Keeping features with 0 buffer width in output shapefile?

Question

Using ArcGIS 10.3, I am working with a shapefile with millions of small polygons. I am using python to assign buffer widths to each polygon as an attribute. The buffer widths vary, and some polygons are assigned a buffer width of 0. This presents two issues when I use the buffer tool:

1. Polygons assigned a width of 0 receive Warning 000636, because the buffer tool assigns them a null geometry. The sheer volume of these warning messages results in a crash if using the python interpreter in ArcMap (useful for code demonstrations).
2. The polygons themselves are excluded from the final output.

I still need the excluded polygons in the buffer output. I would also prefer not to return a few thousand warnings. For now, my workaround is to assign a buffer width of 0.001 instead of 0. Can anyone give me a better workaround for this issue?

Note: I have found ArcGIS Buffer tool leaves out zero width buffers? that addresses this issue, but the answer does not provide the guidance I am looking for.

Answer 1

As it says in the documentation that the other question quotes: the buffer tool does not work that way.

The work-around would be:

1. Export the features that you don't want to buffer to a separate feature class.
2. Buffer only the features that have valid buffer distances. You could first run a Select and export them to their own feature class. Then, buffer that dataset.
3. Merge those two results.

Answer 2

Another option:

1. Select by attributes (buffer > 0)
2. Run the buffer tool (will only run on the selection)
3. Switch the selection and append to the buffer output (use 'switch selection' or select by attributes (buffer = 0).