How to generate a report in Arcmap 10.2 which counts the number of entries in an attribute table of a certain value

Digging into Your Data: Counting Attribute Values Like a Pro in ArcMap 10.2

Hey there, fellow GIS enthusiasts! Ever found yourself staring at an attribute table in ArcMap, wondering how many times a certain value pops up? Maybe you’re trying to figure out how many parcels are zoned “Residential,” or perhaps you’re mapping different types of land cover and need to know the acreage of each. Whatever the reason, knowing how to count those attribute values is a seriously handy skill.

ArcMap 10.2 might be showing its age a little, but it’s still a workhorse for many of us. And lucky for us, it’s got a few tricks up its sleeve for getting those counts. Let’s walk through some methods, so you can stop manually tallying and start analyzing!

The “Summarize” Shuffle: Quick and Dirty Counts

This is often my go-to method when I need a quick answer. It’s built right into ArcMap, no extra extensions needed. Think of it as a mini-frequency analysis right at your fingertips.

Here’s the drill:

I’ve used this countless times for everything from checking data integrity to prepping for more complex analyses. It’s simple, but powerful.

Frequency Tool: Spatial Analyst to the Rescue

Now, if you’ve got the Spatial Analyst extension, you’ve got another tool in your arsenal: the “Frequency” tool. It essentially does the same thing as “Summarize,” but sometimes it plays nicer with certain datasets (I’ve found it can be more reliable with messy data).

Honestly, I usually stick with “Summarize” unless I run into problems. But it’s good to know you have options, right?

Report Wizard: When You Need to Impress

Okay, so the Report Wizard isn’t exactly the sexiest part of ArcMap. It feels a bit clunky and old-school. But if you need to create a formatted report with those attribute counts, it can actually be pretty useful. It lets you customize the layout and presentation, which is a nice touch when you’re presenting your findings to stakeholders.

It takes a bit of tweaking to get it just right, but the end result can be a professional-looking report that shows off your hard work.

A Few Words of Wisdom

• Nulls Matter: Keep in mind that the “Summarize” function ignores those pesky null values. So, if you have missing data, it won’t be counted.
• Join the Club: You can join the summarized table back to your original shapefile to create thematic maps based on the frequency counts. This is a great way to visualize your data.
• Field Calculator Fun: For more complex counting scenarios, you can get creative with the Field Calculator and Python scripting. But that’s a topic for another day!
• Pro Tip: ArcMap is reaching its end of life. Seriously consider making the jump to ArcGIS Pro. It’s got better tools and a brighter future.

So there you have it! Three ways to count attribute values in ArcMap 10.2. Whether you’re a seasoned GIS pro or just starting out, these techniques will help you unlock the power of your data. Now go forth and analyze!