topic Re: Field names differ in a memory feature class in Python Questions

Field names differ in a memory feature class

tcrammond — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 11:18:47 GMT

I am creating a script that makes a feature class using an existing on SDE, puts some data in it, and runs some processing on it, and then appends the data back to the original feature class using the append tool.

I create a tmp feature class in memory for this, which seems fine, but when I go to append back to the original feature class, the field names are different.

For example, OBJECTID field on SDE is renamed objectid in memory, thus breaking the append (similar behavior for any st_* field).

Is there a solution to this? I'd rather not use insert and update cursor...

Re: Field names differ in a memory feature class

jcarlson — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 16:01:02 GMT

What functions do you use to create the feature class and do the append? Some thoughts:

to_featureclass (and other functions) has a parameter sanitize_columns that creates snake_case column names. You can set it to False to allow your field names to stay in the format of the input data.
Sometimes the sanitize parameter is "baked in". But you can still explicitly rename the columns before the append. Tedious, but possible.

col_dict = { "oldname_1": "NEWNAME1", "oldname_2": "NEWNAME2" } temp_layer.rename(columns=col_dict, inplace=True)

Re: Field names differ in a memory feature class

AlfredBaldenweck — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 16:29:58 GMT

Something that might be easier is using an Insert Cursor to avoid stuff like that. Shape@, OID@ are both very useful.

That being said, if you're appending stuff in, I don't think the OBJECTID matters? Or if it does, you should probably have it as a separate field that you manage.

The other question is: Why not just do everything in the original feature class, just using a version to do it? You have the enterprise gdb anyway; you may as well take advantage of it.

Re: Field names differ in a memory feature class

JakeSkinner — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 16:57:38 GMT

Try running the Append with the 'NO_TEST' option for the schema_type parameter.

Re: Field names differ in a memory feature class

TonyAlmeida — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 14:55:33 GMT

Maybe use field mapping,

import arcpy # Paths to your original feature class (SDE) and in-memory feature class sde_fc = "feature_class" in_memory_fc = "in_memory/tmp_feature_class" # Create FieldMappings object field_mappings = arcpy.FieldMappings() # Add fields from the in-memory feature class to the FieldMappings for field in arcpy.ListFields(in_memory_fc): field_map = arcpy.FieldMap() field_map.addInputField(in_memory_fc, field.name) # If needed, set the output field name to match the SDE feature class field if field.name.lower() == "objectid": output_field = field_map.outputField output_field.name = "OBJECTID" field_map.outputField = output_field field_mappings.addFieldMap(field_map) # Append with FieldMappings to ensure they are correct arcpy.management.Append(in_memory_fc, sde_fc, "NO_TEST", field_mappings)

Also, you might try to disable qualified field names.

# Disable qualified field names arcpy.env.qualifiedFieldNames = False # Perform Append arcpy.management.Append(in_memory_fc, sde_fc, "NO_TEST")

Re: Field names differ in a memory feature class

tcrammond — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 13:30:21 GMT

I think the issue is that this is essentially an UPSERT operation, where not all the old content is updated. So I want to keep un-updated old records, update some existing ones, and append new ones (if they exist).

I'm using insert/create cursors, but hoping to make this more efficient.