Adding Contingent Values to database in ArcPro makes feature class totally unusable in ArcMap? Really?

[RachelBeard]

I am looking forward to contingent values and see it as a way to solve some of the editing complaints that I hear and hope to use the functionality as a carrot to move users to ArcPro but it has to not KILL my feature classes in ArcMap.

I have a series of templates that I build for users. These templates have ArcMap 10.7 and ArcPro 2.4 options depending on the users preference. Both applications point to the same project file geodatabase. I built the contingencies and did some tests edits. LOVE the results and look forward to the rumored advancements in the functionality ( Planning for Contingencies – Contingent Values in ArcGIS Pro 2.4) . Unfortunately, when I open ArcMap the feature classes that now have contingent values, also, now have red exclamation marks. When I try to repair the data sources i get the attached message. " Error repairing the layer. The item does not have a definition. Unable to instantiatiate class for xml schema type: ArrayOfFieldGroup ".  When I try to add them to a new .mxd I get a similar message. I found a small incompatibility note hidden in the documentation : Work with contingent values—Geodatabases | Documentation although it references Enterprise 10.7.

Is there a plan to allow the formatting of contingent values for use in Pro that does not kill the feature classes' accessibility in ArcMap ?

  

[DanPatterson_Retired]

It seems that they are wanted in many places... you will have to read through the posts on this link

https://community.esri.com/ideas/16708 

[RachelBeard]

Thank you for the response but my issue is that if I build a feature class with contingent values the feature class then becomes incompatible with ArcMap 10.7. I am hoping I have done something wrong because this creates a very narrow use case for the capability. 

[DanPatterson_Retired]

Sorry Rachel, can't help to clarify.

I have sent a message to see if there is some clarification on this help file page.

Kory Kramer‌ is this an issue with ArcMap 10.7?  The help topic indicates Pro <2.3 and enterprise 10.7.  I notified the help people for clarification as well

[JonDeRose · Accepted solution]

Rachel,

I’ve updated the compatibility note you mentioned to indicate that adding contingent values to a table or feature class will make it incompatible with ArcMap and have moved this to the top of the help topic for better visibility.  Additional help topics are under development to clarify situations such as this where schema changes impact the backward compatibility in ArcGIS Pro and/or usage in ArcMap.

Adding Contingent Values to a feature class updates the schema in a way that makes the dataset incompatible with previous versions of Pro and Enterprise that do not share the associated libraries. This same limitation prevents ArcMap from using the updated feature classes.  There are not currently any plans to enable the use of contingent values in ArcMap; however, work is underway to expose these capabilities in Runtime so that Runtime clients can read and open datasets with contingent values and expose them.  This will pave the way for expanded usage in editor apps beyond ArcGIS Pro.

[RachelBeard]

OK, that's a bummer. I knew it was a long shot once I noticed the compatibility note. It certainly creates a very narrow use case considering many data creators must share their databases and cannot guarantee the ESRI product  or release the client is using.  

Are you saying work is underway to make feature classes and tables with contingent values at least readable by programs beyond ArcPro. such as ArcMap? This would be excellent news. Or development is only focused on use in apps such as Collector and ArcGIS Online?