Manage attribute rule errors

Evaluation of batch calculation and validation rules creates errors to highlight data that violate attribute rules. Each error is stored as an error feature in the error layers. Error features can be reviewed through the Error Inspector during quality assurance workflows.

The Error Inspector shows the attributes of each error feature in the workspace to help identify data issues that the batch calculation or validation rules are configured to report. You can interact with the error feature or select the underlying feature or record that created the error. After reviewing an error and correcting the feature that created the error, you'll need to evaluate attribute rules to remove the error feature from the error layers.

Error Inspector table

The following describes the error feature attributes shown in the Error Inspector table.

Column headerDescription

Shape

The shape of the error feature. The error feature inherits the shape of the feature that created the error.

Rule Type

The rule type of the error feature.

Exception

Symbolizes if the error is an exception. If blank, the error is not an exception. See Mark or clear error exceptions.

Source Layer

The source layer of the error feature. In the Error Inspector, this column is Source Layer, but in the error layers group layer, the field name is Feature Class ID.

  • If the layer is in the map, the name of the layer in the map will be displayed.
  • If the layer is in the same service as the error layers but not in the map, the feature service name and layer id will be displayed.
  • If the layer is not in the same service or in the map, the Feature Class ID will be displayed.

Feature ObjectID

The ObjectID of the feature that created the error.

Feature GlobalID

The GlobalID of the feature that created the error.

Error Number

The attribute rule error number.

Error Message

The attribute rule error message.

Rule Name

The attribute rule name.

Description

The attribute rule description.

Severity

The attribute rule severity, as specified in the rule properties.

Columns of the Error Inspector table for attribute rules

View details about an error

Once you've evaluated datasets with attribute rules, use the Error Inspector table and Details tab to view information about each error feature.

    To view details about an error feature, complete the following steps:
  1. In the Catalog pane, click the Portal tab.
  2. Locate and double-click the web feature layer containing the data to evaluate.
  3. Right-click the individual layer or layers and click Add to New > Map Add Map or Add to Current Map Add To Current Map.
  4. In the Contents pane, right-click the layer and click Add Error Layers Group layer.

    The associated error layers are added as a single group layer, which will be used to review errors in the Error Inspector.

  5. On the Edit tab, in the Manage Edits group, click Error Inspector Error Inspector.
  6. On the Error Inspector toolbar, click the Source drop-down menu and choose the error layer.

    The error features are displayed with their attributes in the grid.

    Error Inspector
  7. In the error table, select an error feature by clicking the leftmost column of the data grid. To browse to the error feature, right-click and select an option for the desired function:
    • Flash Flash
    • Zoom To Zoom To
    • Pan To Pan To
  8. Click the Details tab to review the individual details of each error feature.
  9. To remove an error feature, make edits to correct the error, and reevaluate the rule. You can also use the Attribute Rules view to view the details of the rule associated with the error feature.

Select features that created the error

Once you are able to view details about an error in the Error Inspector, you can select records in the map that created the error feature. This will give you the opportunity to review the feature or record that created the error, make edits, and resolve any issues the error identified.

    To select features in the map corresponding to error features, complete the following steps:
  1. Select and highlight one or more errors in the Error Inspector table by clicking the leftmost column of the data grid.
  2. On the Error Inspector toolbar, click the Features button Features.
  3. The underlying feature that created the error is selected in the map.
    Note:

    For nonspatial tables, open the attribute table to view the selected records.

Mark or clear error exceptions

Once you are able to view details about an error, you can mark errors as exceptions. Attribute rules represent an ideal situation, but geodatabases are flexible enough to handle exceptions to the rules found in real-world data. Violations of attribute rules are stored as error features, but where appropriate, you can mark them as exceptions through the Error Inspector. An exception can be cleared when the error is no longer an exception to the rule.

Errors marked as an exception are for the purpose of reviewing errors through the Error Inspector and could affect the Validation Status of the feature that created the error. If a feature creates an error during evaluation, the feature's Validation Status attribute is marked as "has error(s)". If that error is marked as an exception, the feature's Validation Status switches to "no error". But, a feature can be associated with multiple errors from different rules. If only one of the multiple errors is marked as an exception, the feature's Validation Status will continue to be marked as "has error(s)".

Features with errors marked as exceptions are still evaluated based on the Validation Status.

    To mark or clear error exceptions using the Error Inspector, complete the following steps:
  1. Select and highlight one or more errors in the error table of the Error Inspector by clicking the leftmost column of the data grid.
  2. Right-click and select one of the following:
    • Mark As Exception Mark as Exception—Updates the isException field of the error feature to True. The domain value for True is 1.
    • Clear Exception Clear Exception—Updates the isException field of the error feature to False. The domain value of False is 0.
  3. The isException property for the error feature is updated. This is visible in the Error Inspector grid view for the Exception column header.