Creating spatial database connections
Release 9.1 Last modified April 17, 2007	Print all topics in : "Building the Catalog"

About creating spatial database connections

With ArcCatalog, you can explore and manage geographic data stored in a relational database management system (RDBMS) through ArcSDE. Similarly, SDE for Coverages lets you access coverage, ArcInfo Librarian, and ArcStorm databases the same way you access data from an RDBMS. To access these databases, you must add a spatial database connection to the Catalog. If you prefer, your database connection can directly access your database using the direct connect drivers provided with ArcGIS software rather than accessing it through ArcSDE.

Learn more about the contents of geodatabases

You aren't required to type your username and password to create a connection; however if you don't, you will be prompted to enter them when a connection is established. Uncheck Save name and password if you prefer not to save your login information as part of the connection; doing this can help maintain the security of the database. To make it easier to log in, create a connection for which you only have to enter your password each time; provide the server information and your username, then click OK.

Create a test connection if you're unsure whether the server or login information you have is correct. If the connection test fails, contact the database administrator to ensure the database is operational. You can still add this connection to the Catalog, but you will be unable to retrieve data until the problem is resolved.

Geodatabases managed with ArcSDE can be versioned. Feature editing in ArcMap requires a versioned geodatabase. New spatial database connections will automatically access the default version of the database. To connect to a specific version, type your server and login information and click Change. ArcCatalog connects to the geodatabase and lists the versions that are available. You can also choose not to save any version information as part of the connection; you might do this if you work with several different versions of the same database.

Learn more about versioning

How to create spatial database connections

Connecting to a spatial database

1. Click the Database Connections folder in the Catalog tree.
2. Double-click Add Spatial Database Connection.
3. Type the name or Internet Protocol (IP) address of the server to which you want to connect in the Server text box.
4. Type the name or port number of the service to which you want to connect in the Service text box.
5. If the data is stored in a SQL Server, IBM DB2, or Informix RDBMS, type the name of the database to which you want to connect in the Database text box. If the data is stored in another RDBMS, skip this step.
6. Type your username and password for the database.
7. Click Test Connection.
If the test was successful, the button becomes unavailable. If the test fails, you won't be able to retrieve data until you've provided the correct information or the database problem has been resolved.

8. Uncheck Save Name/Password if you don't want your login information saved with the connection.
9. Click OK.
10. Type a new name for the database connection.
11. Press Enter.

Tip

When you click OK in the Spatial Database Connection dialog box, a connection file is created on disk and is added to the Catalog. However, ArcCatalog does not automatically establish a connection. Double-click the connection in ArcCatalog to access the database's contents.

Connecting to a specific version of the database

1. Click the Database Connections folder in the Catalog tree.
2. Double-click Add Spatial Database Connection.
3. Type the name or IP address of the server to which you want to connect in the Server text box.
4. Type the name or port number of the service to which you want to connect in the Service text box.
5. If the data is stored in a Sybase , SQL Server, IBM DB2, or Informix RDBMS, type the name of the database to which you want to connect in the Database text box. If the data is stored in another RDBMS, skip this step.
6. Type your username and password for the database.
7. Click Test Connection.
If the test was successful, the button becomes unavailable. If the test fails, you won't be able to retrieve data until you've provided the correct information or the database problem has been resolved.

8. Uncheck Save Name/Password if you don't want your login information saved with the connection.
9. Click Change.
10. Click the Version dropdown arrow and click the version of the database that you want to access.
11. Click OK.
12. Uncheck Save Version if you don't want to connect to the same version of the database each time.
13. Click OK.
14. Type a new name for the database connection.
15. Press Enter.

Adding a direct connection to an Oracle geodatabase

1. Double-click the Database Connections folder in the Catalog tree.
2. Double-click Add Spatial Database Connection.
3. If you're connecting to Oracle8i, type "sde:oracle" in the Service text box. If you're connecting to Oracle9i, type "sde:oracle9i".
4. Type your username in the User Name text box.
5. Type your password, followed by "@<oracle network service name>", in the Password text box.
6. Uncheck Save Name/Password if you don't want your login information saved with the connection.
7. Click OK.
8. Type a new name for the spatial database connection.
9. Press Enter.

Tip

You must create an Oracle network service name on your client machine before you can create a direct connection to an Oracle database.

Adding a direct connection to a SQL Server geodatabase

1. Double-click the Database Connections folder in the Catalog tree.
2. Double-click Add Spatial Database Connection.
3. Type "sde:sqlserver:<name or IP Address of the server>" in the Service text box.
4. Type the name of the database to which you want to connect in the Database text box.
5. Type your username and password.
6. Uncheck Save Name/Password if you don't want your login information saved with the connection.
7. Click OK.
8. Type a new name for the spatial database connection.
9. Press Enter.

Adding a direct connection to a DB2 or Informix geodatabase

1. Double-click the Database Connections folder in the Catalog tree.
2. Double-click Add Spatial Database Connection.
3. If you're connecting to DB2, type "sde:db2" in the Service text box. If you're connecting to Informix, type "sde:informix".
4. Type the name of the database to which you want to connect in the Database text box.
5. Type your username and password.
6. Uncheck Save Name/Password if you don't want your login information saved with the connection.
7. Click OK.
8. Type a new name for the spatial database connection.
9. Press Enter.

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