topic Re: Field Calculator doesn't work in Arc10 tables in Data Management Questions

Field Calculator doesn't work in Arc10 tables

NicolaiBencke1 — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:52:49 GMT

I can't get 'Field Calculator' to work in any of my tables since going to Arc10. This applies to shapefiles, personal gdbs and file gdbs, in edit sessions and outside edit sessions. I need this function constantly in my work, and filling in records one by one doesn't work for 50,000 records. I've got Service Pack 3 loaded and an ArcInfo license. I know my syntax is correct, I've been using this function for many years. Did something change that I'm missing, or do I need to try to re-load Arc10 completely?

Re: Field Calculator doesn't work in Arc10 tables

Robert_LeClair — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 15:08:40 GMT

Nicolai - by chance are you using VBA code blocks for the field calculations? These are no longer supported in the ArcGIS v. 10 field calculator. Possible workaround: Use Python or VB Script code blocks in the Field Calculator. Another possibility is to request a VBA authorization file from Esri keycodes - http://blogs.esri.com/Dev/blogs/arcgisdesktop/archive/2009/10/28/ArcGIS-Desktop-and-VBA_3F00_.aspx

Good luck!

Robert
Esri-Denver

Re: Field Calculator doesn't work in Arc10 tables

NicolaiBencke1 — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:52:11 GMT

I'm just doing a simple statement to try to fill in a field. I don't know any coding or scripting languages. See attachment for an example. The field I'm filling in is a text field with 12 characters. The same thing happens (nothing) whether I'm in an edit session or not. I'm hoping there's just some setting I could change or a box that needs to be checked that didn't exist in Arc9.

Re: Field Calculator doesn't work in Arc10 tables

HoraceShaw1 — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:20:55 GMT

Any solution to this issue? I have the same problem with field calculator.

Horace Shaw
Burlington, VT

Re: Field Calculator doesn't work in Arc10 tables

RichardFairhurst — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:50:38 GMT

I'm just doing a simple statement to try to fill in a field. I don't know any coding or scripting languages. See attachment for an example. The field I'm filling in is a text field with 12 characters. The same thing happens (nothing) whether I'm in an edit session or not. I'm hoping there's just some setting I could change or a box that needs to be checked that didn't exist in Arc9.

The calculation you posted should work, so why it doesn't is a mystery. I agree that the Field Calculator is indespensible and if I had a problem like this I would be on the phone with Tech Support immediately. I have 10 SP3 on my machine and it would do this calculation without a problem. About the only buggy behavior I have had is when a Personal Geodatabase is in an edit session I have to save after each Field Calculator operation to get it to do another calculation. Contact Tech Support.

Re: Field Calculator doesn't work in Arc10 tables

KristyGuy — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:47:28 GMT

I had the same problem. I fixed the problem by resetting everything to the original defaults. I don't know what caused the problem in the first place.

Here's the instructions I followed from a different thread ("How can ArcMap be reset to all orginal defaults?") written by Dean Thevaos, GIS Programmer/Analyst, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities.

"Delete or Rename the "ESRI" directory in the registry. Go to Start > Run > type "regedit". Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software. You can try deleting or renaming the ArcMap directory first (It's inside the ESRI folder) when you open ArcMap a new directory will be created. If this doesn't restore all of ArcMap's defaults go back and delete or rename the entire ESRI directory. Make sure you do this with ArcMap and ArcCatalog closed. The benefit of renaming rather than deleting is if there are undesired effects you can delete the New ESRI or ArcMap directory and return the old one to it's original name. "

Re: Field Calculator doesn't work in Arc10 tables

AndrewShaw — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:47:13 GMT

Hi All,

I am having the same problem with the field calculator suddenly not working. I tried the registry edit to no avail. Any other solutions?

Re: Field Calculator doesn't work in Arc10 tables

AndrewShaw — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:48:20 GMT

I contacted tech support and got a solution. Not only did I have to do the registry edit, but they had me remove/rename the esri folder in my profile at C:\Users\ajshaw\AppData\Roaming. Apparently the cause of the field calculator issue was a corrupted normal.mxt

Re: Field Calculator doesn't work in Arc10 tables

NicolaiBencke1 — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:56:02 GMT

Thanks for finding that answer Andrew. I had gone and deleted my normal file, but that wasn't enough. I tried your method of both registry edit and deleting (renaming to ESRIold) the ESRI folder and now my Field Calculator works again. Big relief. Odd that this happened to both the PC and the laptop that I loaded 10 on, but no one else in the office had that problem. Hopefully this will help some other people too. Nice work, I appreciate the help.

