FAQ
Before contacting our GIS Helpdesk, please check if your issue is among the frequently asked questions that we have collected for you below.
Typical Problemes
Can I get a license for my personal computer?
As a student enrolled in Geography you can obtain a license.This license is limited to one year. If it has expired, you can receive a new one.
Please contact Mr. Gernot Frommelt, Room SG 426. It is best to make an appointment in advance.You can reach both at: it@geo.rwth-aachen.de.
A certain function / tool does not deliver the desired result.
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In many cases it helps to look into the very good ArcGIS help: F1 key, "Help -> ArcGIS Desktop Help" or the Internet ( Tool Reference). Find the name of the function / tool there. - Search the Internet;there is almost always someone who already had the problem.
Certain tools / extensions are not visible.
- Check whether the respective extension is activated under "Customize -> ...".If not, activate it.
A specific feature / tool returns an error message
If you receive an error code,
- search the web for "ArcGIS + error code"; there is probably someone who already had the same problem,
- you can look up the detailed output of the tool in the results (Geoprocessing Results),
- pay attention to the rules for file and folder names. Incorrect names can cause wrong error codes.
What should be considered when creating files and folders in ArcGIS?
- For ESRI grids, the maximum length of the filename is 13 characters.
- For example, use GeoTIFFs (* .tif) to work around this problem.
- No umlauts, special characters and blanks.Instead of blanks, you can use underlines.
When I try to save my file, I get an error message saying that I have no permission to write.
- Please check if there is enough disk space in your user account.
I copied my GIS project from A to B. Now data is no longer visible and layers are marked with a red exclamation point.
- ArcGIS does not find the files. Probably no "relative pathnames" are activated. Please activate this under "File -> Map Document Properties".
- Right-click on the faulty layer - red exclamation point - and select "Data -> Repair data source".
- Now find the folder in which the file is located and select the file. Afterwards, the data should be visible again
- Save the project.
When I open a tool in the computer room in ArcGIS, I get an empty window.
- The memory capacity for your user account may have been reached. Close ArcGIS and delete unnecessary data.