Deleting duplicate features

The Production Delete Duplicate Features tool allows you to delete duplicate features in instances where multiple features are within the same location or within a specified tolerance of that location.

Each selected feature is evaluated and compared to each of the other features of the same geometry type. If the geometries are identical, all but one of the features will be deleted.

Steps:

1. Start ArcMap.
2. If necessary, load data in the map.
3. On the main menu, click Customize > Toolbars > Production Editing.
4. On the main menu, click Customize > Toolbars > Production Editing Advanced.
5. 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.

6. Click the Select Features button on the Tools toolbar and select at least two features of the same feature type.
7. Click the Production Delete Duplicate Features button on the Production Editing Advanced toolbar.

   The Production Delete Duplicates dialog box appears.

8. Click the Winning geometry selected by drop-down arrow and choose Highest OID or Lowest OID.
9. Check the Compare attributes check box if you want to compare the attributes of duplicate geometries.

   When the Compare attributes check box is checked, features are only considered duplicate and are deleted if the values for all editable attributes match.

10. Select the Compare feature classes individually or Compare all feature classes option.
    • Compare feature classes individually—This option compares duplicate geometries only within a single feature class. If a selected feature has the same geometry as another but is in a different feature class, neither feature is deleted.
    • Compare all feature classes—This option compares features within all feature classes, and for features with the same geometry, all but one are deleted, regardless of feature class.
      Note:

      Choosing the Compare all feature classes option causes the Compare attributes check box to become unavailable.

11. Click Apply.

    A message appears and displays the number of features deleted.

12. Click Cancel to close the Delete Duplicates dialog box.