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I am using ArcGIS for Desktop and I have a layer that visually appears to have 50 points. However, the attribute table shows 450 rows, indicating that many points are overlapping. I would like to show only 50 unique points (and have the attribute table reflect that). It is not important which of the overlapping points are saved as I need to do a geospatial analysis and the actual attributes in the table are not important (it's only important that there are 50 of them). How do I create a file with only 50 unique points?

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4 Answers 4

Reset to default
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Use Find Identical (Data Management) to get an Output of the Identical Points if you would like that, this does not delete from the Data.

Use Delete Identical (Data Management) to delete Identical Points from the Data. This alters your input.

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  • Just a note, these tools require an Advance license level. The original poster does not state their license level.
    – Hornbydd
    Commented Oct 27, 2015 at 15:26
  • Ah yes you're right.
    – Maksim
    Commented Oct 27, 2015 at 15:32
  • Ah, I forgot to mention I do have an advanced license. I will try your suggestion and report back!
    – WolverineTime
    Commented Oct 27, 2015 at 18:01
  • Thanks to everyone with their ideas. I am going with @Maksim's, as it is quite quick and easy. Thank you Maksim.
    – WolverineTime
    Commented Oct 28, 2015 at 21:47
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What you could do is:

  1. Add two fields of type Double, name them X and Y
  2. In the Attribute table, right click on the X column header, select Calculate geometry and then X Coordinate of Centroid
  3. Repeat for the Y column
  4. Select Geoprocessing | Dissolve, select X and Y columns as Dissolve Fields (Make sure you have no features selected, I did that the first try)
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    You don't need to go to those lengths to dissolve based on geometry, the Dissolve tool works on geometry by default. If you don't specify any dissolve fields at all, your features will be dissolved based on geometry alone.
    – Dan C
    Commented Oct 27, 2015 at 20:45
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Dissolve with no fields, no-multiparts will do. License level doesn't matter.

Alternatively use field calculator expression from my solution here

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I am not sure if this is the most ideal solution, but if the points are overlapping you can use collect events to collect all events that occur at a unique point. If there are 10 events at this one point, collect events will create a seperate fc showing just one point with a new field called I_COUNT that will hold the value 10. Since you dont seem to need attribute data this may be an easy way for you.

http://resources.arcgis.com/EN/HELP/MAIN/10.1/index.html#//005p0000003s000000

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