Import From Interchange File (Coverage)

Summary

Converts an ARC/INFO export interchange file.

An ARC/INFO interchange file can be used to transport coverages; INFO tables; text files, such as AML macros; and other ARC/INFO files between various machine types. An interchange file contains all coverage information and appropriate INFO table information in a fixed-length ASCII format.

There are many ways to use Import From Interchange. One way is to transport a coverage and its associated INFO tables. Each coverage file and its INFO tables are read from the interchange file into an output coverage. This is done by using the keyword COVER for the first argument. Another way is to transfer an INFO table. In this case, any INFO pathname/username can be used to specify the name of the output INFO table. This option is invoked by using the keyword INFO for the first argument. A third way is to use Import with the TEXT option to transfer key files, AML macros, and other text files.

If multiple volumes are provided by Export To Interchange, the ASCII interchange file name for Import from Interchange must be in the format <interchange_file>.E00 through <interchange_file>.Enn, where nn is the last volume ID. Even if only one volume is produced, this file name must have the .E00 extension.

Usage

Syntax

Import_arc (feature_type, interchange_file, out_dataset)
ParameterExplanationData Type
feature_type

The type of file to be imported. Auto is the default option.

  • AUTO
  • COVER
  • FONT
  • GRID
  • INFO
  • LINESET
  • PLOT
  • MAP
  • MARKERSET
  • SHADESET
  • STACK
  • TEXT
  • TEXTSET
  • TIN
String
interchange_file

The prefix name of the ARC/INFO interchange file to be converted. A volume ID of .e00, .e01, and so on, will always be appended to the given interchange_file to specify the file or files to be imported.

File
out_dataset

The name of the output dataset.

Coverage

Code Sample

Import example (stand-alone script)

The following stand-alone script demonstrates how to import a coverage from an ArcInfo interchange file.

# Name: Import_Example.py
# Description: Imports from E00 format to a coverage
# Requirements: ArcInfo Workstation
# Author: ESRI

# Import system modules
import arcpy
from arcpy import env

# Set environment settings
env.workspace = "C:/data"

# Set local variables
featureType = "COVER"
interchangeFile = "citylim.e00"
outDataset = "C:/output/citylimit"

# Execute Import
arcpy.Import_arc(featureType, interchangeFile, outDataset)

Environments

Related Topics

Licensing Information

ArcView: No
ArcEditor: No
ArcInfo: Requires ArcInfo Workstation installed

Published 6/8/2010