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How do I get the ArcGIS 9.3 geoprocessor to copy all of the fields of a feature class?

Here is a description of what I'm trying to do:

I am modifying an existing script created by a developer not on the program anymore. The script's purpose is to extract a given feature set into a zipped .gdb. Therefore, the script takes a feature set as input. In the FeatureSet that I am attempting to export (which is a feature set representing major lakes), the fields are DEPTH, NAME, OBJECTID, Shape_Area, Shape_Length, SQKM, SQMI, and SURF_ELEV. The .gdb resulting from this script, however, only contains OBJECTID, Shape (where'd that come from??), Shape_Length, and Shape_Area.

I am exporting the feature set via

gp.CopyFeatures(featureSet, scratchGdb + os.path.sep + lyrName)

The .gdb is successfully created, but only some fields are there! Why am I losing some of the fields in this feature class when exporting it to a .gdb?

Through using Komodo IDE, I was able to remote debug the script, and I saw that the input feature set only had the four fields that ended up in the exported .gdb.

Does this have to do with setting a schema for the feature set?

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    What is the purpose of creating a feature class before copying your original over to the GDB? CopyFeatures should create a new FC with all of its fields. – Nathanus Jan 16 '12 at 21:17
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    Are all fields visible in the layer you are using as the template to CreateFeatureClass? Maybe only the visible ones are going across. – PolyGeo♦ Jan 16 '12 at 23:18
  • @Nathanus, PolyGeo, and Chad: I am modifying an existing script created by a developer not on the program anymore. I do not know why that call to gp.CreateFeatureClass was there. As per your recommendations, I removed the gp.CreateFeatureClass line and left the gp.CopyFeatures line there. As you said, the .gdb was created. However the same issue is occurring. In the FeatureSet that I am using, the fields in a featureSet which contains major lakes are DEPTH, NAME, OBJECTID, Shape_Area, Shape_Length, SQKM, SQMI, and SURF_ELEV. The .gdb resulting from this sc – user5521 Jan 17 '12 at 23:04
  • If you're TrueLifeCoder, which you seem to be, you should place this answer as an edit to your original question. Although if you changed accounts, I guess you'd have to have a Moderator change ownership if that's even possible. – Nathanus Jan 17 '12 at 23:18
  • Nathanus is right, Alex. The problem is that your account and that of TrueLifeCoder are completely different: they use different identifiers. We can merge the two accounts if both of them make the request to do so. – whuber Jan 17 '12 at 23:39
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You shouldn't have to create the featureclass first using gp.CreateFeatureClass. CopyFeatures should create it for you. Try that and see what you get. And it sounds like you are using a layer selection, otherwise all of your features will get copied and not just your selected ones.

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  • I tried that and got the result mentioned in the edited question. Please let me know why this could be. Thanks! – BigSauce Jan 18 '12 at 18:38

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