"ArcSDE and file or personal geodatabases have a new index added for each unique index name. If an index name already exists, it must be dropped before it can be updated."
Being unaware of this, I have created attribute indexes for a few feature classes, and given the indexes the same name in each case. (I used ArcMAP, Feature Class Properties and added the indexes on the Indexes tab of each Feature Class). Is there something I have misunderstood? Shouldn't I be unable to add indexes with similar names in the same SDE database? Is this a fault in ArcMAP, or does "unique index name" mean something other than the name I provide when I add an attribute index to a feature class?
I would just like to get a clarification on this matter, so I'll know whether I have to keep track of the attribute names myself, to keep them unique. (I'm using ArcSDE 10.1.)
Index names must be unique one a table with the File Geodatabase and most RDBMS. In Personal Geodatabase (Access) the name must be unique within the database.What RDBMS are you using?
Oracle also requires that index names be unique across tables. It's a matter of best practice to construct a naming algorithm that is RDBMS-neutral -- you never know when you'll need to port to a new environment.
