topic Re: How to copy a column of numbers into a new column of text data type in New to GIS Questions

How to copy a column of numbers into a new column of text data type

DanHoralík — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 15:41:19 GMT

Hi, I'm a total amateur in ArcGIS. Can you please help me?

I have a table with a column in the "Double" data type. There are 6-digit numbers. Then I have another column (in the same table), which is empty and its data type is "Text, Length 6".

I need to copy the numbers from the first column into the second column. How do I do that?

I'm sorry, I even don't know if this is the right place to give this question.

Re: How to copy a column of numbers into a new column of text data type

JoshuaBixby — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 15:48:14 GMT

Use Calculate Field, it will do the type conversion from double to text for you. (Making simple field calculations)

Re: How to copy a column of numbers into a new column of text data type

DanHoralík — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 16:00:53 GMT

Can you be more specific? I created an expression [name of the first column] and it doesn't work.

Re: How to copy a column of numbers into a new column of text data type

IanMurray — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 16:05:32 GMT

Hi Dan,

In field calculator if you you swtich the parser to python and put

str(!YourfieldHere!) it should convert the numbers to strings(text)

Re: How to copy a column of numbers into a new column of text data type

DanHoralík — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 16:05:54 GMT

I am in the Edit session, so it's OK. I just can't figure, what expression I should use. I tried Str([nameofthefirstcolumn]) and it doesn't work.

Re: How to copy a column of numbers into a new column of text data type

JayantaPoddar — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 16:12:35 GMT

Hi Dan,

Go to Field Properties of <NumericColumn>. Reduce the number of significant digits to 5.

Now using FieldCalculator for <TextColumn>, just enter the fieldname of <NumericColumn> in the expression.

Re: How to copy a column of numbers into a new column of text data type

DanHoralík — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 16:13:39 GMT

OK, thank you Ian Murray very much and thanks also to Joshua Bixby. Now it magically works! That's great, have a nice day.

Re: How to copy a column of numbers into a new column of text data type

JoeBorgione — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 16:14:45 GMT

Works for me. I have a table with two fields. One is of Short Int type the other text:

Re: How to copy a column of numbers into a new column of text data type

IanMurray — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 16:24:04 GMT

Glad you got it working. If you have the time, please mark the question as answered.

Re: How to copy a column of numbers into a new column of text data type

IanMurray — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 16:31:02 GMT

Now I'm curious why what you said didn't work for him because it certainly worked for me in a test case as well as Joe. Your reply was entirely correct and should have worked.

Dan Horalík, could you check your geoprocessing results and see what the error was when using Josh's method for you. This can be done by going to the main toolbar Geoprocessing dropdown>Results. It should open a window showing all the geoprocessing operations you've performed. Could you tell us the error message it gave you for the two operations that failed for you?

Re: How to copy a column of numbers into a new column of text data type

DanHoralík — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 16:31:03 GMT

Hi Jayanta, I still have some problems. I have changed the number of significant digits to 5, for the numeric column. The format is Double, Precision 15, Scale 6. In the numeric column, my data are 6-digit numbers.

Now I'm trying to use the Field Calculator for the text column. The length is 6.

Should I select the parser VB script or Python? And in the field should I just write the name of the text column, which is kod? Or like this [kod]?

Re: How to copy a column of numbers into a new column of text data type

IanMurray — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 16:33:44 GMT

HI Dan,

When using the VB Parser, field names need to be in brackets, with the python parser, they need to be in exclamation points. Instead of typing the field name out, it is easiest to select from the field from the fields list, it will add it to the calculation with the proper formatting for the parser selected.

Re: How to copy a column of numbers into a new column of text data type

DanHoralík — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 16:41:01 GMT

To be honest, Ian, I still have problems. I got some results, but from 500620 it turned into 500620.4 or what. I don't know whose method it was. Then I deleted those new data in the text column, because I neede just 500620 and not 500620.4 or what. Don't even know how it got there.

Error messages were about "invalid language". Once it was "name 'kod' (the name of the number column) is not defined.

I thought there is a problem with the number of significatn digits (as Jayanta wrote), so I set it to 5.

Now I'm in fact at the beginning, I don't know hot to calculate it.

Re: How to copy a column of numbers into a new column of text data type

DanHoralík — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 16:48:37 GMT

OK, now I tried (in the Python parser) str(!kod!). kod is the name of the numeric column. I got results, but instead of 500010 I got 500011.0. Instead 500050 I got 500046.0. That's weird, right?

Re: How to copy a column of numbers into a new column of text data type

IanMurray — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 16:51:31 GMT

Okay, so you just typed in the field name using Josh's method and it failed since it was expecting brackets on the field names.

Are you sure that 500620 was actually 500620 and not 500620.4? The double field maybe only be showing a certain number of significant digits or numbers after the decimal, but in reality could have a large number of decimal places. On the field properties, you can see how many significant digits or decimal places it is showing by clicking the numeric option, and can control the number of significant digits or decimal places it shows.

With 0 decimal places showing(Double Field)

Changing Numeric Field Properties

Change decimal places showing

New field values showing

So your double field, might have some significant rounding issues, depending on the number of significant digits or decimal places it is showing. The true value is stored in the table, but is just rounded for display purposes.

Re: How to copy a column of numbers into a new column of text data type

IanMurray — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 16:57:39 GMT

Also generally, if people are storing integer numbers instead of float/double, they would use a Long Int field type not a double, since they take up less space memory-wise. Making a double field with no decimals is not usually likely.

Re: How to copy a column of numbers into a new column of text data type

DanHoralík — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 16:59:11 GMT

That's weird. I probably shouldn't have played with that number of significant digits. The calculation changed the data in the number column, would you believe that? 500011 is the correct number, but 500010 is not. 500046 is the correct version, but 500050 is not.

But now I must input the original data in my table, because the numberic column got currupted. Too bad I've saved the edits, now I must reinput the original data.

Re: How to copy a column of numbers into a new column of text data type

IanMurray — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 17:05:32 GMT

Changing the significant digits showing should not change the values in your field, just change how they are displayed in the field. The true values should still be in the table. Try changing to allowing several decimal places, and see what numbers it shows.

Joshua Bixby, please correct me if I've said anything erroneous, I defer to your knowledge and experience on stuff like this. Just working off what I know.

Re: How to copy a column of numbers into a new column of text data type

DanHoralík — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 17:14:56 GMT

OK, I re-added the original data.

The numeric column kod is in the Double format, Precision 15, Scale 6, Number of decimal places 6, Number of significant digits 6. Tha example of the data is 500011, 500020, 500046, 500259, 500291 etc.

Now I'll make a calculation for the text column in the Text format, Length 6.

It's given me the exact same numbers, but there is also .0 at the end of each. For example 500011.0, 500020.0, 500046.0.

This is good, I'm getting closer Now I just need to figure out, how to cut the .0 at the end. Should I change the number of significant digits from 6 to 5? Or something else?

Re: How to copy a column of numbers into a new column of text data type

IanMurray — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 17:18:35 GMT

You can either set the number of significant digits OR number of decimal places, not both. If you have it set to 6 significant digits, it will by defintion be rounding the values. Try changing the significant digits to 15(the precision of the field) and see what the values in kod look like.