I am connecting to a SQL Server database that has field names greater than 31 characters.
Pretty much any geoprocessing tool fails on a SQL Server table that has field names this long as it is an ArcMap limitation.
Anyone know a command that will DUPLICATE the table without causing an error? Possibly by copying and then altering the field name. ALSO I need to use model builder so I can't manipulate/export in ArcMap first.
One possibility is to have your DBA (or database developer) create a view on the table with shortened field names where needed. We've had to do this with table names and fields that are reserved words in ArcGIS. For example, there was a table named "Transaction" in a straight SQL database. If I recall, ArcCatalog couldn't even see the table.
Thanks for the tip, that maybe the solution. Yeah ArcCatalog kind of crashes when clicking on the table.
Two simple workarounds that you could try:
1. Create a query layer and use and alias for the field name:
select reallyreallyreallylongfieldname as shorterfieldname from table
Creating a query layer—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop
2. Create a view in the DBMS and consume the view in ArcMap:
Create view table_vw as
select reallyreallyreallylongfieldname as shorterfieldname from table
I will try the query layer and see if that works!
It doesn't work in this case because the table doesn't have a unique row identifier and the geoprocessing command is not letting me create one from within the SQL window SELECT statement. I will persue some other avenue - thanks again!