• Using the Ecotope Geodatabase Files
• Editing the Ecotope Feature Class
• Validating the Ecotope Feature Class
• Updating Ecotope Files

Using the Ecotope Geodatabase Files

1. Download ecotope_files.zip
   1. Create a new folder for your sample cell mapping
   2. Extract the files ecotope_files.mdb, ecotope_template.mdb, and ecotope_edit_93.mxd (ArcGIS 9.3 users) OR ecotope_edit_90_91.mxd (ArcGIS 9.0 - 9.2 users) to the new folder
   3. Rename ecotope_template.mdb to: “site_name_l1_ecotope_map.mdb”
   4. Rename ecotope_edit_93.mxd (OR ecotope_edit_90_91.mxd) to: “site_name_l1_ecotope_map.mxd”
2. Create Feature Datasets
   1. Using ArcCatalog, create AOI , ecotope, and error_check  feature datasets
   2. Right click “site_name_l1_ecotope_map.mdb”
      1. New>feature dataset
      2. Name feature dataset “AOI”
      3. Define the spatial reference properties by importing from an existing shapefile
      4. Click Edit>Import and browse to the sample cell buffer shapefile, or the shapefile with the largest spatial extent that will be used and then click Add and OK.
      5. Repeat for “ecotope” and “error_check” feature datasets.
3. Import existing shapefile(s) into feature datasets as feature classes
   1. Import the sample cell (AOI), 50 m AOI buffer, center point, and corner point shapefiles (if present) into the “AOI” feature dataset using Feature Class to Geodatabase (multiple) tool in ArcToolbox>Ecotope_Update or in ArcToolbox>Conversion Tools.
   2. Import ecotope_time_1 feature class from “ecotope_files.mdb” into “ecotope” feature dataset
      1. Repeat if doing change analysis between two time periods
      2. The attribute value domains have already been defined for this feature class.
   3. Import error_check feature class from “ecotope_files.mdb” into “error_check” feature dataset.
   4. Rename the ecotope_time_1 feature class to “ecotope_20xx”
   5. Rename the error_check feature class to “error_check_day_month”

Editing the Ecotope Feature Class

1. Open “site_name_l1_ecotope_map.mxd”
   1. Add the sample cell extent (AOI) and 50 m AOI buffer feature classes.
   2. Add the “ecotope_20xx” feature class
   3. Under the ‘Source’ tab in the ‘Table of Contents’, make sure the following tables are present in this order:
      • tblForm
      • tblUse
      • tblCover
      • tblGroup
      • tblType
      • tblEcotope
   4. Create features using vector editing
   5. Create rules to ensure topology
   6. Right-click the ecotope_20xx feature class:
   7. Click ‘Calculate UC’ in the context menu
      1. The USE & COVER codes have been concatenated in a new ‘UC’ field. This value can be used for symbolizing the ecotope features

Validating Ecotope Codes

1. It may be necessary to start an edit session if topology has been defined and is present in the feature dataset
2. Right-click the ecotope_20xx feature class (or any you wish to validate):
   1. Click ‘Calculate UC’
      1. The USE & COVER codes have been concatenated in a ‘UC’ field. This value can be used for symbology
   2. Click ‘Validate Ecotopes’
   3. Errors and other issues are reported in the final message box
   4. The ‘ECOTOPE’ field is calculated as:
      1. Invalid ecotopes = ‘INVALID’
      2. Valid ecotopes = [FORM] + [USE] + [COVER] + [GROUP_] + [TYPE] (ie. ANCSho02)
3. Open the attribute table and examine validation issues
   1. The ‘ERRORS’ field lists the incompatibility issue(s)
   2. If the ecotope is valid but has not been mapped previously, it will be noted in the ‘ERRORS’ field as well.
      1. Contact the Ecotope Mapping Group with any valid codes that are not in the Ecotope Inventory

Updating Ecotope Files

1. Check revision date at http://www.ecotope.org/ecotope_gis/
2. If necessary, download ecotope_v1.mdb
3. Delete current tables in ecotope_files.mdb geodatabase:
   1. tblForm
   2. tblUse
   3. tblCover
   4. tblGroup
   5. tblType
   6. tblEcotope
4. Import the above ecotope tables to the ecotope_files.mdb geodatabase using Table To Geodatabase tool in ArcToolbox>Ecotope_Update>Table To Geodatabase or ArcToolbox>Conversion Tools>To Geodatabase> Table To Geodatabase
5. Repeat for ecotope_templates.mdb or your working geodatabase
6. Define domain for ecotope_templates.mdb geodatabase using Table To Domain tool in ArcToolBox>Ecotope_Update> Table To Domain or ArcToolbox>Data Management Tools>Domains> Table To Domain
   1. Input Table: tblForm (in ecotope_files.mdb geodatabase)
   2. Code Field: F_CODE
   3. Description Field: F_NAME
   4. Input Workspace: path to your ecotope_templates.mdb or working geodatabase
   5. Domain Name: FORM
   6. Domain Description:
   7. Update Option: REPLACE
   8. Repeat for each table: tblUse, tblCover, & tblGroup
   9. Note that no domain is defined for TYPE or ECOTOPE

© 2009 The Ecotope Mapping Working Group.  Please direct questions or comments about this website to: info@ecotope.org.
Last modified March 27, 2009