topic Re: FeatureLayerCollection.replicas.create always returns the correct tables but 0 records in the tables in ArcGIS API for Python Questions

FeatureLayerCollection.replicas.create always returns the correct tables but 0 records in the tables

Trippetoe — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:00:44 GMT

Hi there. I have a python script that attempts to export a hosted feature service as a file geodatabase using the python api's featurelayercollection.replicas.create() method. I am running python 3.11.10 and arcgis api 2.3.0

The service details:

- One feature layer (id: 0, geometry type: point) with attachments
- One related table (id: 1) with attachments
- Sync is enabled
- supportsSyncModelNone = true

The problem:

the replicas.create() operation consistently returns a file geodatabase with the correct schema but 0 rows in all tables, regardless of parameters used.

What works:

Using the AGOL Item Details page to Export as file geodatabase.
A direct query on layer 0 returns the expected 27 records
Running createReplica manually via the REST Services Directory HTML form returns the expected number of records

What I've have tried (all returning 0 rows):

syncModel=none with no geometry filter
syncModel=none with geometry set to the service's full extent
Adding layerQueries with where=1=1, useGeometry=false, includeRelated=true, queryOption=useFilter for both layers
syncDirection=bidirectional
geometryType=esriGeometryPoint
async=true and async=false
layers as comma-separated string (0,1) and as JSON array ([0,1])
using an empty querylayers
using a populated queryLayers with filter set to 1=1

Any thoughts on how to get the expected number of records returned?

Re: FeatureLayerCollection.replicas.create always returns the correct tables but 0 records in the tables

KenGalliher1 — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 20:42:42 GMT

@Trippetoe This is a great question. I'm looking into it now. Can you provide a code snippet that shows how you are setting up the replica? What are the sync options, geometry and layer queries look like?

Re: FeatureLayerCollection.replicas.create always returns the correct tables but 0 records in the tables

KenGalliher1 — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 21:13:46 GMT

@Trippetoe I was not able to reproduce the missing rows with a file geodatabase or SQLite geodatabase. Here is the code I used. Let me know if you have any questions.

import time import tempfile from arcgis.features.layer import FeatureLayerCollection from arcgis.gis import GIS from arcgis import geometry gis = GIS(profile="your_online_profile") item = gis.content.get("401876e7f782419dbd29974ce8a4e11b") flc = FeatureLayerCollection(item.url, gis) output_gdb_path = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() service_url = flc.url extent = { "xmin": -13238397.099502765, "ymin": 3923105.9219284547, "xmax": -13037402.432768419, "ymax": 4065046.3578960407, } geom_filter = geometry.filters.envelope_intersects(extent) sync_options = {"syncDataOptions": 260} layer_queries = { "0": {"queryOption": "useFilter", "useGeometry": True}, "2": {"queryOption": "useFilter", "useGeometry": False}, } # For file gdb, the sync model must be none # For mobile gdb, use "perLayer" or "perReplica" sync_model = "none" data_format = "filegdb" replica_options = { "replica_name": f"ReplicaTest_{int(time.time())}", "layers": [0, 2], "layer_queries": layer_queries, "geometry_filter": geom_filter, "replica_sr": {"wkid": 102642, "latestWkid": 2226}, "transport_type": "esriTransportTypeUrl", "return_attachments": True, "attachments_sync_direction": "bidirectional", "sync_model": sync_model, "data_format": data_format, "replica_options": sync_options, "out_path": output_gdb_path.name, "sync_direction": "bidirectional", } try: res = flc.replicas.create(**replica_options) print(res) except Exception as ex: print("Create Replica failed:", str(ex)) finally: output_gdb_path.cleanup()

Re: FeatureLayerCollection.replicas.create always returns the correct tables but 0 records in the tables

Trippetoe — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 17:19:52 GMT

Thanks for your response. I'm a bit behind you so i'll answer this response first. Here's my python code that uses `replicas.create()`. As noted in my question, the code returns an empty file geodatabase...

edit_date_filter = "EditDate >= '"+str(last_successful_run_date)+"'" feat_srvc = arcgis.features.FeatureLayerCollection(settings.AGOL_FEATURE_SERVICE_URL, agol_security_token) export_job = feat_srvc.replicas.create( replica_name='NameDoesNothing', layers=[settings.FS_IDX, settings.CONDITION_IDX], layer_queries={ str(settings.FS_IDX):{ "queryOption":"useFilter", "where":edit_date_filter}, str(settings.CONDITION_IDX):{ "queryOption":"useFilter", "where":edit_date_filter} }, geometry_filter=None, replica_sr=None, transport_type='esriTransportTypeUrl', return_attachments=True, return_attachments_databy_url=False, asynchronous=True, attachments_sync_direction='bidirectional', sync_model='none', data_format="filegdb", replica_options=None, wait=False, out_path=settings.DOWNLOAD_DIR, sync_direction=None, target_type='client')

Just for good measure, i'm including this 'direct request' against the createReplicas endpoint. the results are the same. a perfectly fine, but empty, file geodatabase.....

url = f"{feat_srvc.url}/createReplica" data = { 'f': 'json', 'replicaName': 'test_direct4', 'layers': '[0,1]', 'layerQueries': '{"0": {"where": "1=1", "useGeometry": false, "includeRelated": true, "queryOption": "useFilter"}, "1": {"where": "1=1", "useGeometry": false, "includeRelated": true, "queryOption": "useFilter"}}', 'geometryType': 'esriGeometryPoint', 'returnAttachments': 'false', 'syncModel': 'none', 'syncDirection': 'bidirectional', 'dataFormat': 'filegdb', 'async': 'false', 'token': agol_security_token._con.token } response = requests.post(url, data=data) print(response.json()) dl_url = response.json().get('responseUrl') resp = requests.get(url=dl_url, params={'token': agol_security_token._con.token}) zipped = zipfile.ZipFile(io.BytesIO(resp.content))

Re: FeatureLayerCollection.replicas.create always returns the correct tables but 0 records in the tables

Trippetoe — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 23:29:44 GMT

@KenGalliher1 Thanks for the code example. I changed the code as necessary for my hosted feature service and ran it. unfortunately, i got the same results: an other wise perfect file geodatabase with my related tables, attachment tables, etc - but there we no rows in the feature class, the related table, nor either of the attachment tables. The only table with any rows was the GDB_ServiceItems table.

I don't know why really, but a hunch is that the attachments in the related table are causing the problem. Does your hosted feature service have attachments enabled on the related table (index 2 i believe in your example)?

Re: FeatureLayerCollection.replicas.create always returns the correct tables but 0 records in the tables

KenGalliher1 — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 16:09:28 GMT

@Trippetoe Yes, I enabled and added attachments on the feature layer and the table. Thanks for providing your parameters. I'll test some of those in my code. I'll let you know what happens.

Re: FeatureLayerCollection.replicas.create always returns the correct tables but 0 records in the tables

Trippetoe — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 17:18:54 GMT

@KenGalliher1 I noticed that i left a bad parameter in my code example (I've been trying every option to see what might matter and some slop did not get removed). The right parameter is

attachments_sync_direction='bidirectional',

In my original post i had that value as 'download', which does not work.