Attribute rules are geodatabase rules that can be used to automatically populate attributes, restrict invalid edits during edit operations, and perform quality assurance checks on features. Attribute rules can be used in addition to topology rules, domains, and subtypes to improve data integrity for geodatabase datasets.
Learn more about attribute rules
The parcel fabric uses attribute rules together with geodatabase topology rules to manage data quality. When a parcel fabric is created, the following attribute rules are created on and applied to parcel fabric feature classes:
- PRESERVE
- MUST HAVE A RECORD
- SHAPE IS FIXED
To view parcel fabric attribute rules, right-click a parcel fabric feature layer in the Table Of Contents window, point to Design, and click Attribute Rules. You can access attribute rules on the Calculation, Constraint, and Validation tabs of the Attribute Rules pane.
PRESERVE
The PRESERVE attribute rule is a calculation type attribute rule that contains logic to populate the Preserve field in the Points feature class. The PRESERVE attribute rule is evaluated immediately during edit operations (insert and update).
If the Preserve field is set to Yes, the point will not be deleted when its associated parcel or connection line is deleted. The attribute rule sets the Preserve field to Yes if either of the following is true:
- The point has a fixed shape (the Fixed Shape field is set to Yes).
- The point has X, Y, or Z attributes that are not null.
To view and configure the attribute rule, right-click the Points layer in the Table Of Contents window, point to Design, and click Attribute Rules. The PRESERVE attribute rule is on the Calculation tab of the Attribute Rules pane.
MUST HAVE A RECORD
The MUST HAVE A RECORD attribute rule is a validation type attribute rule that checks whether a parcel fabric feature is associated with a record. The attribute rule is created for parcel line layers, parcel polygon layers, and the Connection Lines layer. The MUST HAVE A RECORD attribute rule can be imported as an optional attribute for the points layer.
The MUST HAVE A RECORD attribute rule requires that the CreatedByRecord field on the parcel line layers, parcel polygon layers, and the Connection Lines layer is not empty when the attribute rule is evaluated.
Validation type attribute rules are evaluated at a user-specified time using the Error Inspector or the Evaluate Rules geoprocessing tool.
To view and configure the attribute rule, right-click the parcel lines layer, parcel polygon layer, or Connection Lines layer in the Table Of Contents window, point to Design, and click Attribute Rules. The MUST HAVE A RECORD attribute rule is on the Validation tab of the Attribute Rules pane.
SHAPE IS FIXED
The SHAPE IS FIXED attribute rule is a constraint type attribute rule that prevents the shape geometry of a fixed parcel fabric point from moving. If the Fixed Shape field of a parcel fabric point is set to Yes and the point is moved by an editing process, the attribute rule is triggered. An error message is returned and the edit is rolled back.
The SHAPE IS FIXED attribute rule is evaluated immediately during an update edit operation.
To view and configure the attribute rule, right-click the Points layer in the Table Of Contents window, point to Design, and click Attribute Rules. The SHAPE IS FIXED attribute rule is on the Constraint tab of the Attribute Rules pane.
Optional attribute rules
In ArcGIS Pro 2.7 or later, optional attribute rules are available for parcel fabric feature classes. Rules are available for parcel fabric connection lines, parcel lines, parcel polygons, parcel points, and parcel records.
To import optional attribute rules for a parcel fabric feature class, the parcel fabric and all its associated layers must be added to a map. Right-click the parcel fabric feature layer in the Contents pane, point to Design, and click Attribute Rules to open the Attribute Rules pane. On the Attribute Rules tab, click Import Rules and click Parcel Fabric to import rules for the feature layer.
The subsections below list the optional attribute rules that will be imported for each parcel fabric feature class.
Connection lines
- MUST BE LONGER THAN (validation rule)—A Connection line must be longer than the specified length.
- DISTANCE MUST MATCH WITHIN (validation rule)—Line shape length must match the COGO distance within the specified tolerance.
- DIRECTION MUST MATCH WITHIN (validation rule)—Line shape direction must match the COGO direction and rotation within the specified tolerance (seconds).
Parcel lines
- MUST BE LONGER THAN (validation rule)—A boundary line must be longer than the specified length.
- DISTANCE MUST MATCH WITHIN (validation rule)—Line shape length must match the COGO distance within the specified tolerance.
- DIRECTION MUST MATCH WITHIN (validation rule)—Line shape direction must match the COGO direction and rotation within the specified tolerance (seconds).
Parcel polygons
- MUST BE LARGER THAN (validation rule)—A parcel shape area must be larger than the specified area.
- MUST BE SMALLER THAN (validation rule)—A parcel shape area must be smaller than the specified area.
- CURRENT MUST NOT OVERLAP (validation rule)—Current parcels must not overlap each other. Current parcels can overlap historic parcels and historic parcels can overlap other historic parcels.
- NAME MUST BE UNIQUE (validation rule)—Parcel names must be unique for current parcels in the same parcel type.
- NAME MUST NOT BE EMPTY (validation rule)—Parcel names must be populated and cannot be null.
- MISCLOSE RATIO MUST BE LESS THAN (validation rule)—The misclose ratio must be less than the specified tolerance.
- MISCLOSE DISTANCE MUST BE LESS THAN (validation rule)—The misclose distance must be less than the specified tolerance.
- AREAS MUST MATCH WITHIN (validation rule)—Shape area and stated area cannot differ by more than the specified tolerance.
Parcel points
- MUST HAVE A RECORD (validation rule)—Point features must be associated with the record that created them.
- MUST BE IN XY EXTENT (validation rule)—A point's x,y attribute coordinates must lie within the specified minimum bounding rectangle.
- MUST BE IN Z EXTENT (validation rule)—A point's z-coordinate must lie within the specified height range.
- XY MUST MATCH SHAPE WITHIN (validation rule)—A point's x,y attribute coordinates must lie within the specified distance of the point's shape.
- Z MUST MATCH GEOMETRY WITHIN (validation rule)—A point's z-attribute coordinate must lie within the specified height of the point's shape.
Records
- MUST NOT RECORD IN FUTURE (validation rule)—Recorded date cannot be a future date.