Registering a table with the geodatabase

Registering a table with the geodatabase adds a record to the following geodatabase system tables:

• GDB_ITEMS
• GDB_ITEMRELATIONSHIPS
• TABLE_REGISTRY (or sde_table_registry)
• COLUMN_REGISTRY (or sde_column_registry)

If the table contains a spatial column, a record is added to these geodatabase system tables as well:

• LAYERS (or sde_layers)
• GEOMETRY_COLUMNS (or sde_geometry_columns)

In addition, registering a table with the geodatabase adds an ObjectID field to the table. This field is populated by the geodatabase with unique ID numbers.

If you register a table with the geodatabase and the table already contains an ObjectID field, you are presented with a dialog box that allows you to use the existing field or add a new field, ObjectID_1.

Caution:

If you choose to use the existing field and the existing values are not unique, be aware that the values in the field will be overwritten, starting with a value of 1. If you choose to use the existing field and the existing values are unique, the next value inserted by ArcGIS will be the maximum existing ID value + 1. For example, if the maximum existing value in the field is 204, the next value ArcGIS will insert is 205.

If you register a spatial table (a feature class) with the geodatabase and it already contains a field named ObjectID, an ID field is automatically added to the business table. This ID field's data type is ObjectID. The field is populated with unique values for each record in the table. These values are generated by the geodatabase.

Be aware that there can be only one field with a data type of ObjectID in a spatial table registered with the geodatabase.

The field data types used in the table you register with the geodatabase must map to ArcGIS data types. If they do not, registration will fail. See Data types supported in ArcGIS for a list of data types you can use.

Note:

Because ArcGIS cannot add an ObjectID field to a view or update the values in an existing ObjectID field in a view, you cannot register a view with the geodatabase.

To register a table with the geodatabase in ArcGIS for Desktop, follow these steps:

1. Start ArcMap and open the Catalog window or start ArcCatalog.
2. Connect to the enterprise geodatabase that contains the table you want to register.

   This connection is made under the Database Connections node of the Catalog tree. Be sure you connect as the owner of the table.

3. Right-click the table you want to register and click Register with Geodatabase.
4. If you are registering a nonspatial table that already contains an ObjectID field, either choose to use the existing field to store ObjectIDs or create a new field.
If you are registering a spatial table and ArcGIS can detect the entity type, spatial reference, spatial extent, and a qualifying ObjectID column, it will automatically register the table. If any of these properties cannot be determined, a dialog box will appear.
5. If you receive the dialog box, provide the requested information.
6. Click OK to register the table.

Once the table is registered with the geodatabase, you can use geodatabase functionality such as adding subtypes to it, defining domains for fields in the table, and placing the table in a relationship class. If it is a spatial table (a feature class), you can also move it into a feature dataset so it can be used in topologies, networks, terrains, and other feature dataset constructs. (To use functionality such as network datasets, terrains, and schematics, you must have the required ArcGIS extension installed and enabled.)