System attributes

In GDB, you can identify the attribute that is used for special roles. There are many system attribute roles; however, only some or none of them are actually associated with a real attribute in the file. In this case, the role is ignored or takes on a default value.

Renamable attributes

• REPCode: The REPCode system attribute determines the field that is used as the index in the RST when the layer is being rendered in WYSIWYG mode. This field must be an integer type.
• GroupId: In CATALYST Professional Focus, you can use an attribute to relate shapes that are considered to be grouped. All shapes with the same group ID value are considered to be related; depending on the mode, they are moved and manipulated together. This field must be an integer type.
• ChildList: This is an obsolete method of keeping track of internal rings of a polygon and is not recommended. Instead, use RingStart attributes.
• Text: Points to the attribute that is used as the text for the purposes of rendering shapes as text (for example, when using the Vector-Text primitive in an RST). This attribute must be a string type.
• Angle: Points to the attribute that is used as the angle of rotation for the purposes of rendering primitives that can render on an angle (such as Vector-Text and Point-Symbol). The angle is normally expressed in radians, not degrees, so PI (3.1415927) radians is 180 degrees. This attribute can be an integer, float, or double type.
• XCoord: This attribute is used as the x-coordinate to synthesize a single vertex for this shape. This is used with tables where two columns define the x- and y-coordinates, and the x- and y-attribute columns are treated as a spatial position.
• YCoord: This attribute is used as the y-coordinate to synthesize a single vertex for this shape. This is used with tables where two columns define the x- and y-coordinates, and the x- and y-attribute columns are treated as a spatial position.
• Height: This attribute is used as the z-coordinate to synthesize a single vertex for this shape. This is used with tables where two columns define the x- and y-coordinate, and the x- and y-attribute columns are treated as a spatial position.

Fixed name attributes

The following attributes require fixed names and cannot be overwritten with XXX_FieldID metadata.

• ArcIdList: Lists the arc ShapeIds that form the border of this area in clockwise fashion. Each ring is separated by a GDBNullShapeId (-1) entry in the ArcIdList. This attribute must appear on layers with a LAYER_TYPE of TOPO_AREAS. This attribute must be a CountedInt type.
• StartNodeId: Contains the GDBShapeId of the starting node. This attribute must be present on all TOPO_ARCS layers and must be an integer.
• EndNodeId: Contains the GDBShapeId of the ending node for this arc. This attribute must be present on all TOPO_ARCS layers and must be an integer.
• LeftAreaId: Contains the GDBShapeId of the left-area polygon or GDBNullShapeId (-1) if there is no such area. This attribute must be present on all TOPO_ARCS layers and must be an integer.
• RightAreaId: Containing the GDBShapeId of the right-area polygon or GDBNullShapeId (-1) if there is no such area. This attribute must be present on all TOPO_ARCS layers and must be an integer.
• ArcIdList: Lists arc ShapeIds that start or end at this node. All LAYER_TYPE TOPO_NODES layers must have this attribute and must be a CountedInt type.