ArcView Grids

You can use Grid Translator to create custom grids in an ASCII grid format for input into ArcView®. But you must have Spatial Analyst and/or the 3-D Analyst extension(s) installed. After creating your grid, follow these instructions

For ArcView 3

  1. In the Grid Options Dialog choose Output Grid Format as ASCII Raster Format, and choose ArcInfo/ArcView Header.
  2. Open Arcview
    When you open Arcview it asks if you want to add data to the view now. Answer NO
  3. Open Spatial Analyst or 3-D Analyst (File -> Extensions…).
  4. If your grid is Integer (you chose Precision Whole Meters) skip to step 9. If your grid is floating point (Precision Tenths of Meters), in the project window double click on script from the list of icons on the left side. A new window will open.
  5. In the script window type the following:
    Number.SetDefFormat( "d.d" ) (Note: this is a global setting until you close ArcView.)
  6. There should be a tool bar across the top of your screen, find the icon that looks like a big check-mark. This is the compile icon, click it.
  7. Next to the compile icon is the run icon - click it.
  8. Close the script window
  9. Note: When defining a projection use Geographic Projection and Decimal Degrees. For horizontal datums Coastal Relief Model and Great Lakes Bathymetry are in NAD83, while ETOPO2 is in WGS84.
  10. In the view window:
    Under file there is an option to import data source - click it
  11. You will be asked for data format, select ASCII raster;chose the file saved in step 1.
  12. Are data integers? - select YES if you chose Precision Whole Meters, select NO if you chose Precsion Tenths of Meters.
  13. Add grid as theme to view - YES
  14. The grid should now be in ArcView.

For ArcGIS 8 ArcMap

  1. In the Grid Options Dialog choose Output Grid Format as ASCII Raster Format, and choose ArcInfo/ArcView Header.
  2. Open ArcMap
    Start -> Programs -> ArcGIS -> ArcMap
  3. Enable 3D Analyst and/or GeoStatistical Analyst and/or Spacial Analyst
    Tools -> Extensions…
  4. Open ArcToolbox
    Start -> Programs -> ArcGIS -> ArcToolbox
  5. In ArcToolbox:
    Conversion Tools -> Import to raster -> Ascii to Grid
    Input Ascii File: ASCII (.asc) file created with Grid Translator
    Grid Type: Integer or Float, based on Precision (whole meters or tenths of meters)
    Output Grid: Path/Name of Arc grid (this is a folder)
  6. In ArcToolbox:
    Data Management Tools -> Define Projection Wizard (coverage, grids, TINs)
    Define the coordinate system: Define the coordinate system interactively
    Dataset: Locate your Output Grid (defined above)
    Projection of your dataset: Geographic (lat/lons)
    Geographic parameters - Units: DD (decimal degrees)
    Datum: NAD 1983 (US-NADCON) (Coastal Relief Model) or WGS 1984 (ETOPO2)
    Finish
  7. Add the Grid to your ArcMap Document
    File -> Add Data... Locate your Output Grid (defined above)
  8. You may now work with the grid in your ArcMap Document