Default Values not Populating

[MichaelDougherty]

Hey all,

I am currently using the Load Objects tool in 9.1.

All of my data is population with proper transfering but the default values are not populating in the other field.

I am hoping to keep this in ArcMap since it is for other coworkers to manipulate.

Thanks!

[VinceAngelo]

To which default values are you referring?  In what data storage format?  From what
data source?

ArcGIS 9.1 was retired from support 2-1/2 years ago, so there isn't much room to
change the software, only the processes using it.

- V

[MichaelDougherty]

Yeah I know there is a lack of support.

I have default values for the field in a geodatabase.

[VinceAngelo]

Which type of geodatabase?  Personal?  ArcSDE?  The answer is different depending
on what you are trying to do.

- V

[KaushalShah]

Even I am in a similar situation.
I am using arc Gis 10.0. I have created a geoprocessing data model. I am using append tool in the model.

While using append tool and inserting new records to the target table, I have mapped several fields of the target table with input table fields for the appropriate data transfer. Few fields I have not mapped. These fields were having default values, but when the append tool runs and the new records are created, the default values does not appear in the new records.

When I insert a new record directly to the target table(feature class) using arc editor of arcmap 10.0, I can see the default values being inserted along with my manually entered field values.

Any suggestion at the earliest will be highly appreciated. Is it an ESRI bug of the tool.

Regards,
Kaushal Shah.

[MarcoBoeringa]

Few fields I have not mapped. These fields were having default values, but when the append tool runs and the new records are created, the default values does not appear in the new records.

When I insert a new record directly to the target table(feature class) using arc editor of arcmap 10.0, I can see the default values being inserted along with my manually entered field values.

Any suggestion at the earliest will be highly appreciated. Is it an ESRI bug of the tool.

Hi Kaushal,

I doubt this is a bug, I think it is by "design".

I doubt also if everyone would like to have their fields automatically filled up by default values. Sometimes, values in a field need to stay null, even if you set a default value for a field. While you have the desire to have them filled in with defaults automatically, I think ESRI could only sensibly provide a user selectable option for this, for example via the Geoprocessing Environment settings.

The easiest "workaround" for default values not being applied to the results of the Append tool, is to calculate them using the Calculate tool after the Append. Select the Null values, and than perform the calculation on the selected records only to set the appropriate values.

[KaushalShah]

Yes, Thanks for the quick reply and the workaround you mentioned but we have a case here.

The defaults had been applied on different fields of a table. Multiple systems are updating this table. So all systems will have to update their process each time any change comes to default field values.

Anyways it could be by design as you said and I thought of checking with ESRI support. Thanks.

Kaushal.

[MarcoBoeringa]

Hi Kaushal,

I think the problem is that these "default values" are only applicable within the scope of the geodatabase, that is, software by ESRI that is aware of the geodatabase concept, like ArcGIS.

If you use other software to update these fields, they are probably not able to use / don't "see" the default values, as these are stored in the ArcSDE / Geodatabase system tables that are ignored / inaccessible by the other software.

You may need to define defaults at the database level instead of through setting them in ArcGIS, or have some database triggers on your table to automatically set Null values to a default.