Hi
Working with Modelbuilder for a little while now, I do appreciate the idea but I'm a bit fed up with some of its weakness that get you mad when trying to build and adjust a process :
1) Functions like Merge, Delete... that keeps a copy of the incoming data structures, and doesn't refresh them when it's modified. Sometimes connect/reconnect entries, validate model or modify select/unselect work to update, but very often need to delete the toolbox and recreate it.
2) When a model is composed of models (to create a complete process) each composing model is not updated when the original is modified
3) Make feature layer, that modifies the structure of incoming data, when followed by function like 'add field' is 'surprising'...
4) Function like 'add join' doesn't update fields when incoming data name change, like inserting a 'copy features' to avoid previous problem
5) Functions like Define projection, or others undetermined that locks files or tables, even after end of the model, requiring to close and relaunch arc Map
6) 'Select Layer by attributes' SQL form requires to precise tables names, even they do not appear is the attributes list (rename thru New field Name in a previous Make Feature Layer) [see joined files.]
Hope this will help others not to become crazy or will value some improvments
Olivier
Windows 7
Arc Editor 9.3.1 SP2