topic Re: Enable Editor Tracking on table not working when fields already exist in ArcGIS Pro Questions

Enable Editor Tracking on table not working when fields already exist

AlexanderSt__John — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 22:09:12 GMT

I am getting errors when I try to enable editor tracking on a table (feature class works fine) in a file geodatabase, both in the management properties menu and a Jupyter notebook.

Snippet showing the use of a template table which already has the editor tracking fields.

Enable Editor Tracking method failing (this screenshot shows a different table, but same problem):

Try to enable manually, but get ERROR 001217:

Fields with correct data types that exist upon table creation, via the applied template:

(Note that I can not delete these fields even though editor tracking is not enabled yet)

I am able to do this with feature classes, which leads me to believe this may be buggy behavior?

Re: Enable Editor Tracking on table not working when fields already exist

Robert_LeClair — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 22:24:48 GMT

One thing to try is export the table to a new table in a new file geodatabase. Delete the editor tracking fields. Then retry your workflow. What is the result?

Re: Enable Editor Tracking on table not working when fields already exist

AlexanderSt__John — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 21:18:35 GMT

It is successful, though I did not exactly follow your instructions.

I imported the table to a fresh FGDB and was able to enable editor tracking through the management properties menu. Then I imported that table with editor tracking back to original FGDB (after deleting the original table in my original FGDB) and editor tracking is still enabled.

So there was no need to delete the editor tracking fields.

Re: Enable Editor Tracking on table not working when fields already exist

AlexanderSt__John — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 21:34:04 GMT

Also successful is just copying the table to a temp FGDB, delete the original in the original FGDB, copy the table back to the original FGDB, and then I could enable editor tracking in the management properties in the original FGDB.

Re: Enable Editor Tracking on table not working when fields already exist

AlexanderSt__John — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 14:34:53 GMT

@Robert_LeClair Can we call this a bug?

Re: Enable Editor Tracking on table not working when fields already exist

Robert_LeClair — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 21:52:15 GMT

Possibly - you would have to contact Esri Support Services to log a case, then work with the analyst to see if it's reproducible. If so, then the analyst could log it as a bug.

Re: Enable Editor Tracking on table not working when fields already exist

Jim_Anbazu — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 23:59:19 GMT

Interesting find @AlexanderSt__John !

You would only get that error message when you use the Create Table GP tool to create the table. When you create the table in the catalog pane by right-clicking on the FGDB (import the schema from the table with enable editor tracking fields), you can enable editor tracking on that table even though the fields exist. I think it has something to do with the GP tool. A BUG has been logged on this and development will be looking into it.

Re: Enable Editor Tracking on table not working when fields already exist

HeatherBell — Sat, 27 Sep 2025 08:54:51 GMT

I'm not using Python but have a similar issue which I believe is related to this bug: https://support.esri.com/en-us/bug/when-a-layer-from-arcgis-online-is-exported-to-a-geodat-bug-00016...

When trying to republish a layer and activate editor tracking again, the date fields cannot be used under editor tracking due to error 001217, but they also cannot be deleted or thier properties edited either - it would be quite easy to republish the layer without realising that the date fields are not recording any changes. I resolved this in ArcGIS Pro by using the 'convert temporal field' tool. I converted first to text, and then converted again to date. Then I deleted the old fields (which could not be deleted under 'fields') by exporting to a new feature class, and then renaming them during the export.

I hope this helps someone else!