ArcGIS Pro 3.0 API Reference Guide
ArcGIS.Core.Data.DDL Namespace / FieldDescription Class / CreateStringField Method
The name of the ArcGIS.Core.Data.Field to create.
The length of the ArcGIS.Core.Data.Field to create.
Example

CreateStringField Method
Creates a field description for a string ArcGIS.Core.Data.Field.
Syntax
public static FieldDescription CreateStringField( 
   string name,
   int length
)

Parameters

name
The name of the ArcGIS.Core.Data.Field to create.
length
The length of the ArcGIS.Core.Data.Field to create.

Return Value

A field description for a string ArcGIS.Core.Data.Field.
Example
Creating a Table
// Create a PoleInspection table with the following fields
//  GlobalID
//  ObjectID
//  InspectionDate (date)
//  InspectionResults (pre-existing InspectionResults coded value domain)
//  InspectionNotes (string)

// This static helper routine creates a FieldDescription for a GlobalID field with default values
FieldDescription globalIDFieldDescription = FieldDescription.CreateGlobalIDField();

// This static helper routine creates a FieldDescription for an ObjectID field with default values
FieldDescription objectIDFieldDescription = FieldDescription.CreateObjectIDField();

// Create a FieldDescription for the InspectionDate field
FieldDescription inspectionDateFieldDescription = new FieldDescription("InspectionDate", FieldType.Date)
{
  AliasName = "Inspection Date"
};

// This static helper routine creates a FieldDescription for a Domain field (from a pre-existing domain)
FieldDescription inspectionResultsFieldDescription = FieldDescription.CreateDomainField("InspectionResults", new CodedValueDomainDescription(inspectionResultsDomain));
inspectionResultsFieldDescription.AliasName = "Inspection Results";

// This static helper routine creates a FieldDescription for a string field
FieldDescription inspectionNotesFieldDescription = FieldDescription.CreateStringField("InspectionNotes", 512);
inspectionNotesFieldDescription.AliasName = "Inspection Notes";

// Assemble a list of all of our field descriptions
List<FieldDescription> fieldDescriptions = new List<FieldDescription>()
  { globalIDFieldDescription, objectIDFieldDescription, inspectionDateFieldDescription, inspectionResultsFieldDescription, inspectionNotesFieldDescription };

// Create a TableDescription object to describe the table to create
TableDescription tableDescription = new TableDescription("PoleInspection", fieldDescriptions);

// Create a SchemaBuilder object
SchemaBuilder schemaBuilder = new SchemaBuilder(geodatabase);

// Add the creation of PoleInspection to our list of DDL tasks
schemaBuilder.Create(tableDescription);

// Execute the DDL
bool success = schemaBuilder.Build();

// Inspect error messages
if (!success)
{
  IReadOnlyList<string> errorMessages = schemaBuilder.ErrorMessages;
  //etc.
}
Creating a feature class
// Create a Cities feature class with the following fields
//  GlobalID
//  ObjectID
//  Name (string)
//  Population (integer)

// This static helper routine creates a FieldDescription for a GlobalID field with default values
FieldDescription globalIDFieldDescription = FieldDescription.CreateGlobalIDField();

// This static helper routine creates a FieldDescription for an ObjectID field with default values
FieldDescription objectIDFieldDescription = FieldDescription.CreateObjectIDField();

// This static helper routine creates a FieldDescription for a string field
FieldDescription nameFieldDescription = FieldDescription.CreateStringField("Name", 255);

// This static helper routine creates a FieldDescription for an integer field
FieldDescription populationFieldDescription = FieldDescription.CreateIntegerField("Population");

// Assemble a list of all of our field descriptions
List<FieldDescription> fieldDescriptions = new List<FieldDescription>()
  { globalIDFieldDescription, objectIDFieldDescription, nameFieldDescription, populationFieldDescription };

// Create a ShapeDescription object
ShapeDescription shapeDescription = new ShapeDescription(GeometryType.Point, spatialReference);

// Alternatively, ShapeDescriptions can be created from another feature class.  In this case, the new feature class will inherit the same shape properties of the existing class
ShapeDescription alternativeShapeDescription = new ShapeDescription(existingFeatureClass.GetDefinition());

// Create a FeatureClassDescription object to describe the feature class to create
FeatureClassDescription featureClassDescription = 
  new FeatureClassDescription("Cities", fieldDescriptions, shapeDescription);

// Create a SchemaBuilder object
SchemaBuilder schemaBuilder = new SchemaBuilder(geodatabase);

// Add the creation of the Cities feature class to our list of DDL tasks
schemaBuilder.Create(featureClassDescription);

// Execute the DDL
bool success = schemaBuilder.Build();

