Unnecessary Polygon Boundaries

Available with ArcGIS Pro Standard and Data Reviewer licenses.

Summary

The Unnecessary Polygon Boundaries check finds polygon features that share a common boundary and contain identical attribute values.

Supported workflows

ArcGIS Data Reviewer checks support multiple methods for implementing automated review of data. The following table identifies the supported implementation methods for this check:

WorkflowSupportedLicensing

Validation attribute rule

Yes (ArcGIS Pro 2.7 and ArcGIS Enterprise10.9 or later)

Available with ArcGIS Pro Standard and Data Reviewer license

Constraint attribute rule

Yes (ArcGIS Pro 3.2 or later)

Available with ArcGIS Pro Standard and Data Reviewer license

Run Data Checks

Yes (ArcGIS Pro 3.5 or later)

Available with Data Reviewer license

Overview

When polygon features share a common boundary and contain identical attribute values on editable fields, the shared boundary is often unnecessary and is captured as an error. Features found with this check can be merged without a loss of information and can result in enhanced database performance.

In the following example, a polygon that shares its boundaries with multiple polygons produces either one or multiple error results:

Polygon that shares its boundaries with multiple other polygons and produces one error
Polygon that shares its boundaries with multiple other polygons and produces two errors

Attribute Rule syntax

The following table describes the validation and constraint attribute rule parameters:

ParameterRequiredDescriptionWorkflow

Subtype

No

The subtype(s) to which the rule is applied.

Validation

Constraint

Attribute

No

A query that identifies the features to which the rule is applied.

Validation

Attributes to Ignore

No

The attribute values to ignore during evaluation. Only editable fields can be ignored.

Validation

Constraint

Triggers

Yes

The editing events that trigger the rule to take effect.

  • Insert—Triggers the rule when a new feature is added.
  • Update—Triggers the rule when a feature is updated.
  • Delete—Triggers the rule when a feature is deleted.

Constraint

Name

Yes

A unique name for the rule.

This information is used to support data quality requirement traceability, automated reporting, and corrective workflows.

Validation

Constraint

Description

No

A description of the error you define when a noncompliant feature is found.

This information is used to provide guidance for corrective workflows.

Validation

Constraint

Severity

No

The severity of the error assigned when a noncompliant feature is found.

This value indicates the importance of the error relative to other errors. Values range from 1 to 5, with 1 being the highest priority and 5 being the lowest.

Validation

Tags

No

The tag property of the rule.

This information is used in rule authoring and management workflows to support traceability and reporting of data quality requirements.

Validation

Constraint

Run Data Checks syntax

The following table describes the Run Data Checks parameters:

ParameterRequiredDescription

Input Feature

Yes

The input feature layer that is evaluated by the rule.

Note:

You can disable a map selection or layer definition query using the toggle button that honors the selection or filter before evaluation. Layer definition queries that include a spatial clause are not supported.

Attribute Filter

No

A query that identifies the features to which the rule is applied.

Attributes to Ignore

No

The attribute values to ignore during evaluation. Only editable fields can be ignored.

Name

Yes

A unique name for the rule.

This information is used to support data quality requirement traceability.

Extent

Yes

  • Visible Extent—Evaluate the visible extent of the map.
  • Full Extent—Evaluate the full extent of the data.

Notes

Keep the following in mind when using the check:

  • The Validation Status attribute value of input features is ignored during evaluation. For example, input features with a validation status of 0 (No calculation required, no validation required, no error), 1 (No calculation required, no validation required, has error(s)), 4 (Calculation required, no validation required, no error), or 5 (Calculation required, no validation required, has error(s)) are still included during rule evaluation.
  • The Attribute filter parameter is limited to comparison (=, <>, >, <, >=, and <=) and logical (AND/OR, IN/NOT IN, LIKE/NOT LIKE, and IS NULL) operators.
  • GUID and Global ID data types are ignored during evaluation.
  • The Attribute and the Attributes to Ignore filter parameters do not support the following field types: Big Integer, Date Only, Time Only, and Timestamp Offset.

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