Version Views Break When Deleting Multiple Fields

[EdwardBlair]

We recently ran a Python script to remove multiple old, unused fields from several versioned feature classes.    Initial testing found this to work OK.  Later rounds of testing found that this script "broke" multiple versioned views -- as in, the _evw SQL was not updated to remove the deleted fields. 

We later found the following bug report describing this problem occurring when multiple fields are deleted in ArcGIS Pro.   However, our script ran in ArcMap.   Is there a chance the same bug reported for Pro also exists in ArcMap?

Thx,

Ed

https://support.esri.com/en-us/bug/a-versioned-enterprise-geodatabase-view-does-not-update-bug-00016... 

[EdwardBlair]

After much testing, including tests that incorporated the Esri-suggested work-around for the ArcPro bug (deleting individual fields in distinct "DeleteField" operations rather multiple fields at a time) I'm now convinced this is also a bug in ArcMap/ArcCatalog.   Specifically, Oracle versioned views (evw's) can "break" (not be updated to reflect deleted fields) when fields are deleted through Python scripts.

I've also found that there is a (fairly) convenient way to repair the views once broken.   Simply select the affected class in ArcCatalog and select "Manage | Enable SQL Access" , as described here

It would be much better if the views didn't break in the first place.   But if they do, at least you don't have to modify the SQL in SQL*Developer to fix them.

Ed