// Inspect error messages
if (!success)
{
  IReadOnlyList<string> errorMessages = schemaBuilder.ErrorMessages;
  //etc.
}
Adding fields to a FeatureClass
// Adding following fields to the 'Parcels' FeatureClass
// Global ID
// Parcel_ID
// Tax_Code
// Parcel_Address


// The FeatureClass to add fields
string featureClassName = "Parcels";

FeatureClassDefinition originalFeatureClassDefinition = geodatabase.GetDefinition<FeatureClassDefinition>(featureClassName);
FeatureClassDescription originalFeatureClassDescription = new 
   FeatureClassDescription(originalFeatureClassDefinition);

// The four new fields to add on the 'Parcels' FeatureClass
FieldDescription globalIdField = FieldDescription.CreateGlobalIDField();
FieldDescription parcelIdDescription = new FieldDescription("Parcel_ID", FieldType.GUID);
FieldDescription taxCodeDescription = FieldDescription.CreateIntegerField("Tax_Code");
FieldDescription addressDescription = FieldDescription.CreateStringField("Parcel_Address", 150);

List<FieldDescription> fieldsToAdd = new List<FieldDescription> { globalIdField, parcelIdDescription,
  taxCodeDescription, addressDescription };

// Add new fields on the new FieldDescription list
List<FieldDescription> modifiedFieldDescriptions = new List<FieldDescription>(originalFeatureClassDescription.FieldDescriptions);
modifiedFieldDescriptions.AddRange(fieldsToAdd);

// The new FeatureClassDescription with additional fields
FeatureClassDescription modifiedFeatureClassDescription = new FeatureClassDescription(originalFeatureClassDescription.Name,
  modifiedFieldDescriptions, originalFeatureClassDescription.ShapeDescription);

SchemaBuilder schemaBuilder = new SchemaBuilder(geodatabase);

// Update the 'Parcels' FeatureClass with newly added fields
schemaBuilder.Modify(modifiedFeatureClassDescription);
bool modifyStatus = schemaBuilder.Build();

if (!modifyStatus)
{
  IReadOnlyList<string> errors = schemaBuilder.ErrorMessages;
}
Creating an annotation feature class
// Creating a Cities annotation feature class
// with following user defined fields
// Name 
// GlobalID

// Annotation feature class name
string annotationFeatureClassName = "CitiesAnnotation";

// Create user defined attribute fields for annotation feature class 
FieldDescription globalIDFieldDescription = FieldDescription.CreateGlobalIDField();
FieldDescription nameFieldDescription = FieldDescription.CreateStringField("Name", 255);

// Create a list of all field descriptions
List<FieldDescription> fieldDescriptions = new List<FieldDescription> { globalIDFieldDescription, nameFieldDescription };

// Create a ShapeDescription object
ShapeDescription shapeDescription = new ShapeDescription(GeometryType.Polygon, spatialReference);

// Create general placement properties for Maplex engine 
CIMMaplexGeneralPlacementProperties generalPlacementProperties =
  new CIMMaplexGeneralPlacementProperties
  {
    AllowBorderOverlap = true,
    PlacementQuality = MaplexQualityType.High,
    DrawUnplacedLabels = true,
    InvertedLabelTolerance = 1.0,
    RotateLabelWithDisplay = true,
    UnplacedLabelColor = new CIMRGBColor
    {
      R = 0,
      G = 255,
      B = 0,
      Alpha = 0.5f // Green
    }
  };

// Create general placement properties for Standard engine

//CIMStandardGeneralPlacementProperties generalPlacementProperties =
//  new CIMStandardGeneralPlacementProperties
//  {
//    DrawUnplacedLabels = true,
//    InvertedLabelTolerance = 3.0,
//    RotateLabelWithDisplay = true,
//    UnplacedLabelColor = new CIMRGBColor
//    {
//      R = 255, G = 0, B = 0, Alpha = 0.5f // Red
//    } 
//   };


// Create annotation  label classes
// Green label
CIMLabelClass greenLabelClass = new CIMLabelClass
{
  Name = "Green",
  ExpressionTitle = "Expression-Green",
  ExpressionEngine = LabelExpressionEngine.Arcade,
  Expression = "$feature.OBJECTID",
  ID = 1,
  Priority = 0,
  Visibility = true,
  TextSymbol = new CIMSymbolReference
  {
    Symbol = new CIMTextSymbol()
    {
      Angle = 45,
      FontType = FontType.Type1,
      FontFamilyName = "Tahoma",
      FontEffects = FontEffects.Normal,
      HaloSize = 2.0,

