how to merge several layers and attributes

[GISstudent2010]

how to merge shapefiles and attribute tables...?

so i have a parts of the world that i want to bring together. and i tried 'merge' but instead of overlaying the attributes, it just makes a more attributes.

so, for example, i want to merge USA and Canada
suppose there are 3 columns (both datasets have the same 3 columns) name, area, population.
when i merge them, instead of aligning the columns, so that it makes the list longer, it creates 10 columns. does that make sense?
so it looks like this:

name | area | population | name_1 | area_1 | population_1 |
usa 123 123123123 can 123 123123123

but i want it to look like this:
name | area | population
usa 123 123123123
can 123 123123123


i just want to be able to merge them together so that the attributes also come together in the same column too .... which wouldn't be a problem to do manually if i had just one or two datasets and 3 attributes, but i'm merging together about 15 layers, each with about 18 attributes.

do you know if there's a way to do that? i think there is a very easy way to do this, but i just can't seem to figure it out for the life of me. tips anyone? i'm looking to get this done by 12/28!

[jborgion]

May I suggest yo create your own feature class, give a projection that works for both countries and then add the fields you want. Use the simple data loader to load the usa and canada, mapping the original fields to your fields, and you'll be done with it in about 10 minutes..

[vtammineni]

how to merge shapefiles and attribute tables...?

so i have a parts of the world that i want to bring together. and i tried 'merge' but instead of overlaying the attributes, it just makes a more attributes.

so, for example, i want to merge USA and Canada
suppose there are 3 columns (both datasets have the same 3 columns) name, area, population.
when i merge them, instead of aligning the columns, so that it makes the list longer, it creates 10 columns. does that make sense?
so it looks like this:

name | area | population | name_1 | area_1 | population_1 |
usa 123 123123123 can 123 123123123

but i want it to look like this:
name | area | population
usa 123 123123123
can 123 123123123


i just want to be able to merge them together so that the attributes also come together in the same column too .... which wouldn't be a problem to do manually if i had just one or two datasets and 3 attributes, but i'm merging together about 15 layers, each with about 18 attributes.

do you know if there's a way to do that? i think there is a very easy way to do this, but i just can't seem to figure it out for the life of me. tips anyone? i'm looking to get this done by 12/28!

http://webhelp.esri.com/arcgisdeskto...ata_Management)

http://webhelp.esri.com/arcgisdeskto...opicname=Merge

[Hardolph]

Using any of Merge, Append or load data (toolbox functions) the main problem to overcome is mapping the 3 fields of the 18 data sets onto the 3 fields of the type attribute table. You probably have subtle differences in the field names that caused Merge to generate a new field even though they looked similar (perhaps same alias).

If you use Merge start with the type attribute table and then add the others and edit the field map to map the disparate mislocated fields into the common one. With Append you need to use "No Test" for the schema type to display and edit the field map. Similarly with the simple data loader you will need to specify what field maps onto what.

Bit tedious editing the field mapping table with 18 tables, but one shortcut would be to sort them into groups of the same for precise field alignment and merge separately then merge the groups.

Hardolph

[GISstudent2010]

May I suggest yo create your own feature class, give a projection that works for both countries and then add the fields you want. Use the simple data loader to load the usa and canada, mapping the original fields to your fields, and you'll be done with it in about 10 minutes..

ah, i knew there was a simple way to do it ... thanks so much!

[GISstudent2010]

Using any of Merge, Append or load data (toolbox functions) the main problem to overcome is mapping the 3 fields of the 18 data sets onto the 3 fields of the type attribute table. You probably have subtle differences in the field names that caused Merge to generate a new field even though they looked similar (perhaps same alias).

If you use Merge start with the type attribute table and then add the others and edit the field map to map the disparate mislocated fields into the common one. With Append you need to use "No Test" for the schema type to display and edit the field map. Similarly with the simple data loader you will need to specify what field maps onto what.

Bit tedious editing the field mapping table with 18 tables, but one shortcut would be to sort them into groups of the same for precise field alignment and merge separately then merge the groups.

Hardolph

thanks, it's true some of the fields were merely 'simlilar' but not exact. i used the data loader and made some new fields to clear up any differences and worked like a charm! thanks!

[ravali]

hi,

I want to mearge two shape files with different attribute table columns. Please someone suggest me a tool to do this. As far as I am reading GeoMearge can combine two shape files with same attribute table information. But in my case the two shape files have different attribute table information.

[GISstudent2010]

Did you try the Arc toolbox > Analysis tools > Overlay > Intersect ?