Create an unmanaged raster catalog in ArcGIS Desktop

Summary

Instructions provided describe how to create an unmanaged raster catalog in ArcGIS Desktop versions 9.2 and later.

Procedure

1. Right-click on a personal or file geodatabase and select New > Raster Catalog.
   

   Note:
   To create a personal or file geodatabase, right-click on a folder in ArcCatalog > New > Personal/File Geodatabase.

   
   
2. In the Create raster catalog dialog box, verify that the Output Location is the geodatabase.
3. Type a name for the raster catalog in the 'Input Raster Catalog Name' dialog box.
   
4. For 'Coordinate System for Raster Column (optional)', click on the Properties icon and select the coordinate system for the raster.
   
5. Click OK on the Spatial Reference Properties dialog box.
6. Repeat the same steps for 'Coordinate System for Geometry Column (optional)'.
7. Scroll down to the bottom of the tool and select 'Unmanaged' for the Raster Management Type.
8. Click OK to create the raster catalog.
9. Load the images into the raster catalog by right-clicking on the raster catalog > Load > Load Data. The 'Raster to Geodatabase' dialog box appears.
   
10. Navigate to and select all of the images.
11. Click OK to load the images.
    

    Note:
    If loading more than nine images into the raster catalog, be sure to go to the Tools menu in both ArcCatalog and ArcMap > Options > Raster tab > Raster Catalog Layer tab and select 'Do not show wireframe at all' or increase the number within the dialog box.