topic Re: Copying domains from one GDB to another in Geodatabase Questions

Copying domains from one GDB to another

Randy_A_Stapleton — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 15:09:10 GMT

Hi,

Does anyone know a good method for copying domains from one geodatabase to another? I feel like this should be a quick and painless task.

Thanks,

Re: Copying domains from one GDB to another

JoeBorgione — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 15:43:33 GMT

The only way I can see how to do it is use the Domain to Table tool and then the Table to Domain tool.

Or you could make a copy of your database, rename it, and delete the feature classes in the 'new' database.

Re: Copying domains from one GDB to another

Anonymous User — Fri, 20 Jul 2018 15:30:24 GMT

In ArcGIS Pro, with two instances open you can right click on the domain and copy, then past it in to another database.

Re: Copying domains from one GDB to another

MichaelVolz — Fri, 20 Jul 2018 15:51:52 GMT

What version of Pro can you do this operation in?

Re: Copying domains from one GDB to another

Anonymous User — Fri, 20 Jul 2018 15:53:38 GMT

2.2.0

Re: Copying domains from one GDB to another

DavidMarmen — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 13:31:19 GMT

I'm running 2.2.0 and this only works in the same database for me; the paste option becomes greyed out when I switch to the other database.

Re: Copying domains from one GDB to another

Anonymous User — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 17:03:52 GMT

Interesting, if it helps I was copying from a File Geodatabase to another File Geodatabase.

Re: Copying domains from one GDB to another

ArindamMajumdar — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 18:52:19 GMT

Second Joel's workflow. I could copy domains from an SDE to a FGDB. Loving the ease of using Pro for certain tasks (*not all). I am on Pro 2.3.1

Re: Copying domains from one GDB to another

Jared_Motuz — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 19:37:39 GMT

One method that should work is to export the geodatabase to an XML file. You can designate to only export the schema and when prompted, you will exclude all the feature classes and other items. Importing the generated XML file to a fresh geodatabase should transfer all the domains over.

Re: Copying domains from one GDB to another

AndresCastillo — Wed, 27 Nov 2019 22:23:15 GMT

Here is a nice article by SSP Innovations that details this procedure very nicely:

Esri Domains 201 exporting an existing Geodatabase domain

Re: Copying domains from one GDB to another

Brian_McLeer — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 21:15:47 GMT

I had this same issue. I was developing the schema in an FGDB, and I assumed you could simply copy and paste the feature class over to SDE and the domains would transfer over as this way would work with ArcMap.

For a workaround, I did the following steps:

- Export new schema to XML workspace document with data included

- Import XML workspace document into SDE, this will also transfer over the domains

- If you are trying to get a new schema into a feature dataset, you will need to copy and paste the source feature class as a standalone FC into SDE, then again copy and paste that FC into the feature dataset, it will have a name like _1 at the end. Delete the standalone feature class, then rename the feature class in the feature dataset by removing the _1.

Re: Copying domains from one GDB to another

RandyBurton — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 17:36:43 GMT

Another option might be to use a combination of List Domains and Create Domain to copy and create the domains. These tools are available in both Pro and Desktop. There are some related tools mentioned on these help pages that work with the range or coded values.

Re: Copying domains from one GDB to another

NobbirAhmed — Wed, 05 Aug 2020 18:23:24 GMT

You can use Copy tool (in Data Management toolbox) to Copy the Geodatabase with domains to a new geodatabase:

arcpy.management.Copy("gdb_with_domains", "gdb_with_no_domains")

Or, use the Copy tool in dialog:

Answer by Joe Borgione Mar 10, 2015 8:43 AM - is also very good.

Re: Copying domains from one GDB to another

Anonymous User — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 14:33:34 GMT

Is this possible with Pro now? I've created 3 new feature classes with domains & subtypes in the default gdb of my Pro project. Now that I'm happy with the data I would like to import it into SDE with the domains and subtypes. Bonus points if I can transfer over my attribute rules too 🙂

Re: Copying domains from one GDB to another

mody_buchbinder — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 05:40:21 GMT

Copy & paste the layer should take the domains too (if they do not exists in target db).

In fact an easy way to copy domains is to create dummy layer that uses them, then Copy & paste this layer to the new db. Later you can drop the dummy layer but the domains will stay.

Have fun

Re: Copying domains from one GDB to another

Anonymous User — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 14:15:33 GMT

I didn't realize that copy/paste was an option for feature classes in a geodatabase! What's the point of the import/export function then?

I see a bit of a problem with copy/paste - my attribute rules were set up to run on a Copy of a feature class (i.e. Roads_Copy) that exists in my project's default GDB. The copy/paste method will not allow me to add feature classes with attribute rules that are invalid in the SDE database (i.e. the attribute rules need to reference the Roads feature class but I don't think I can save the attribute rule in the default gdb with an invalid attribute rule)

Re: Copying domains from one GDB to another

JianT — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 04:11:39 GMT

I'm using ArcGIS pro 2.9.5, I tired to copy dummy feature class from source File Geodatabase to another File geodatabase or SQL Server Geodatabase, however all failed to copy the domains from source feature class to target geodatabase. Any suggestion?

Re: Copying domains from one GDB to another

DarylHochhalter — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:57:30 GMT

One way you can get domains into another DB is to copy existing FC's that use the domain. The Export Features doesn't maintain domains, but copy does.

Re: Copying domains from one GDB to another

DavidlMason — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 10:41:49 GMT

In 3.3 you can just select the domains you want to copy, copy them and paste them into another FGDB.