Convert SDC Feature Classes using ArcToolbox

Summary

Note:
This article pertains to ArcGIS versions 9.x only. Later versions of ArcGIS may contain different functionality, as well as different names and locations for menus, commands and geoprocessing tools.
Note also that the SDC file format is no longer a supported format since ArcMap 10.2.

SDC Feature Classes are compressed file formats that need to be converted to another file format to be fully editable. ArcToolbox has several tools that can accomplish this. SDC Feature Classes can be converted to File, Personal or ArcSDE geodatabases, and shapefiles using these procedures.

Procedure

Using the Feature Class to Geodatabase (multiple) tool

1. In ArcMap, click the ArcToolbox icon on the Standard toolbar.

2. In the ArcToolbox pane, expand Conversions Tools, and expand To Geodatabase.
3. Double-click Feature Class to Geodatabase (multiple).

4. In the Feature Class to Geodatabase (multiple) window, select the SDC data to be converted. Specify the input data and the output geodatabase.

5. Click OK. Once complete, the output geodatabase contains the newly converted feature classes.

Using the Feature Class to Feature Class tool

1. In ArcMap, click the ArcToolbox icon on the Standard toolbar.

2. In the ArcToolbox pane, expand Conversions Tools, and expand To Geodatabase.
3. Double-click Feature Class to Feature Class.

4. In the Feature Class to Feature Class window, specify the SDC feature classes and output data to be converted.
5. Click OK. Once complete, the output geodatabase contains the newly converted feature classes.

Using the Feature Class to Shapefile (multiple) tool

1. In ArcMap, click the ArcToolbox icon on the Standard toolbar.

2. In the ArcToolbox pane, expand Conversions Tools, and expand To Shapefile.
3. Double-click Feature Class to Shapefile (multiple).

4. In the Feature Class to Shapefile (multiple) window, select the SDC data to be converted. Specify the input data and the output destination for the shapefile.
5. Click OK. Once complete, the output geodatabase contains the newly converted shapefiles.