ArcGIS – Difference Between Copy Features and Feature Class to Feature Class Tools

arcgis-10.1arcgis-desktopcopyfeaturesgeoprocessing-framework

I have a feature class within a feature dataset in a file geodatabase (FGDB), and I need a copy of it in another FGDB.

In ArcGIS 10.1, I've used the "Copy Features" tool, and it looks to be the same (according to the "Feature Compare" tool). Using the "Feature Class to Feature Class" tool, I receive the following messages from "Feature Compare":

Field: Field OBJECTID domain fixed is different (Base: false, Test: true).
Field: Field Shape domain fixed is different (Base: false, Test: true).

Does anyone have any insight on the differences between "Copy Features" and "Feature Class to Feature Class"? What do the messages from Feature Compare mean?

Best Answer

The Feature Class to Feature Class tool is a Conversion tool. The idea is to convert a feature class in one format (e.g. shapefile) to another (e.g. geodatabase). It also allows the user to control the Field Map - i.e. which fields will be copied over.

The Copy Features tool simply creates an exact copy of the input features. Note - this tool can also be used for data conversion but cannot be used to manipulate the Field Map.

Related Solutions

[GIS] Feature class to Feature class not working

If you look at ESRI'S field map documentation, it seems the good way to specify fields is with a arcpy.FieldMap() object. The second example on the documentation seems to fit your needs :

import arcpy

# Set the workspace
arcpy.env.workspace = 'c:/base/data.gdb'

in_file = 'AccidentData'
out_file = 'AverageAccidents'

# Create the necessary FieldMap and FieldMappings objects
fm = arcpy.FieldMap()
fm1 = arcpy.FieldMap()
fms = arcpy.FieldMappings()

# Each field with accident data begins with 'Yr' (from Yr2007 to Yr2012).
# The next step loops through each of the fields beginning with 'Yr',
# and adds them to the FieldMap Object
for field in arcpy.ListFields(in_file, 'Yr*'):
    fm.addInputField(in_file, field.name)

# Set the merge rule to find the mean value of all fields in the
# FieldMap object
fm.mergeRule = 'Mean'

# Set properties of the output name.
f_name = fm.outputField
f_name.name = 'AvgAccidents'
f_name.aliasName = 'AvgAccidents'
fm.outputField = f_name

# Add the intersection field to the second FieldMap object
fm1.addInputField(in_file, "Intersection")

# Add both FieldMaps to the FieldMappings Object
fms.addFieldMap(fm)
fms.addFieldMap(fm1)

# Create the output feature class, using the FieldMappings object
arcpy.FeatureClassToFeatureClass_conversion(
    in_file, arcpy.env.workspace, out_file, field_mapping=fms)

[GIS] Creating model to copy feature classes from ArcSDE to FIle Geodatabase

The best way to handle this in ModelBuilder is to use the Iterate Feature Classes tool. It will find all the feature classes in the specified workspace (such as SDE geodatabase) and create an iterable list which you can then process with the Copy Features GP tool. The Copy Features will all the feature classes one by one, and you shouldn't care if any changes occur in the SDE geodatabases.

Alternatively, you could use the arcpy's ListFeatureClasses function if you are comfortable with Python. It might be actually way faster to write a Python script that will copy the feature classes between the geodatabases comparing to building a model. Look at the samples here:

HowTo: Automate copying datasets from one database to another

Best Answer

Related Solutions

[GIS] Feature class to Feature class not working

[GIS] Creating model to copy feature classes from ArcSDE to FIle Geodatabase

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