Creating a BIS geodatabase (Bathymetry Solution)

Before you can take full advantage of the ArcGIS for Maritime: Bathymetry tools, you need to create at least one Bathymetry Information System (BIS) workspace. The Create BIS Database tool on the Bathymetry toolbar is designed to create new BIS geodatabases. The BIS is a geodatabase that references bathymetry data stored either locally or on your network and can be set up on a file or ArcSDE geodatabase. A BIS created within a file geodatabase is typically used for small implementations where having multiple, disparate users accessing the workspace is not required. The file geodatabase does not support versioning, only local connections, and is stored on your internal network or file system. An ArcSDE geodatabase should be used if your agency or organization needs to allow multiple users to access the system.

One of the key features of the BIS is that the system does not load the bathymetric surfaces directly into the geodatabase. This makes the BIS very scalable since the system tables that manage the bathymetric surfaces can grow based on the database system’s table storage capabilities.

Steps:
  1. Start ArcMap.
  2. On the main menu, click Customize > Toolbars > Bathymetry.
  3. Click the Create BIS Database button Create BIS Database on the Bathymetry toolbar.

    The Create BIS Database dialog box appears.

    Create BIS Database dialog box with Make this the active BIS selected
  4. Type a name for the new BIS geodatabase in the BIS Name text box.
  5. Click the ellipsis (...) next to Geodatabase.

    The Geodatabase dialog box appears.

    Geodatabase dialog box
  6. Browse to the existing, empty geodatabase into which you want to load the BIS schema.

    If an empty geodatabase does not already exist, you need to create one before continuing.

    TipTip:

    You can create a file geodatabase by clicking the New File Geodatabase button New File Geodatabase located at the top right of the dialog box.

  7. Click Connect.

    The path to your BIS geodatabase appears in the Geodatabase field.

  8. Optionally type a description of the BIS in the BIS Description (Optional) text box.

    The description can contain more information about this BIS geodatabase, such as the geographic region for which the BIS manages bathymetric data.

  9. Click the ellipsis (...) next to Default copy location (Optional) and choose a location where any raster data imported to this specific survey will be copied.

    You should choose an output location where all appropriate users have write access, such as a shared folder on a network, or on your local file system where the bathymetric data you associate with the BIS gets copied to during the Add Bathymetry process. For example, you could have BAG files stored on a DVD that you want to link to the BIS and copy to your local hard drive. By defining this path, if you enable the copy option on the Add Bathymetry dialog box, you accomplish both of your needs.

    TipTip:

    All paths need to follow the standard UNC naming conventions, for example, \\NetworkPath\Path\Data.

    NoteNote:

    If a different location for imported data is set for the active BIS in the BIS Settings dialog box, the location set in the Create BIS Database dialog box will be overridden by that location setting.

  10. Click the ellipsis (...) next to Overviews location and choose a location for overviews.

    You should choose an output location where all appropriate users have write access, such as a shared folder on a network. Overviews aid in the fast rendering of mosaic datasets and are automatically created for the Bathymetry Data Index when adding bathymetric datasets to the BIS geodatabase.

    TipTip:

    All paths need to follow the standard UNC naming conventions, for example, \\NetworkPath\Path\Data.

    NoteNote:

    This is the only place where the Overviews location is set. It cannot be changed after it is set.

  11. Click the ellipsis (...) next to Metadata settings location and browse to a location where you want to store extended metadata, survey metadata, and ONS metadata files.
    NoteNote:

    This is the only place where the Metadata settings location is set. It cannot be changed after it is set. These files control the metadata display in the Add Bathymetry, Collection Manager, and Explore Bathymetry dialog boxes and windows and are customizable. They need to be stored in a publicly accessible location where all users of the BIS geodatabase have read/write access and can see updates to the metadata field display.

    TipTip:

    All paths need to follow the standard UNC naming conventions, for example, \\NetworkPath\Path\Data.

    The Make this the active BIS check box will be checked by default and disabled the first time you create a BIS geodatabase.

  12. Click OK.
  13. The Preparing BIS Database progress dialog box appears. When the process successfully completes, a message appears saying that the BIS was created successfully.
  14. Click OK to close the dialog box.

Your new BIS geodatabase is created.

Related Topics

3/3/2014