Populate a date/time field with the current date/time in ArcPad

Summary

When using ArcPad, adding a date/time stamp in the attribute table provides valuable information. This information can be collected without custom scripting. The following instructions describe how to populate a date/time field in ArcPad.

Procedure

1. In ArcMap, navigate to the Table of Contents, right-click the layer and select Attribute Table.
2. In the attribute table, go to Table Options and click Add Field.
3. In the Add Field dialog box, click the Type drop-down arrow and select Date.

4. On the ArcPad Data Manager toolbar, click the Get Data For ArcPad button to open the wizard.
   • If working with a geodatabase feature class, use the check out option called Check out for disconnected editing in ArcPad.
   • If working with a shapefile, use the check out option called Export as background data (to Shapefile) and select Make Editable.

Note:
Geodatabase feature classes can support both date and time information in the date field, while shapefiles only support date information.

Note:
For more information about checking out layers, see the following web help topics: Get Data for ArcPad – The Check Out Process and ArcGIS Resources - ArcPad Check Out

5. Launch ArcPad and open the APM file from the folder created in Step 4.

Note:
Stand-alone shapefiles or AXF files, can be opened via Add Layers in ArcPad.

6. Using either the Quick Capture toolbar or the Draw toolbar, create a new feature or modify an existing one. This displays the Edit form and the attribute values can then be edited.

7. Click the Date_Time drop-down arrow, select the current date and time, and check the check box.

8. Review the edits in ArcMap.
   • If working with an AXF file, use the Get Data From ArcPad tool to check the data back in and synchronize it with the original feature class.
   • If working with a shapefile, just add it to ArcMap.

When the AXF file is checked back into the database in ArcMap, the feature collection's date and time is added to the date/time field.

Note:
For more information about checking in edits, see the following web help topics Get Data from ArcPad – The Check In Process and ArcGIS Resources - ArcPad Check In.