GISconnector for Excel - User Documentation

Index

Excel "GISconnector" tab

Description and explanation of every button for the GISconnector for Excel tab in Excel.

Create connection

This is the key button of the GISconnector tab. The "Create connection" button opens the connection wizard. It enables creating connections to ArcGIS data either by exporting Excel data to ArcGIS or to establish a connection to already existing ArcGIS data.

Active connection

In the drop-down menu "Active connection" you can select the one connection for which data should be transferred or functions should be sent.

Transfer data

Transfers all Excel data to the associated Feature Class or Table in ArcGIS. The transfer only applies to those columns that have been specified for transfer in

"Edit connection" resp. which the GISconnector for Excel manages for this transfer direction. If very large amounts of data need to be transferred, it is advisable to transfer only those columns in which alterations have been made (see also "Transferring data").

Edit connection

Opens the dialogue "Edit connection". This represents the most important menu of the GISconnector for Excel. To understand how the GISconnector for Excel works, you should carefully read through the chapter on this dialogue.

Current map document:

Select the ArcGIS map document in which the layer is located, for which you wish to send selections and filters.

Current layer:

Choose the layer in the current ArcGIS map document which is to be used for sending of selections and filters.

All layers which refer to the same data source (Feature Class that was submitted in the connection) are specified here. Each connection always has at least one layer belonging to it. If the same Feature Class is added twice to the Table of Contents (TOC), definition queries and selections can be created resp. sent separately for each layer. In this case, a choice can be made in the drop-down menu "Current layer" for which layer the selection or the definition query should be sent.

Send selection

The "Send selection" button sends selections of Excel data sets to ArcMap for the chosen layer. In order to choose data sets in the table it is sufficient to select only one cell.

Important advice:

A special feature of this function is the ability to select data sets in ArcGIS that do not exist in Excel. If no features are selected in Excel and you press the button "Send selection”, those data sets are selected in ArcGIS that do not exist in Excel. It works the other way around, as well. Basically this means, that you are able to compare your ArcGIS and Excel data with each other..

Send filter

Sends the Excel filter to ArcGIS as a definition query for the currently chosen layer. The definition query is created via the primary key column (default column: GCEX_ID).

Important advice:

A special feature of this function is the ability to filter data sets in ArcGIS that do not exist in Excel. In order to do it define a filter that delivers no results (=empty worksheet). If you send the filter now, a definition query will be created in ArcGIS for those data sets that are not existent in Excel. It works the same way the other way around.

Remove filter

Removes all filters for the current connection in Excel.

Switch to ArcGIS

Switch to the currently selected ArcGIS map document or window, respectively.

Export data

The button opens the "Export data" dialogue and functions as a data export to ArcGIS without creating a connection (supported formats are dBase, Personal, File and SDE Geodatabase tables).

Manage connections

The menu "Manage connections" serves to administer connections between ArcGIS Feature Classes or Tables and Excel tables. Existing connections can be edited, deleted or duplicated. The GISconnector for Excel can only transfer data or send selections and filters (resp. definition queries) between ArcGIS and Excel if a connection has been made.

Settings

In the dialogue "Settings" you can configure the basic settings or the default settings of the GISconnector for Excel as required.

Help

Opens the GISconnector desktop help. You can also use our online help.

Hint:

In the start menu under "GI Geolabs GmbH" you can also find the manual as a PDF document.

About

Opens the GISconnector "About" window.