Access dbase/query help

[templedesignllc]

I'm working with Map3D 2009 (and learning on 2010 eval version at home).

I started a new drawing and assigned a coordinate system to match the shape files that I next downloaded from the Florida Geographic Data Library (state coastline and FL county boundaries). Then I used MAPIMPORT to bring in four more shape files from the customer. For each, I told it to create the Object Data tables on import, changed the coordinate system to match my drawing, checked the box to import polygons as closed polylines. Since a new layer was created each time, I changed the layer colors so it was easier to visualize the separate linework. When I zoomed extents, everything lined up correctly. However, one of the shape files, which should have come in as location points, was not visible to me. I closed that drawing and started a new drawing, using the same coordinate system, and attached the first drawing as a source drawing. Then I executed a query in draw mode against the source drawing defining "Location: ALL, Alter Properties, Text, and under 'Expression' chose x,y coordinates under the object data for the shape file, then Execute Query". Text showed up in the drawing with x,y coordinates, but I still have no actual points as reference. How do I define a query that will create POINTS in the map? I even tried drawing a line from the coordinates shown in the map, but the line started way out in space away from the text. The text appears to be close to where the points should be showing up - why not the line, so I could snap to the end of the line to draw a point? Am I going about this the hard way? I also have a Microsoft Access database that I dragged into Map Explorer. The tables are water samples taken at various points, but there is no x,y column, no lat/long, just locations like "#13 ditch at Bassett". Shouldn't there be something in the tables that translate into points on the Map???

I mostly got instructions to do the above after posting a thread on the "new" forum, & was answered by Murph and Civil 3D Prime (www.primeserviceglobal.com).
Here is the link to read the entire thread: http://eeforums.augi.com/moving-dirt...ewthread/1046/
Thank you.

[templedesignllc]

Okay, nevermind about the points not showing up. I got that figured out. I still would appreciate information on the database tables though. Did the creator of the tables leave out important data, or am I missing something?

Thanks!

[Jmurphy]

It depends on what type of database you have, just because it has the MDB extension to it doesn't mean it's a MS Access database file you can drag/drop into Map3D. The tables in it can be relational tables, meaning table a is related to table B that is related to table C. Table C may be just a x-y table and with out that all you have in table A is the data that goes to a record linked to table C.
Then there's the geospatial database that may contain a feature with the x-y included in the records of a table along with the object type.