Adding fixed-time temporal data containing complex temporal events

Prerequisite:

To execute this procedure, you must have fixed-time temporal data stored as complex temporal events. For use with Tracking Analyst, the data must be contained in a feature class and a separate data table stored in the same personal geodatabase.

Learn more about simple and complex temporal events

If you have fixed-time data, you can use the Add Temporal Data Wizard in Tracking Analyst to add the data as a new tracking layer. The Add Temporal Data Wizard is different than the Add Data button on the Standard toolbar because it contains additional steps that are required to create a tracking layer.

Steps:

1. Click the Add Temporal Data button on the Tracking Analyst toolbar to open the Add Temporal Data Wizard dialog box.
2. Click the second radio button option to add A feature class and a separate table containing temporal data that this wizard will join to the feature class.
3. Click the browse button next to the Choose the input feature class text box and browse to the personal geodatabase feature class that contains the data you want to add.
   Caution:

   Your input feature class and input table must both reside in the same personal geodatabase to complete this procedure (.mdb). If this is not the case, you must exit this procedure and convert your data using tools in ArcCatalog before you can proceed.

4. Click Add on the Add Data dialog box to select the feature class. Its path now appears in the Choose the input feature class text box.
5. Click the browse button next to the Choose the input table text box and browse to the table in your personal geodatabase that contains the data you want to add.
6. Click Add on the Add Data dialog box to select the table. Its path now appears in the Choose the input table text box.
7. Click the Choose data time zone drop-down arrow and click the time zone that is represented in your data.
8. If your data was collected using adjustments for Daylight Saving Time, check the Adjust for Daylight Saving Time check box.
9. Click the radio button beside the appropriate input file containing the date and time information. If the date and time data is in a field in the feature class, click Either the input feature class. If the date and time data is in a field in the input table, click Or the input table.

   If you are dealing with objects that change position through time, the date and time information should appear in the input feature class. If the objects are stationary, the date and time should appear in the input table.

10. In the enabled drop-down menu next to the radio button option you selected, click the drop-down arrow and select the field containing the date and time in your data.

    The field containing the date and time may be either a date field, a text field, or a numeric field. Only fields of these data types appear in the drop-down lists. After you select a field, a label next to the drop-down list displays the type of field you have selected.

11. Click the Next button on the Add Temporal Data Wizard to proceed. If you selected a text field as the field containing the date and time, follow the steps for adding temporal data using a date conversion before proceeding to the next step.
12. Now you must select the fields that will be used to join data from the input feature class and input table together. Click the Join Field in Input Feature Class drop-down arrow and select the appropriate field from the input feature class to perform the join.
13. Click the Join Field in Input Table drop-down arrow and select the appropriate field from the input feature class to perform the join.

    The fields you choose from the input feature class and table aren't required to have the same name, but they must contain the same identifying information to execute the join successfully.

14. Click Next to proceed to the final step of the wizard.
15. If you would like to add only a subset of your data to your tracking layer, click the Query Builder button to open the Query Builder dialog box. Create a query expression and click OK to add your query expression to the Definition Query text box on the Add Temporal Data Wizard.
    This is an advanced feature that can be used to add a selected subset of data from large datasets to your tracking layer.

16. Click Finish to add the tracking layer to your map.

The tracking layer now appears in the Table Of Contents, and its corresponding data now appears on the map.

Tip:

Instead of using the Add Temporal Data Wizard every time you add your data, you can save a tracking layer as a layer file after you add it to ArcMap. Then you can use the Add Data button on the Standard toolbar to add your tracking layer without having to repeat all the steps in this procedure.