What are non-simple features?

Answer

Note:
This article pertains to ArcGIS versions 8.x and 9.x. Later versions of ArcGIS may contain different functionality, as well as different names and locations for menus, commands and geoprocessing tools.

Non-simple features may interrupt data processing and/or return error messages when working with them in ArcGIS. Non-simple features include:

• Short segments
• Null geometry
• Incorrect ring ordering
• Incorrect segment orientation
• Unclosed rings
• Self-intersections or empty part

To simplify complex features, refer to Problem: Polygon features do not appear when printing or exporting a rotated data frame.