      Symbol = new CIMPolygonSymbol
      {
        SymbolLayers = new CIMSymbolLayer[]
        {
          new CIMSolidFill
          {
            Color = CIMColor.CreateRGBColor(0, 255, 0)
          }
        },
        UseRealWorldSymbolSizes = true
      }
    },
    MaxScale = 0,
    MinScale = 0,
    SymbolName = "TextSymbol-Green"
  },
  StandardLabelPlacementProperties = new CIMStandardLabelPlacementProperties
  {
    AllowOverlappingLabels = true,
    LineOffset = 1.0
  },
  MaplexLabelPlacementProperties = new CIMMaplexLabelPlacementProperties
  {
    AlignLabelToLineDirection = true,
    AvoidPolygonHoles = true
  }
};

// Blue label
CIMLabelClass blueLabelClass = new CIMLabelClass
{
  Name = "Blue",
  ExpressionTitle = "Expression-Blue",
  ExpressionEngine = LabelExpressionEngine.Arcade,
  Expression = "$feature.OBJECTID",
  ID = 2,
  Priority = 0,
  Visibility = true,
  TextSymbol = new CIMSymbolReference
  {
    Symbol = new CIMTextSymbol()
    {
      Angle = 45,
      FontType = FontType.Type1,
      FontFamilyName = "Consolas",
      FontEffects = FontEffects.Normal,
      HaloSize = 2.0,

      Symbol = new CIMPolygonSymbol
      {
        SymbolLayers = new CIMSymbolLayer[]
        {
          new CIMSolidFill
          {
            Color = CIMColor.CreateRGBColor(0, 0, 255)
          }
        },
        UseRealWorldSymbolSizes = true
      }
    },
    MaxScale = 0,
    MinScale = 0,
    SymbolName = "TextSymbol-Blue"
  },
  StandardLabelPlacementProperties = new CIMStandardLabelPlacementProperties
  {
    AllowOverlappingLabels = true,
    LineOffset = 1.0
  },
  MaplexLabelPlacementProperties = new CIMMaplexLabelPlacementProperties
  {
    AlignLabelToLineDirection = true,
    AvoidPolygonHoles = true
  }
};

// Create a list of labels
List<CIMLabelClass> labelClasses = new List<CIMLabelClass> { greenLabelClass, blueLabelClass };

// Create an annotation feature class description object to describe the feature class to create
AnnotationFeatureClassDescription annotationFeatureClassDescription =
  new AnnotationFeatureClassDescription(annotationFeatureClassName, fieldDescriptions, shapeDescription,
    generalPlacementProperties, labelClasses)
  {
    IsAutoCreate = true,
    IsSymbolIDRequired = false,
    IsUpdatedOnShapeChange = true
  };

// Create a SchemaBuilder object
SchemaBuilder schemaBuilder = new SchemaBuilder(geodatabase);

// Add the creation of the Cities annotation feature class to the list of DDL tasks
schemaBuilder.Create(annotationFeatureClassDescription);

// Execute the DDL
bool success = schemaBuilder.Build();

// Inspect error messages
if (!success)
{
  IReadOnlyList<string> errorMessages = schemaBuilder.ErrorMessages;
  //etc.
}
Creating a feature-linked annotation feature class
// Creating a feature-linked annotation feature class between water pipe and valve in water distribution network
// with following user defined fields
// PipeName 
// GlobalID

// Annotation feature class name
string annotationFeatureClassName = "WaterPipeAnnotation";

// Create user defined attribute fields for annotation feature class
FieldDescription pipeGlobalID = FieldDescription.CreateGlobalIDField();
FieldDescription nameFieldDescription = FieldDescription.CreateStringField("Name", 255);

// Create a list of all field descriptions
List<FieldDescription> fieldDescriptions = new List<FieldDescription> { pipeGlobalID, nameFieldDescription };

// Create a ShapeDescription object
ShapeDescription shapeDescription = new ShapeDescription(GeometryType.Polygon, spatialReference);

// Create general placement properties for Maplex engine 
CIMMaplexGeneralPlacementProperties generalPlacementProperties = new CIMMaplexGeneralPlacementProperties
{
  AllowBorderOverlap = true,
  PlacementQuality = MaplexQualityType.High,
  DrawUnplacedLabels = true,
  InvertedLabelTolerance = 1.0,
  RotateLabelWithDisplay = true,
  UnplacedLabelColor = new CIMRGBColor
  {
    R = 255,
    G = 0,
    B = 0,
    Alpha = 0.5f
  }
};

