Grouping sounding features
Sounding depths are the only z-enabled feature objects, and they are the only features that are allowed to have identical LNAMs, given that they belong to the same group. Sounding depth features are typically the most abundant features in a nautical dataset. Because of this, they are treated as a special case in S-57 standards. Sounding features are grouped based on commonly coded attributes, with the exception of DEPTH, as a means of saving space. For example, if a cell has 1,000 soundings that all have the same attributes (with the exception of DEPTH), instead of storing the information in 1,000 records in a table, it can be stored once and referenced by all. While in an edit session in ArcMap, soundings can be grouped on a selected set using the Group Selected Soundings tool.
Sounding features are only grouped and maintained in the production database, not the NIS database.
- Start ArcMap.
- On the main menu, click Customize > Toolbars > Production Editing.
- On the main menu, click Customize > Toolbars > Nautical S-57.
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Click the Production Start Editing button on the Production Editing toolbar.
Note:
The Manage Features and Create Attributes, Update Attributes, or Metadata Attributes windows automatically appear when you start an edit session using the Production Start Editing tool.
Tip:If the Create Attributes, Update Attributes, or Metadata Attributes window does not appear when you start an edit session, click the Show/Hide Attributes button on the Manage Features window.
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Click the Select Features button on the Tools toolbar.
Tip:
You can also click the Edit tool on the Production Editing toolbar.
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Select a group of soundings.
Note:
The Group Selected Soundings tool does not run when sounding features are selected from multiple cells.
Tip:You can select grouped soundings using the Select a Sounding Group tool.
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Click the Group Selected Soundings button on the Nautical S-57 toolbar.
A message box appears telling you how many new groups will be made from the selected set of features.
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Click OK.
A message box appears informing you that the process is complete.
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Click OK.
Tip:
You can append soundings to an existing sounding group by using the Append Soundings tool.