If you’re using the Attribute Assistant, we need your help!

[MikeMillerGIS]

We’re doing some research into how the Attribute Assistant is being used. We’d like to see what rules you are using and how you configured your dynamic value table. 

This information will help us plan for the future. We want to know what are the most common rules.  We also want to see your gnarly and complicated rules to see how far the Attribute Assistant is being pushed.

So please share your dynamic value table along with any comments you have in this thread. We appreciate your help on this effort!

Thanks,

Mike

ArcGIS Solutions

PS: If you don’t know what the Attribute Assistant is (or aren’t sure if you are using it already) no worries.  You can learn more about Attribute Assistant on the ArcGIS Solution site here. 

[KearaBurke]

Hi Thomas,

I want to set up my Dynamic Table to prompt users for input, but I can't seem to get this function working. I saw that you utilized this method, and I was wondering if you have any advice? 

[PaulStephenson]

Mike,

I've made plenty of use of the Attribute Assistant over the last couple of years, so thanks!! Usually I use AA for simpler tasks, but the example attached is probably the wildest in my experience. It was more or less a pilot project to target a paper form for permitting overweight trucks. I'm a big fan, but the one thing besides cross-platform support that I think would be helpful is stronger documentation, especially for beginners.

Paul

[ChrisRumig]

Mike,

We've been using the Attribute Assistant at the Region of Waterloo for about 3.5 years now.  We had it set up by a local consultant (Steve Grise) for our Roads and Addresses data remodel.  Since then we've also set up tables for four other groups of GIS editors who are editing data in our corporate database. Three of the four groups just use the attribute assistant for the generation of uniqueID's.  However, our Transportation Engineering group is using it for creation and editing of their stormwater data.

It's a very powerful and useful tool to automate data entry, if you are not using it you need to ask yourself why!

[DarinVanDeBerg]

Does anyone here have troubles assigning a new incrementing value in the Facility ID field when your editors are in different versions?  I have three editors all in their own versions and when using the AA, the generate id function is now unique to each editor.  any suggestions?

[MikeMillerGIS]

Are you using Generate ID or autonumber?  You will need to use Generate ID and make sure the Generate ID table is not versioned.  If it is versioned, it will make duplicate IDs.

[JustinConnerWR]

One major drawback of the Attribute Assistant is that it doesn't support versioned databases.  This is a concern because to edit feature classes that participate in a topology, network dataset [STREETS], or geometric network [UTILITIES], or edit the parcel fabric, you must register the data as versioned.

If support for versioning isn't possible (one workaround is to give each user a separate GenerateID table and have the auto-increment function vary to assure unique IDs), The Attribute Assistant instructions should explicitly state that because the GenerateID field cannot be versioned, the Attribute Assistant cannot readily be used to assign IDs to features participating in topologies, networks, or parcel fabrics.

Additional details from ESRI documentation:

By default, ArcMap edit sessions are set to perform versioned edits. This means you can only edit data that has been registered as versioned.  To perform nonversioned edits on nonversioned data, you must first set an option on the Versioning tab of the Editing Options dialog box. Essentially, you must turn off versioned editing by unchecking Edit a version of the database with the ability to undo and redo.

Once you start editing, you cannot change the type of edit session while the edit session is open. If you later need to perform versioned edits, you must close the nonversioned edit session, recheck the Edit a version of the database with the ability to undo and redo option, and start a versioned edit session.

[RichardFairhurst]

I use Attribute Assistant to automate updates on data that is registered as versioned and that that is part of a Topology all the time and it works. However, aside from the topology, all of my feature classes are simple feature classes, not complex feature classes like Network Datasets or Geometric Networks.  Anyway, I think there must be something more specific to your set up needs that is causing problems.  Also, in what ways does Attribute Assistant not work for you?

[MikeMillerGIS]

You can edit versioned data. Just make sure you do not version the generate id table. All other tables/layers can be versioned.

[JessicaGooch1]

We also use AA in a versioned environment.  Just the Dynamic Value and Generate ID tables are not versioned.

It allows for multiple editors to edit the same feature class (adding features) and not duplicate Facility ID#s which is really important in our geometric network and our CMMS.

[BryanBloch]

We use AA in a versioned environment. The data being edited is versioned, not the Dynamic and Generate ID tables. When creating rules, create them based on Feature names, not aliases. Also when using SDE feature classes use the feature class name after “.SDE.” of the feature not the entire databasename.SDE.featureclassname.

If you are running AA and need to make a manual edit yourself, for good judgement turn AA off (square box will be red) and enter your edit.