Refresh data in an existing Feature Class

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10-27-2015 12:56 PM
DaviKucharski
New Contributor II

I have an existing Feature Class in the sde database. How do I refresh the information in the Feature Class using ArcCatalog? I want to replace the old data with new data.

5 Replies
VinceAngelo
Esri Esteemed Contributor

There are quite a few ways to accomplish this, but some of them depend on version, database, and the "refresh" data source.  Also involved:

  • The number of features in the old featre class,
  • The number of features in the feature class after update,
  • The number of features which are actually different,
  • Whether the feature class is versioned,
  • Any potential foreign key relationshpis,
  • Whether the feature class participates in a topology or parcel fabric,... or is replicated
  • Whether "using ArcCatalog" refers to just user interface tools, or includes Python or ArcObjects .Net and/or ArcObjects Java as well.

Please restate your question in light of these needed details

- V

DaviKucharski
New Contributor II

Vince,

Some history. I just right click on my Feature Dataset and click Import Feature Class (Single) to create this Feature Class. Currently, the class has around 16,000 records. The new data would jump that up to around 20,000. I don't know how many are different but at least around 4,000 are new. Some could have dropped out also. I do not believe the feature class is versioedn, or any foreign key relationships. The only thing we use this for is in an MXD file to supply data to one of our mapping services.

Hope this helps and let me know.

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VinceAngelo
Esri Esteemed Contributor

Please provide:

  • ArcGIS version,
  • Geodatabase version (if different)
  • RDBMS with version,
  • The "refresh" data source format, and
  • Whether "using ArcCatalog" refers to just user interface tools, or includes Python or ArcObjects .Net and/or ArcObjects Java as well.

What to include in a GeoNet question

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DaviKucharski
New Contributor II

ArcGIS : 10.0.4400

ArcCatalog : 10, Service Pack 5

Geodatabase I believe is the same

RDBMS: SQL Server 2012

Refesh Source is a new shape file

User ArcCatalog means using the user interface of ArcCatalog. I was expecting to see an option, when I right click on the Feature Class,  to allow me to Import or Replace the existing information with new data. It seems all I have is a Load/Load Data option. I can pick my new shape file but it appears to append the new data into the Feature Class with no option to Replace.

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VinceAngelo
Esri Esteemed Contributor

This isn't so common a practice that it required a context menu option.  If you use the Truncate Table (Data Management) tool, you can empty the existing contents, so that a "Load -> Load Data..." option would work.

Note: If your shapefile is large (100k-250k+ rows), you will see significant execution time benefit from going into the feature class properties and dropping the spatial index after Truncate, but before load, then rebuilding the index afterwards (this is actually what the old command-line 'shp2sde' utility would do, and in fact is best practice when writing scripts).

I think the Truncate Table tool will require an exclusive lock, so the ArcGIS Server service(s) which access the table must be stopped before reloading.

- V

Edit: Added Note above

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