Creating a file geodatabase

Creating a new file geodatabase involves creating a special file folder on disk using ArcGIS. This can be done using ArcCatalog, the Catalog window in ArcMap, or geoprocessing tools.

How to create a file geodatabase using ArcCatalog or the Catalog window in ArcMap

Steps:

1. Right-click the file folder in the Catalog tree where you want to create the file geodatabase.
2. Point to New.
3. Click File Geodatabase.

   A new file geodatabase is created in the location you selected.

4. Rename the file geodatabase by right-clicking the file geodatabase name, choosing Rename, then typing a new name.

Tip:

File geodatabases that correspond to older releases of ArcGIS can be created by using the Create File GDB geoprocessing tool. This ability will facilitate sharing data with users who have older releases of ArcGIS, since older releases of ArcGIS may not be able to open newer releases of the geodatabase. For more information on this, see Client and geodatabase compatibility.