A comparison of ArcGIS, ArcSDE, and SQL Server data types

When you create a table or add a column to a table in the database, columns are created as a specific data type. Data types are classifications that identify possible values for and operations that can be done on the data, as well as the way the data in that column is stored in the database.

When you import data of one type into a column of another data type, you need to understand what the equivalent data types are between ArcSDE and your database management system (DBMS) because it can impact data content. Also, when creating new datasets in ArcGIS, it is helpful to know the equivalent data types between ArcGIS and your DBMS.

When you create a feature class or table in ArcGIS, there are 11 possible data types you can assign to a field. That means there are some data types that can only be created outside ArcGIS.

ArcSDE data type

SQL Server data type

ArcGIS data type

Notes

SE_STRING_TYPE

CHAR or VARCHAR

TEXT

Used for nonUnicode text, up to 8,000 characters

SE_NSTRING_TYPE

NCHAR or NVARCHAR

TEXT

Used for Unicode text, up to 4,000 characters

SE_INT16_TYPE (SE_SMALLINT_TYPE)

SMALLINT

SHORT INTEGER

SE_INT32_TYPE (SE_INTEGER_TYPE)

INTEGER

LONG INTEGER

SE_INT64_TYPE

BIGINT or NUMERIC (precision < 19, scale = 0)

na

The server configuration parameter INT64TYPES must be TRUE to create columns with this data type.

SE_FLOAT32_TYPE (SE_FLOAT_TYPE)

NUMERIC (precision < 7, scale > 0)

na

SE_FLOAT64_TYPE (SE_DOUBLE_TYPE)

NUMERIC (precision > = 7, scale > 0)

na

SE_DATE_TYPE

DATETIME

DATE

SE_UUID_TYPE

UNIQUEIDENTIFIER

GUID

SE_BLOB_TYPE

VARBINARY(MAX)

BLOB

SE_SHAPE_TYPE

INTEGER, GEOMETRY, or GEOGRAPHY

GEOMETRY

SQL Server data type depends on the geometry storage specified for the layer. Compressed binary or well-known binary = NUMBER(38); Microsoft SQL Server Geometry = GEOMETRY; Microsoft SQL Server Geography = GEOGRAHY.

SE_XML_TYPE

SDE_XML or XML

na

XML columns are not exposed in ArcGIS Desktop.

SE_RASTER_TYPE

VARBINARY(MAX) or ST_RASTER

RASTER

SQL Server data type depends on the raster storage specified in the DBTUNE table.

SE_STRING_TYPE

INT(4)

OBJECTID

REAL

FLOAT

DOUBLE

DOUBLE

If scale is set to greater than 0 in ArcGIS, the SQL Server data type will be NUMERIC.

SE_CLOB_TYPE

VARCHAR(MAX)

TEXT

Used for nonUnicode text of 8,000 characters or more

SE_NCLOB_TYPE

NVARCHAR(MAX)

TEXT

Used for Unicode text of 4,000 characters or more

SQL Server data type comparison

8/19/2013