Dissolving features

Available with Production Mapping license.

The Production Dissolve tool allows you to merge adjacent and overlapping polygon, line, and multipoint feature classes of the same type that share a set of specified attribute values into one continuous feature. The Dissolve and Ignore Dissolve settings are defined using the Field Configuration dialog box, which manages the field configuration settings. The dissolve field you indicate is the field on which the merge process is based; multiple dissolve fields can be specified. The feature class subtype is the default dissolve field if none is indicated on the Field Configuration or Edit Shared Fields dialog box. When an attribute field is set as the dissolve field, the adjacent and overlapping features of the same feature class with the same values on that field are merged into one.

Learn more about spatial requirements for dissolving features

For fields that ignore dissolve, you can determine how the fields are going to be populated on the merged feature. Choose your desired option from the Ignore Dissolve options in the Field Configuration dialog box. The options are described in the following table:

Dissolve option	Description
Null	The field is populated with a null value.
Database Default	The field is populated with the specified default value for that field. If a default value is not defined, the field is populated with Null.
First In	The field value is selected from the available values at random. It is the default Ignore Dissolve setting.
Concatenate/Sum	For string fields, text entries are concatenated, truncating at the field's length restriction. For Integer or Double field types, all values are summed. This option is disabled if the field type is one of the following: BLOB DATE GUID GlobalID ObjectID SHAPE It is also disabled if the field has a coded value domain.

1. Start ArcMap.
2. Load data in the map if necessary.
3. On the main menu, click Customize > Toolbars > Production Editing.
4. On the main menu, click Customize > Toolbars > Production Editing Advanced.
5. If necessary, open the Product Library window by clicking Customize > Production > Product Library on the main menu.

   A tree view of the product library appears.

   

6. Define the product library workspace.
7. Ensure the following have been completed:
   1. A data model has been created.
   2. A data model version has been created using the schema for which you want to set up dissolve fields.
   3. Dissolve settings have been configured on the Field Configuration or Edit Shared Fields dialog box.
8. Right-click the data model version you want to use to dissolve features and click Manage Field Configurations.

   The Field Configuration dialog box appears.

9. Click Tables to Edit.

   The Choose Data Model Version Tables to Edit dialog box appears with a list of feature classes and tables in the data model.

   

10. Check the check boxes next to the feature classes to use with the Production Dissolve tool in the Choose Table(s) to Edit list.

    Tip:

    You can right-click in the list and click Select All or Clear All to check or uncheck all the check boxes, respectively. You can also right-click in the list and choose Expand All or Collapse All to display or hide all the subtypes in the feature classes.

11. Click OK.

    The Field Configuration dialog box appears with the selected feature classes in the Current Fields Configuration list.

12. Ensure that the subtypes whose features you want to dissolve have been marked as Include Subtype (Dissolve).

    

    If a field has been marked as a dissolve field, the option is unavailable in the context menu.

    Note:

    By default, the subtypes are all marked as Include Subtype (Dissolve), so they are not included in the dissolve process.

13. 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.

14. If necessary, select the features you want to merge or the feature or graphic you want to use as the point of reference for merging.
15. Click the Production Dissolve button on the Production Editing Advanced toolbar.

    The Auto Select Features dialog box appears. The options available in the dialog box vary based on the map selection, if any. Unavailable options appear with the reason for unavailability in parentheses.

    

16. Choose an option.
    • All features—All features in the map are merged.
    • Selected features—Selected features are merged.
    • Intersecting current extent—Features that partially overlap the current extent are merged.
    • Intersecting selected polygon feature—Features that partially overlap the selected polygon feature are merged.
    • Intersecting selected polygon graphic—Features that partially overlap the selected polygon graphic are merged.
    • Within current extent—Features completely contained in the current map extent are merged.
    • Within selected polygon feature—Features completely contained in the selected polygon are merged.
    • Within selected polygon graphic—Features completely contained in a polygon graphic that has been drawn on the map are merged.
17. Click OK.

    Features are merged based on the Dissolve setting in the field configurations, and attribute values are changed based on the Ignore Dissolve settings.

    Note:

    If definition queries have been defined for any of the feature classes, they are also taken into consideration when the features are merged, regardless of the option you choose.

    Once the merge is complete, the Production Dissolve message appears.

    Note:

    The location of the log files is <Installation location>\Users\<UserLogin>\AppData\Roaming\ESRI\Production<version>\Desktop\Editing\LogFiles\ProductionEditing_ProductionDissolve.

18. If you want to review the log file, click Yes, or click No to close the message.