Model Builder

Question

I am creating a model to run a set of commands based off a data set containing 750k points. Everything works but my first command where I aggregate the points into polygon clusters where it returns an error. I have read that model builder sometimes bombs if there are too many polygon features to work with, but I just wanted to see if there was a way around it other than making my data set smaller.

Also I have tried minimizing my data set but 200k and it works, but the aggregate points tools returns a different attribute table through model builder than if run natively. This in turn throws off my next command which is a selection based off of the Shape_Area attribute that typical is in the table from aggregate points. I don't want to have to edit the data every time before I run this process because I am planning on setting up an timed automatic run every so often through python. Needless to say the frustration is building....Please help!

Ben

DaleHoneycutt · Answer

Curtis -- you're absolutely right... my mistake (late night typo).  I would never recommend personal geodatabases...  File geodatabases all the way! Thanks for catching this!
Dale

curtvprice · Answer

Scratch that. Just need to know why the Aggregate Points tool outputs a different attribute table when used in Model Builder and when used outside of model builder. I need the Shape_Area attribute field, for selection purposes, in model builder and it is not there, along with Shape_Length. (Only returns ID and Shape).

Dale wasn't totally clear on that. Geodatabase feature classes automatically create Shape_Area and Shape_Length fields when they are created. Shapefile output doesn't have either of these fields.make sure that the output of Aggregate Points is being written to a geodatabase (file or personal--I recommend personal)

Really Dale - that's the first time i've heard personal geodatabases recommended! Care to elaborate?

DaleHoneycutt · Answer

Sounds like you're writing to a shapefile instead of a geodatabase.  The reason is probably because your scratch workspace environment is set to a folder instead of a geodatabase.  There are a couple of ways to fix this:

- In ModelBuilder, make sure that the output of Aggregate Points is being written to a geodatabase (file or personal--I recommend personal).
- Set you Scratch Workspace environment variable to a geodatabase.  I suspect it's set to a folder.

Using the current and scratch workspace environments explains scratch workspace and autogenerate output names (interesting stuff is at the bottom of the topic).