Question

Writing to an SDE database (beginners tips)

  • 21 November 2013
  • 8 replies
  • 1 view

Badge
Hi everyone,

 

 

I'm fairly novice at using enterprise style databases and could do with a few tips.  I have an SDE database called Roads (with geometry), which has the following fields:

 

 

Road Name:

 

Road Ref:

 

 

I have a SQL database called Survey (no geometry) that has:

 

 

Road Ref:

 

Type:

 

Condition:

 

Year:

 

 

I have FeatureMerged the two datasets on the Road Ref field so the Survey data has been added to the Roads database.  I now want to write this out the same Roads SDE database.  This where I'm tripping up!

 

 

I'm assuming FME can create a new featue class/type with the relevant felds (i.e. all of the ones from Road and Survey_, but can't see where to do this in the settings, and I'm getting errors.  I've tried a few different combinations settings, but could do with some pointers!

 

 

Also, is it possible to create the feature class in a feature dataset in the SDE?

 

 

Thanks everyone.

 

 

Amit

8 replies

Userlevel 4
Hi,

 

 

if you're unsure, the easiest might be to first create the feature class in ArcCatalog and then import it into FME using Writers / Import Feature Types from the workbench.

 

 

But yes, FME can create the feature class for you. Just define the attributes in the output feature type properties dialog, like this:

 

 

 

You can specify the feature dataset under Format Parameters:

 

 

 

David
Badge
Hi David, thanks for the quick reply.  I have noticed that field, however it doesn't appear in the SDE writer.  It's not in the Navigator either.  The SDE writer have quite a few different fields.
Badge
Here's a screenshot:

 

Userlevel 4
Hi,

 

 

thanks for the screenshot. Which writer exactly are you using? SDE30 or GEODATABASE_SDE or something else?

 

 

David
Badge
Sorry, I don't think that pasted very well!  try again...

 

 

 

 

The above is in the Apply all field, but for some reason resets when you come out it.

 

 

The main Format parameters are below.

 

 

 

Badge
Hi David, using ESRI ArcSDE. 
Userlevel 4
Hi,

 

 

Be aware that there are two different readers/writers for ESRI ArcSDE Geodatabases. It looks like you're using SDE30, which as far as I can tell, doesn't support feature datasets. It also has a lot of other limitations, but also some strong points, so the choice between the two isn't always obvious.

 

 

I strongly recommend that you check out the differences and use the one that suits you the best. It might be that GEODATABASE_SDE would be the better option in your case.

 

 

Also be aware that SDE30 might stop working starting with ArcGIS 11, as ESRI is planning on dropping compatibility with the C-libraries that SDE30 is built upon.

 

 

David
Badge
Hi David, thanks for the reply.  First up, I used the Geodatabase Reader and it seems to have resolved the problen, thanks very much.  It looks like I need to do some reading up on databases, thanks for the links also and the quick reples, it's helped a lot.

 

 

Cheers.

 

 

Amit

Reply