The “Project” tool is used to transform spatial data from one coordinate system to another. This process involves changing the projection of a layer, for example, from the “WGS 1984 UTM Zone 17S” system to the “Provisional South American Datum UTM Zone 17S” system.
It is essential to understand that these coordinate systems rely on different datums (WGS84 and PSAD56), so it is necessary to apply the appropriate geographic transformation for the specific location of the data. A list of recommended transformations is available in a document found on the ArcGIS Pro help website under “Geographic and Vertical Transformations.”
Excerpt from the document “Geographic and Vertical Transformation Tables”.
To begin the transformation process, open the “Project” tool using the following path:
Geoprocessing > Toolboxes > Data Management Tools > Projections and Transformations > Project
In the “Project” tool, configure the following parameters:
- Input Dataset or Feature Class: Select the layer to be projected. Its current coordinate system will be displayed automatically.
- Output Dataset or Feature Class: Choose the folder or geodatabase where the resulting projected layer will be saved.
- Output Coordinate System: Select the new coordinate system to apply. In this example, choose Projected Coordinate Systems > UTM > South America > PSAD_1956_UTM_Zone_17S.
- Geographic Transformation: From the list of available transformations, select the one that matches the data’s location. For continental Ecuador, use PSAD_1956_To_WGS_1984_14. Alternatively, PSAD_1956_To_WGS_1984_6 may be used, although it may provide less accurate results.
Projecting a layer to another coordinate system.
To project a raster file to another coordinate system, use the “Project Raster” tool. This can be found at:
Geoprocessing > Toolboxes > Data Management Tools > Projections and Transformations > Raster
This tool allows raster datasets to be reprojected using similar parameters, ensuring spatial consistency with vector data.