Types of attribute domains

There are two types of attribute domains: range and coded value.

Range domains

Range domains can be created only for numeric fields—they specify acceptable minimum and maximum values. For example, you could create a range domain for wells that sets their valid depth values between 40 and 120 meters. Values can be either integers or numbers with decimal places.

Range domains can be applied only to numeric fields. When creating a range domain, you specify the minimum and maximum values that will be allowed in the field.

When editing in ArcMap, you can interactively validate features that have a range domain by using the Validate Features command. Validate Features checks the attributes of selected features and reports any errors that are found. After running Validate Features, the features with errors remain selected so their attribute values can be corrected.

Coded value domains

Coded value domains are explicit lists of acceptable values. They can be applied to an attribute of any field type—for example, text, numeric, or date. Coded value domains include both the code values and a more user-friendly description of what the codes actually mean.

When creating a coded value domain, you enter both the codes and a description for each.

In ArcMap, validation is automatic for coded value domains. When you're editing an attribute that has a coded value domain, you cannot manually enter an attribute value. Instead, you choose the desired value from a dropdown list that contains the valid values.

The codes are stored as values in the database. The descriptions display in the ArcMap Attributes dialog.