An overview of the General toolset

The General toolset contains tools for performing general data management operations. The toolset contains tools for combining feature classes or tables; renaming, copying, or deleting datasets; finding or deleting duplicate or identical records; sorting records; and tools that enhance ModelBuilder functionality.

Tool	Description
Append	Appends multiple input datasets into an existing target dataset. Input datasets can be point, line, or polygon feature classes, tables, rasters, raster catalogs, annotation feature classes, or dimensions feature classes.
Calculate Value	Calculate Value tool returns a value based on a specified Python expression. Note: This tool is also found in the ModelBuilder toolbox. It is intended for use in ModelBuilder only and not in Python scripting.
Copy	Copies input data and pastes the output to the same or another location regardless of size. The data type of the input and output data element is identical.
Delete	Permanently deletes data from disk. All types of geographic data supported by ArcGIS, as well as toolboxes and workspaces (folders, geodatabases), can be deleted. If the specified item is a workspace, all contained items are also deleted.
Delete_Identical	Deletes records in a feature class or table which have identical values in a list of fields. If the field Shape is selected, feature geometries are compared.
Find Identical	Reports any records in a feature class or table that have identical values in a list of fields, and generates a table listing these identical records. If the field Shape is selected, feature geometries are compared.
Rename	Changes the name of a dataset. This includes a wide variety of data types, among them feature dataset, raster, table, and shapefile.
Merge	Combines multiple input datasets of the same data type into a single, new output dataset. This tool can combine point, line, or polygon feature classes or tables.
Merge Branch	The Merge Branch tool merges two or more logical branches into a single output. Note: This tool is also found in the ModelBuilder toolbox. It is intended for use in ModelBuilder only and not in Python scripting.
Select Data	The Select Data tool selects data in a parent data element such as a folder, geodatabase, feature dataset, or coverage. Note: This tool is also found in the ModelBuilder toolbox. It is intended for use in ModelBuilder only and not in Python scripting.
Sort	This tool reorders, in ascending or descending order, records in a feature class or table based on field values. The reordered result is copied to a new dataset.

Tools in the General toolset