Rebuild a spatial index

Functionality limited in Basic.

You can update the spatial index on the following types of feature classes from the Feature Class Properties dialog box in ArcGIS for Desktop by doing the following:

• Delete and re-create the spatial index on a feature class in a file geodatabase.
• Rebuild the spatial index on an Esri ST_Geometry feature class in a database or geodatabase in Oracle.
• Recalculate the spatial index and feature class extent on a Geometry feature class in a database or geodatabase in Microsoft SQL Server.
• Delete and re-create the spatial index on a feature class in a database or geodatabase in IBM DB2, IBM Informix, or PostgreSQL.
• Delete and re-create the spatial index on a feature class in IBM Netezza, Teradata, ALTIBASE, SQLite, or Windows Azure SQL Database.

Spatial indexes on feature classes in personal geodatabases cannot be updated or re-created.

You can see what type of geometry storage is used for feature classes in enterprise geodatabases or databases by looking at the Geometry Properties section on the General tab of the Feature Class Properties dialog box.

License:

You must have ArcGIS for Desktop Advanced or Standard to rebuild, drop, or re-create the spatial index of a feature class in an enterprise geodatabase or database.

Be aware that building a spatial index for a feature class in an enterprise geodatabase or database is a server-intensive operation. It should not be done on large feature classes when many users are logged in to the server.

To rebuild or re-create a spatial index on a feature class from the Feature Class Properties dialog box, do the following:

1. Start ArcMap and open the Catalog window or start ArcCatalog.
2. In the Catalog tree, connect to the geodatabase or database that contains the feature class for which you want to modify the spatial index.

   For enterprise geodatabases or databases, connect as the data owner to rebuild indexes.

3. Right-click the feature class and click Properties.
4. Click the Indexes tab.
5. How you modify the spatial index for a feature class depends on what spatial data type the feature class contains.
   • For feature classes using Geometry storage in SQL Server, click Recalculate to let ArcGIS set the grid size.
   • For feature classes using ST_Geometry in Oracle, click Rebuild.
   • For feature classes in any of the following, click Delete to drop the spatial index and click Create to create a new one:
     • File geodatabases
     • PostgreSQL
     • DB2
     • Informix
     • Netezza
     • ALTIBASE
     • Teradata
     • SQLite
     • Microsoft Azure SQL Database
     • Feature classes that use Geography or binary storage in SQL Server
     • Feature classes that use binary or SDO_Geometry storage in Oracle
     The re-created index reflects the current data.

   Caution:

   Do not delete and re-create the spatial index on feature classes in Microsoft Azure SQL Database that contain several millions of records or more. The operation of creating a spatial index on a feature class containing millions of records could be terminated if Azure determines that the operation is consuming too many server resources. This can leave your feature class with no spatial index.

6. Click OK to build the spatial index and close the Feature Class Properties dialog box.