Frequently asked question
Esri supplies data templates in support of many common activities within major industries and government agencies. For instance, the Local Government Information Model (or LGIM) provides information models for functions like public safety, land records, elections, planning and development, public works, infrastructure management, and others.
The schema provided in these templates is in XML Workspace format; an associated data dictionary is also included. This allows data to be inserted into provided database structures, removing the need to create new database structures. The structures provided can be used in sample applications associated with the information model.
To use local government or other industry-specific templates, it is necessary to load the data into the tables of the template.
The data dictionary describes the feature classes and fields of the template's data structures. Based on knowledge of the existing data, the user must decide which of their original fields and data structures correspond to the fields and data structures in the template.
Note: This may require a significant amount of study and some experimentation. In some cases, these projects are large enough to be contracted to consulting agencies, such as Esri Professional Services.
The X-Ray for ArcCatalog add-in is available for ArcGIS versions 10.2 through 10.6. This add-in assists with migrating data structures into the Esri data model. Help documentation is available in multiple formats from the add-in's toolbar after it is installed in ArcCatalog. Its features include the ability to:
The ArcGIS Solutions Schema Migration Wizard can be used to help migrate from one version of an ArcGIS Solution Information Model to a newer version.
When the mapping between original and template tables and fields is decided, there are two tools for loading data into the target data structure:
Note: For more information about loading techniques, refer to ArcGIS Help - About loading data into existing feature classes and tables.
The data loaders offer field mapping and record filtering. If a load operation does not produce the desired results, the target feature class or table can be cleared of its existing records by using the Delete Features or Delete Rows tool in ArcToolbox, as follows:
For complex data migrations, consider using the ArcGIS Data Interoperability extension or Gizinta (third-party product).
Note: The ArcGIS Solutions page offers links to various resources, such as blogs, GeoNet and GitHub posts, with comments and questions from the user community. These postings are a good source of additional information on topics related to the information model and its implementation.
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