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Permanently Reorder Fields in Feature Class (SDE)

TimothySandstrom

I admit I have not beat the internet or ArcGIS Help to submission in finding an answer but in my brief travel I have not found an acceptable answer.

The question is, is there a way to permanently reorder fields via ArcMap, ArcCatalog or other?

Would really, really help with configuring pop-ups within an AGOL web map.

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Accepted answers

VinceAngelo

Not without dropping the table and replacing it with a table with columns in a different order.

A view can be used to specify column order, but they can't participate in many geoodatabase-centric behaviors.

- V

All comments

dougbrowning

But would in-version, re-version work? Some of the datasets I want to reorder are 300+ fields so getting it all just perfect will be tough.

dcoley

Not to my knowledge. You can reorder fields on versioned data, you just have to do both the business table and the add table.

dougbrowning

Has this changed at all in the last few years? I used SSMS in the past to reorder no problem. But I am not sure I ever did it on a versioned table.

I mostly used it to change GDBs. I would copy the GDB into SQL, reorder fields, then copy out to a new GDB.

Is it the versioning that makes this different? The tables are new on a Dev server so I could maybe un-version, reorder, re-version?

Thanks

RichardFairhurst

While this still involves creating a new feature class to replace the original, at ArcMap 10.5.1 you can now use the Spatial Join tool to reorder the fields using the up and down arrows. You can also add completely new fields with the PLUS arrow and insert them in the order you want them to be stored using the arrows. You can even populate the new fields from the fields of your original feature class or the spatially joined feature class.

The tool field view also lets you rename the fields. The only restriction in renaming fields involves trying to rename one field while at the same time trying to give another field the name that the first field originally had, since the tool will cross-link the data or otherwise get confused.

You can also use the Spatial Join field view properties to change the field type, Null rules and field lengths of your fields, including shortening the field length, provided all of your data is compatible with the new field set up (i.e., the tool fails if any value cannot automatically convert and fit in the length and range of values for the new type, or violates a rule prohibiting Nulls).

As long as you use the keep all target features rule of the Spatial Join tool you can avoid adding all but two new fields to your original schema by using a join feature class layer with a definition query of OBJECTID < -1 and the visibility of all its fields turned off. In the end you just need to drop the Join_Count and TARGET_FID fields to get all of your features with only the original schema fields all permanently in the new order, with the new field names, types and Null rules. (The TARGET_FID field is actually very useful if you need to rebuild relationships that were dependent on the original OBJECTID values before replacing the original feature class). And you can use ModelBuilder to save the tool set up or export the tool set up to a Python script for easy reuse.

Although I have not actually verified that it works with any other tool except the Summary Statistics tool yet, it is possible that other tools that have a field map now support these changes in ArcMap 10.5.1. If I find that it works for any other tools with a field map I will post back here with the tools that work.

NanaDei

Related idea on this subject.

BenDrury

YES I have been looking for this for YEARS!!!!

dcoley

I should add that I have never and would never try a reorder unless the database is compressed so as to eliminate any impact to states tables

dcoley

I completely understand, but I've never had an issue. I've performed this operation under both binary and sql geometry storage schemas and all system attributes are always in place, both populated and not. Typically we'll move say a globalid column to the end of the line, but it's not something we take lightly or do often but does work. I will always perform a save in the order of business, add, archive.

-David

VinceAngelo

Are all the geodatabase-required pieces added back in to the table? I'm not sure I'm brave enough to give Microsoft carte blanche with my geodatabase integrity.

- V

dcoley

Like Vince says not t without dropping the table and replacing it with a table with columns in a different order. You can go into designer in SSMS and re-order your columns as you see fit. When you have SSMS configured to allow saving changes that require a table to be dropped it's fairly straightforward. If you reorder a business table that is versioned or versioned and archived make sure you apply the exact same change to both the A and H tables. We try not to do this too often.

David

GIS-Cambria

Not sure what version you're using but these tools work on SDE tables. Install the add in and use the tools menu. Under that you'll find reorder and replace field tools. *Caution* This will drop and recreate your table so any relationships will drop too.

http://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=9ea218ff575f4a5195e01a2cae03a0ae

SonaSunny

this might help-

https://community.esri.com/thread/110716#post348954

VinceAngelo

Not without dropping the table and replacing it with a table with columns in a different order.

A view can be used to specify column order, but they can't participate in many geoodatabase-centric behaviors.

- V

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