Create points from a table

Data that is spatial in nature is not always stored in a spatial data format. For example, street addresses and latitude-longitude coordinates identify geographic locations but are often stored in spreadsheets, databases, or text files. If you have geographic information stored as a table, ArcGIS Pro can display it on a map and convert it to spatial data.

Overview

Create points from a table overview video

• Video length: 2:00.
• This video was created with ArcGIS Pro 2.3.

In this tutorial, you'll create spatial data from a table containing the latitude-longitude coordinates of huts in a New Zealand national park. Huts in New Zealand are equivalent to cabins in the United States—they may or may not have sleeping bunks, kitchen facilities, electricity, and running water. The table of hut locations is stored as a comma-separated values file (.csv). CSV is a common, nonproprietary file format for tabular data.

• Estimated time: 45 minutes
• Software requirements: ArcGIS Pro

Note:

The tutorial steps in the online help reflect the look and capabilities of the current software release. If you have an earlier software version, use the offline help system to open the tutorial. To switch from the online to the offline help system, see Set the help source in the About ArcGIS Pro help topic. If you don't have ArcGIS Pro, you can sign up for an ArcGIS Pro free trial.

Open the project

Your study area is Egmont National Park in the Taranaki region of New Zealand.

1. Start ArcGIS Pro and sign in if necessary.
2. On the start page, under your recent projects, click Open another project.

   Note:

   If you already have a project open, click the Project tab on the ribbon. In the list of menu items on the left, click Open. On the Open page, click Portal and click Open another project at the bottom of the page.

3. On the Open Project dialog box, under Portal , click ArcGIS Online .

   Note:

   If you see ArcGIS Enterprise listed instead, you must add a portal connection or set your active portal to ArcGIS Online. Alternatively, you can download the tutorial data from a browser.

4. At the top of the dialog box, in the Search box, type Create points from a table tutorial and press Enter.
5. In the list of search results, click Create points from a table to select the project package.

   Note:

   If there is more than one project package with this name, look at the Owner column. Select the item with the owner name ArcGISProTutorials. If you don't get any results, see No search results are returned.

6. Click OK.

   The project opens to the Taranaki region on New Zealand's North Island. The boundary of Egmont National Park is drawn with an orange outline. Mount Taranaki is in the center of the park.

   The active view is a 2D map named Egmont. There is also a 3D scene named Egmont 3D.

   

   Note:

   By default, project packages are unpacked to your <User Documents>\ArcGIS\Packages folder. You can change the default location in the Share and download options.

7. On the ribbon, click the View tab. In the Windows group, click Reset Panes and click Reset Panes for Mapping (Default).

   This ensures that the Contents and Catalog panes are open and that other panes are closed.

8. On the ribbon, click the Map tab. In the Navigate group, click Bookmarks . Under Egmont Bookmarks, click Egmont National Park to zoom in to the park.

Make a feature class from a .csv file

The .csv file is stored as an attachment in your project package. You'll add it to the map as a table and convert it to a feature class with a geoprocessing tool.

1. On the Map tab, in the Layer group, click Add Data .
2. On the browse dialog box, in the list of quick links, under Project , click Folders .
3. In the window on the right, browse to Create_points_from_a_table_1 > common data > userdata.

   

   The userdata folder contains a .csv file and a text file with metadata.

4. Click Egmont_National_Park_Huts.csv to select it and click OK.

   The .csv file is added to the Contents pane under Standalone Tables.

   Note:

   In a project package, files that can't be stored in a geodatabase, such as shapefiles, .csv files, and text files, are included as attachments. In the project package folder structure, attachments are stored in the commondata > userdata folder.

5. In the Contents pane, right-click Egmont_National_Park_Huts.csv and click Open .

   

   The table's attributes include the name and type of hut, the number of people it accommodates, and its latitude-longitude coordinates in decimal degrees. Latitude-longitude coordinates, or some other set of x,y coordinate system values, are needed to create a feature class from a table.

6. Close the table.
7. In the Contents pane, right-click Egmont_National_Park_Huts.csv and click Display XY Data .

   The Display XY Data window appears. The Input Table parameter is correctly set to the .csv file. The X Field and Y Field parameters are also correctly set to LONGITUDE and LATITUDE, respectively.

