Importing S-57 files to a geodatabase

The S-57 to Geodatabase tool provides a single point of access to all the functionality for importing the data for an S-57 file to a geodatabase.

The S-57 to Geodatabase importer does the following:

• Checks to see if the product library has been properly set. If not, it requires you to set it before proceeding.
• Checks to see if the unit conversion rules have been properly set. If not, it requires you to set them before proceeding.
• Checks whether any S-57 files have previously been loaded into the geodatabase and, if so, blocks the import to prevent data from being overwritten.
  Note:

  The Nautical Information System (NIS) allows importing of multiple S-57 files.

• Imports into the following geodatabase types:
  • Personal
  • File
  • ArcSDE geodatabase
• Creates an import version, if you are importing into an ArcSDE geodatabase. The import version naming convention is IMP_<S-57cellname>_<username>_<timestamp>.
• Imports a single, specified S-57 file (*.000: first edition, reissue, or new edition) into a geodatabase as a new cell. In doing so, the tool imports all the data from the specified S-57 file into the appropriate geodatabase feature classes and tables.
• Gives you the option to override the cells DSPM:CSCL and M_CSCL:CSCALE values, if necessary, for importing into an NIS database. If you are importing into a production database, the override options are not available.

If you are importing clean S-57 data, importing errors should rarely be encountered. The following are examples of errors you may see during importing:

Error	Solution
Could not insert feature into feature class for <Feature NAME>.	Use third-party software to view the listed feature's geometry. Features with invalid geometry will not be inserted into the geodatabase.
Could not do unit conversion for <feature NAME>.	Check your unit conversion and rounding rules for the fields stored on the listed feature.

Importing errors

Note:

For analysis only, not for production: The S-57 to Geodatabase tool offers a variety of different importing options depending on how the applicable product XML file has been configured. See Working with product configuration files for more details.

Steps:

1. Start ArcCatalog.
2. In the Catalog Tree window, right-click the feature dataset into which you want to import and click Import > S-57 to Geodatabase.
   

   The S-57 to Geodatabase dialog box appears.

   S-57 to Geodatabase dialog box for importing into an NIS database

   Note:

   If you are importing into a non-NIS production database, the override options will not be available.

3. Click the browse button (...) next to the Input S-57 Cell text box.
4. Navigate to and choose the S-57 cell you want to import.
   Tip:

   If you are importing multiple cells, you must select them at the same time and from the same directory.

5. Click Open.
   Note:

   If you are importing S-57 data into a non-NIS production database or do not want to use the override options for your NIS database, skip to step 8; otherwise, continue to the next step to override CSCL and M_CSCL values.

6. Check the Override CSCL and M_CSCL values check box to enable the grid view for editing.

   If you are importing into NIS, the Override CSCL and M_CSCL values grid is populated with rows that show the imported cells DSPM:CSCL and M_CSCL:CSCALE values.

7. Click the cell in the Override column and type the new value for the DSPM:CSCL and/or M_CSCL:CSCALE value.

   The updated values are populated into the COMP_SCALE property during import.

8. Click OK.

   A status dialog box appears.

   When the process is complete, the S-57 to Geodatabase dialog box appears and asks you if you want to view the log file.

9. Click Yes to open and review the log file.

   The log file shows the following information:

   • Metadata information that was imported, such as dataset ID (DSID), dataset structure information (DSSI), and dataset parameter (DSPM)
   • The new value, if you have imported into an NIS database and replaced the imported cell's CSCL value with one of your own
   • The number of features and primitives that were imported
   • The amount of time it took to import
   • Any errors that occurred (listed at the top of the log file)
   • The import version name that was created and populated, if you imported into an ArcSDE geodatabase
   • The amount of time it took to read the file for the override option (NIS only)
10. Close the log file once you are finished reviewing it.
    Tip:

    If importing into an ArcSDE geodatabase, you will need to reconcile and post your data in the import version to the Default version.