ArcMap Procedure: How to Add X- and Y-coordinates to a Point Shapefiles attribute Table

Tony Soeller, RESEARCH COMPUTING SUPPORT / NACS / UC IRVINE, MAY 2004 Within a point shapefile, each points coordinates are stored with the shapefile under the shape field. However, those coordinates are not directly readable. You can extract the coordinates and save them into X (or longitude) and Y (or latitude) fields within the shapefiles attribute table. Heres how. 1) In ArcMap open the attribute table for the point shapefile. 2) Click Options > Add Field then add a field with the following characteristics: Name: X_coord Type: Double Precision: 12 Scale: 5 Click OK and the X_coord field will be added to the attribute table. 3) Right-click on the name X_coord in the attribute table, select Calculate Values then click Yes to the message that appears about editing outside an edit session. The Field Calculator window will appear.

ArcMap: Adding XY Coordinates to a Shapefile

4) In the Field Calculator window check the Advanced checkbox then type the following code into the text box under Pre-Logic VBA Script Code: Dim dblX as double Dim pPoint as IPoint Set pPoint = [Shape] dblX = pPoint.X 5) In the window under X_coord simply type dblX then click OK. The X-coordinate value for the points will be written into each cell within the X_coord field. 6) Repeat the procedure for the Y-coordinate by creating a Y_coord field and using the following VBA script code: Dim dblY as double Dim pPoint as IPoint Set pPoint = [Shape] dblY = pPoint.Y Be sure to type dblY in the window under Y_coord within the Field Calculator then click OK. The Y-coordinate value for the points will be written into each cell within the Y_coord field.

ArcMap: Adding XY Coordinates to a Shapefile