topic Re: Basic Model Won't Overwrite Existing Data in ModelBuilder Questions

Basic Model Won't Overwrite Existing Data

BenVan_Kesteren1 — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 03:20:53 GMT

Hi,

I have a model I created in Model Builder that simply runs several instances of the "Feature Class to Shapefile" tool.

If I run this tool over and over again, it keeps creating new files in the output directory, incrementing the filename by a single digit each time.

For example, if I run the tool three times I will end up with:

Water_mains.shp
Water_mains_1.shp
Water_mains_2.shp

Is there a way I can tell the model builder to overwrite these files instead of creating a unique file name?

I reference these files in several maps, and I thought I was updating the source data for these maps, but each time I run it it creates a new filename so the data source needs to be updated accordingly (not ideal).

Do you know how to force the model to overwrite existing data?

Re: Basic Model Won't Overwrite Existing Data

JayantaPoddar — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 09:02:53 GMT

In ArcMap, click Geoprocessing > Geoprocessing Environments.

Check the first option "Allow Geoprocessing tools to overwrite existing datasets".

Re: Basic Model Won't Overwrite Existing Data

BenVan_Kesteren1 — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 00:17:11 GMT

Hey Jayanta,

thanks for the comment, it seems I already have this option ticked on....

These are the current settings I have in ArcMap:

These are the current settings I have in ArcCatalog (this is where I open the Model Builder model from):

Re: Basic Model Won't Overwrite Existing Data

BenVan_Kesteren1 — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 00:26:24 GMT

Here is a copy of the model I am using, is there a setting stored inside this?

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/32195871/Work%20Only/GeonetExport.zip

Re: Basic Model Won't Overwrite Existing Data

DanPatterson_Retired — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 00:42:54 GMT

why don't you just delete the old, then create the new? although it is easier to do this in scripting. Also, if the file is being 'used' anywhere you can't overwrite or delete, so adding results to display for a step means you can't get rid of it

Re: Basic Model Won't Overwrite Existing Data

BenVan_Kesteren1 — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 01:00:31 GMT

You are correct, I can delete these files and recreate (time consuming and annoying), and I can script this, but that can be time consuming and that defeats the purpose of me using model builder for 'quick' processes like this.

The shape files are being referenced in AutoCAD files by people in other departments, they are not continually being used, and the chances of someone referencing them and locking them when I run the tool are slim.

Re: Basic Model Won't Overwrite Existing Data

curtvprice — Thu, 28 Sep 2017 22:25:23 GMT

You can also set Overwrite outputs as in the properties/environment tag of the model (so the user doesn't have to do it in ArcMap for everything).

Re: Basic Model Won't Overwrite Existing Data

curtvprice — Thu, 28 Sep 2017 22:28:03 GMT

Jayanta's answer is marked correct. But it sounds like maybe his answer did this not work???

Re: Basic Model Won't Overwrite Existing Data

DanPatterson_Retired — Thu, 28 Sep 2017 22:35:13 GMT

overwrite does not overwrite if it is being used as I pointed out and he confirmed in his last comment... don't know if Ben closed it offhand, but what the hey

Re: Basic Model Won't Overwrite Existing Data

BenVan_Kesteren1 — Thu, 28 Sep 2017 22:39:37 GMT

Its funny how I come about finding this old post... I just got a new PC, and I forgot how to setup my models so that they overwrote data each time I run it, so I Googled my problem which actually found my original post above. Reading Jayanta's comments allowed me to fix my problem (this time). So I marked it as correct.

I am unsure what the fix was back in 2016, but something else must have been locking my data, not allowing it to be overwritten, but this time around Jayanta fixed my issue, hence the marking it correct.

Everyone can sleep easier now knowing its all good

Re: Basic Model Won't Overwrite Existing Data

JoeBryant2 — Wed, 11 Oct 2017 18:38:58 GMT

Curtis, could you be more specific? I don't see this option anywhere when I right-click my model > Model Properties > Environments > ?

FYI: 10.4.1

Re: Basic Model Won't Overwrite Existing Data

JoeBryant2 — Wed, 11 Oct 2017 18:53:23 GMT

Dan,

Would a solution to the data being "locked" from being overwritten/deleted be to instead use the "Truncate Table" tool to remove all the features from the feature class, then use the "Append" tool to re-populate the table? Or would this also fail if, for instance, ArcServer services are referencing the data?

I've heard the above workflow is also preferable as it maintains the metadata for the feature class.

Re: Basic Model Won't Overwrite Existing Data

curtvprice — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 03:43:34 GMT

You are right, Joe, overwrite outputs can only be set at the application level (ArcMap > Geoprocessing > Options) or in Python scripting. Sorry.

Re: Basic Model Won't Overwrite Existing Data

JamalNUMAN — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 09:53:00 GMT

This appear not work in Pro 2.5.

Re: Basic Model Won't Overwrite Existing Data

curtvprice — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 14:26:59 GMT

Jamal, I don't see any thing in your screen shot that is "not working". Maybe you could describe your problem better?

It is true that sometimes one tool or another does not handle overwrite well, but for me overwrite output has been working a little more consistently than it does in ArcMap, mostly because Pro is a single application (as opposed to futzing with file locks caused by using ArcMap and ArcCatalog at the same time).

Though a common problem in Pro is that since it is multi threaded, you can have a feature class or field list open for editing when you try to run a tool and run into a file lock error. The fix is to go to the edit menu and save or reject your changes, this will remove the file lock so you can overwrite your output.

Re: Basic Model Won't Overwrite Existing Data

JamalNUMAN — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 10:18:05 GMT

Thanks Curtis.

The model shown in the screenshot below, is assumed to deliver “5” outputs. Currently, each time any parameter is modified in any of the tools that participate in the model leads to creating new output for that tool instead of replacing the previous output.

In the second screenshot, the number of outputs are more than “5”. I assume that the number of outputs for this model should be kept “5” if the outputs are overwritten.

Am I correct?