Copying a geodatabase using the Extract Data wizard in ArcMap

This wizard copies the contents from one geodatabase to another geodatabase. This is similar to copying and pasting data from one geodatabase to another, but it also allows you to copy a subset by zooming to an area, by selecting a subset to copy, or both.

By default:

• All of the data from the currently selected geodatabase represented in the active data frame will be extracted, including any invisible layers.
• The spatial extent of the extract will be restricted to the current extent of the active data frame or the boundary of a currently selected graphic.
• Any selections or definition queries applied to that data will be honored when the data is extracted. You can use any ArcMap selection method to select features or records. For example, you can select features by dragging a box around them or specifying an attribute query. If you go through the advanced panel and there is both a selection and definition query on a layer or a table, you are provided with an option to check out selected features in the definition query.
• Any related objects associated with this data, which may or may not be present in the active data frame, will also be included when the data is extracted. For example, any annotation related to features that are extracted will also be extracted.
• The list of data to extract will also be expanded to include dependent datasets. For example, all feature classes in a geometric network, topology, or feature dataset will be included if just one feature class from the network, topology, or feature dataset is present in the active data frame.
• If there are several layers representing one feature class in the active data frame, only the top layer in the TOC is used during the extraction.

Advanced options in the wizard allow you to override these defaults and customize the extract operation. For example, you may want to set the extent of the extract with user-supplied coordinates or you may not want to use the existing selection set on a layer but to extract all the features instead. Use the options available in the Extract column combo box in the data grid to control how many features and records will be extracted for each layer or table.

Follow these steps to copy the contents from one geodatabase to another:

1. Start ArcMap.
2. Use the Add Data button to add a map layer using a dataset from the geodatabase whose schema you want to export.
3. Open the Distributed Geodatabase toolbar as follows: click View > Toolbars > Distributed Geodatabase.
4. Click the Extract Data button on the Distributed Geodatabase toolbar to start Extract Data Wizard.
5. Since you want to copy all the contents, click Data in response to What do you want to extract?
6. You can copy the data to a new or existing geodatabase. Navigate to the geodatabase you want to copy the data to, or type its path.
• To create a new file geodatabase, include the .gdb file name extension.
• To create a new personal geodatabase, include the .mdb file name extension.
• To copy the contents to a new enterprise geodatabase, you must first create it before using the Extract Data wizard. See Create Enterprise Geodatabase.
7. Check the Show advanced options for overriding data extraction defaults when I click Next option at the bottom of the page.
8. Click Next to specify the contents to be copied. On this panel, you can set the extent of the features to be copied and make a list of the data items whose information will be copied.
9. If you want to copy all of the contents, check The full extent of the data. Note that you must not have made any feature or table selections to copy all the data contents within the extent.
10. Uncheck the Include check boxes for the feature classes, tables, or relationship classes whose contents you don't want to export.

If you leave a box checked for a feature class in a network, topology, or terrain, the contents for all the feature classes participating in the network, topology, or terrain will be copied. Click Next.

11. On this final panel, review a summary of the extraction contents and other optional settings. When you are ready, click Finish to copy the geodatabase contents.