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Tip #149: Upload (Write) Processed Features to a GIS Data Source

By Erin Johnson posted 04-30-2021 08:56

  

Good morning TBC’ers! Have you ever processed feature codes using an FXL file created from a downloaded GIS data source schema and are now wondering how to upload the processed feature data matching the schema back to the same data source? Well, today I will be demonstrating the Write Features to GIS command.

 

To utilize the Write Feature to GIS command, follow these steps:

 
1. Navigate to the GIS Ribbon, and select Write Features to GIS under Connection:

 
2. In the Select GIS data connection drop-down list, select the connection to the data source to which you want to upload the processed feature data. This must be the same data source from which the GIS schema (feature definitions) was downloaded and used to create the FXL file that was, in turn, used to collect the feature data in the field and process it in TBC.

 
3. Click in the Select Data to Write field, then, using a graphic view or the Project Explorer, select the objects whose features you want to upload. Select the Options button for additional selection options:


 
After you make your selection:

  • The number of features selected for the upload that have not been previously uploaded to the GIS data source is displayed for each feature in the New column in the Select feature classes list:
  • The number of features selected for upload that have been previously uploaded to the GIS data source is displayed for each feature in the Written column in the Select feature classes list. 
 
4. Optionally, uncheck the check box for any feature that you do not want to upload to the data source:

 
5. Do either of the following:
  • To specify to upload previously uploaded features to the GIS data source (the features included in the count displayed within the Written column), check the Write previously written features to the data source check box. These features will be duplicated in the data source (except in cases where the previously written feature has been deleted from the data source):

  • To specify not to upload previously uploaded features to the GIS data source (the feature included in the count displayed in the Written column), uncheck the  Write previously written features to the data source check box.
 
6. Click OK.
 

Before the upload actually takes place, TBC compares the schema (feature definitions) for the GIS data source connection with the features associated with the selected objects to make sure they are compatible. 

 

In addition, to avoid serious error when writing data to the GIS data source, TBC compares the coordinate system specified in your TBC project with the Trimble coordinate system specified in the GIS data source to ensure that they match. If there is a mismatch, you must specify a resolution.

 

If a coordinate system mismatch is detected, the GIS Coordinate System Mapping dialog displays, allowing you to specify whether to (1) change the project coordinate system to match the GIS coordinate system anot not transform grid coordinates, (2) keep both coordinate systems and transform the grid coordinates, and (3) consider the project and GIS coordinate systems to be the same and not transform coordinates. Click OK after making your selection:

 

Note: Values for TBC feature attributes of types “Photo” and “File” will be written to the shapefile/ file geodatabase fields with the same names (if such fields exist). After the upload process completes, each of the fields will contain the file name and path of the photo or other file type, but the file itself will remain in its original location. Depending on the size limitation of the field, the file name and path may be truncated. 

 

When the update process completes, a Features Written to GIS message dialog is displayed showing the number of features that were uploaded:

 
7. To view a report showing details of the upload to the data source, click the Yes button in the Features Written to GIS message dialog. The report displays on a new tab in the TBC window. You can use the report to verify coordinate system information and the features written to the file geodatabase:


 

Note: File geodatabases and shapefiles exported from TBC may have additional fields which are not part of an original feature definition (GIS schema). Those fields will not be populated when using the Write Features to GIS command.

 

I hope this tip comes in handy next time you are working with GIS data in TBC!

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