topic Re: How to completely delete a feature class in SQL server? in Data Management Questions

How to completely delete a feature class in SQL server?

ducksunlimited — Thu, 27 May 2010 12:40:55 GMT

Dear All,

Just curious to know how to completely delete a feature class (not involved in topologoy and relationship) in SQL server. I tried to delete the business table, the record in SDE_table_registery, and the record in SDE_Layers. But still gave me an error (table already exists...) when I tried to create a feature class with the same name via ArcCatalog.

What tables else should I delete? Thanks for the help,

Russel

Re: How to completely delete a feature class in SQL server?

VinceAngelo — Thu, 27 May 2010 13:13:32 GMT

Tables and layers the table registry which have never been registered with the geodatbase
should be deleted with 'sdetable -o delete'. Feature classes should only be deleted though
ArcGIS. There are just too many possible places for references to hide in the metadata tables,
and that doesn't even count the cross-references to feature datasets and object behavior
(look at the entity-relationship diagram and you'll see what I mean).

Given that much of the old geodatabase tables have been denormalized into XML at ArcGIS 10,
you won't even have the option of hunting down references in a dozen tables.

- V

Re: How to completely delete a feature class in SQL server?

ducksunlimited — Thu, 27 May 2010 19:14:03 GMT

(look at the entity-relationship diagram and you'll see what I mean).

where to get the entity-relationship diagram?

Re: How to completely delete a feature class in SQL server?

Anonymous User — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 21:43:13 GMT

I routinely delete feature classes from SDE then replace them with current feature classes. (All in Arc Catalog) It did not work for me tonight. The old feature classes are gone, but when pasting the new ones into the correct dataset I am told that the feature already exists and that I cannot duplicate. 1.) If it is there, where is it and why can't I see it? 2.) How can I get the new features loaded into the SDE dataset?

Thank you,

Re: How to completely delete a feature class in SQL server?

VinceAngelo — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 01:13:31 GMT

The tables only need entries in the geodatabase metadata tables to
prevent recreation. The easiest workaround is to create an empty
table with the same name via SQL, then use Catalog to delete it over
again. If that doesn't do the trick, contact Tech Support, and let them
walk you through the other procedures.

- V