Importing Spatial Data

Common Importing Procedures

The following instructions detail the process that is common to importing all accepted types of spatial data. For additional information about preparing and importing specific types of data, see the sections that follow.

To import spatial data, complete the following steps:

Select File Import from the GIS Map window's menu bar or select Import from the map pop-up menu when no map is displayed.

The GIS Spatial Data Importing window appears.
Select the type of data to import from the Import Type field drop-down menu.
Select the file to import from the pull-out menu to the right of the filename field in the Input area. Or, supply the path and filename or SAS data set name in this field.

After you have selected an input file, the Output fields are filled with the default values. See The SASHELP.GISIMP Data Set for information about changing the default values.
Modify the default composites, if needed. Click Modify Composites and make your changes in the Import window that appears. This step is optional. See Defining Composites in Imported Data for more information.

Note: The composite definitions in the Import window can have a status of either Keep or Drop. Associations with the Drop status are not included in the SAS/GIS spatial database even though they appear in the variable list in the GIS Import window.
Modify the layers, if needed. Click Modify Layers and make your changes in the Import window that appears. This step is optional. See Defining Layers in Imported Data for more information.
Modify the Library, Catalog, Name, and Action field information in the Map Entries area to specify the destination location of the catalog and its entries, if needed.

Note: The Library, Catalog, Name, and Action fields contain default values that are based on the input file that you selected earlier in this process. You can modify these values or accept the defaults.
Modify the Library, Name, and Action field information in the Spatial Data Sets area to specify the destination location of the spatial data sets, if needed.

Note: These fields contain default values that are based on the input file you selected earlier in the import process. You can modify these values or accept the defaults.
Click the Import button.

Once the import has finished, the following message appears in the window message bar:

Import Complete. Close this window to display the
map.

CAUTION:: Be careful when you are using Modify Composites and Modify Layers, especially when appending new information to an existing map. Modifying the default composites and layers can cause unexpected results or errors. If you are unsure about making modifications, you should keep the default composites and layers as they are during importing. After you import the map, you can view it and review the composites and layers that were created and then use PROC GIS to make modifications later.

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