HOW TO

Repair deleted Error Layers for Validation and Batch Calculation Attribute Rules

Last Published: September 7, 2023

Summary

In ArcGIS Pro, error layers are automatically created in a database the first time you save a Validation or Batch Calculation Attribute Rule on any feature layer stored in that database.  These error layers are shared by all layers in the database.  Once this type of rule is created and saved, you will see an option "Add Error Layers" when right-clicking a layer containing these rules in the Table of Contents.  After you "Add Error Layers" to a map, the Error Inspector can be used to manage error features.

error_layers.png

Since the error layers are automatically created, users may not know what they are, or why they exist in their database.  Sometimes, they may delete these layers by mistake, before realizing that they are required to use the Error Inspector.

Procedure

There are a few options to re-create these layers if they have been accidentally deleted.  

Create a new rule, and then delete it

  1. Right-click the layer in question, and click Data Design > Attribute Rules.
  2. Under the Validation tab in the Attribute Rules pane, click Add Rule, as shown in the image below.
    1. Expression: return true
    2. Error Number: 1
    3. Error message: test
    4. Leave all fields default
  3. In the Attribute Rules ribbon, click Save.
  4. Once the rule has been saved successfully, confirm that error layers are now visible in the database.
  5. In the Attribute Rules pane, find the rule just created, right-click the rule, and click Delete.
  6. Save changes in the Attribute Rules ribbon; after the rule has been deleted, the error layers will persist.

Attribute Rules window, new rule 

Create a rule on another empty feature class

It is possible the user isn't able to modify the existing layer, or doesn't want to risk modifying a production layer.  If this is the case, use this workflow instead.

  1. Create a new feature class in the same database.
  2. Right-click the layer in question and click Data Design > Attribute Rules.
  3. Follow steps under the "Create a new rule, and then delete it" heading above.

Copy the rules from another database

If the user doesn't want to modify the database at all, the rules can be copied from another database.

  1. Create a new feature class in a new database.
  2. Right-click the layer in question: Data Design >> Attribute Rules.
  3. Follow steps under the "Create a new rule, and then delete it" heading above.
  4. In the Catalog pane, select the four error layers that you created in the new database.
  5. Right-click, copy the four layers, right-click again, and paste them in the original database in need of new error layers.

Article ID: 000028542

Software:
  • ArcGIS Pro

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