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Deleting a value in a FGDB FC Attribute Table: Why does the value get set to empty, instead of null?

Bud

In an FGDB FC, I can delete a value from the Attribute Table.

Before:

Double click the cell. Hit the delete key. Press ENTER.

After:

I'm surprised that the deleted value resolved to Empty, instead of null.

In comparison, an enterprise geodatabase like Oracle would have resolved to null.

Is setting a FGDB value to Empty really a good design choice?
Is Empty the right terminology? Or is it something else, such as a hidden space?
How would we query for Empty values using SQL?

Thanks.

ArcGIS Pro 3.0.3

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Accepted answers

danretired

Because it is an empty text string not None. There is a difference. There is only one None.

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danretired

If it answered your question, please mark the response as Accepted

danretired

Null is None by another name. An empty string is a different object, it exists as a string just with no characters.

Think of "None/ <null> " as the object that has yet to become what is in the field.

Philosophy has discussions of None-ness 🤔

Bud

OK.

I guess I'm just more familiar with Oracle EGDBs. In Oracle, there is no concept of None or Empty. Only null.

danretired

Because it is an empty text string not None. There is a difference. There is only one None.

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