GEOG 4/575 Lab 6: Geodatabase Data Model and Schema - ArcMarine

Due Nov 8 before class.

Introduction:

Now you have used most of the geodatabase management features in ArcGIS in the lab exercises. These features include feature dataset, attribute domain, subtype, relationship class, and topology. Together with raster catalog feature (which will be covered in this lab), network feature (which will be covered in Lab 8), and terrain dataset feature (which we talked about in lectures, but will not be covered in the labs), they serve as the foundation for building a modern and versatile GIS database.

In ArcGIS geodatabase, the definitions and information related to the above mentioned features are an integral part of the geodatabase. GIS database designers are able to create and implement a conceptual database framework in a geodatabase without having a complete GIS dataset. Such a conceptual framework is called a geodatabase data model in ArcGIS. A (database) schema is a systematic description of the structure of a data model. We will use ArcGIS tools to create a geodatabase based on a predefined schema in this lab.

Instructions:

ArcMarine is one of many geodatabase data models that are available for download from the ESRI data model webpage. (You can take a quick look at the webpage and find any information that could be useful for your term project.) Now go directly to the ArcMarine tutorial webpage, read through the introduction, and finish the tutorial (you can skip the optional task 5). When done, keep your ArcMap open and follow the Extracting Geodatabase Schema online document to extract only the schema of the marine data layers you displayed in ArcMap. Please note that some instructions are out-of-date, for example, the Disconnected Editing toolbar is now called Distributed Geodatabase. You will have to fresh (or reopen) ArcCatalog to see the output mdb. Use ArcCatalog to explore the structure of the output mdb. Answer the questions below.

Questions:

1. In what situation would you use the Schema Creation Wizard Tool and the Extract Data? Use the exercise you did in this lab as an example.

2. Briefly describe the major datasets, featureclasses, tables, and 4 relationship classes of the ArcMarine data model.

3. Describe to what applications a marine database (ArcMarine) might be applied.