copy raster from gdb to .TIF causes pixel shift

Question

I exported a file geodatabase raster to .TIF format using "copy raster" (ArcGIS Pro, not sure what version, but the work was done on whatever release was current in April 2020) and found there was a pixel shift of about 7m to the left (raster has 10 m pixels). Today I tried to replicate this problem (ArcGIS Pro version 2.6.1) and could not reproduce the error.  Can anyone help shed light on what might have caused the shift?

Thank you!

danretired · Answer

Emiko Condeso‌ Don't know if the bug applies to file gdb but all that it means that the only report was for enterprise.

The real take-away is the Cell Alignment considerations which allows you to fine-tune how extents and raster cells creation can interact.

Sadly, this aspect is overlooked by many and it isn't necessarily consistent among other gis software or in translations of rasters to other forms of raster representation.

EmikoCondeso · Answer

Thank you for your help.  Is this bug documented for file geodatabases?  The linked bug report referred to enterprise gdbs.

danretired · Answer

There have been issues noted with half cell pixel shifts, for example

BUG-000110431: Copying and pasting a raster to an enterprise geodat..

The "cell alignment" environment setting was recently introduced to account for this

Cell Alignment (Environment setting)—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

Tools that support it like copy raster support this environment setting

Copy Raster (Data Management)—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

If you want to know when the difference occurred you would have to examine the "whats new" section of the help

Release notes for ArcGIS Pro 2.6—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

or the tech support documentation