Joining dBase (*.dbf) table to Coverage?

Question

I have a dbf table and a polygon coverage. How do I join and save the joined data to the coverage without exporting to feature class and then re-creating a coverage in python? I have been looking at playing with info tables, but there is not much info out there on it.

So, if I, in arcpy, use the joinItem, I get:

Traceback (most recent call last): File "G:/Projects/P747/3_Landbase/LB1/Final_Scripts/V_2/Step_04.py", line 36, in arcpy.JoinItem_COVG(Polygon, Table, Polygon, "MKEY") File "c:\program files (x86)\arcgis\desktop10.1\ArcToolbox\Toolboxes\Coverage Tools.tbx", line 2091, in JoinItem arcgisscripting.ExecuteError: Error opening ELIMINATETABLE.DBF Failed to execute (JoinItem).

import arcinfo, arcpy, os, sys, gc, datetime, time
from arcpy import env

print 'Starting....'

env.OverWriteOutput = True
env.qualifiedFieldNames = False
arcpy.SetProduct("ArcInfo")

ts = time.time()
st = datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(ts).strftime('%H:%M:%S')
print 'Start time = ' + st

tbx = arcpy.ImportToolbox(r"C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.1\ArcToolbox\Toolboxes\Coverage Tools.tbx", "COVG")

env.workspace = "G:\\Projects\\P747\\3_Landbase\\LB1\\multiunion\\m_20150128\\"
Table = "\\\\silver\\clients\\Projects\\P747\\3_Landbase\\LB1\\Eliminate\\El_20150122\\EliminateTable.dbf"
FCLayer = "\\\\silver\\clients\\Projects\\P747\\3_Landbase\\LB1\\TEMP\\\FCLayer.lyr"
TableLayer = "\\\\silver\\clients\\Projects\\P747\\3_Landbase\\LB1\\TEMP\\\TableLayer.lyr"

print 'Loaded Data....'

if arcpy.Exists(FCLayer):
    arcpy.Delete_management(FCLayer)
if arcpy.Exists(TableLayer):
    arcpy.Delete_management(TableLayer)

print 'Deleted Existing Layers....'

for Coverage in arcpy.ListFiles("*_Union"):

    print 'Working on ' + Coverage

    Polygon = env.workspace + "\\" + Coverage + "\\polygon"
    arcpy.JoinItem_COVG(Polygon, Table, Polygon, "MKEY")
    break

What does "support is stopped"? Will I still be able to use my coverage tools?

Answer 1

I have never used the Coverage Tools but am very familiar with ArcInfo Workstation and AML but I think you should be able to accomplish this in a two step process:

1. Table To Table (Conversion)

This tool can convert input tables to dBASE (.dbf), geodatabase (personal, file, or SDE), or INFO tables.

2. Join Info Tables (Coverage)

Joins the item definitions and values of two tables based on a shared item. Joining involves appending items (fields) of one table to those of another through an attribute or item common to both tables. A join is usually used to attach more attributes to the attribute table of a geographic layer.

The above would be the ArcGIS Desktop equivalent of this ARC/INFO procedure:

1. DBASEINFO
2. JOINITEM

I would not advocate anyone continuing to use coverage format.