Creating a coded values domain

The adage garbage in equals garbage out applies to GIS. This means if the data in your GIS is not correct, then the results of any analysis will be wrong. To help ensure GIS data is as error-free as possible, ArcGIS includes several tools and methods to validate data and reduce the ability of users to enter erroneous information. Domains are one of them.

Domains constrain the values that allowed for entry into a field within a database table. There are two types, Code Values and Range. Range domains are applied to numeric fields and restrict the number values that can be entered between a minimum and maximum number. The Code Values domain creates a pick list of values that the user can select from when populating the value in the field. Domains limit the ability of users to enter any values that are outside those that are acceptable, which helps reduce errors.

In this recipe, you will create a new coded values domain that will contain a list of...