Merge all features in a feature class that have same attribute value

Question

I am working with a feature class that contains over 3500 polygons.  The polygons have been spliced and diced for data analysis needed by one person.  I want to merge all polygons that have the same attribute in one of the fields (field number--they are open land fields).  Currently doing this by sorting in the field to group features by number and then selecting by hand those with same value and then merging them is getting old very fast.  Does anyone have a better way, maybe a script I could run that would go through the entire feature class table and automatically merge those with the same values?

JMCM · Answer

This is super late, but the solution to this (for anyone else googling) is 2-step:

1. Dissolve the polygons

2. Use the "Join Field" tool with the dissolved field as the Input Field/Join Field keys and transfer all the other fields you want

DineshTuladhar · Answer

Not sure if the answer will still be relevant to Jamie. But, if I have understood the issue correctly (i.e. to merge set of features based on common values in a set of fields), this can be done using Dissolve tool. In the dissolve dialogue box just select all the fields that needs to be preserved (the fields leading to the unique set of records) in the 'Dissolve fields (optional)' list.

Regards

JoeBorgione · Answer

I almost feel like the chicken farmer in Napolean Dynamite who so famously says " I don't understand a word you just said..."

All seriousness aside; perhaps you could do a series of selections to isolate those polygons that have the correct 'decisions' and export them into their own feature class.  Dissolve them as such and then merge the dissolved features back together into one feature class...

Hope this helps-