anyone having trouble entering multiple fields for a feature in ArcCatalog?

Question

I used to be able to create a new shapefile feature in ArcCatalog and setup all the needed fields.  I can't seem to do this in ArcCatalog 10.5.1.  I get a "Unable to alter field's length" error for all new fields except the first.  This used to be a faster way than editing an attribute table from within ArcMap.

Anyone else have a similar problem?

Anonymous User · Answer

Did you ever find a solution to this issue? If not I would recommend contacting Support to get a case created. Please let me know if you need assistance.

http://support.esri.com/en/contact-tech-support

RichardCourtney · Answer

Another try.

This time I was in ArcMap and opened Catalog.  I added a new shapefile and used Catalog to add fields.  I added two correctly, and then entered a field that was too long.  ArcCatalog successfully truncated and added the field name. After that, I could not add more fields.  I get the same error I first reported.

I do not find my ArcCatalog work showing up in Geoprocessing results

rSc

Richard S. Courtney Ph.D. | Chairman, Department of Geography

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

105 Graduate Center | PO Box 730 | Kutztown, PA 19530

Phone:  610-683-4364 | Fax:  610-683-4941

faculty.kutztown.edu/courtney<http://faculty.kutztown.edu/courtney>

Test2.zip

RichardCourtney · Answer

Rebecca,

I have found out a bit more.

All along I have been working in a properly named folder, not a geodatabase.

I have successfully added several fields to a new file being careful to make no mistakes.  If, however, I try to add a field that has too many characters, ArcCatalog will offer to truncate the name, but it will not be able to add the corrected field.  At that point, no other fields are accepted.  ArcCatalog seems not to forgive mistakes, and students will make plenty of mistakes.

I wish to avoid running scripts for this process.  I want students to be able to create new files when needed using ArcCatalog.  This way they should have control over location, type, projection, and fields.

Try making a mistake and see what happens for you, I’d be interested to know.

Thanks.

R. Courtney

Richard S. Courtney Ph.D. | Chairman, Department of Geography

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

105 Graduate Center | PO Box 730 | Kutztown, PA 19530

Phone:  610-683-4364 | Fax:  610-683-4941

faculty.kutztown.edu/courtney<http://faculty.kutztown.edu/courtney>