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I am trying to use an access database with geographic information in ArcCatalog. I created the database as a .accdb and backsaved to a .mdb format. I can create a 'shapefile', but not a 'File and Personal Geodatabase feature classes'. The error I get is:

There was an error trying to process this table.

The table was not found. [GDB_ObjectClasses]

The Microsoft Jet database engine cannot find the input table or query 'GDB_ObjectClasses'. Make sure it exists and that its name is spelled correctly.

I can bring the table into arc, create a shapefile, but when I try to use any tools (specifically kriging) I get a similar error.

I don't see any connections, relationships, anything in the access table itself. I've tried bringing the data out into Excel, copying and pasting in a new excel with no formatting and then bringing it back into access and I get the same errors. I don't think it is the dataset because of this. I am using 10.5.1. Any suggestions?

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  • Are you trying to use the mdb data directly as if it's a feature class or convert it to an actual personal or file geodatabase feature class? What happens if you leave it as an .accdb so that the sw can't get confused and think it's a personal gdb?
    – mkennedy
    Aug 22, 2017 at 20:26
  • Thank you so much for the suggestions - If I'm understanding you correctly I am trying to convert it to a file geodatabase feature class. I find the table in the tree catalog and then right click>create feature class> from xy table. When I leave it as a .aacdb it does not show up in arccatalog for me to use in the way I need.
    – Mary Moses
    Aug 22, 2017 at 20:52
  • Maybe this is the issue: support.esri.com/en/technical-article/000009382
    – mkennedy
    Aug 22, 2017 at 20:55

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The reason is that the mdb must be created from ArcCatalog, because some ArcGIS system tables need to be created in that database (ArcGIS calls it a Personal Geodatabase BTW). It is not possible to create new featureclasses in an existing Access database.

If you have existing data that you want to copy into a Personal Geodatase, create an empty one from ArcCatalog first, then find a way to copy the data into it. Preferably using ArcGIS tooling.

If your existing mdb contains XY data, you can directly load it into ArcMap as an XY Event layer, without having to create a Personal Geodatabase.

Keep in mind though though that a Personal Geodatabase is an old format, and has some limitations when compared to a File Geodatabase, so you may consider using that instead. See here for a comparison: http://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/10.3/manage-data/geodatabases/types-of-geodatabases.htm

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  • Thank you so much, that was exactly the assistance I needed.
    – Mary Moses
    Aug 23, 2017 at 16:05

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