idea Use letter instead of integer as subtype field/code in ArcGIS Pro Ideas

Use letter instead of integer as subtype field/code

Bud — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 19:51:52 GMT

ArcGIS Pro 3.2.2

A subtype can only be created using an integer field, not a text field:

Create and manage subtypes
You cannot create subtypes if there are no available integer fields to use as the subtype field. If this is the case and you want to create subtypes, open the Fields view and add an integer field on which to base the subtypes.

When using a table that has a subtype in a SQL Expression or other scripts (database view, Python, etc.), we only see the integer codes, not the textual descriptions. The integers are difficult to work with since there's no way to know what the number pertains to, without investigation.

Related: @MErikReedAugusta in Best practices with using domains?
I abhor the numeric-code-with-text-alias approach to Domains.

I'm aware that it's possible to bring subtype descriptions into a script by adding extra logic. But it's a nuisance to and adds extra complexity (for example, Select subtype and a subtype field's domain names using SQL). And that doesn't help us with SQL Expressions in Pro like Select By Attributes or definition queries (when writing SQL, not using the query builder).

I'd rather just have subtype codes that are meaningful, such as:

R | Road
S | Sidewalk
B | Bridge

Could subtypes be enhanced to allow letters as codes, not just integers?

Re: Use letter instead of integer as subtype field/code

Kevin_MacLeod — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 18:21:56 GMT

I always use same text on both sides. This would be key, to support text. (so 0, 1, 2 doesn't end up in stuff, for example Views not supporting domains, in third party apps, making def queries more sane, etc)

Re: Use letter instead of integer as subtype field/code

MErikReedAugusta — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 14:18:40 GMT

Absolutely seconded!! (or fourthed, as the case may be, going by the current Kudos?)

I have OFTEN railed against this artificial limitation with our own data. To be fair, I'm sure there could be many datasets out there for which this would be an untenable memory sink.

But to be equally fair, there are plenty of datasets for which it's not. Let us make that call as users and schema designers, because we know our data.

Re: Use letter instead of integer as subtype field/code

LanceKirby2 — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 16:20:20 GMT

Throwing my vote in here!

Re: Use letter instead of integer as subtype field/code

Nicauldron — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 13:27:15 GMT

This needs to happen ASAP!