How to change the default attributes that populate the attribute table when creating a feature by copying and pasting from a .dwg file in arcgis?

Question

Hello, all!

I am really hoping to find information about this topic. I have put the background to question, example, and my question below. The examples are the actual procedures I do at work.

Background to question:

I have a .dwg file (my basemap from autocad with point, polylines, and polygons of course) in my TOC as a layer, and I copy these features and paste them into other layers.

Example and QUESTION:

A polyline from the basemap (.dwg file) representing a road is selected, copied, and pasted into my "roads" layer. Whenever I paste this, I would like to set the default attributes that populate the fields. I somewhat understand how to change the default attributes when creating features in general, but not with copying and pasting features. Basically I would like to be able to copy the polyline from my .dwg file and have the attributes populated with information I choose.

I would greatly appreciate any help!

Thank you in advance!!

-Jerad

SepheFox · Answer

Have you tried setting the default attribute values of your feature template: ArcGIS Help 10.1?

JeradWhite1 · Answer

Howdy Xander, and thank you for the reply and assistance. I have not tried subtypes for this particular issue yet. However that suggestion presents another question I have that pertains to "subtypes". I have noticed with subtypes that one field will have the string "New Subtype" (which appears/acts domain based with the only choice being "New Subtype") and if you NULL the field, it messes up all my other domain based fields (by "messes up" I mean it displays the coded value only and prevents the use of the domain), is there a way to have that particular field NULL without messing up my other domain based fields?

XanderBakker · Answer

Did you try to use subtypes?

ArcGIS Help (10.2, 10.2.1, and 10.2.2)