// Create annotation  label classes
// Green label
CIMLabelClass greenLabelClass = new CIMLabelClass
{
  Name = "Green",
  ExpressionTitle = "Expression-Green",
  ExpressionEngine = LabelExpressionEngine.Arcade,
  Expression = "$feature.OBJECTID",
  ID = 1,
  Priority = 0,
  Visibility = true,
  TextSymbol = new CIMSymbolReference
  {
    Symbol = new CIMTextSymbol()
    {
      Angle = 45,
      FontType = FontType.Type1,
      FontFamilyName = "Tahoma",
      FontEffects = FontEffects.Normal,
      HaloSize = 2.0,

      Symbol = new CIMPolygonSymbol
      {
        SymbolLayers = new CIMSymbolLayer[]
        {
          new CIMSolidFill
          {
            Color = CIMColor.CreateRGBColor(0, 255, 0)
          }
        },
        UseRealWorldSymbolSizes = true
      }
    },
    MaxScale = 0,
    MinScale = 0,
    SymbolName = "TextSymbol-Green"
  },
  StandardLabelPlacementProperties = new CIMStandardLabelPlacementProperties
  {
    AllowOverlappingLabels = true,
    LineOffset = 1.0
  },
  MaplexLabelPlacementProperties = new CIMMaplexLabelPlacementProperties
  {
    AlignLabelToLineDirection = true,
    AvoidPolygonHoles = true
  }
};

// Blue label
CIMLabelClass blueLabelClass = new CIMLabelClass
{
  Name = "Blue",
  ExpressionTitle = "Expression-Blue",
  ExpressionEngine = LabelExpressionEngine.Arcade,
  Expression = "$feature.OBJECTID",
  ID = 2,
  Priority = 0,
  Visibility = true,
  TextSymbol = new CIMSymbolReference
  {
    Symbol = new CIMTextSymbol()
    {
      Angle = 45,
      FontType = FontType.Type1,
      FontFamilyName = "Consolas",
      FontEffects = FontEffects.Normal,
      HaloSize = 2.0,

      Symbol = new CIMPolygonSymbol
      {
        SymbolLayers = new CIMSymbolLayer[]
        {
          new CIMSolidFill
          {
            Color = CIMColor.CreateRGBColor(0, 0, 255)
          }
        },
        UseRealWorldSymbolSizes = true
      }
    },
    MaxScale = 0,
    MinScale = 0,
    SymbolName = "TextSymbol-Blue"
  },
  StandardLabelPlacementProperties = new CIMStandardLabelPlacementProperties
  {
    AllowOverlappingLabels = true,
    LineOffset = 1.0
  },
  MaplexLabelPlacementProperties = new CIMMaplexLabelPlacementProperties
  {
    AlignLabelToLineDirection = true,
    AvoidPolygonHoles = true
  }
};

// Create a list of labels
List<CIMLabelClass> labelClasses = new List<CIMLabelClass> { greenLabelClass, blueLabelClass };


// Create linked feature description
// Linked feature class name
string linkedFeatureClassName = "WaterPipe";

// Create fields for water pipe
FieldDescription waterPipeGlobalID = FieldDescription.CreateGlobalIDField();
FieldDescription pipeName = FieldDescription.CreateStringField("PipeName", 255);

// Create a list of water pipe field descriptions
List<FieldDescription> pipeFieldDescriptions = new List<FieldDescription> { waterPipeGlobalID, pipeName };

// Create a linked feature class description
FeatureClassDescription linkedFeatureClassDescription = new FeatureClassDescription(linkedFeatureClassName, pipeFieldDescriptions,
  new ShapeDescription(GeometryType.Polyline, spatialReference));

// Create a SchemaBuilder object
SchemaBuilder schemaBuilder = new SchemaBuilder(geodatabase);

// Add the creation of the linked feature class to the list of DDL tasks
FeatureClassToken linkedFeatureClassToken = schemaBuilder.Create(linkedFeatureClassDescription);

// Create an annotation feature class description object to describe the feature class to create
AnnotationFeatureClassDescription annotationFeatureClassDescription =
  new AnnotationFeatureClassDescription(annotationFeatureClassName, fieldDescriptions, shapeDescription,
    generalPlacementProperties, labelClasses, new FeatureClassDescription(linkedFeatureClassToken))
  {
    IsAutoCreate = true,
    IsSymbolIDRequired = false,
    IsUpdatedOnShapeChange = true
  };

// Add the creation of the annotation feature class to the list of DDL tasks
schemaBuilder.Create(annotationFeatureClassDescription);

// Execute the DDL
bool success = schemaBuilder.Build();

// Inspect error messages
if (!success)
{
  IReadOnlyList<string> errorMessages = schemaBuilder.ErrorMessages;
  //etc.
}
Requirements

Target Platforms: Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8.1

ArcGIS Pro version: 2.8 or higher.
See Also