Importing a feature class (single)

Steps:

1. In the Catalog tree, right-click the geodatabase or feature dataset to which you want to import a dataset. Click Import > Feature Class (single).

   This opens the Feature Class To Feature Class tool from the Conversion toolbox.

2. Set the following parameters for this tool:
• Input Features—Browse to the dataset you want to import.
• Output Location—Specify the location in which the output feature class will be created.

  This can be either a geodatabase, feature dataset, or folder. If the output location is a folder, the output will be a shapefile.

• Output Feature Class—Specify the name of the output feature class.
• Expression (optional)—Enter the Structured Query Language (SQL) query expression that will be used to select records. The syntax for the expression is different for different data formats. Some of the most commonly encountered differences are below.

  For ArcSDE, the field names are not wrapped, for example, MY_FIELD. For file or personal geodatabases, the field names are wrapped in square brackets, for example, [MY_FIELD]. For all others, the field names are wrapped in double quotes, for example, "MY_FIELD". Access uses * and ? as string wildcards rather than % and _ in all other formats.

• Field Map (optional)—Choose the fields and field contents from the inputs.

  Each of the unique input fields are listed on the Field Map window, and when expanded, you can see a list of all the input field occurrences (subfields). New fields can also be added.For each field map, you can add, rename, or delete output fields as well as set properties such as data type and merge rule. You can also delete an output field's subfields, and you can format any output field's values if the data type is text.

  Learn more about choosing and setting the output fields

• Configuration Keyword (optional)—This setting defines the storage parameters (configuration) for file and ArcSDE geodatabases. Personal geodatabases do not use configuration keywords.

  ArcSDE configuration keywords for ArcSDE at the Enterprise level are set up by your database administrator.

  Learn more about configuration keywords

Tip:

Coverages contain several fields that are relevant to the coverage data model only and are not maintained by the geodatabase; therefore, you shouldn't import them.

When importing polygon or point coverages, don't import <cover#>, AREA, or PERIMETER. When importing line coverages, don't import <cover#>, RPOLY#, LPOLY#, FNODE, TNODE, or LENGTH. Also, if the coverage you're importing doesn't use the <cover-ID> field to relate to another table, don't import it either.