Comparing table attributes

Tables and features contain fields that can correspond with one another. When the fields in both contain similar information, you may want to compare a feature attribute with values in a table. For example, you may want to compare scale values in a table with those in a feature class to ensure that they are the same.

You could also compare values in two feature classes or tables. For instance, you may want to confirm that bridges and the transportation features associated with them have the same value for the Existence Category attribute.

The Table to Table Attribute check can compare values in two different tables, two different feature classes, or a table and a feature class. This check can be run on all features in the selected feature class, a subtype, or a set of features selected using a SQL query. Features and table rows that meet error conditions are written to the Reviewer table.

Note:

If the check is run on two tables, the results must be written to the Reviewer table to interact with them. This means that a Reviewer session must be started.

Once you have defined the criteria for the check, you can configure the notes and a severity rating. The notes allow you to provide a more specific description for the feature that has been written to the Reviewer table and are copied to the Notes field in the Reviewer table. The severity rating allows you to indicate how important the results from a check are in terms of your quality assurance/quality control processes. The lower the number, the greater the priority the check's results have.

Steps:

1. Start ArcMap.
2. On the main menu, click Customize > Toolbars > Data Reviewer.
3. If you are running the check on two tables, start a Reviewer session in one of the following:
   • A file, personal, or SQL Server Express geodatabase
   • An ArcSDE workspace
   • An existing Reviewer workspace
4. Click the Select Data Check drop-down arrow on the Data Reviewer toolbar, click the plus sign (+) next to Table Checks, then click Table to Table Attribute Check.

   The Table to Table Attribute Check Properties dialog box appears.
5. If necessary, type a unique name for the check in the Check Title text box.
   Note:

   The check title can be used to describe the conditions you are looking for with the check. This is useful when you have multiple instances of the same check to validate the same feature classes or tables but with different validation parameters.

6. Click the Feature or Object Class/Subtype drop-down arrow in the Feature or Object Class 1 area and choose the feature class and subtype on which to run the check.
7. To run the check on the entire feature class and save this setting, check the Always Run on Full Database check box.
8. To run the check on specific features in a feature class, click SQL to construct an SQL query.
9. Repeat steps 6–8 in the Feature or Object Class 2 area.
   Note:

   If you want to run the check using selected features in feature or object class 1 and all the features in feature or object class 2, check the Always Run on Full Database check box.

10. Choose an option for comparing attributes in the Attributes area.

    To compare certain attributes by defining error conditions	Choose the Compare Attributes option and proceed to step 11.
    To compare certain attributes without defining error conditions	Choose the Compare All Attributes option and proceed to step 12.
    To compare all attributes	Choose the Compare All Attributes option and proceed to step 13.

11. If you have chosen the Compare Attributes option, do the following:
    1. Click Select Attributes.

       The Compare Attributes dialog box appears. Feature or object classes 1 and 2 automatically populate the Data Source 1 and Data Source 2 fields.
    2. Click the Data Source 1 Attribute drop-down arrow and choose a field to use in the comparison.
    3. Click the Data Source 2 Attribute drop-down arrow and choose a field to use in the comparison.
    4. Click the Operator drop-down arrow and choose an operator to use in the comparison.
    5. Click Add.

       The condition is added to the Error Conditions list.

    6. Repeat steps 11b–11e as necessary.
    7. Click OK.

       The Table to Table Attribute Check Properties dialog box appears.

    8. Proceed to step 13.
12. If you have chosen the Compare All Attributes option and want to ignore certain attributes, do the following:
    1. Check the Attributes to Ignore (Feature Level Metadata) check box.
    2. Click Select Attributes.

       The Attributes To Ignore dialog box appears with fields that are common between the two tables.

       
    3. Check the check boxes next to the names of the attributes you want to ignore when comparing values.
       Tip:

       To check or uncheck all the check boxes next to the attribute names, click Select All or Clear All, respectively.

    4. Click OK.

       The Table to Table Attribute Check Properties dialog box appears.

    5. Proceed to step 13.
13. If you want to find attributes that do not match, check the Not - find rows that do not match check box.
14. If necessary, type descriptive text for the check results in the Notes text box in the Reviewer Remarks area.
15. If necessary, click the Severity drop-down arrow and choose a value that indicates the priority of the check's results in the Reviewer Remarks area.

    The severity indicates the importance of the check result. The values range from 1 to 5, with 1 being the highest priority and 5 being the lowest.

16. Click OK.
17. Click the Run Data Check button on the Data Reviewer toolbar.

    The Features to Validate dialog box appears.
18. Choose an option in the Features to Validate area.
    • Selection Set—The check is run on the features that are currently selected in the map.
    • Current Extent—The check is run on the current map extent, which is controlled by the map scale.
    • Definition Query—The check is run on the features that are displayed based on definition queries that have been created for the feature class.
    • Full Database—The check is run on all the features in the feature class.
19. To run the check only on features that have been edited in a versioned workspace, check the Changed Features Only check box.
    Note:

    The Changed Features Only option is available only for a versioned database.

20. Click OK.

    The check is run on the extent specified on the Features to Validate dialog box.

    When the check finishes, a check results dialog box appears.

21. Do one of the following:
    • If you want to browse the results in the Browse Features window, choose the Browse Results option.
      Note:

      The results cannot be browsed if the check has been run on two tables.

    • If you have started a Reviewer session and want to record the results in the Reviewer table, choose the Write to Reviewer Table option.
22. Click OK.

Depending on what you chose in the check results dialog box, the Browse Features window appears with the check results selected in the map, or a message appears that states the results have been written to the Reviewer table.