[GIS] Adding new record with specific coordinates into shapefile using ArcGIS for Desktop

Question

I need to create a new point record in my shapefile. When I use the Create Features tool in the Editor tool, I can click anywhere on my map to create a point, but when I go into the attribute table to change the point to exact lat/long I want, the point does not move to those coordinates.

Any ideas on how to add a point record into my shapefile with a specific lat/long properly?

Answer 1

The location coordinates of your feature are stored in a geometry/shape field in the attribute table, not a text readable field you can adjust. You can store the coordinates as attributes, but they won't actually control where the point is.

There are a few ways to address this:

• First, you could just make a table/spreadsheet/csv of your coordinate pairs. Add the table to the map, right-click on it and select Display XY Data or use the Make XY Event Layer command on that table, then export the results to a feature class.
• Second, you could actually create the point at the desired coordinate to start - rather than clicking to place the point, right-click and choose the Absolute X,Y option, which will allow you to type in the specific values (using the current CRS) at which to create the point.
• Third, if you've already created the point and want to move it, you can double-click the point you wish to move, then right-click and choose the Move To option in a similar fashion to enter the specific coordinates you want to move the point to.