   Note:

   For convenience, some geoprocessing tools open in a floating window. These tools can also be opened in the Geoprocessing pane.

8. Change the Output Feature Class name to ENP_Lodgings.

   ENP stands for Egmont National Park.

9. Leave the Z Field parameter empty. The table doesn't contain elevation values for the huts.

   The Coordinate System parameter is set to GCS_WGS_1984. This coordinate system is used by default because it is a common one for latitude-longitude values. In fact, it is the correct coordinate system for this data. (You can confirm this by opening the Egmont_National_Park_Huts_metadata.txt file.)

   

10. Click OK.

    

    When the operation finishes, a new feature class is created in the project geodatabase. A layer named ENP_Lodgings, representing the hut locations, is added to the map.

11. In the Catalog pane, expand Databases and expand create_points_from_a_table.gdb to see the new feature class.

    

Add metadata

You can add item description metadata to the feature class. An item description includes a title, summary, description, and tags. It may also include credits and use limitations. Metadata provides important background information about your data. It is indexed by ArcGIS Pro to generate search results when you search for data.

1. In the Catalog pane, right-click the ENP_Lodgings feature class and click Edit Metadata .

   A metadata view opens for the ENP_Lodgings feature class. In the Contents pane, the elements of the metadata style are displayed.

   

   Note:

   If you're using the default Item Description metadata style, the only element listed in the Contents pane is Item Description. The metadata element is currently invalid because required information is missing. If you're using a different metadata style, you'll see other metadata elements as well. Item Description is the only element you'll edit in this tutorial.

2. In the metadata view, in the Title box, type Egmont National Park Lodgings.
3. In the Tags box, type (or copy and paste) the following keywords: cabins, hotels, huts, Egmont National Park, Taranaki, New Zealand.

   Make sure the keywords are separated by commas.

4. In the Summary (Purpose) box, add the following text: Locations of huts, lodges, and hotels in Egmont National Park for planning hiking and ski trips.
5. In the Description (Abstract) box, add the following text: Features were created from a CSV file with latitude-longitude coordinates and projected to NZTM. The source coordinates were derived from measurements made by Peter Scott. Peter Scott’s data was published on May 13, 2015, and is shared under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand license. Peter Scott’s dataset is more accurate than this dataset. For more information, see the online dataset Egmont National Park - Huts, accessible at https://koordinates.com. Additional features in this dataset were digitized on the Esri World Imagery basemap.

   In the Contents pane, the Item Description element is now marked valid because the required information is present.

6. In the Credits box, add the following text: Peter Scott ([e-mail]); koordinates.com.
7. Under Credits, click New Use Limitation . In the Use Limitation box, add the following text: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand.

   Note:

   If spell-checking is enabled on the settings page (as it is by default), unrecognized words are marked with wavy underlines. See Proofing options for information on spell-checking.

8. On the ribbon, on the Metadata tab, in the Manage Metadata group, click Save .
9. Close the ENP_Lodgings metadata view.
10. On the Quick Access Toolbar, click Save to save the project.

Examine the layer

You'll zoom in on a couple of features in the ENP_Lodgings layer to make sure they are actually located on buildings. You'll also change the layer's name.

1. On the Egmont map, zoom in close on any point feature.

   

2. Optionally, examine one or two other features.
3. In the Contents pane, right-click the ENP_Lodgings layer and click Properties .
4. On the Layer Properties dialog box, on the General tab, change the layer name to Lodgings. Click OK.

   The layer name is updated in the Contents pane.

5. On the ribbon, click the Map tab if necessary. In the Navigate group, click Bookmarks . Under Egmont Bookmarks, click Egmont National Park.
6. On the Quick Access Toolbar, click Save .

Symbolize the layer

You'll set a visibility range for the layer so the huts don't display at small scales. You'll also set scale-based sizing for the layer so the symbols get larger as you zoom in. Finally, you'll choose a symbol that shows up well on the imagery basemap.

1. In the Contents pane, click the Lodgings layer to select it if necessary. On the ribbon, under Feature Layer, click the Appearance tab.
2. In the Visibility Range group, click the drop-down arrow next to Out Beyond and click 1:500,000.

