Select Issues with Converting Feature Class to Shapefile with only certain fields

Question

This is not a copy of previous questions like Selecting certain fields from feature class to create new feature class in ArcPy? but builds on them.

I have two approaches and two different issues.

Project: Take numerous feature classes in several SDE's and create a shapefile of each FC but only containing a selection of fields.

Method 1:

I copied the entire Feature Class to a new GDB, made a feature layer from that feature class and iterate through the layer to create a list of "delete fields" by excluding all of the already established "keep fields." I then create a new shapefile from the feature layer that deletes all fields I don't want. This works fine except when subtypes are discovered.

I wrote the following to handle subtypes:

subtypes = arcpy.da.ListSubtypes(tempLayer)
sKeys = subtypes.keys()
for keys in sKeys:
 if keys != 0:
 print("Subtype found at code {}.".format(keys))
 sys.stdout.flush()
 arcpy.RemoveSubtype_management(tempLayer,keys) 

However, I still get errors saying fields cannot be deleted due to subtypes. When I look into/print the subtypes found in arcpy.da.ListSubtypes(tempLayer) ...no subtypes are found. So, with Method 1: What am I missing in identifying and deleting subtypes?

• Vince: Please ask only one question per Question. Shapefiles cannot preserve datetime values (dBase only supports YYYYMMDD), so this would be a lossy conversion. Working with 10.2, which was been retired since July, and used an older/buggy Python, isn't going to make it easier to get assistance.
• JackOfTales: If only it was easy to use a newer version. The existing geometric network used doesn't support 10.3 and makes navigating between all the different servers a pain unless 10.2 is used until everything gets properly updated to Pro or 10.6.1

Answer 1

Instead of copying and deleting, I like to create a feature layer and hide fields, then export. I've created a function for this task. Subtypes don't affect this method.

def CreateFieldInfoLayer (fc, lyrName, tempName, flds):
 """
 fc = input feature class
 lyrName = name of output layer
 tempName = name of temporary layer. It will be created and deleted
 flds = keep fields
 """
 #get field info
 tempName = arcpy.MakeFeatureLayer_management (fc, tempName) [0]
 fldInfo = arcpy.Describe (tempName).fieldInfo
 #set fields not in input list to hidden
 for i in range (fldInfo.count):
 fldName = fldInfo.getFieldName (i)
 if not fldName in flds:
 fldInfo.setVisible (i, "HIDDEN")
 #create new layer with field info applied
 lyrName = arcpy.MakeFeatureLayer_management (tempName, lyrName, field_info = fldInfo) [0]
 #delete initial layer
 arcpy.Delete_management (tempName)
 return lyrName
#input table
inFc = r"C:\Some\Featureclass"
#keep fields
keepFields = ["field1", "field2"]
#create layer with limited fields
lyr = CreateFieldInfoLayer (inFc, "layer", "templayer", keepFields)
#copy features
arcpy.CopyFeatures_management (lyr, r"C:\Some\Featureclass_output")