Re: Field Calculator doesn't work in Arc10 tables

NicolaiBencke1 — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:58:40 GMT

Thanks to Kristi also for finding a solution.

Re: Field Calculator doesn't work in Arc10 tables

LetaRogers — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:13:41 GMT

I have this as an ongoing problem (using 1-year student ArcInfo license with SP3). I rename the ESRI folder in roaming to ESRIold and rename the ESRI registry folder to ESRIold. New ESRI folders and registry entries are created, and the field calculator works fine for a while. Eventually it is borked again, and I have to reapply the fix. Now I am starting to track what I do more closely so that if it happens again I can perhaps recreate the problem.

Re: Field Calculator doesn't work in Arc10 tables

DanaKern — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:20:37 GMT

Please be aware that renaming the ESRI folders is a factory reset of ArcGIS, and therefore all third party tools, custom scripts, and/ or custom toolbars currently installed will need to be re-installed as a result. Also, you will need to re-connect all existing folder connections if data was saved in the ESRI folders.
Windows 7:
***Renaming the ESRI Folder in the C: drive***
1. Open Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > Folder Options > View Tab
2. Select the radio button to Show hidden files, folders, and drives
3. Right-click on the Windows Start Icon > Windows Explorer
4. Navigate to C:/Users/YourUsername/AppData/Roaming/ESRI
**If the AppData folder is not visible, you may need to perform the following steps to display the general toolbar: Organize menu > Layout > Menu Bar. Then to display the AppData folder, choose the Tools menu > View Tab > Show Hidden files, folders, or drives > Apply > OK
5. Right click on the ESRI folder and select rename. Rename the folder to oldESRI
===============================================
***Renaming the ESRI Folder in the Registry Editor***
1. Navigate to the Start Menu
2. Navigate to Run�?�
3. Type in "regedit" (to get the registry editor)
4. Click OK
5. Expand on the "hkey current user" folder in the folder tree
6. Expand on the "software" folder
7. Right click on the "ESRI" folder and rename the folder "ESRIold" Tab
===============================================
Below you will find instructions on restting the normal templates for ArcCatalog, ArcMap, and ArcToolbox.

For ArcCatalog:
1. Close ArcCatalog & ArcMap
2. Navigate to root C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data*\ESRI\ArcCatalog *(if hidden go to tools folder options view)
3. Open the Templates folder
4. There will be a "Normal.gxt" file. Please right click on that file, and rename it to something besides Normal. Then re-start ArcCatalog.

For ArcMap:
1. Close ArcCatalog & ArcMap
2. Navigate to root C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data*\ESRI\ArcMap *(if hidden go to Tools folder options view)
3. Open the Templates folder
4. There will be a "Normal.mxt" file. Please right click on that file, and rename it to something besides Normal. Then re-start ArcMap.

For ArcToolbox
1. Close ArcCatalog & ArcMap
2. Navigate to root C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data*\ESRI\ArcToolbox *(if hidden go to Tools folder options view)
3. There will be an "ArcToolbox.dat" file. Please right click on that file, and rename it to something besides ArcToolbox. Then re-start ArcMap Tab

Dana Kern
ESRI Support Service - Redlands, CA

Re: Field Calculator doesn't work in Arc10 tables

MaryTrombley — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:59:36 GMT

I have done all the recommended changes to the Registry and renamed the ESRI folder in my user folder. It hasn't helped the Field Calculator work. I am running XP SP3. I never had a problem with 9.3 or previous versions of ArcMap. Any other suggestions?
Thanks ~ MT

Re: Field Calculator doesn't work in Arc10 tables

AshleyMott — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:22:52 GMT

I had this issue in sp3. I was going to sp4, so I just decided to do a complete uninstall of all ArcGIS software and then reinstall and apply all sp4s. The field calculator behavior persists. I am running Windows 7.

Re: Field Calculator doesn't work in Arc10 tables

PeterDames — Sun, 29 Apr 2018 18:54:58 GMT

I know this is an old thread, but I'm using an older computer (ancient Dell Inspiron running Windows 7)and just ran into this problem. I couldn't get the "Field" to enter the calculation window when i selected it. Turned out all I had to do was double click it, not just single. This worked whether i was in editing mode or not....

Hope this helps somebody.

Re: Field Calculator doesn't work in Arc10 tables

KeithAddison1 — Thu, 18 Oct 2018 21:14:55 GMT

I'm having the same problem (10.3.1) with using field calculator to 'copy' multiple joined string fields into another. Removing and recreating the join worked for one field, killing all Arc processes and reopening ArcMap also fixed it for a few fields.