I know I'm quite late, but for anyone else having this problem, I use this python toolbox as a workaround.
https://gis.stackexchange.com/questions/433236/spatial-join-with-largest-overlap-does-not-work-in-ar...
import arcpy
import os
from arcpy import env
from arcpy.sa import *
class Toolbox(object):
def __init__(self):
self.label = "Largest Overlap Toolbox"
self.alias = ""
self.tools = [SimpleSpatialJoinLargestOverlap]
class SimpleSpatialJoinLargestOverlap(object):
def __init__(self):
self.label = "Simple Spatial Join (Largest Overlap)"
self.description = "Creates a spatial join with the features that have the largest overlap"
self.canRunInBackground = False
def getParameterInfo(self):
#Define parameter definitions
out_work = arcpy.Parameter(
displayName="Output Workspace",
name="out_work",
datatype="DEWorkspace",
parameterType="Required",
direction="Input")
target_features = arcpy.Parameter( #0
displayName="Target Features",
name="target_features",
datatype="GPFeatureLayer",
parameterType="Required",
direction="Input")
join_features = arcpy.Parameter( #1
displayName="Join Features",
name="join_features",
datatype="GPFeatureLayer",
parameterType="Required",
direction="Input")
out_fc = arcpy.Parameter( #2
displayName="Output Feature Class",
name="out_fc",
datatype="GPFeatureLayer",
parameterType="Required",
direction="Output")
keep_all = arcpy.Parameter( # 3
displayName="Keep All",
name="keep_all",
datatype="GPBoolean",
parameterType="Optional",
direction="Input")
keep_all.value = True
spatial_rel= arcpy.Parameter( # 4
displayName = "largest_overlap",
name = "spatial_rel",
datatype = "GPString",
parameterType = "Optional",
direction = "Input")
spatial_rel.filter.type = "ValueList"
spatial_rel.filter.list = ['largest_overlap']
params = [target_features, #0
join_features, #1
out_fc, #2
keep_all, #3
spatial_rel] #4
return params
def isLicensed(self):
return True
def execute(self, parameters, messages):
arcpy.env.overwriteOutput = True
#Define parameters
target_features = parameters[0].valueAsText
join_features = parameters[1].valueAsText
out_fc = parameters[2].valueAsText
keep_all = parameters[3].valueAsText
spatial_rel = parameters[4].valueAsText
if spatial_rel == "largest_overlap":
# Calculate intersection between Target Feature and Join Features
intersect = arcpy.analysis.Intersect([target_features, join_features], "in_memory/intersect", "ONLY_FID")
# Find which Join Feature has the largest overlap with each Target Feature
# Need to know the Target Features shape type, to know to read the SHAPE_AREA oR SHAPE_LENGTH property
geom = "AREA" if arcpy.Describe(target_features).shapeType.lower() == "polygon" and arcpy.Describe(join_features).shapeType.lower() == "polygon" else "LENGTH"
ifields = arcpy.ListFields(intersect)
fields = [[field.name for field in ifields if field.name.startswith('FID')][0],
[field.name for field in ifields if field.name.startswith('FID')][1],
"SHAPE@{0}".format(geom)]
overlap_dict = {}
with arcpy.da.SearchCursor(intersect, fields) as scur:
for row in scur:
try:
if row[2] > overlap_dict[row[0]][1]:
overlap_dict[row[0]] = [row[1], row[2]]
except:
overlap_dict[row[0]] = [row[1], row[2]]
# Copy the target features and write the largest overlap join feature ID to each record
# Set up all fields from the target features + ORIG_FID
fieldmappings = arcpy.FieldMappings()
fieldmappings.addTable(target_features)
fieldmap = arcpy.FieldMap()
fieldmap.addInputField(target_features, arcpy.Describe(target_features).OIDFieldName)
fld = fieldmap.outputField
fld.type, fld.name, fld.aliasName = "LONG", "ORIG_FID", "ORIG_FID"
fieldmap.outputField = fld
fieldmappings.addFieldMap(fieldmap)
# Perform the copy
arcpy.conversion.FeatureClassToFeatureClass(target_features, os.path.dirname(out_fc), os.path.basename(out_fc), "", fieldmappings)
# Add a new field JOIN_FID to contain the fid of the join feature with the largest overlap
arcpy.management.AddField(out_fc, "JOIN_FID", "LONG")
# Calculate the JOIN_FID field
with arcpy.da.UpdateCursor(out_fc, ["ORIG_FID", "JOIN_FID"]) as ucur:
for row in ucur:
try:
row[1] = overlap_dict[row[0]][0]
ucur.updateRow(row)
except:
if not keep_all:
ucur.deleteRow()
# Join all attributes from the join features to the output
joinfields = [x.name for x in arcpy.ListFields(join_features) if not x.required]
arcpy.management.JoinField(out_fc, "JOIN_FID", join_features, arcpy.Describe(join_features).OIDFieldName, joinfields)
return
