Exporting a raster catalog to a raster dataset

When you export a raster catalog to a raster dataset, you are creating a single raster dataset from the many in the raster catalog. The process of merging many raster datasets is called mosaicking. When you export from a raster catalog, you can choose to mosaic the entire raster catalog or only the selected raster catalog items.

Steps:

1. Optionally, select the records from the raster catalog you want to export using the Select tool or using query from the Selection menu.
2. In the ArcMap table of contents, right-click the raster catalog, point to Data, then click Mosaic Raster Catalog.
3. If you've made a selection, the Using Selected Rasters check box will be checked. You can choose to uncheck this if you want to include all rasters within the raster catalog.
4. If you've set a color correction method on the Color Correction tab on the Layer Properties dialog box, then the Apply Color Correction Setting from Property Page check box will be checked. You can choose to uncheck this if you don't want the color correction settings applied to the mosaicked raster dataset.
5. Optionally, alter the Mosaic Properties by modifying the mosaic operator, colormap mode, ordering method, and ascending options.

   The Colormap Mode only applies when there are raster catalog items with color maps.

6. Choose the appropriate radio button for the extent to use when exporting.
   • The Data Frame (Current) option will export only the portion of the raster dataset that is in the current data frame.
   • The Mosaicked Raster Datasets option will export the entire extent of the input raster dataset.
   • The Selected Graphics (Clipping) will clip and export the raster datasets based on the selected graphics in the display; this option will retain the data inside the graphic. Alternatively, you can check the Clip Inside option to remove the data within the graphic and keep the rest of the data.
7. Optionally, choose which spatial reference to use.
8. Optionally, type the cell size of the output.
9. Optionally, enter a NoData value.
10. Optionally, click the Pixel Type drop-down arrow and choose a different pixel type.
11. Click the Location browse button to navigate to the proper location to save the export.
12. If JPEG or JPEG 2000 format is chosen, then you need to set the compression quality (1 to 100).

    Valid values for compression quality are 1 to 100. This includes situations where you are saving your raster dataset to a JPEG or JPEG 2000 compression within a geodatabase.

13. Type the name of the output mosaic.
14. Click OK to export the raster catalog to a mosaicked raster dataset.