Enable Editor Tracking (Data Management)
Summary
Enables editor tracking for a feature class, table, mosaic dataset, or raster catalog.
Usage
This tool can add fields if they do not already exist. If fields do exist, they must be of the correct type. Creator Field and Editor Field must be string fields, and Creation Date Field and Last Edit Date Field must be date fields.
Editor tracking applies to operations on existing datasets only. It does not apply to operations that create new datasets. For example, if you copy and paste a dataset to create a new one, tracking values will not update in the new dataset.
You can record the dates of edits in either the database's time zone or in UTC (Coordinated Universal Time).
If you're planning on copying or replicating data across time zones, or editing through a feature service, use UTC. Since editors can apply edits from potentially anywhere in the world, UTC works well because it ensures times are recorded in a universally accepted and consistent way.
Configuring your editor tracking to use the database's time zone is only recommended if you are certain that all edits will be performed within the same time zone.
You can run this tool on a dataset that already has editor tracking enabled, but only to enable tracking of additional information. For example, if a dataset is only tracking the creator and creation date, you can run this tool to add the tracking of the editor and last edited date. This tool cannot disable tracking on a field, cannot switch tracking from one field to another, nor can it switch between UTC and database time. If you need to perform any of these operations, disable editor tracking on the input dataset before you run this tool.
You can enable editor tracking on several or all the datasets in a geodatabase by using this tool in ModelBuilder. The Catalog window allows you to enable tracking on more than one dataset at a time. See Enabling editor tracking on multiple datasets for more information.
Legacy:Editor tracking works in 10.1 and later release clients only. ArcGIS 10.0 and 10.0 SP1 clients can access datasets that have editor tracking enabled, however, any edits these clients make are not tracked. Making schema changes with these clients should be avoided, as this disables editor tracking on the dataset. ArcGIS 10.0 SP2 and subsequent 10.0 service pack clients cannot access datasets that have editor tracking enabled.
Syntax
| Parameter | Explanation | Data Type |
in_dataset |
The feature class, table, mosaic dataset, or raster catalog that will have editor tracking enabled. | Dataset |
creator_field (Optional) |
The name of the field that will store the names of users who created features or records. If this field already exists, it must be a String field. | String |
creation_date_field (Optional) |
The name of the field that will store the dates features or records were created. If this field already exists, it must be a Date field. | String |
last_editor_field (Optional) |
The name of the field that will store the names of users who last edited features or records. If this field already exists, it must be a String field. | String |
last_edit_date_field (Optional) |
The name of the field that will store the dates features or records were last edited. If this field already exists, it must be a Date field. | String |
add_fields (Optional) |
Specifies whether to add fields if they don't already exist.
| Boolean |
record_dates_in (Optional) |
The time created date and last edited date will be recorded in. The default is UTC (Coordinated Universal Time).
| String |
Code Sample
The following Python window script demonstrates how to use the EnableEditorTracking tool in immediate mode.
import arcpy
arcpy.EnableEditorTracking_management("d:/RC.gdb/Buildings","Creator","Created","Editor","Edited","ADD_FIELDS","UTC")
The following stand-alone script demonstrates how to enable editor tracking on all the feature classes and tables in a geodatabase.
# Name: EnableEditorTracking_Ex02.py
# Description: Enables editor tracking for all datasets in a geodatabase
# Import system modules
import arcpy, os
# Set the workspace
workspace = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(0)
# Set the workspace environment
arcpy.env.workspace = "d:/test/data.gdb"
# Get all the stand alone tables and feature classes
dataList = arcpy.ListTables() + arcpy.ListFeatureClasses()
# For feature datasets get all of the featureclasses
# from the list and add them to the master list
for dataset in arcpy.ListDatasets("", "Feature"):
arcpy.env.workspace = os.path.join(workspace,dataset)
dataList += arcpy.ListFeatureClasses()
# Execute enable editor tracking
for dataset in dataList:
print 'Enabling tracking on ' + dataset
arcpy.EnableEditorTracking_management(dataset, "ET_CREATOR",
"ET_CREATED", "ET_EDITOR", "ET_EDITED", "ADD_FIELDS", "UTC")
print 'Enabling complete'