SEP 3 Exchange Database Import

Importing SEP 3 data from a state authority using the GeoDin exchange database (Austauschdatenbank)

State geological authorities (Landesämter) often deliver borehole data as a plain SEP 3 Access database — a file containing only the SEP 3 data tables, without the GeoDin system wrapper tables that a standard GeoDin database requires. GeoDin cannot open such a file directly as a project database.

The exchange database (German: Austauschdatenbank) is a special Access database that acts as a bridge: it can read the SEP 3 table structure from the authority's file and expose the objects so they can be copied into your main GeoDin database.

Prerequisites

• GeoDin version 3.4 or later.

• The exchange database file, downloaded from the GeoDin website (free download, version-specific).

• The Access (.mdb or .accdb) file received from the state authority, placed in a locally accessible path on the GeoDin server — for example, C:\Temp\. Avoid long UNC network paths, which can cause file access errors.

Step-by-step import procedure

1. Download the exchange database from the GeoDin website. The download is version-specific — ensure you use the version matching your GeoDin installation.

2. Place the received authority file in a short local path on the GeoDin server (e.g. C:\Temp\authority-data.mdb).

3. Connect the exchange database in GeoDin. In the GeoDin Object Manager, use Create database connection to add the downloaded Austauschdatenbank file as a new Access database connection.

4. Point the exchange database to the authority's file. Once connected, open the exchange database. It will ask you to specify the path to the received authority file. Browse to the file placed in Step 2.

5. Browse the imported objects. After the path is set, the exchange database displays the SEP 3 objects from the authority file as if they were in a normal GeoDin project. You can inspect layer data and general data before copying.

6. Copy objects into your main database. Select the objects you want to import. Use Add Objects on your target project (in your main database) and drag the objects from the exchange database into the list. Choose Copy and confirm.

7. Review the protocol. After the copy, GeoDin displays a protocol showing which objects were transferred and any issues encountered (e.g. unmapped SEP codes). See SEP 1 → SEP 3 conversion for notes on handling unmapped abbreviations.

The exchange database only works with files that use the SEP 3 table structure. Arbitrary third-party Access databases or non-SEP formats are not supported.

If you regularly receive data from state authorities, keep a permanent connection to the exchange database in GeoDin and simply update the path to point to each new delivery file as it arrives.