Course : Geographical Information System

Effective Period : Maret 2019

Geographical Information System

(GIS)

Geodatabase Design
Geodatabase Design
 Acknowledgement
These slides have been adapted from:
ESRI. 2017. Building Geodatabase-Course
Workbook (Student Edition). ESRI Publisher.

Chapter 10
 Learning Objectives
At the end of this session student will be able to:

Design geodatabase
 Contents
• What is Geodatabase?

• An overview of geodatabase design

• Geodatabase Design Steps

• Modeling Feature Class

• Working with Geodatabase Schema

 What is a Geodatabase?

• The geodatabase is the native data structure for ArcGIS and is the
primary data format used for editing and data management.
• It is the physical store of geographic information, primarily using a
database management system (DBMS) or file system.
• Geodatabase software logic provides the common application logic used
throughout ArcGIS for accessing and working with all geographic data in a
variety of files and formats.
• Geodatabases have a transaction model for managing GIS data
workflows

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7
 An overview of geodatabase design
Representation
Each GIS database design begins with a decision as to what the
geographic representations will be for each dataset. Individual
geographic entities can be represented as

1. Feature classes (sets of points, lines, and

polygons)
2. Imagery and rasters
3. Continuous surfaces that can be represented
using features (such as contours), rasters
(digital elevation models [DEM]), or
triangulated irregular networks (TINs) using
terrain datasets
4. Attribute tables for descriptive data
Data themes

Geographic representations are organized in a series of data themes

(sometimes referred to as thematic layers).
A key concept in a GIS is one of data layers, or themes.

A data theme is a collection of

common geographic elements
such as a road network, a
collection of parcel boundaries,
soil types, an elevation surface,
satellite imagery for a certain date,
well locations, etc

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 Geodatabase Design Workflow
Purpose: Creating A
Purpose Geodatabase for
Reason

Assess:
Collect and Design:
analyze Assess
Specify data
information structure and
behaviors

Test: Design meets Design

requirement
Test
Release: Rolled out
for general use Build:
Implement the
Build design
Release
 Geodatabase design steps
Eleven steps to geodatabase design

1. Identify the information products that you will create and manage with your
GIS
2. Identify the key data themes based on your information requirements
3. Specify the scale ranges and the spatial representations of each data theme
at each scale
4. Decompose each representation into one or more geographic datasets
5. Define the tabular database structure and behavior for descriptive attributes
6. Define the spatial behavior, spatial relationships, and integrity rules for your
datasets
7. Propose a geodatabase design
8. Design editing workflows and map display properties
9. Assign responsibilities for building and maintaining each data layer.
10. Build a working prototype. Review and refine your design
11. Document your geodatabase design

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Six key elements to represent the
contents of your geodatabase design

(1) (2) (3)

Six key elements to represent the contents
of your geodatabase design (Cont...)

(5)

(4)

2D and 3D basemaps
(6) 13
Using Microsoft Visio and the
Geodatabase Diagrammer tool
Other key properties of your geodatabase design should be considered
and documented including

• The definition of your coordinate system and spatial properties for

each dataset. This includes such properties as the map projection;
coordinate system; spheroid; datum; x,y units; vertical coordinate
system; and the use of z and m properties.
• Key tolerances and the coordinate resolution for each dataset
• The data sources and data compilation workflowsThis includes
translation scripts, geoprocessing and transformation models, and
the workflows used to build and maintain the dataset.
• Metadata documentation for each dataset

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 Modeling Feature Class
Example feature classes in ArcGIS

Feature class Representation Notes

Street segments split at each intersection; usually
Street centerlines Line
contain address ranges and network properties
Wells Point
Usually have many descriptive attributes in related
Soil types Polygon
tables
Topologically integrated with parcel boundaries and
Parcels* Polygon
corners
Has coordinate geometry and dimension attributes;
Parcel boundaries* Line
participates in a topology with parcels and corners

Surveyed corners of parcels; participates in a

Parcel corners* Point
topology with parcel polygons and boundaries
Provides text labels for lot dimensions, taxation, and
Parcel annotation Annotation
legal description information
Building footprints Polygon Contains outlines of buildings and structures
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Organize related feature classes into feature datasets.

