topic Re: Deleting a value in a FGDB FC Attribute Table: Why does the value get set to empty, instead of null? in ArcGIS Pro Questions

Deleting a value in a FGDB FC Attribute Table: Why does the value get set to empty, instead of null?

Bud — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 17:46:13 GMT

In an FGDB FC, I can delete a value from the Attribute Table.

Before:

Double click the cell. Hit the delete key. Press ENTER.

After:

I'm surprised that the deleted value resolved to Empty, instead of null.

In comparison, an enterprise geodatabase like Oracle would have resolved to null.

Is setting a FGDB value to Empty really a good design choice?
Is Empty the right terminology? Or is it something else, such as a hidden space?
How would we query for Empty values using SQL?

Thanks.

ArcGIS Pro 3.0.3

DanPatterson — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 18:21:14 GMT

Because it is an empty text string not None. There is a difference. There is only one None.

pictures

Bud — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 18:22:32 GMT

OK.

I guess I'm just more familiar with Oracle EGDBs. In Oracle, there is no concept of None or Empty. Only null.

DanPatterson — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 18:27:53 GMT

Null is None by another name. An empty string is a different object, it exists as a string just with no characters.

Think of "None/ <null> " as the object that has yet to become what is in the field.

Philosophy has discussions of None-ness 🤔

DanPatterson — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 19:59:16 GMT

If it answered your question, please mark the response as Accepted