Geodatabases in ArcGIS 9.3.

File Geodatabase
-Shows as a folder in the Windows file system.
- Unlimited in size and can contain files (e.g. feature classes) whose size can be up to 1 TB.
- Preferred to a personal geodatabase.

Personal Geodatabase
-Shows as a Microsoft Access database in the Windows file system.
- Limited in size to 2 GB.

ArcSDE Geodatabase
- Stored in a relational database using Oracle, Micorsoft SQL Server, IBM DB2, or IBM
Informix.
Geodatabase Elements
 Geodatabase Elements
• Geodatabase can contain different GIS file formats and relationships, some of which in
turn contain other elements. Imported shapefiles become feature classes.

Feature Dataset

Feature Class

Topology Relationship
Table

Table Relationship Class

• Feature classes can be created within a geodatabase or imported from an existing GIS
dataset, such as a shapefile.
• When spatial relations such as topology need to be established between feature classes,
feature classes are stored within feature datasets.
Appearance of File Geodatabases in ArcCatalog and Windows Explorer

In Windows Explorer, a file

database shows up as a folder
containing binary files.
However, there is no feature
class name - binary file name
correspondence.

Warning: Individual files inside

file geodatabases should not
be manipulated in Windows
Explorer!

Individual files should be

manipulated in ArcGIS ; in the
Windows, only entire
geodatabase folders should be
copied/pasted, renamed, deleted.
 Advantages of GDB Feature Classes Over Shapefiles
Component GDB Feature Class Shapefile
Up to 2 GB per each shapefile
Max. size 1 TB.
component file (e.g., .dbf file).
Automatically created
Area and Length fields in the Need to be created by the user;
and live-linked to the
table detached from the spatial features.
spatial features.
Max. table field name length 64 char. 10 char.
XY Coordinate Tolerance
Yes. No.
Contained
Spatial domain present Yes. No.
3-5 smaller than the
Actual size (due to compression)
equivalent shapefile.
Capability to store attribute
Yes. No.
domains, annotation, topologies

Can store Unicode. Yes. No.

Shapefiles have become wide spread amongst GIS software, however, they are an older file
format and should be used for simple feature representations only. Feature classes are
preferable within ArcGIS.
 Feature Dataset

• Feature dataset is an element (object) of a geodatabase.

• It is meant to contain feature classes from the same geographic extent – it has its
geographic extent set (import of manually).
• FMP files within an OBM tile or within a FMU may be part of a feature dataset.
• Feature dataset allows for a creation of topological relations between/within
contained feature classes – thus the set spatial extent.
• It does not accept grid formats.
 Feature Class

• A collection of geographic features with the same geography type (points, lines,
polygons) and within a defined geographic extent.

• Feature classes can be imported from shapefiles, coverages, annotation layers and
dimension features (measurement graphics).

• Subtypes are subsets within a feature class, representing desirable and a logical
division of a feature class.
 Subtypes and Attribute Domains
• Subtypes and attribute domains are feature class elements that allow for easier review of a feature
class and easier enforcement of data integrity across one or many feature classes.
Subtypes are feature class Attribute domains are predefined legal values—
Right click > numeric ranges or codes (numeric, textual, date, etc.)—
subsets created out of Properties
attributes from one of the specifying allowable data inputs for a designated field
integer fields. type, and are used to constrain the input of values.

Should be the same as

the data type of the
targeted field.

The domain
type and
depends on
the desired
design.
 Subtypes and Attribute Domains
• Site Class Domain

A domain does not necessarily target only one field, it can be assigned to several fields, as long as the fields
have the same data type and the attributes in them can be framed based on the same domain; for example
OHT and UHT field attributes can be framed with a Height (tree height range ) domain.
 Subtypes and Attribute Domains in ArcMap, Editing Process
• When a feature class with subtypes is brought into ArcMap the layer’s
legend is automatically made out of subtypes.

• When editing such a feature class, the attribute domain(s)

assigned to that particular subtype become constraints on
attribute input.
• Important: different subtypes have usually different
domains assigned to them (that’s one of the main points for
having the subtypes in the first place!).