Populating feature-level metadata attributes when a feature is modified

To ensure that feature-level metadata attributes are being populated correctly when you modify features, you need to enable feature-level metadata and choose a metadata favorite. When you modify a feature, all feature-level metadata attributes that are configured to be populated when features are modified are automatically updated with the values from the current metadata favorite.

When you configure fields as feature-level attributes, you can choose when the field is going to be populated. For example, you might have a field that stores the date a feature is created. You would not want this field populated when a feature is modified, but you would want it populated if a feature is created. When modifying a feature, only those fields that are configured to be populated when a feature is modified are updated. Other feature-level metadata fields keep their original values.

Steps:

1. Start ArcMap.
2. If necessary, load data in the map.
3. On the main menu, click Customize > Toolbars > Production Editing.
4. Click the Production Start Editing button on the Production Editing toolbar.
   Note:

   The Manage Features and Create Attributes, Update Attributes, or Metadata Attributes windows automatically appear when you start an edit session using the Production Start Editing tool.

   Tip:

   If the Create Attributes, Update Attributes, or Metadata Attributes window does not appear when you start an edit session, click the Show/Hide Attributes button on the Manage Features window.

5. Click the Metadata tab on the Manage Features window.
6. Right-click the Metadata tab and ensure that the Use FCT Metadata option is checked.
7. Click to choose a metadata favorite in the Metadata Favorites list.

   The attributes and the attribute values saved in the metadata favorite appear in the Metadata Attributes window.

These are the attributes that are going to be applied to features as they are modified.

8. Click the Update tab on the Manage Features window.

   The attributes for the selected feature appear on the Metadata Attributes window.

9. Modify the feature by doing one of the following:
   • Change its geometry.
   • Change the attribute values on the Metadata Attributes window and click Apply.

   If the feature-level metadata fields appear on the modified feature, they are populated with the values from the selected metadata favorite.

   Note:

   Any fields that are not set to populate when features are modified are populated with the value for the field that is stored in the template, not the value from the metadata favorite.