   Tip:

   If 1:500,000 is not in the drop-down list, type the value directly into the input box or choose a different value.

3. In the Contents pane, click the symbol for the Lodgings layer.

   The Symbology pane appears and displays options to format point symbols.

4. At the top of the pane, click the Gallery tab, if necessary. In the scrolling box of symbols, under ArcGIS 2D, click Square 1. (Choose the solid black symbol, not Square 1 40%, which is partially transparent.)
5. At the top of the pane, click the Properties tab. Confirm that the Symbol tab is selected under it.
6. Check the Enable scale-based sizing check box.

   A slider appears under the Size property. It has two size stops (short vertical bars) that represent the minimum and maximum map scales for which symbol sizes can be set.

7. Hover over the leftmost size stop.

   

   The first stop is set at 1:500,000. This is the smallest scale at which the layer is visible because of your visibility range setting.

8. Hover over the other size stop.

   This stop is set at 1:1,000, the largest scale to which you can assign a symbol size. You can zoom in closer than 1:1,000 on the map, but the symbol size won't increase. The second stop is currently selected (blue). Above the slider, the size value for the selected stop is 10 pt.

9. Change Size to 12 pt.

   This will be the maximum size of your symbol.

10. Click the first size stop to select it. The size value for this stop is currently 10 pt.
11. Change Size to 2 pt.

    When the map scale is 1:500,000, the Lodgings symbol will be 2 points in size. As you zoom in, the symbol size will gradually increase until it reaches a maximum size of 12 points.

12. At the top of the pane, under Properties, click the Layers tab .
13. Under Appearance, click the Color drop-down arrow. On the color palette, click Anemone Violet.

    

14. Change Outline color to Gray 30%. Change Outline width to 1.5 pt and press Enter. Click Apply.

    

    At the current map scale, the symbol outline may not be noticeable.

    Note:

    In ArcGIS Pro, thin lines are simulated with transparency when antialiasing is turned on (as it is by default). If you need to see a thin line, such as a symbol outline, at all scales, turn off antialiasing.

15. On the ribbon, click the Map tab. In the Navigate group, click Bookmarks . Under Egmont Bookmarks, click Taranaki Region.

    The map zooms out to a regional scale and the symbols do not display on the map.

16. In the map scale box in the lower left corner of the map view, click the drop-down arrow and click 1:500,000.

    The layer displays and the features appear at their minimum size.

17. Zoom in gradually and notice that the symbol size increases.

    

18. Go to the Egmont National Park bookmark.
19. On the Quick Access Toolbar, click Save .

Add a feature interactively

The Lodgings layer has 13 features: 10 huts that belong to the Department of Conservation and 3 that belong to alpine clubs. In addition, there are 2 resort hotels inside the park that aren't in the .csv file. In this section, you'll locate the first of these hotels, Dawson Falls Mountain Lodge, and add a feature to the layer. When you add the feature to the layer, you are actually adding it to the ENP_Lodgings feature class that is the layer's data source.

1. On the ribbon, on the Map tab, in the Inquiry group, click Locate .

   The Locate pane appears.

2. In the Locate pane, click the Options drop-down arrow to see your locate providers. Confirm that ArcGIS World Geocoding Service is included in the list and that it is enabled.

   A locate provider finds map locations from text descriptions or spatial coordinates. Your locate providers should include XY provider and ArcGIS World Geocoding Service.

3. Click Options again to collapse the list.

   The website for Dawson Falls Mountain Lodge describes the lodge as being at the end of Manaia Road in Egmont National Park. It doesn't provide a street address.

4. In the Locate pane, in the search box, type Manaia Road. Do not press Enter.

   Caution:

   You must type the address—not copy and paste it—to see the list of suggestions described in the next step.

5. In the drop-down list of suggestions, under ArcGIS World Geocoding Service, click Manaia Rd, Egmont National Park, 4391, NZL.

   The map zooms in and a marker is placed at the end of Manaia Road. The complex of buildings next to the road is Dawson Falls Mountain Lodge.

   

6. In the Locate pane, right-click the marker and click Add To Feature Class .
7. In the Add To Feature Class dialog box, expand Lodgings and click the Lodgings feature template.

