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If field gets renamed, reset field alias

814
4
03-14-2022 11:57 PM
Status: Open
Labels (1)
Bud
by
Esteemed Contributor

In the Fields tab in ArcGIS Pro:

Currently, if we rename a field, the field alias stays the same as it was before we renamed the field:

Bud_1-1647327065177.png

We often don't think to update the alias when renaming a field. The old name doesn't apply anymore, and is often downright misleading. Especially since the alias is used as the field header in the attribute table, not the field name.

Intuitively, when renaming a field, we'd expect the alias to be reset to the field’s new name.

Could Esri consider changing that behavior?

 

ArcGIS Pro 2.6.8

4 Comments
JonathanNeal

The Alter Field tool has a new display name field.  I believe this satisfies your needs.  If not please explain further.

JonathanNeal_0-1647361362636.png

 

DuncanHornby

I would argue that I wouldn't want the Alias to sync with the new field name. Whilst I too have fallen foul to the Alias being left as-is when I change the field name I can think of scenarios where the Alias auto adjusting would be problem.

May be this could become an Application property, rather than a property of the tool. For those who want this behaviour they go into Options to turn it on?

DonaldRees

@Bud is that a derived alias you're seeing in the layer?

Bud
by

@JonathanNeal In the Fields View, if I rename a field name, then I want the Alias to be automatically changed to the new field name.

@DonaldRees No, it's not a derived/automatic alias. I had entered it manually (previously).