Projections problem

2011
4
01-07-2017 04:01 PM
konjkodivni
New Contributor

Hi!
I'm a new user of arcgis
I downloaded vector data layers from one website and got an .tsv document that includes coordinates. That's going to be my map.
I put the vector layers on new map and also .tsv positions. looks correct but since it's data about Netherlands, everything is in WGS1984 but top of netherlands looks flattened and my labels and coordinates do not look well. I've found online that the system for Netherlands should be EPSG:28992, however, when I right click on Layer properties and choose epsg 28892, I get the warning "This CS has a GCS that differs from one or more data sources on the map....".
When I press yes and ignore that warning, map changes and looks okay now, but when I do right click on layers properties, and choose Layers, it still says it is WGS.

Can I ignore that warning and why do I get that warning if I have map of Netherlands?


Thanks,

0 Kudos
4 Replies
DanPatterson_Retired
MVP Emeritus

If you want a file to be in a different coordinate system, then you have to make a file using the...

Project—Help | ArcGIS Desktop 

to get it into the correct coordinate system,... you simply don't set it to what you want it to be, a file with the correct coordinate system has to be made.

konjkodivni
New Contributor

Thanks for your help. Didn't realize that.
But when I use project to change coordinate system, the map doesn't change in any way. Yes, now, in Layer properties says it is a EPSG system, but Netherlands didn't stretch, it stayed flattened as before (and I don't want it to stay flattened)

0 Kudos
DanPatterson_Retired
MVP Emeritus

You actually have to set the coordinates of the dataframe as well... but it is far easier to open a new data frame in and drag the projected file(s) into it... the first file always sets the coordinates of the data frame, if you don't want to set it manually

MelitaKennedy
Esri Notable Contributor

Hi,

I want to make sure that everything is working correctly. 

Did the vector layers (are they shapefiles or ?) already have a defined coordinate system? It sounds like they do, and its WGS84 / decimal degrees. We can probably assume that the tab-separated values (.tsv) are also in WGS84 but try to verify that by checking for their metadata on the website where you downloaded them. 

So,

1. Add the vector data to ArcMap

2. Use Add XY Data to add the tsv data. Make sure the coordinate system is set to WGS84, or whatever coordinate system the values are in.

3. Open the data frame properties and change the coordinate system to 28992 (Amersfoort RD New). 

4. Also set a transformation between WGS84 and Amersfoort (Transformations button on the coordinate system tab). 

If you want to make copies of the data that are using RD New, you can use the Project Tool for the vector data (right click the tool to open in batch mode). For the tsv data, you could convert them to shapefiles or geodatabase feature classes by right-clicking its layer name and selecting data, export data. In that dialog, make sure that "use data frame coordinate system" is selected.

Melita