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Creating subtypes

Creating subtypes
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About creating subtypes

Note: This topic was updated for 9.3.1.

You can use ArcCatalog to add subtypes and set default values and attribute domains for the fields of each subtype.

You can manage subtypes using the properties dialog box for each table or feature class. You can define the subtype field, add new subtypes, and remove or modify existing subtypes.

How to create subtypes

  1. In the ArcCatalog tree, right-click the feature class or table to which you want to add subtypes.

  2. Click Properties.

  3. Click the Subtypes tab.

  4. Click the drop-down arrow, and click the subtype field from the list of available long integer fields.

  5. To add a new subtype, click the first empty field under Code and type an integer value that will be the code for that subtype.

  6. Press the Tab key, or click the Description field and type a description for the subtype.

  7. For each field, type a default value in the appropriate field in the table.

  8. To associate an attribute domain with a field for the new subtype, click the Domain field, click the drop-down arrow, then click the domain from the list of domains.

    9. Only those domains that apply to this field type are displayed in the list.

  9. To set this subtype as the default subtype, click the drop-down arrow and choose it from the list of subtypes.

  10. Repeat steps 5 through 8 to add other subtypes. You can reset the default subtype at any time.

  11. When adding a new subtype, click Use Defaults to have your new subtype take all the default values and domains from the default subtype. You can then modify some or all of these.

  12. When you are finished creating your subtypes and have selected the default subtype, click Apply to create the new subtypes in the geodatabase, or click OK to create the subtypes and close the dialog box.

Tips

  • The subtype field must be a long or short integer field. If you have no subtype field selected, you will not be able to add subtypes.

  • The default subtype serves two purposes: (1) When you create a new subtype, click Use Defaults and the subtype will inherit all the default values and domains for its fields from the default subtype. These can then be modified to meet the requirements for the new subtype. As you add subtypes, the default subtype can be changed at any time. (2) When you create a new feature in the feature class without specifying a subtype, it will automatically be assigned the default subtype.

See Also

  • An overview of subtypes
  • Modifying and deleting subtypes