Select by Attribute

Select By Attribute is a GIS query tool designed to help users discover specific features in the dataset based on the evaluation of data contained in attribute tables using SQL-like queries or logical expressions based on values in certain fields such as land use, population, elevation, road class, building status, or administrative boundaries. An analyst may choose, for instance, all roads of certain classification or all parcels exceeding the required size. In contrast to spatial selection tools, Select By Attribute relies solely on the descriptive attributes of geographic features, but not on their location or geometry. The selected features may then be analyzed, modified, exported, symbolized differently, or used as input for other GIS tasks. This option proves useful when dealing with large vector data sets because it allows the analyst to quickly single out required records without the need to look through all features individually. Select by Attribute finds its wide application in GIS data analysis, spatial database management, cartography, and geoprocessing.