FAQ: What Are the Recommended Naming Conventions for Geodatabase Objects?

Answer

Determining guidelines or naming conventions for geodatabase objects is important for creating consistency when setting up the database structure.

Recommendations for designing and implementing a geodatabase are provided below.

* Refer to feature and object classes as singular. For example, use 'TaxParcel' and not 'TaxParcels' to refer to a feature class.
* Name relationship objects so that the name is describing the relationship. For example, ‘AddressHasZones' or 'ParcelsHaveOwners'. On a conceptual level, name associations might be simplified to names like ‘Has’ or ‘Owns’; however, implementation in ArcGIS requires unique name associations. Many people use the name of the class at the ends of relationship classes. These names show up in ArcMap and ArcCatalog, and naming the ends of the relationship classes using this method makes the database structure easier to understand.

* Use consistency when capitalizing objects. For example, name objects with all capital letters (TABLE_NAME) or a consistent mixed case (TableName).

* Do not attempt to use spaces, SQL keywords or special characters in object names.

Article ID:000006254

Software:

ArcMap 8 x
ArcMap 9 x

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What are the recommended naming conventions for geodatabase objects?

Answer

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