idea Allow Python to edit on versions in branch versioned datasets in Data Management Ideas

Allow Python to edit on versions in branch versioned datasets

AmyRoust — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 17:00:47 GMT

This has to be an idea already and I just can't find it. I would like to be able to use Python to edit a version on branch versioned data sets. Right now, the only way I can see to script out batch editing is to write the edits to DEFAULT. That causes database bloat that could be reduced by editing on a version and then post/reconciling programmatically.

Re: Allow Python to edit on versions in branch versioned datasets

MarceloMarques — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 19:28:47 GMT

@AmyRoust

To edit ArcGIS Enterprise branch version feature services via Python, you typically use the ArcGIS API for Python, which provides tools to interact with services hosted on ArcGIS Enterprise, including versioned feature services.

Working with Branch Versioning | ArcGIS API for Python

from arcgis.gis import GIS from arcgis.features import FeatureLayerCollection # Connect to your portal gis = GIS("https://your-portal-url.com/portal", "username", "password") # Access the feature service flc = FeatureLayerCollection("https://your-portal-url.com/arcgis/rest/services/YourService/FeatureServer", gis) # Create or switch to a branch version version_name = "Marcelo_Edit_Version" version = flc.manager.create_version(version_name, description="Editing version for updates") # Access the specific layer layer = flc.layers[0] # assuming you want the first layer # Set the version context layer.version = version_name # Query features to edit features = layer.query(where="OBJECTID = 1", out_fields="*", return_geometry=True).features # Modify attributes or geometry features[0].attributes["Status"] = "Updated" # Apply edits layer.edit_features(updates=features)

Re: Allow Python to edit on versions in branch versioned datasets - Status changed to: Already Offered

SSWoodward — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 16:55:28 GMT

There are multiple ways to edit a branch versioned dataset. All editing of branch versioned data must happen through its feature service. Publishing the data as a by reference service and then using either the ArcGIS API for python as @MarceloMarques has suggested, or arcpy are both acceptable. Below is an example of how you would edit using arcpy instead of the ArcGIS API for Python.

Since there are multiple ways to achieve the requested functionality, I will close this as already offered.

# User will need to sign in using their preferred method import arcpy server = << your branch versioned feature server url > version_name = 'new_version_aa' # Create a new version using the feature server arcpy.management.CreateVersion(server, 'sde.DEFAULT', version_name) # Create a Feature Layer # Just assuming its the 0 indexed layer here for ease of example new_lyr = arcpy.management.MakeFeatureLayer(f'{server}/0', 'test_lyr') # Get the full version name # Quick way to grab the newly created version name since it may contain more # data, like the username, than was passed to CreateVersion GP tool full_version_name = [v.name for v in arcpy.da.ListVersions(server) if version_name in v.name][0] # Switch to the new version arcpy.management.ChangeVersion(new_lyr, 'BRANCH', full_version_name) # Edit the layer with a da.InsertCursor with arcpy.da.InsertCursor(new_lyr, ['Field']) as cursor: cursor.insertRow([1000])

Re: Allow Python to edit on versions in branch versioned datasets

AmyRoust — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 13:33:15 GMT

@SSWoodward and @MarceloMarques - Thank you! I have only dabbled in the ArcGIS API for Python and it didn't even occur to me to look there. I will pursue this path.

Re: Allow Python to edit on versions in branch versioned datasets

AmyRoust — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 19:15:23 GMT

@SSWoodward I decided to go with your sample code since I'm already working with arcpy in a file on my server. I successfully created the new version:

server = f"https://xyz/FeatureServer" version_name = 'python' arcpy.management.CreateVersion(server, 'sde.DEFAULT', version_name) new_lyr = arcpy.management.MakeTableView(f'{server}/15', 'default_lyr') full_version_name = [v.name for v in arcpy.da.ListVersions(server) if version_name in v.name][0] meter = arcpy.management.ChangeVersion(new_lyr, 'BRANCH', full_version_name)

But I cannot get it to switch back to DEFAULT before posting and reconciling.

arcpy.management.ChangeVersion(new_lyr, 'BRANCH', 'sde.DEFAULT') arcpy.management.ReconcileVersions(server, "ALL_VERSIONS", "sde.DEFAULT", full_version_name, "LOCK_ACQUIRED", "NO_ABORT", "BY_OBJECT", "FAVOR_TARGET_VERSION", "POST", "DELETE_VERSION", r"C:\Log.txt", "PROCEED", "RECONCILE")

When line 2 runs, it says

"Warning: Error deleting version xyz.python.
The version is currently in use. [xyz.python]
Not running inside a server process.

I could change the reconcile to keep the version, but I'd prefer to delete it.