2 Geographic Data Management

After creating the empty raster dataset, right-click it,

point to Load, and click Load Data. Browse to the

dataset to add or to the multiple datasets to mosaic

together. You can also specify how overlapping

input datasets are to be handled, what value to

assign no data cells, and so on. The result is a

single raster stored within the geodatabase.

Another, more ad hoc, approach is to import one or more existing raster datasets directly into the geodatabase. Import
assigns the properties of the output raster dataset using the properties of the input rasters, rather than allowing you
to dene them. There are two options for importing rasters. Both are accessed by right-clicking the geodatabase and
clicking Import. If you want to mosaic several adjacent rasters into a single dataset, choose Raster Datasets (mosaic).
As with loading multiple datasets (described above), you can specify how to handle overlaps, assign no data values,

and so on.

To import a raster, or to mosaic several rasters, without rst

creating an empty raster dataset in the geodatabase and

dening its properties, right-click the geodatabase, point to

Import, and click Raster Datasets (mosaic). Properties of the
output dataset are derived from the input raster(s).

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Using ArcGIS Desktop

If you want to import a single raster dataset, or import several datasets at one time but continue to store them as
individual datasets (rather than mosaicking them into a single dataset), choose the Raster Datasets option.

To import one or more rasters into a geodatabase as

individual raster datasets, right-click the geodatabase, point
to Import, and click Raster Datasets.

The rasters are stored

individually in the
geodatabase.

Creating a raster catalog

A raster catalog lets you manage a group of individual rasters as a collection. The rasters could be a tiled imagesuch
as all aerial photos for a countythat you want to maintain as separate tiles (rather than mosaicking them into a single
dataset); a set of coincident rasters for a location (such as layers for soil type, elevation, rainfall, and so on); a time
series for a location (such as urban versus rural landuse for each decade); or any other collection of rasters you want to
keep together, such as all the output rasters from a GIS analysis project.
You rst create and dene the raster catalog. Right-click a geodatabase, point to New, and click Raster Catalog.

To create a raster catalog, right-click the geodatabase name

in the Catalog tree, point to New, and click Raster Catalog. In
the dialog box, name the catalog, and specify any additional
parameters.

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