Find features with null geometries in ArcMap

Summary

Instructions provided describe how to find features with null geometries in ArcMap. The table window allows features to be created that have no geometry; that is, they have a null value for the Shape field.

Procedure

1. Add a feature class to ArcMap.
2. Select the feature class in the Table of Contents.
3. Create a new UIButtonControl.

   Note:
   For more information on creating a UIControl see the ArcGIS Desktop Help topic Creating custom commands with VBA and UI Controls.

4. With the Customize dialog box open, right-click the UIButtonControl and select View Source.
5. Paste the code into the UIButtonControl's Click event.

   Dim pMXd As IMxDocument
   Set pMXd = ThisDocument
   Dim pMap As IMap
   Set pMap = pMXd.FocusMap
   
   ' Make sure there is a selected layer in map
   If pMXd.SelectedItem Is Nothing Then
   	MsgBox "Must have a selected item in map"
   	Exit Sub
   End If
   
   If Not TypeOf pMXd.SelectedItem Is IFeatureLayer Then
   	MsgBox "The selected item must be a layer"
   	Exit Sub
   End If
   
   Dim pDispTab As IDisplayTable
   Set pDispTab = pMXd.SelectedItem
   
   ' create an empty selectionset and open a feature cursor
   Dim pFCursor As IFeatureCursor
   Dim pSelSet As ISelectionSet
   Dim pTable As ITable
   Dim pFeatCls As IFeatureClass
   Dim pFeat As IFeature
   Set pTable = pDispTab.DisplayTable
   Set pSelSet = pTable.Select(Nothing, esriSelectionTypeHybrid, _
   esriSelectionOptionEmpty, Nothing)
   Set pFeatCls = pTable
   Set pFCursor = pFeatCls.Search(Nothing, False)
   
   ' add all features that are not null to the selection set
   Set pFeat = pFCursor.NextFeature
   Do While (Not pFeat Is Nothing)
   	If Not pFeat.Shape Is Nothing Then
   		If pFeat.Shape.IsEmpty Then
   			If pFeat.HasOID Then
   				pSelSet.Add pFeat.OID
   			End If
   		End If
   
   	End If
   	Set pFeat = pFCursor.NextFeature
   Loop
   
   ' apply the selectionset to the layer
   Dim pActiveView As IActiveView
   Dim pFeatSel As IFeatureSelection
   Set pActiveView = pMap
   Set pFeatSel = pDispTab
   pActiveView.PartialRefresh esriViewGeoSelection, Nothing, Nothing
   Set pFeatSel.SelectionSet = pSelSet
   pActiveView.PartialRefresh esriViewGeoSelection, Nothing, Nothing
   

6. Close the Visual Basic Editor and click the UIButtonControl to run the code.
7. Right-click the feature class in the Table of Contents. Select Open Attribute Table to display the features that have null geometries.