y values, which also doesn't work.
Attempting to drag the csv to arcmap gives "could not open the specified file" (for the full or just XY versions or even one with only three rows and X/Y!)
Trying in arccatalog to import x,y gives "there was an error trying to process this file", for same versions as above.
There are no spaces in the field names, no spaces or other weird characters in the x/y, even checked to see that the "-" was actually a minus for the longitude. There are no blank rows or columns. I have also checked and removed all commas from the data fields to not confuse esri over the csv field locations - no improvement.
So I guess I need to know where to find the 'rules' - what characters are/aren't 'allowed' or other 'windows-95' limitations from the last century might exist. Do the X and Y columns have to have the same number of digits or characters? (that'd be ridiculous of course). Surely I am allowed to put characters into the other fields (e.g., the html stuff)!?
Maybe I need a basic 'how to' document, though I wasn't able to even find that on the web or arcmap help!
Please, someone... this is /nuts!/
------------------------------
Headers and first 2 rows (keep in mind that I also made versions with only X/Y columns, same results):
YLatitude,XLongitude,ScientificName,EventType,VerbatimDate,SpecificLocality,ErrorRadiusInMeters,Datum,CollectionCode,URL
64.81,-141.16,Potentilla pensylvanica,accepted place of collection,1987.07.08,Yukon R. Eagle (Mission) Bluff 1 km N of Eagle,3615,unknown,Herbarium ALA Vascular Plants,http://arctos.database.museum/guid/UAM:Herb:28568 UAM:Herb:28568
64.78,-141.16,Comarum palustre,accepted place of collection,1982.07.08,Eagle,3615,unknown,Herbarium ALA Vascular Plants,http://arctos.database.museum/guid/UAM:Herb:28327 UAM:Herb:28327
65.15,-141.05,Saxifraga bronchialis,accepted place of collection,1993.06.18,Ogilvie Mts. Upper Hard Luck and Cathedral Ck. drainage vic. 1 mile NE of VABM Pack,3615,unknown,Herbarium ALA Vascular Plants,http://arctos.database.museum/guid/UAM:Herb:7300 UAM:Herb:7300