Populating feature-level metadata attributes when a feature is created

Available with Production Mapping license.

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

When you configure fields to be feature-level attributes, you have the ability to choose when the field will be populated. For example, you might have a field that stores the reason a feature is modified. You would not want this field populated when a feature is created, but you would want it populated if a feature is modified. When creating a feature, only those fields that are configured to be populated when a feature is created are updated. Other feature-level metadata fields are populated with the value stored in the selected feature template.

1. Start ArcMap.
2. Load data in the map if necessary.
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.

8. Click the Create tab on the Manage Features window.
9. Choose a template on the Create tab.

   When the template is selected, the default construction tool is activated.

10. As appropriate, draw the feature in the map and finish the sketch.

    The newly created feature is selected.

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

    The attributes for the newly created feature appear on the Metadata Attributes window. If the feature-level metadata fields appear on the newly created feature, they are populated with the values from the selected metadata favorite.

    Note:

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