Lost Domain info during Merge

Question

Hi all,

Situation:

I work in cultural resources. I used Collector to capture data in the field. The template I used included domains for various info (like if I was documenting a walkway, a materials field would have a domain drop down with values for concrete, brick, wood, etc). I have 14 different categories (vegetation, buildings, roads, etc) that each have p/l/p data.

I need to gather all the multiple points, lines, and polygons data into three combined datasets (one each for p/l/p). I then need to add new fields and reexport.

Problem:

When I merge all the point feature classes the new output does not preserve the domain values...just the number like 2, 4, 5, which correspond to concrete, brick, wood, etc).

Question:

How do I keep the domains intact and properly populated in the new output?

I hope that all makes sense.

I am using ArcGIS Pro.

Steve_Salas · Answer

Comparing the output from ArcGIS Desktop 10.8.2 and Pro 3.1.3, I found this same issue with the domains... PLUS... Pro seems to retain the default value setting of the input fields, where ArcGIS Desktop did not.  When one of the input feature classes does not have that particular field, instead of the corresponding output polygon remaining Null (as with Desktop) for that field, the Pro merge changes that record to the default value.

MMBR · Answer

How do I keep the domains intact and properly populated in the new output?

Check if the output geodatabase featureclass field has the domain and if the domain is assigned to the field.

You can export the geodatabase schema to xml (schema only, no data) then import the xml into a new geodatabase to create an empty geodatabase schema that has the domains, and has the domains assigned to the fields, then you can use the data append tool to load (merge) the data from multiple sources into the empty geodatabase schema.

KeyesWilliamson · Answer

Following up with screenshots.