Turn Off Field Alias's by Default

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10-09-2019 08:03 AM
JonathanPollack1
New Contributor III

The implementation of field alias's in ArcGIS Pro can often result in duplicate (or triplicate) field names appearing in geoprocessing commands, attribute table views, etc.  This is a HUGE problem since you cannot tell which field you are picking.  I see NO reason why field alias's should ever appear to the Pro user.  These should only be used for reporting/presentation.  For example if I have two fields "MY_ID" and "MY_ID1" where MY_ID was in a feature that I then did some overlay where a second MY_ID existed so the software appended a "1".  In geoprocessing and attribute view these BOTH appear as "MY_ID" so I have now way of knowing which field is which.  I cannot toggle OFF "field alias" in a command GUI so I am stuck.  I want to TOGGLE OFF field alias's for the entire project.  Is there any way to do this?  I never want to use field aliases while doing project work.

6 Replies
Robert_LeClair
Esri Notable Contributor

Jonathan - not sure about application wide being able to turn off Field Aliases but in the Geoprocessing world where you're working with Fields, you can click the Funnel seen in the screen grab and check "Show Field Names" instead of "Show Field Alias."  In an attribute table, go to the 3 stacked lines upper right of the table, uncheck "Show Field Aliases".  Further, I wonder if you customize the project with all the "Show Field Aliases" unchecked, then export it out as a Project Template and use that Template for all future projects?  Hope this helps!

JonathanPollack1
New Contributor III

Thanks, yes that funnel toggle is indeed helpful but it absolutely should be default to NOT show field alias's by default.  At least your suggestion gets me around the issue of picking the correct field.  Thanks again.

Robert_LeClair
Esri Notable Contributor

You're welcome.  I did a quick scan of ArcGIS Ideas to see if there's an idea regarding setting Field Names to the default for the application level rather than setting the Alias field - there does not appear to be one.  You may want to create one for this behavior so it gets on the AGP developers radar.

RobertBorchert
Frequent Contributor III

Well actually, and you are going to want to read this, you should not be naming multiple fields with the same alias name.

It shows the alias by default because people take the time to create the alias in the first place and that is what most people want to see.

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Aaron_King
New Contributor II

nope. it makes aliases whether you like it or not. I never make an alias. if I have a field named THING, then run any geoprocess that results in copying that field over to a new feature class, now it has an alias, THING. If I then need to join the original THING field, or anything else with a field named THING, ARC will now show me 2 fields named THING, even though it already adjusted the newly added THING field to be THING_1.

ARCPRo field aliases are a mess. 

 

Not only that, but if I do go in and fix the alias, it wont stay fixed. For example, if I open up the fields view, change the alias name, save, close, and go look at the table, its not fixed. if i close the table view and reopen it, sometimes its fixed. if I remove the table from the TOC entirely, and then add it back in, its not fixed anymore, it loses the fixed alias that I saved, and reverts back to the original alias.

This has wasted thousands of dollars of my time over the last several years.. 

KoryKramer
Esri Community Moderator

This idea was just submitted.  For anybody following this thread and looking for this functionality, please go add your support by giving it kudos.  Thank you!

Setting to disable field aliases - Esri Community

 

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