dealing with .e00 files

.e00 files are from an older version of arc. a simpler time. but now it is complicated to open them.

update 7/26/2010:
Easier way:

In ArcCATALOG

View -> Toolbars -> ArcView 8x Tools -> Conversion Tools
Import from Interchange File

**** old stuff below ***

I ended up importing some .e00 files that were in a .tar.Z file (1996 USGS Open report) in a very roundabout manner, and later found some other more straightforward procedures (but can't figure out how to get those to work with my version of Arc). I'll just post them all here.

1. Official explanation on arc site:  Importing an ArcInfo interchange file

2. Mac person's explanation:
there is a arctool box feature for importing arc/info exchange (.e00) files. Toobox-> Coverage -> Conversion -> To Coverage -> Import exchange files. I was able to unzip the tar file using the Mac Archive Utility.

3. My convoluted method on dumb PC (involving much sighing and swearing):

1. download tar.Z to PC
2. ftp to unix account
3. uncompress and untar in unix

uncompress *.Z
tar -xvf *.tar (I may have left off one of the flags to get it to work)

4. ftp back to PC
5. use Import71.exe (wtf, really) to import the .e00 files to the newer version (see below)

my [source]

Importing .e00 files using Import71.exe, ArcView 9:

a. Before you start, note that this import tool does not deal well with folder paths that have space in their names (e.g., like "My Documents"). Therefore, prior to using this tool, you should create a new folder for that file in your C: drive. E.g., if I was importing a TxDot county file for Williamson County called urban246.e00, I should create a folder called williamson in the c:\temp\ folder, and copy my urban246.e00 file to that folder.

b. Locate the Import71.exe file - it should be in the C:\arcgis\bin\ folder (or use the Windows search tool to find it)

c. Run the Import71.exe file by double-clicking on it - a dialog box should appear

d. Browse to the location of your .e00 file and select that file and its directory path as the input file (e.g., c:\temp\barbara\williamson\urban246.e00)

e. For your output file, simply specify the name you want for the newly imported file (e.g., txdot) - no directory path is needed, the file will import to the same location as the .e00 file

f. Be patient - the import process may take 10 minutes or so. You will know when it is done because a small box saying Import Complete will appear over the Import71 dialog box.

g. After you see the Import Complete notice, start ArcView again and check that the coverage displays properly. A "coverage" is an older GIS data format.