PROBLEM

Cannot assign a number of the Australian datums when using Define Projection Wizard (coverages, grids, TINs) tool

Last Published: April 25, 2020

Description

Having run the Define Projection Wizard (coverages, grids, tins) with certain Australian datums, the output dataset's datum will remain undefined.

The datums in question are:

AUSTRALIAN GEODETIC 1966 - Australian Capital Territory
AUSTRALIAN GEODETIC 1966 - Tasmania
AUSTRALIAN GEODETIC 1966 - Victoria
AUSTRALIAN GEODETIC 1966 (ICSM)
AUSTRALIAN GEODETIC 1984 (ICSM - 3 parameters)
AUSTRALIAN GEODETIC 1984 (ICSM - 7 parameters)
GEOCENTRIC DATUM OF AUSTRALIA 1994

Cause

This is a known issue.

Solution or Workaround

Save the wizard to an aml, and set the appropriate DATUM keyword:

DATUM KEYWORD: Local Geodetic Datum
DATUM AUA_B : AUSTRALIAN GEODETIC 1966 - Australian Capital Territory
DATUM AUA_C : AUSTRALIAN GEODETIC 1966 - Tasmania
DATUM AUA_D : AUSTRALIAN GEODETIC 1966 - Victoria
DATUM AUA_A : AUSTRALIAN GEODETIC 1966 (ICSM)
DATUM AUG_A : AUSTRALIAN GEODETIC 1984 (ICSM - 3 param)
DATUM AGD84 : AUSTRALIAN GEODETIC 1984 (ICSM - 7 param)
DATUM GDA94 : GEOCENTRIC DATUM OF AUSTRALIA 1994

  1. On the last panel of the wizard, click the 'Save to AML' button and give the file an appropriate name and location.
  2. Open the aml. You'll notice one of the lines has one word on it: DATUM. Add the desired datum keyword to that line.

    For example, if you want to use the GEOCENTRIC DATUM OF AUSTRALIA 1994, the AML would look like this:

    Code:
    /* Begin: Define Projection Wizard (coverages, grids, tins)
    /* Aml script created with ArcToolBox tool: Define Projection Wizard (coverages, grids, tins)
    /* Editing this file may make it unreadable to the ArcToolbox
    Precision Single Highest
    ProjectDefine COVER D:\wksp\covname
    PROJECTION GEOGRAPHIC
    UNITS DD
    DATUM GDA94
    PARAMETERS
    /* End: Define Projection Wizard (coverages, grids, tins)

  3. Run the aml from the ArcInfo Workstation command line, or from the ArcToolbox Run Geoprocessing aml tool.

Article ID:000004193

Software:
  • ArcMap 8 x

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