topic Re: Create Replica with Different Output Coordinate System in ArcGIS Pro Questions

Create Replica with Different Output Coordinate System

mpboyle — Wed, 27 May 2020 21:48:53 GMT

Now that ArcGIS Pro includes some replication tools at version 2.5, I'm wondering if there will be a workflow similar to the one outlined in this technical article for creating replicas in different coordinate systems?

Better yet...could the the environment variables arcpy.env.outputCoordinateSystem and arcpy.env.geographicTransformations be used as substitutes for this manual workflow?

We would like to have all (or as much as possible) of our web services in Web Mercator to avoid any type of on-the-fly projection...but the only method I've found for create a child replica in a different coordinate system is the workflow linked above.

Re: Create Replica with Different Output Coordinate System

GrantHopkins1 — Wed, 03 May 2023 20:53:07 GMT

We will be eventually moving away from 10.9.1 and that is the last release that supports ArcMap, this functionality needs to be included with ArcPro. We need the ability to replicate to a different projection so that our layers are all in Web Mercator and not projecting on the fly. Thank you.

Re: Create Replica with Different Output Coordinate System

Robert_LeClair — Wed, 03 May 2023 21:20:46 GMT

@GrantHopkins1 - you can do this in ArcGIS Pro. One workflow is:

1. Export the data to the child geodatabase using the Feature Class to Feature Class GP tool and set the Environment Setting option for the tool to reproject the data to Web Mercator and preserve the GlobalIDs.
2. Create a one-way replica using the existing data option.

Re: Create Replica with Different Output Coordinate System

GrantHopkins1 — Thu, 04 May 2023 13:51:46 GMT

@Robert_LeClair , thank you for taking the time to suggest this workflow to me; I really appreciate it. I'll give this a shot! ... But I still want my nice wizard brought back, Esri (haha).

Thanks again!

Grant

Re: Create Replica with Different Output Coordinate System

GrantHopkins1 — Fri, 05 May 2023 18:22:08 GMT

@Robert_LeClair , I probably should have mentioned that I need to keep the structure of the database consistent as it contains feature datasets and relationship classes. This is the main reason we used that wizard before. Do you have another workflow suggestion that allows for the copying of the data from an enterprise geodatabase to a file geodatabase in a different projection while keeping feature datasets and relationship classes?

Thank you in advance,

Grant

Re: Create Replica with Different Output Coordinate System

Robert_LeClair — Mon, 08 May 2023 16:19:58 GMT

@GrantHopkins1 - what you could do is build a model in ModelBuilder that iterates the Feature Class to Geodatabase GP tool and in the Environment Settings for the Model GP tool set the Output Coordinate System and Geographic Transformations to the appropriate values. Then use the Create Replica GP tool and in the Advanced Settings use a Full Replica Access Type and the Register existing data only checkbox. This preserve your relationship classes and any geodatabase behaviors in the parent/child replicas. Let me know if you have any questions!

Re: Create Replica with Different Output Coordinate System

GrantHopkins1 — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 15:09:54 GMT

@Robert_LeClair , thanks again for the help. I'll give this a shot.

Re: Create Replica with Different Output Coordinate System

brucereagan — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 20:43:46 GMT

Thanks @Robert_LeClair , this works well. Anyway to do this to add a feature class to an existing replica?

Re: Create Replica with Different Output Coordinate System

Robert_LeClair — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 21:43:53 GMT

Certainly @brucereagan - I don't think there's an out of the box solution to add a feature class to an existing replica. Likely you'd need to unregister the replica pairs and rebuild the replica pairs that includes the feature class of interest.

Re: Create Replica with Different Output Coordinate System

ChrisRobinsonCOF — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:07:44 GMT

Hi Robert,

Do you know if this workflow could still work? It seems like some of the tools and options have changed since. For instance, when trying to create a new replica, I don't see an option to use existing data? Has that been removed or am was it renamed to something else? I am currently at Pro version 3.4.2.

Thank you,

Chris

Re: Create Replica with Different Output Coordinate System

Robert_LeClair — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:05:11 GMT

Hi Chris - the functionality you described is still there with ArcGIS Pro. The reason you do not see it in your screen grab is because for the Output Type, you have "New file geodatabase" If you change it to Geodatabase or XML file, you'll see the checkbox "register existing data" enabled. Hope this helps!

Re: Create Replica with Different Output Coordinate System

KellyAlfaro_Haugen — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 14:51:56 GMT

Are we in 2025 and the only way to replicate into a different coordinate system is still a manual creation and load of all your feature datasets, and feature classes, in the new projection and then create the replica? ArcMap had a one-stop shop to do this process as an easy 3 step process. Now I'm either required to do it manually or create my own model?

Re: Create Replica with Different Output Coordinate System

Robert_LeClair — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 15:11:45 GMT

@KellyAlfaro_Haugen - the ArcMap one-stop shop you refer to, is this the Extract Data Wizard that was in ArcMap by chance? If so, starting at ArcGIS Pro 3.3, there's a new GP tool called Extract Data from Geodatabase that has the same functional workflow I believe. This could simplify the process.

Re: Create Replica with Different Output Coordinate System

KellyAlfaro_Haugen — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 17:56:36 GMT

That would be fantastic if it does. I am of course stuck at 10.9.1 and 2.9 for now but I will keep that in mind for future upgrades.

Re: Create Replica with Different Output Coordinate System

KellyAlfaro_Haugen — Fri, 09 May 2025 18:59:39 GMT

So I have another question, within this one, and you seem to be the one in the know.

We have replicas where a layer is in the Feature Dataset but does not get included in the replica. Instead the feature is updated through some other process (usually python).

Example: Wetlands

In the parent database there is a Feature dataset with multiple layers. One layer "Wetlands" is updated by staff with an "Archive Field" that is True/False. When they map a new wetland polygon they will keep the old one just marking it Archive = True.

In the child database (one-way replica) there are two layers "Wetlands" and "WetlandsHistoric". All of the other feature classes are included in replication. These two are not. They are updated via python (truncate/append) where Archive is either Ture or False. So they should not be in the Replica.

The Problem:

In ArcMap when loading schema and data (Data Extract tool) and creating the replica you had the choice to exclude layers from each of these steps.

With the ArcPro Replica tool your only choice seems to be to "Register existing data only". Which is fine for "WetlandsHistoric" because does not appear in the parent database but is a problem for "Wetlands" which does.

Does this mean that my only options are to not include the "Wetlands" layer in the child database until after the replica is built or to build the replica and then unregister just the layers like this one that I don't want? Because either way means more steps and is not as nuanced as in ArcMap.