   

8. Click OK.
9. In the Locate pane, in the search box, click Delete to clear the address.

   The temporary marker is removed from the map. The new feature in the Lodgings layer is selected. You'll add attribute values to the feature.

10. On the ribbon, click the Edit tab. In the Selection group, click Attributes .

    The Attributes pane appears and displays attributes for the selected feature.

11. In the lower half of the Attributes pane, on the Attributes tab, click next to NAME and type Dawson Falls Mountain Lodge. Press Tab.
12. For TYPE, type Hotel and press Tab.
13. For CAPACITY, type 24. Click Apply.

    You can leave <Null> values in the LATITUDE and LONGITUDE fields.

14. On the Edit tab, in the Selection group, click Clear .

Add another feature

The second hotel in the park is the Stratford Mountain House. It's located on Pembroke Road but not at a well-defined part of the road. You'll locate it by its latitude-longitude coordinates.

1. In the Locate pane, in the search box, type (or copy and paste) 174.12248, -39.306201 and press Enter.

   Results are found by both the ArcGIS World Geocoding Service and the XY provider.

   

   The map zooms to the ArcGIS World Geocoding Service location highlighted in the pane and a marker is added.

2. In the Locate pane, right-click the highlighted candidate and click Add To Feature Class .
3. In the Add To Feature Class dialog box, expand the Lodgings heading and click the Lodgings feature template. Click OK.
4. In the Locate pane, in the search box, click Delete to remove the temporary marker.

   You see the new, selected feature representing Stratford Mountain House.

5. In the Attributes pane, click next to NAME and type Stratford Mountain House. Press Tab.
6. For TYPE, type Hotel and press Tab.
7. For CAPACITY, type 22. Click Apply.
8. On the ribbon, on the Edit tab, in the Selection group, click Clear .

   

9. In the Manage Edits group, click Save . On the Save Edits prompt, click Yes.
10. In the Contents pane, right-click the Lodgings layer and click Attribute Table . Scroll to the bottom of the table.

    

    The table should have 15 records, including records for the 2 features you just created.

11. Close the table.
12. On the ribbon, click the Map tab and go to the Egmont National Park bookmark.
13. On the Quick Access Toolbar, click Save .

View the layer in the 3D scene

You can display 2D layers in 3D scenes. The scene's elevation surface correctly positions the 2D features in a 3D landscape.

1. In the Contents pane, right-click the Lodgings layer and click Copy .
2. Click the view tab of the Egmont 3D local scene to make the scene active.
3. In the Contents pane, right-click the scene name, Egmont 3D, and click Paste .
4. On the Map tab, in the Navigate group, click Explore .
5. Use the mouse buttons and wheel button to zoom, pan, tilt, and rotate the scene. Alternatively, use the on-screen navigator in the scene.

   The features display in their correct locations on the 3D surface, but the symbols lie flat—like bits of paper stuck to the mountain.

6. In the Contents pane, drag the Lodgings layer from the 2D Layers category to the 3D Layers category.

   The layer now uses 3D drawing properties and the symbols stand up on the surface. This effect is called billboarding. It's an improvement, but a symbol designed for 3D viewing will look better.

7. In the Contents pane, click the symbol for the Lodgings layer.
8. In the Symbology pane, under Format Point Symbol, click the Gallery tab if necessary.
9. In the search box, type cube and press Enter.
10. In the list of symbols, under ArcGIS 3D, click Standing Cube.

    

    You can access more symbols by adding styles.

11. At the top of the pane, click the Properties tab. Click the Symbol tab under it if necessary.
12. Click the Color drop-down arrow and click a color. Change the Size setting to 5 pt and click Apply.

    Note:

    Scale-based sizing is not available in scenes. For this scene, a 5- or 6-point symbol size works well at most scales but may be too small or too large at some scales.

13. Continue to explore the scene using navigation tools and Egmont 3D bookmarks.

    

14. On the Quick Access Toolbar, click Save .

You can convert a tabular dataset, such as a Microsoft Excel file or a .csv file, to spatial data in ArcGIS Pro as long as the table includes street addresses or spatial coordinates. This allows you to visualize and spatially analyze a wide variety of data—from customer lists to tables scraped from websites—that is spatial in nature but not yet spatially enabled.