Delete Feature Class if no Geometry Exists

[StuartBlumberg]

Hi,

I have a model using ModelBuilder that extracts data from an SDE database into a new personal geodatabase that the user creates.  I don't want to include any feature classes that have no geometry.  Is there a way to check all feature classes for geometry and delete the ones without using ModelBuilder?  The tool also extracts tables from spatial features from the SDE, is there a way to check if data exists in these tables and if not then delete them?  I am using ArcGIS 9.3.1.  Thank you.

[MathewCoyle]

You can use a where clause in your export of shapefield is null.

[StuartBlumberg]

Mathew,

I am using "feature class to feature class" tool to export the layers from SDE to the geodatabase.  Do I need to add something (null) to the 'expression' box inside the "feature class to feature class" tool to omit the layer if it has no geometry?  Thanks for your help.

[MathewCoyle]

Something like this. Where SHAPE.AREA is the name of your shape field to test if it is null.

"SHAPE.AREA IS NOT NULL"

[StuartBlumberg]

Mathew,

using that expression does not seem to prevent the feature class from being created.  It still creates the feature class with empty geometry.  Is there another approach?  Thanks.

[MathewCoyle]

Is your geometry null or zero? You'll have to query based on the particulars of your data.

[StuartBlumberg]

Mathew,

The feature class is completely empty, there are no rows in the attribute table.  Thanks.

[MathewCoyle]

An empty feature class is very different than a feature class with no geometry. If you want to completely avoid exporting an entire feature class if it has no rows, use the get count method.

count = arcpy.GetCount_management(fc)
if count > 0:
    #export

[StuartBlumberg]

I see, I was using the wrong term, thanks for clarifying!  Unfortunately we are still on 9.3.1 so Arcpy will not work, is there a way to do it otherwise using sql?  Thanks.

[MathewCoyle]

Get Count is available for 9.3 as well. It just requires slightly different commands I believe.

Example

result = gp.GetCount_management("roads")
count = int(result.GetOutput(0))