Using ArcCatalog

VPF data
The Vector Product Format (VPF) is a U.S. Department of
Defense military standard that defines a standard format, structure,
and organization for large geographic databases. VPF data is
read-only in ArcCatalog. However, you can create Catalog-style
metadata if you have write permission where the data is located.
There are four levels of VPF data.
A VPF database is a collection of data that is managed as a unit. A
VPF library, similar to a Librarian library, is a collection of coverages
that fall within a defined extent and use the same coordinate
system. A VPF coverage, similar to an ArcInfo coverage, may
contain many feature classes. The name of a VPF coverage is the
library name followed by the coverage name. For example, a
coverage named elev in a library named algiers would appear in
the Catalog as algiers:elev. Coverage names are often specified in
the VPF product specification.
A VPF feature class is a collection of features (primitives) that
have the same attributes. Each feature class contains point
(node), line (edge), polygon (face), or annotation features and has
an associated feature attribute table. The feature classes within a
VPF coverage represent different types of features. For example, a
hydrology coverage may have feature classes representing dams,
ditches, lakes, and rivers.
A coverage’s features appear continuous even though they may
be tiled. They must also interconnect in a manner defined by the
coverage’s topology. There are four levels of topology for VPF
coverages: 0, 1, 2, and 3. Level 0 coverages have no toplogical
information. Level 3 coverages have full polygon topology.
VPF tables describe the contents of databases, libraries, coverages,
and feature classes. They reside within the folder corresponding
to each level of data. Tables describing the database
appear below its list of coverages. Tables describing a library
reside within its folder along with one folder for each coverage. In
turn, a coverage’s folder contains tables describing its contents
and one folder for each tile, if appropriate.
A connection to a folder that is a VPF database.
A database contains one folder for each VPF library, which in turn contains one folder for each coverage.
Tables describing a library or a coverage can be found in its folder.
There are many VPF coverages in each library; the coverage’s name follows the library’s name.
A VPF feature class contains a set of points, lines, polygons, or annotation and their attributes.
VPF tables describe the contents of databases, libraries, coverages, and feature classes. The tables that
reside in the database’s folder describe the database’s contents. Tables describing other items in the VPF
database reside in the appropriate folder.
62 USING ARCCATALOG