ArcMap

Delete Rows

Summary

Deletes all or the selected subset of rows from the input.

If the input rows are from a feature class or table, all rows will be deleted. If the input rows are from a layer or table view with no selection, all rows will be deleted.

Usage

  • The Input Rows parameter can be an INFO or dBASE table, enterprise, file, or personal geodatabase table or feature class, shapefile, layer, or table view.

  • If this tool is used on feature data, the entire row, including the geometry, will be deleted.

  • If a layer or table view is input, and the layer or table view does not have a selection, all rows will be deleted. If a table is input, all rows will be deleted.

  • When working in ArcMap and using a layer or table view with a selection as input, using this tool in an edit session will allow for the Delete Rows operation to be undone using undo/redo.

  • Starting with ArcGIS Desktop 10.1, Delete Rows no longer works with unregistered tables.

Syntax

DeleteRows_management (in_rows)
ParameterExplanationData Type
in_rows

The feature class, layer, table, or table view whose rows will be deleted.

Table View

Derived Output

NameExplanationData Type
out_table

Table View

Code sample

DeleteRows example 1 (Python window)

The following Python window script demonstrates how to use the DeleteRows function in immediate mode.

import arcpy
arcpy.env.workspace = "C:/data"
arcpy.CopyRows_management("accident.dbf", "C:/output/accident2.dbf")
arcpy.DeleteRows_management("C:/output/accident2.dbf")
DeleteRows example 2 (stand-alone script)

The following stand-alone script demonstrates how to use the DeleteRows function to delete rows based on an expression.

# Name: DeleteRows_Example2.py
# Description: Delete rows from a table based on an expression
 
# Import system modules
import arcpy

# Set environment settings
arcpy.env.workspace = "C:/data"

# Set local variables
inTable = "accident.dbf"
outTable = "C:/output/new_accident.dbf"
tempTableView = "accidentTableView"
expression = arcpy.AddFieldDelimiters(tempTableView, "Measure") + " = 0"
 
# Execute CopyRows to make a new copy of the table
arcpy.CopyRows_management(inTable, outTable)

# Execute MakeTableView
arcpy.MakeTableView_management(outTable, tempTableView)

# Execute SelectLayerByAttribute to determine which rows to delete
arcpy.SelectLayerByAttribute_management(tempTableView, "NEW_SELECTION", expression)

# Execute GetCount and if some features have been selected, then execute
#  DeleteRows to remove the selected rows.
if int(arcpy.GetCount_management(tempTableView)[0]) > 0:
    arcpy.DeleteRows_management(tempTableView)

Environments

Licensing information

  • ArcGIS Desktop Basic: Yes
  • ArcGIS Desktop Standard: Yes
  • ArcGIS Desktop Advanced: Yes

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