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Importing tables

Importing tables
Release 9.3

About importing tables

You use the Table To Table and Table To Geodatabase tools to import dBASE, INFO, vector product format (VPF), OLE DB, or geodatabase tables into a geodatabase. These tools are available from the context-sensitive menu in ArcCatalog or from ArcToolbox.

When you import several tables at the same time with the Table To Geodatabase tool, each table imports into a new table. The tool will automatically correct any illegal or duplicate field names.

How to import tables

Importing a table (single)

In ArcCatalog, right-click the geodatabase into which you want to import a table.

Point to Import and click Table (single) on the pull-right menu. This opens the Table To Table tool from the Conversion toolbox.

Importing a table

For this tool, you will have to fill out the following parameters:

Input Rows—The input dBASE, INFO, OLE DB, or geodatabase table.

Output Location—The location in which the output table will be created.

Output Table—The name of the output table.

Expression (optional)—The Structured Query Language (SQL) query expression that will be used to select records. The syntax for the expression is different for different data formats. Some of the most commonly encountered differences are below.

For ArcSDE, the field names are not wrapped, for example, MY_FIELD.

For file or personal geodatabases, the field names are wrapped in square brackets, for example, [MY_FIELD].

For all others, the field names are wrapped in double quotes, for example, "MY_FIELD".

Access uses * and ? as string wildcards rather than % and _ in all other formats.

Field Map (optional)—The fields and field contents chosen from the inputs.

Learn more about choosing and setting the output fields

Configuration Keyword (optional)—Specifies the storage parameters (configuration) for geodatabases in file and ArcSDE geodatabases. Personal geodatabases do not use configuration keywords.

Learn more about configuration keywords

Importing a table (multiple)

In ArcCatalog, right-click the geodatabase or feature dataset into which you want to import multiple tables.

Point to Import and click Table (multiple). This opens the Table To Geodatabase (multiple) tool from the Conversion toolbox.

Importing multiple tables

For this tool, you will have to fill out the following parameters:

Input Table—Browse for one or more tables to be imported into an ArcSDE, file, or personal geodatabase. These tables can be dBASE, INFO, OLE DB, or geodatabse tables.

Output Geodatabase—The output or destination feature dataset or geodatabase. The geodatabase can be a file, personal, or ArcSDE geodatabase.

Tips

When you import more than one table at the same time, each imports into a new table.

The tool automatically corrects any illegal or duplicate field names.

See Also

About loading data into existing feature classes and tables

How data converts when importing

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