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Trying to create a point feature class from an excel file with lat/long coordinates. Getting a "missing column" error. How to I resolve this?

M
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I have an excel file with lat/long coordinates and I'm trying to create points based on them in a file geodatabase. The geometry is being created but I keep getting an error when trying to view the attribute table: "A column was specified that does not exist." I've checked that all the columns are green in the file gdb writer.

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If I replace the file geodatabase writer with a shapefile writer everything works fine. Can anybody tell me how to figure out what is going on?

 

Using FME Workbench (Form now?) 2020.1

 

Thanks,

 

Mike

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Best answer by michael_m 20 April 2023, 21:53

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egge
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Hi, the community is there to help. Can you please provide some additional information - which transformers, which file gdb writer - and/or some sample data and workspace to reproduce the issue? Doesn't sound too complicated what you are doing, creating points from lat/long coordinates, but apparently something goes wrong somewhere...

M
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Hi, the community is there to help. Can you please provide some additional information - which transformers, which file gdb writer - and/or some sample data and workspace to reproduce the issue? Doesn't sound too complicated what you are doing, creating points from lat/long coordinates, but apparently something goes wrong somewhere...

Hello, egge.

 

You're right, it's a pretty simple process. There's an excel reader, feeding into an AttributeManager (that renames some of the columns), then a file geodatabase writer - the type is "[GEODATABASE_FILE]" or "Esri Geodatabase (File Geodb)" depending on where you look. That's all there is. I have had the same results even if I don't use the AttributeManager and just rename the columns in the writer instead.

 

I also tried using a vertexCreator, in case the problem was with the writer, but the results were the same.

 

I will have to see about the possibility of sharing sample data. My workplace has strict rules about data sharing and I expect would require me to get an NDA signed beforehand.

M
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It turns out that I was using a word as a column name that is reserved by something. I had a column named 'Group' and that was evidently offending Arc Pro somehow. Someone suggested I change that name and then the problem went away.

egge
Rank
Userlevel 1
Badge +11

It turns out that I was using a word as a column name that is reserved by something. I had a column named 'Group' and that was evidently offending Arc Pro somehow. Someone suggested I change that name and then the problem went away.

Good to hear the issue has been solved. So, it was an Arc Pro and not an FME problem after all 🙂

Now, to finish everything off you may wish to close the call by marking your last answer as the right one. (No, this will not earn you any points, but at least it will be clear to the community that your question has been answered.)

A

It turns out that I was using a word as a column name that is reserved by something. I had a column named 'Group' and that was evidently offending Arc Pro somehow. Someone suggested I change that name and then the problem went away.

The solution and the problem turned out to be very trivial, but it was interesting.

M
Badge

Good to hear the issue has been solved. So, it was an Arc Pro and not an FME problem after all 🙂

Now, to finish everything off you may wish to close the call by marking your last answer as the right one. (No, this will not earn you any points, but at least it will be clear to the community that your question has been answered.)

Here is the ESRI documentation I was directed to that lists reserved words for file geodatabases:

FAQ: What Are the Reserved Words for Esri's File Geodatabase?

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