topic Re: Copy Features tool in Geoprocessing Questions

Copy Features tool

SimonKettle — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:10:42 GMT

Hello,

Is it possible when using the copy features tool in model builder to copy the features over to the default geodatabase without the suffix "_CopyFeatures" being added to the resulting feature class?

Cheers,

Re: Copy Features tool

DanLee — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:56:59 GMT

As long as a feature class with the same name in the geodatabase does not already exist, you can name the output any way you like. Otherwise, it will overwrite the existing data if you have chosen the Overwirte Output option for geoprocessing.

Re: Copy Features tool

SimonKettle — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:08:51 GMT

Thanks...but I am conducting a process where I have shapefiles that I am joining to a CSV table.

Then to make the join permanent I am using the copy tool. Whenever I do this it uses the orginal filename from the shapefile and adds "_CopyFeature" to it.
Within Model Builder I cannot see how to copy the shapefile to the geodatabase without the "_CopyFeature"

Re: Copy Features tool

DanLee — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:52:05 GMT

You should be able to open the Copy Features tool dialog inside ModelBuilder and change the automatically derived output name to anything you like, e.g. myResult, without the _CopyFeatures.

Re: Copy Features tool

Anonymous User — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:59:34 GMT

As long as a feature class with the same name in the geodatabase does not already exist, you can name the output any way you like. Otherwise, it will overwrite the existing data if you have chosen the Overwirte Output option for geoprocessing.

Hi Dan,

I have a very simple model that uses the copy features tool. Even though I have set my geoprocessing options to 'overwrite the output of geoprocessing operations', my model still keeps telling me that it cannot create the output because an object with that name already exists. Also, if I run the same copy features tool outside model builder, it will run through and overwrite the output.

I have a bunch of simple models that run basic geoprocessing tools. They are all running fine, and overwriting existing output.

Any ideas why copy features will not work inside my simple model?

Re: Copy Features tool

ShitijMehta — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:12:49 GMT

What version of ArcGIS are you working on?

Try validating a model before running the model, does that work?

Re: Copy Features tool

DanLee — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:17:12 GMT

Katie,

I have checked with my colleague, Shitij, about Copy Features in MB; we are not aware of the behavior you described.

If you are still struggling with this issue, you can answer Shitij's questions so that we can follow up. Thanks.

Re: Copy Features tool

JustinShepard — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 12:37:30 GMT

I'm having a related issue using the CopyFeatures method in an addin. I have the Geoprocessor set to GP.OverwriteOutput = true; and it works (some of the time). The issue appears to be isolated to how geodatabases are being handled for the output feature class. I'm trying to capture the result so that I can work with it using IGeoProcessorResult2 result = (IGeoProcessorResult2)RunTool(GP, copyFeatures, null);

Scenario 1. Shapefiles: not a problem
Scenario 2. Geodatabase (personal or file, same issue):
Pass * if the feature class doesn't already exist then it gets created fine.
Pass * if the specifed output has the same path as an existing feature class then it overwrites it fine
Pass * if the output is specified to the root of the geodatabase and there is an existing feature class in a feature dataset then it runs fine
Failed * if the output is to a feature dataset and there is an existing feature class at the root or in another feature dataset then it fails (result = null)

Also, I have to remove any spaces in the output feature class name (again isolated to geodatabases, shapefiles work fine) or CopyFeatures fails. Spaces in the path (i.e. feature dataset name has a space) do not cause an error.

I'm running ArcGIS 10.

Re: Copy Features tool

ShitijMehta — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 21:34:55 GMT

Hi,
We are sorry you are facing this problem. Unfortunately, this is an issue and has been logged into our system as a bug. For now you will have to modify your script to check for the existence of the feature class with same name and if it does then may be give it a unique name. You can try arcpy.CreateUniqueName if using Python or its equivalent for your addin.