Feature datasets are necessary if you want to

1. Add a topology.
2. Add a cadastral fabric dataset.
3. Add a network dataset (must have the ArcGIS Network Analyst
extension to use).
4. Add geometric networks.
5. Add a terrain dataset (must have ArcGIS 3D Analyst extension to
use).

When to use feature datasets

Use feature datasets to spatially or thematically integrate related feature
classes. Their primary purpose is for building a topology, network
dataset, terrain dataset, or geometric network.
Add geodatabase elements to facilitate data editing and manage
data integrity

want to use subtypes to help

manage subsets of features in a
feature class?

We can
use domains which are Determine whether there are
Determine whether there
rules for assigning valid spatial relationships between
are related tables and if
values in an attribute features in this feature class or
you need relationship
field. with other feature classes that
classes 18
need to be modeled
Final design tips to help your design implementation

• Build on your existing GIS designs.

• Use generic geodatabase types whenever feasible
• Integrate related feature classes using topology
• Combine GIS design concepts from this section with
traditional relational database design methods
• Prototype and pilot your geodatabase design

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 Working with Geodatabase Schema
Exporting a geodatabase schema to an XML workspace document

The steps to copy a geodatabase schema using an XML workspace document are
as follows:
• In the Catalog tree, right-click the geodatabase, feature dataset, feature
class, or table you want to export; point to Export; then click XML
Workspace Document.
• To export the schema without any records from the feature classes and
tables, click Schema Only. Specify the path and name of the new XML file
you will create
• Click Next to preview the contents of the schema information to be copied.
• ClickSummary to review a summary of the extraction contents and other
optional settings. When you are ready, click Finish to export the schema.

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Importing a geodatabase schema from an XML workspace document

• If one does not already exist, create a new geodatabase into which you will
import the schema.
• Right-click the geodatabase, point to Import, then click XML Workspace
Document.
• Use the browser to locate the XML workspace document to import. If you are
sure it is schema only, you can check Schema Only before executing the
import operation.

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 Copying a geodatabase schema using Extract Data Wizard in ArcMap
• This option allows you to specify a spatial reference for your new geodatabase.
• Open the Distributed Geodatabase toolbar: click View > Toolbars > Distributed
Geodatabase.
• Click Extract Data on the Distributed Geodatabase toolbar to start Extract Data Wizard.
• Click the Schema Only button in response to the question,What do you want to extract?
• Navigate to the geodatabase into which you want to copy the schema or type its path. If
the geodatabase doesn't already exist, it will be created for you.
• Check the Show advanced options for overriding data extraction defaults when I click
Next choice at the bottom of the Extract Data Wizard dialog box.
• Click Next to preview the contents of the schema information to be copied.
• Uncheck the Include check boxes for the feature classes, tables, or relationship classes
whose schemas you don't want to export.
• On this panel, you have the option to specify a new spatial reference for the output
schema.
• In this final panel, review a summary of the extraction contents and other optional
settings. When you are ready, click Finish to export the schema.
http://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/10.3/manage-data/geodatabases/copying-the-schema-of-a-geodatabase-
copy-a-geodata.htm
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 Copying the geodatabase schema of an ArcGIS data model template

Follow these steps to use a geodatabase design template

• Connect to the data model Web site at http://support.esri.com/datamodels.

• Find the data model you are interested in (for example, Address) and click the
Design Template link for that data model.

Using CASE tools and UML to create a geodatabase schema

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Using CASE tools and UML to create a geodatabase schema

• Starting at ArcGIS 10 for Desktop, Case tools functionality is available as a separate

setup titled ArcGIS Case Tools for Desktop. The ArcGIS Case Tools for Desktop setup is
available from the Esri Customer Care Portal site under ArcGIS Desktop and is also
available on the ArcGIS for Desktop media under the CaseTools folder.
• With Microsoft Visio or Rational Software Corporation's Rational Rose, design a
geodatabase in UML and export it to an XML Metadata Interchange (XMI) file or
Microsoft Repository.
• In ArcCatalog, go to Customize Toolbars to add the Case Tools toolbar and the Schema
wizard.
• Generate a geodatabase schema from the XMI file or Microsoft Repository with the
Schema wizard.
• Once you have generated the schema, you can modify it with tools in ArcCatalog if
needed.
• Once the schema is ready, you can load data into it

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 References
ESRI. 2017. Building Geodatabases-Official ESRI Training
Courseware (Student Edition)